WotC (re)Releases 1983's World of Greyhawk Fantasy Game Setting for AD&D 1st Edition

WotC has just (re)released 1983's World of Greyhawk Fantasy Game Setting for AD&D 1st Edition in PDF format at dndclassics.com. "More than a collection of maps and names, it is an active world filled with decaying empires and dark forests. Game elements include the gods of Greyhawk, the clash of political factions, and encounters in this wild land." Written by Gary Gygax, this setting describes the world of Oerth, in which classic locations like Castle Greyhawk were set.

Incidentally, Oerth is pronounced "Oi-th". Gygax said: "Say it as Oi-th as if you were from Brooklyn, and that's the way I pronounce it. That annoys all who take a fantasy world far too seriously."

Click on the image below to get it (thanks to MerricB for the scoop, who has reviewed it here).

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[darjr]

Any stats in it are for 1e. But I'm sure it'll work great in 5e.

Paizo has the poster maps from Dragon for sale http://paizo.com/products/btpy82ta?Greyhawk-Poster-Map-Upper-Left-Quadrant

I don't know how these differ from that set.

Finally there is a group trying to support a Greyhawk living campaign of sorts for 5e. http://www.greyhawkreborn.com/

 

[TheSwartz]

Incidentally, Oerth is pronounced "Oi-th". Gygax said: "Say it as Oi-th as if you were from Brooklyn, and that's the way I pronounce it. That annoys all who take a fantasy world far too seriously."

I really wish I could have met that guy

 

[Quatermane]

I purchased this product in 1983 when it first came out. The bookstore where I obtained it only had the one copy on hand, so I felt was was the fortunate one at the time.
As a DM, I usually create my own world settings. This product that Gary created set a new standard for world building that I have yet to fully achieve.
Plenty of content, but not so much as to tie the hands of DMs that wanted to use the content or even the world for their own adventures. It was like a guidebook for the World of Greyhawk without being an encyclopedia. Enough information for DMs to work with, yet blanks left in places where DMs could fill in their own content as they deemed appropriate.
I continue to borrow content from this product as I fill out the worlds I create for my players. IMHO, the content is timeless in terms of being able to use it in in other worlds.
Now that it is in PDF form, I can do word searches for content as well as bookmark things that I like to use often.

We miss you Gary. Your ideas continue to provide all of us vast amounts of entertainment and memories.

 

[jaycrockett]

Can you use it with 5E?

There isn't much in the way of stats, so yes you can use it with 5e.

This is a great product if you want some context to run the classic AD&D modules in, or if you homebrew and just want a great map and some place names to start you off.

 

[Ron]

Can you use it with 5E?

Writing from memory, there are no stats in this product, except for class and level for the rulers of the many nations. Considering the 5th edition PHB already give guidelines for many of the gods from the Greyhawk's pantheon, I say we don't need anything else to create your own campaign.

 

[Henry]

I really wish I could have met that guy

I am very glad I finally got to, a few years before he passed away. When I found out how much he and his group used to joke around and play little jokes on one another, in spite of all the "Gygaxian" authoritative voice from the old DMG, it gave me this weird feeling, that I and my groups had always been "playing it right." He and another old-time player Rob Kuntz used to torment each other mercilessly in the name of fun - Rob apparently forced every character of Gary's to take silly names ending with "igby" - Bigby the wizard, Rigby the cleric, Zigby the Dwarf Fighter, and so on. EDIT: i misremembered - Rob made every one of Mordenkainen's henchmen the silly names, including, apparently, "Sigby Griggbyson" http://www.greyhawkonline.com/grodog/gh_castle_sources_soapbox.html


*sigh* Papa G. wistful moment...

 

[Tellerian Hawke]

I never knew that it was supposed to be "Oi-th," we always pronounced it "Oh-earth." LOL

 

[Olaf the Stout]

I never knew that it was supposed to be "Oi-th," we always pronounced it "Oh-earth." LOL

Same here. You learn something new every day!

 

[S'mon]

It does have lots of 1e combat stats for various Greyhawk deities BTW.