History: OD&D to AD&D 1st edition

[PapersAndPaychecks]

Also, I seem to remember it drawing a distinction between the different "levels" of deity: demigods being unable to grant certain spells, lesser gods a few more, etc. Anyone have their book handy?

No, but I'm a 1e nerd, so I don't need my books to answer that one.

It isn't in D&DG at all, it's in the DMG (as is the section on which kind of minion granted which spell). Demigods can grant 5th level spells or less, lesser gods can grant 6th, and only greater gods can grant 7th level spells.

 

[dcas]

These rules are as important to the game as defining the racial limits of characters or defining when characters stop receiving hit dice. You don't have to use the rules, but they're what defines AD&D.

Meh. I don't see what the big deal is about characters worshipping pagan deities.

It certainly reflects Gary's view, which he has restated time and time again, even recently, but I don't think that Deities & Demigods adds any realism or verisimilitude to the game.

 

[Philotomy Jurament]

No, but I'm a 1e nerd, so I don't need my books to answer that one.

It isn't in D&DG at all, it's in the DMG (as is the section on which kind of minion granted which spell). Demigods can grant 5th level spells or less, lesser gods can grant 6th, and only greater gods can grant 7th level spells.

Aha! I had a sneaking suspicion that I was misremembering something. I bow to your 1E nerdness.

 

[Prince of Happiness]

Well the other thing that worked against Deities and Demigods: Didn't have the Greyhawk gods in it.

 

[Lanefan]

It is also worth noting that Gary Gygax remarks that deities are essential to AD&D, and the revision of Gods, Demigods and Heroes will be necessary to the game. I'd have to say that Deities & Demigods (later Legends & Lore) never really entered any game I played in or saw as an essential part of the game...

Whether or not you used the deities as presented in the books, your games had to have *some* sort of deities...otherwise, how could Clerics function?

That said, we never really used the books as written, but they made great templates for designing our own pantheons...

Lanefan

 

[Delta]

Who grants cleric spells by level in on PHB p. 40, and reiterated DMG p. 38. I do believe that the restriction on demigod/lesser/greater spells granted is early in the DDG (where that distinction first appeared).

 

[Henry]

Whether or not you used the deities as presented in the books, your games had to have *some* sort of deities...otherwise, how could Clerics function?

In our earliest games, we never mentioned "gods" because, growing up in the Buckle of the Bible Belt, that would have drawn too many eyes our way. When we did mention it, it was usually "the gods" who granted powers, without getting into specifics; besides, at that time it was all about the dungeons, and fighting the next cool monster rather than PCs having a life. Only when settings like Forgotten Realms, Dragonlance, etc. came to prominence did we start using deities in proper form.

 

[Mycanid]

Hmm ... I dunno Henry. My gaming group often made many a reference to the "gods" ... but again, usually it was in the sense of doing something to thwart or protect or assist or aid their minions/followers/or even their shrines.

We never even considered the idea of messing with them. I remember when Q1 first came out and I suddenly found myself with the party in the Abyss we freaked out. "We're doing WHAT?!" "Lemme OUTTA here!" No. For us the "gods" were far away. It was their followers we periodically had to deal with.

That being said, for us the Deities and Demigods was mostly a reference book that might have shed some light on ideas for adventures. (Plus personally I really liked the art of Erol Otus. ) As someone else indicated, in no way was it a "cruch" book.

I dunno if the FR and DL are the "Proper" way to use the gods. I liked the way things were when we were playing Greyhawk only, and this still is more enjoyable to me.

 

[jgbrowning]

Well the other thing that worked against Deities and Demigods: Didn't have the Greyhawk gods in it.

Yeah, I always wanted a full write-up and illustrations for that bunch in the Dieties and Demigods as well.

joe b.

 

[Prince of Happiness]

Yeah, I always wanted a full write-up and illustrations for that bunch in the Dieties and Demigods as well.

joe b.

That one's always been a head-scratcher for me. Delving a little bit into Greyhawk mythology would have been great too: Oerid, Suel, Baklunish, and Flan heroes, arch-monsters, etc. I suppose that kind of stuff is covered in the old modules and articles, but, there's always a bit more to get into, in my opinion.