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.

 

[SuStel]

If the PC doing the testing has used a +1 sword before. Otherwise all I say is that the weapon seems siperior to other swords he had weilded.

Ah, but how does he know he's used a +1 sword before?

 

[Col_Pladoh]

Ah, but how does he know he's used a +1 sword before?

Phooey!

A piece iof cake.

A m-u IDed it, or someone knowledgeable and reusted did the same for the character.

Cheerio,
Gary

 

[Tarek]

Yeah, trust is always an issue when ID'ing magic items.

My DM once told me that my character had identified a ring as a Ring of Multiple Wishes (fully charged). Now, since this was my secondary character who was identifying it for a different group of characters than the one he normally adventured with, he had the opportunity to, shall we say, mislead the party who had hired him and buy the ring at far below its percieved value.

My character failed to take advantage of the opportunity (he was chaotic, but basically honest) and, yes, the ring did turn out to be a Ring of Delusion. I'm glad the Paladin got saddled with that one.

As for ID'ing magic swords... there's a pretty simple test for 1st edition based on a logical extention of existing rules. If the magic sword can bite into stone, it's a +2 weapon. If it can bite into iron, it's a +3 weapon. If it can bite into iron and it is made of adamantine, then it's a +4 or +5 weapon.

This is based on various tidbits of lore regarding magic weapons, and the fact that in 1st edition, you needed a +2 weapon to harm a Stone Golem and a +3 weapon to harm an Iron Golem.

 

[Col_Pladoh]

Sure,

A ring of delusion can indeed mislead a mage as well as anyone else, if the examination is done without checking for curse and misinformation.

As for the value of magical blades what you suggest is fine but add" "Can bite into __________ without dulling the weapon's edge."


Gary

 

[Griffith Dragonlake]

I always assumed that the strange creatures in the D&D fantasy world were natives of another world. This is implicit in most folklore and fantasy alike. I simply did not elucidate that until I write the Mythus rules and detailed its world setting Aerth.

I agree that this is certainly the case for the Celtic mythology with strange creatures being from the Otherworld. But I don't think the Greeks thought that way. Granted all of their strange creatures had one or both parents that were not Human but most were not natives of another world. Centaurs for example were common enough to attend weddings. Many of the true monsters (single creatures) were born of Earth (Gaia) and Tartarus. Whereas all the various and sundry nymphs, naiads, etc. were spirits of a particular place on Earth. You could argue that the Norse saw the Giants and Trolls as being from another world (Jotunheim) but I think a more accurate interpretation is that Giants, Trolls, Jotuns (Titans), Dwarves, and Elves were outlanders. The Norse term "utgard" IIRC translates literally to 'out-yard'. That is, the 'strange creatures' were in the wilderness and away from the settled lands.

There's nothing wrong at all to suggest that D&D strange creatures came from a different dimension or world or perhaps a wizard's experiement. Plausible arguments certainly. I just can't get being the argument that strange creatures as natives of another world are implicit in folklore. Modern fantasy stories, perhaps. But not the folklore and mythology of our ancestors.

 

[Tarek]

Sure,

A ring of delusion can indeed mislead a mage as well as anyone else, if the examination is done without checking for curse and misinformation.

As for the value of magical blades what you suggest is fine but add" "Can bite into __________ without dulling the weapon's edge."


Gary

Ah, yes... Also, the trick was that if you're wrong when you attempt the test (trying to cut iron with a +1 blade), the weapon had to save vs. crushing blow.

A pretty easy save to make, especially for a magic item, but still risky.

I always thought that Magic Resistance was a pretty clear indication that the creature was "not from around here" in whole or in part. Drow corrupted by demon blood, faerie coming from the faerie realm, and so forth.

 

[Col_Pladoh]

I agree that this is certainly the case for the Celtic mythology with strange creatures being from the Otherworld. But I don't think the Greeks thought that way...

Nor did many other ancient peoples who left behind their mythologies for us. However, the general tenor of most FRPG world settings is the medieval ala Europe, and that means mainly the British and Scandanavian influence with a touch of the French folklore--all other world origination for most strange races.

As for the Greco-Roman, most of their strange races were linked to Pan-Faunus, their monsters being spawned by deities. In my treatment of the latter they are thus all some low to moderate rank of deity.

Cheerio,
Gary

 

[grodog]

Hi again Gary---

In the AD&D DMG, you wrote useful guidelines about the importance of time management for campaign play. How important was time management in the GH campaign when you ran it (both alone, and with Rob), and how did you manage to keep straight the multitudes of PCs running around in the Castle, City, and Outdoors???

I've always found time management to be something that I've enjoyed about campaign-level DMing, but haven't generally found much in the way of tools to assist in that endeavor. Any thoughts, anedotes, or examples of how to do it (well or poorly) beyond what you detailed in the DMG would be appreciated.

Thanks, as always!

 

[Col_Pladoh]

Hi again Gary---

In the AD&D DMG, you wrote useful guidelines about the importance of time management for campaign play. How important was time management in the GH campaign when you ran it (both alone, and with Rob), and how did you manage to keep straight the multitudes of PCs running around in the Castle, City, and Outdoors???

I've always found time management to be something that I've enjoyed about campaign-level DMing, but haven't generally found much in the way of tools to assist in that endeavor. Any thoughts, anedotes, or examples of how to do it (well or poorly) beyond what you detailed in the DMG would be appreciated.

Thanks, as always!

Howdy Alan,

The reason that most regular players in the campaign had two or more PCs was for the very reason you mention, timelines in the campaign.

Dungeon adventures are relatively short in that regard, and thus they are easy to keep track of. A sheet of paper with a running count of days suffices until some of the group heads for an outdoor adventure. Then one must keep tract of days, weeks, and possibly months.

Neither Rob nor I were sticklers for exact dates. When the main party of players was enagaged in a trek somewhere, others could do likewise, delve underground, or just sit sround and await the return of the main PCs. A rough estimate of time passed relative to the separate PC groups sufficied for eventual rejoining.

When only one or two PCs were off on a long adventure somewhere, we would usually speed time for the others if they wanted to eventually catch up with the wanderer(s).

Group play is far more important than timekeeping an an RPG.

Cheerio,
Gary

 

[Forrester]

This is your chance to make amends, Gary.

A statement of support would go a long way towards healing the damage your 1st edition Monster Manual caused the Goblin race.

(Also -- what the hell was up with elves having beards in Chainmail?!)

www.goblindefensefund.org