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.

 

[Krieg]

Likewise the Rangers use of magic user spells, as opposed to more nature based magic. Was the ranger originally intended as something else than the foresting, robin hood type ?

To be fair Rangers did receive Druid spells as well as MU ones.

I didn't know that Gary designed any weapons. I think the Rocket propelled grenade was invented quiet a while ago
ken

Grrr, someone beat me to the smartalec punch!

 

[oldschooler]

This isn't an attempt to highjack the thread at all, I merely wish to direct Gary's attention to another, similar, thread I started over at Dragonsfoot (like he's really got the time ):

http://www.dragonsfoot.org/forums/viewtopic.php?p=161453#161453

Sorry for the intrusion, please continue posting away

 

[Col_Pladoh]

Wonderful! This is exactly the sort of thing I was looking for. I am reminded of Judge's Guild's Tegel Manor, which was published in this very… er, manner.

Back in those days it was common to make the erroneous assumption that all the GMs who would use a published adventure were able to manage it by creating details off the cuff as it were.

...

Many thanks for the informative replies! Oh, and will the aggrieved relatives of the recently-late Old Guard Kobolds be taking their sweet revenge soon?

I was thinking about having a division of the Old Guard Trolls come looking for revenge, but that wouldn't be cricket

Cheers,
Gary

 

[Col_Pladoh]

Gary,

Thanks for answering my question about "The Tomb Of Horrors" and 'role-playing' equating to death within such. 'Twas very enlightening.

Glad to be of service.

I was curious about something. What are your views regarding magical aging, both in 1E and how the rules currently work in 3E? IMHO, today's rules governing magical aging are nothing more than the RPG version of "Affirmative Action" for all races who's lifespan neither meets nor exceeds 160 years.

Back in 1E, I liked the idea that if the party met with a ghost, it was OK for the humans, half-orcs, and halflings to immediately run from it and have the elves and dwarves deal with the foe. That circumstance made ghosts more frightening and gave long-lived races a certain kind of "specialness". Granted, 1E held that dwarves and elves could advance no further than 10th or 14th level respectively, but that's neither here nor there.

I don't care to make comparisons between OAD&D and new D&D. I will say, though, that I concur with your evaluation of the aging effects in the original game, and that human and non-long-lived PCs were meant to flee opponents who could age them, that being more fearsome even than level loss!

As for level limits for demi-humans, there was none on the thief aspect, and in my estimation, and such PC that hit the maximum levels possible was either playing for a very long time or in a Monty Haul campaign. It took me five years to work my dwarf fighter, Zigby, to his level limit. He didn't go on all that many adventures as my single PC, but he was there getting half experience on many a big-time foray with Mordenkainen and/or Bigby and the rest.

[QUOTE/Also, back in 1E I was kind of a 'rules-lawyer'.[QUOTE/]
go stand in the corner for an hour

I had a character who was a Drow (ambidexterity) specializing in darts (ordinarily 4 thrown darts per round but double it due to ambidexterity) who always carried a couple of potions of speed. My view was that if one such potion was imbibed, his rate of fire would increase from 8 to 16. If the second potion was taken, his rate of fire would then jump to 32. In fact, I kept this knowledge to myself until such a time that I was able to single-handedly knock off a 100-hit-point-plus black dragon! Ah, ignorant DM's can be so fun.

Anyway, was it your intention for the Drow's ambidexterity to double his number of attacks? And were potions of speed cumulative with each other to a probable infinity? I only ask because I could never find anything in the rules opposing my theories. And if a Drow lives to be 1000+, who cares about a bit of magical aging, 'ya know?

Again, humble apologies if these sorts of questions were answered in previous Q&A's. But if so, just let me know and I'll go look for them. Thank you!

Well...

I suppose that the Drow ambidexterity would extend to hand-thrown missiles, so you were not off base there. An ambidextrous character can attack twice, yes, but of course that means no shield, and a penalty on the second attack is usual, eh? You were well out in left field though claiming speed potions were cumulative. I can't blame you, though, as I have attempted to bulldoze GMs in like manner when i was power gaming

Realistically, a drow character would care about losing 1% of his lifespan on a regular basis, don't you think?

cheers,
Gary

 

[Col_Pladoh]

Did you ever get a chance to play "his" D&D ?

Of course I played in Frank's campaign now and again. His game and style were never radical.

In that regard, I am also curious as to your thoughts on the races as classes, vs races with classes argument and difference between D&D and AD&D. I personally like, and can see reasonings for both, but was it part of the original idea of D&D, or did it just pan out because the first rules didnt really have a lot of classes, and the cleric and wizard were not appropriate for hobbits and such anyways ?

As I have said elsewhere, I don't see any real value in regards my comments on such matters, as the game systems in question now belong to WotC. I did what I did and its now water long gone under the bridge. Whatever you do doesn't need valadition from me.

...

I do have a couple of additional questions though (its like taxes, there's always another one lurking)

When did the change of the hobbit / halfling from a warrior type to a rogue type take place ? More interestingly, what brought about this change ? Simply differentiating from the dwarf ?

See above regarding my comments on such matters.

AD&D notes that NPC elf and dwarf clerics exist, and such also made appearances in Mentzers D&D (the gazeteers) but AD&D prohibited players from having a cleric. (untill UA anyway). What was the thoughts behind this, and what prompted the change ?
How do you do it at your table?

Ditto.

I know you are a wargamer or at least used to be. What nationalities or armies do you generally play, when you have a chance ?

I liked any Ancient period force, any Medieval one (especially one with horse archers--and
I still have several hundred 40mm Hauser figurines)).I had Brunswickers for Napoleonics, but I happily played any command from Austrian to Russian, English or French. As for WWII I had a fair number of US troops and AFVs, including a lot of conversions--all lost when Don Kaye died.

Finally, have you ever had Danish beer ?

Cheers!

Yes indeed, and I like Danish beer as it has flavor and some bite to it. I thorughly dislike all light and American popular beers with no character, and flavorless pilsners brewed anywhere are not to my taste.

I generally drink Samuel Adams Bosten Ale, Guniess Stout, Samuel Smith Porter or Nut Brown Ale, or several of the offerings from a local brewery, New Glarus Brewing that offer a good ale (Fat Squirrel) and many special sorts throughout the year.

Cheers,
Gary

 

[Col_Pladoh]

Three questions, each spaced a bit so as not to strain the brain too much...

I like your pronounciation of Oerth, sounds like Bugs Bunny. What about a couple of other commonly confusing names: Oeridian and Flanaess? I usually pronounced them er-RIDI-an and flan-ESS, how's about you?

Close enough

What's your favorite alcoholic drink (assuming it's safe for you to drink of course )? Mine is usually Canadian beer (especially lite or ice varieties) or maybe the odd rum with Coke.

See above regarding beer. I am much given to premier grand cru class French wines, top of the line champaign included. As for the rest, as with cusine, my taste is far reaching, running from fine Armagnac through Rakki to whiskies of all sorts. What I am not much fond of are the sweet liquors, although I do like virtually all sorts of rum.

All that said, I can't abide more than a few drinks, and my usual intake is a glass of wine before dinner and one with the meal. On special occassions I'll have a cocktail or similar apertif before that and a digestif after a major dining experience

Big one: I have very few players (if any) at any given time. Should they each use more than one character, or should I just cut down on encounter strengths in published adventures? I'd hate to slice the number of critters in, say, Castle Zagyg by half or more! How many characters have you allowed a player to run at one time in the same adventure?

I allow the players to decide the matter. If they enjoy playing two or three PCs and manage that well, why not? I used to do that a lot, as I couldn't schedule my RPG time to suit the group, so I'd have solo-games DMed for me, often as i did other work.

Cheers,
Gary

 

[Col_Pladoh]

XP for repartee? Heh, the influence of Jack Vance is quite obvious here, Gary. But I'm not sure of Cugel would've gotten much for clear thinking

Gray Mouser

But imagine the awards Cugel would receive for amusing the GM!!!

Heh,
Gary

 

[Gray Mouser]

But imagine the awards Cugel would receive for amusing the GM!!!

Heh,
Gary

Heh, true enough. Speaking of Vancian Role-Playing, I was wondering if you've ever played the Dying Earth RPG? I personally have not, although from what I have read about it the game sounds like it would be a fun time if you had a group of Vance fans playing.

Gray Mouser

 

[Gray Mouser]

Hey Gary, I picked up my first issue of Dungeon last year when Rob published an updated version of Maure Castle. It credits both Rob and yourself for the adventure but I was wondering if you had gotten a chance to revisit the place of Mordenkainen's petrification with said Archmage and his comapanions or if you simply helped Rob update the manuscript but didn't engage in any play testing.

BTW, the "Swords and Sorcery - in Wargaming" essay was quite good. Glad they republished it as I was 3 when it first appeared

Gray Mouser

 

[Gray Mouser]

Colonel, I was just thinking. My first D&D adventure in The Keep on the Borderlands still has a place in my memory. Do you recall your first D&D adventure? The PC you used? The setting/scenario? How about the first time Mordenkainen was taken out for a spin? Any recollections there?

Gray Mouser