TSR Q&A with Gary Gygax

This is the multi-year Q&A sessions held by D&D co-creator Gary Gygax here at EN World, beginning in 2002 and running up until his sad pasing in 2008. Gary's username in the thread below is Col_Pladoh, and his first post in this long thread is Post #39.

 

[Gray Mouser]

The Trolls overlooked the year after giving the month as June. that will be 2007

Ummm, ARRRRRRRRRRGH!!!!!!!

Yggsburgh, the campaign base, with some dungeon areas in it, will be releasing, though, although I have yet to check the final map for the town, so I would suppose it will come in August :\

Well, this is good news, at least!

Come to the Lake Geneva Gaming Convention at the end of July and get the straight word from the Trolls, Rob Kuntz, and me

Cheers,
Gary

Heh, I would love to be able to come to the Lake Geneva Convention, but that's not in the cards. Hopefully one (or more) of the attendees will offer us a write-up of the events!

Gray Mouser

 

[Col_Pladoh]

It's interesting that the Law/Chaos aspect was used by Moorecock as well as in the Amber series (which I didn't know about). But let's not forget Three Hearts, three Lions either. While the Colonel may have been influenced specifically by Moorecock the idea itself seems to be somewhat widespread in the literature of the time.

Gray Mouser

Well...FWIW

If the void were without form and content, then chaos reigned there until God ordered things. Thus whatever is of primal chaos is malign, while law is light and order and benign.

Cheers,
Gary

 

[Frank Mentzer]

The Trolls have you listed as a GoH I believe.

Drat, I'll have to bring an extra shirt.

An official Guardsman Of Helios, eh? Better wear your sunny face.

I'm being pestered to bring baked goods, too.
End of July is our summer peak, so we should have extra.

Hey, have you & Rob been at conventions together, say in the past year or two?
If not, this could be a special photo op. Especially if we get you both drunk.
Word to the wise...

F

 

[Col_Pladoh]

Drat, I'll have to bring an extra shirt.

An official Guardsman Of Helios, eh? Better wear your sunny face.

I'm being pestered to bring baked goods, too.
End of July is our summer peak, so we should have extra.

Hey, have you & Rob been at conventions together, say in the past year or two?
If not, this could be a special photo op. Especially if we get you both drunk.
Word to the wise...

F

Goodies are always welcomed with elan

Rob has been at the past two Milwaukee Gamefests, so no biggie there.

Cheers,
Gary

 

[Barak]

So. Yesterday, much to my chagrin, found me bereft of new reading material. So I went digging for old books to reread. After reading some Bertrand Russell for an hour or two, I found myself in need of some reading material on the.. Hmm.. lighter side. So I dug up some TSR novel. Well, a collection of short stories, entitlted "Realms of Mystery". Which brings me to this.. Comment, and question.

Now I know that the enlightened require no further proof, but since some still doubt, any little bit and piece can but help. And so I'll quote Elaine Cunningham (a woman, btw).

The male gnomes wore their beards shortand neatly trimmed, and the females' faces, unlike those of bearded dwarf women, were smooth and rosy-cheeked.

So see, not everything TSR did post-Gygax was wrong! (book was pblished in 1998)

And the question.. Was she as correct in her assessment of female gnomish hair?

 

[Col_Pladoh]

So. Yesterday, much to my chagrin, found me bereft of new reading material. So I went digging for old books to reread. After reading some Bertrand Russell for an hour or two, I found myself in need of some reading material on the.. Hmm.. lighter side. So I dug up some TSR novel. Well, a collection of short stories, entitlted "Realms of Mystery". Which brings me to this.. Comment, and question.

Now I know that the enlightened require no further proof, but since some still doubt, any little bit and piece can but help. And so I'll quote Elaine Cunningham (a woman, btw).



So see, not everything TSR did post-Gygax was wrong! (book was pblished in 1998)

And the question.. Was she as correct in her assessment of female gnomish hair?

Actually...

...this should have been posted on the thread regarding bearded female dwarves, but what the hell, I am no stickler for propriety

Gnomes have wispy facial hair, albeit males have a decent beard. As the author quoted indicates, female gnomes do have rosy, if leathery complexions, and their visages are generaly devoid of beard and moustache.

In all, well done Barak!

Cheers,
Gary

 

[SuStel]

% chance to know spell

Hey there, Gary!

There's always been some debate as to whether newly-created AD&D magic-users check the entire 1st level spell list for spells known immediately upon character creation, or if they only check spells as they come across them. I therefore have two questions:

1. How do you do it in your games (if at all)?

2. Which way did you have in mind when you wrote the book?

 

[Col_Pladoh]

Hey there, Gary!

There's always been some debate as to whether newly-created AD&D magic-users check the entire 1st level spell list for spells known immediately upon character creation, or if they only check spells as they come across them. I therefore have two questions:

1. How do you do it in your games (if at all)?

2. Which way did you have in mind when you wrote the book?

A spell can be known only when the character is able to use spells. Thus the check is done when the new PC is seeking to fill his 1st level spell book. As new levels are gained, and with that added spells, the player again checks for the PC.

We allowed the player to decide on which spell was to be known, then dicing to see if it was. When all slots were filled, the process ended until a new level was gained.

Cheers,
Gary

 

[SuStel]

A spell can be known only when the character is able to use spells. Thus the check is done when the new PC is seeking to fill his 1st level spell book. As new levels are gained, and with that added spells, the player again checks for the PC.

We allowed the player to decide on which spell was to be known, then dicing to see if it was. When all slots were filled, the process ended until a new level was gained.

Thanks for the quick reply Gary!

 

[Col_Pladoh]

Thanks for the quick reply Gary!

Welcome. Preferable to working...


Gary