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.

 

[Col_Pladoh]

Rakin,

I missed your post that Treebore responded to as quoted below.

While I agree with what he states, I must add that in my case I thought that I could provide better adventure material by doing it all myself. After a while I realized that such an assumption was short sighted and ill considered. There are many other creative minds that produce excellent adventure material. While one must separate the gold from the dross, so what? It is easier, less demanding on the GM, and gives the player group greater variety.

Additionally, the GM can always personalize material to suit his taste and that of his his group.

Cheers,
Gary

I felt like you the first few years I played (DMed). Then it came up that my games were somewhat predictable. It probably helped that we had been playing my campaigns for a couple of years at that point, but my style was predictable. They convinced me they were right so I started using Dungeon adventures. I found that I liked adapting the adventures and ideas into my own campaign and the infusion of fresh, great ideas also helped motivated me to "do better". Plus I became far less "predicatble". Plus having the cool maps and many NPC's pre-gen'd for me were very nice bonuses.

So I say you are missing out on a lot. A ton of a lot. Such as Gary's Yggsburgh book. It may be made for C&C, but it still has a lot of classic Gary Fluff goodness for any setting. With lots more to come.

If you want recommendations start with Dungeon magazine, then check out the stuff put out by Necromancer (via Kenzer and White Wolf), Goodman Games, and Green Ronin. Then there are lots of others to try out form there.

 

[zypherillius]

Thank you mr gygax

He is alive and well, and as I still occasionally play Mordenkainen, as usual I will decline to answer questions about his stats and level. I will say he is over 20th level and has some great magic items, though. bigby is still two levels lower than Mordenkainen, BTW.

I had figured it had been asked before, I was just curious. Stats would take the fun out of it
Bigby does have some fun spells, but Mordenkainen should always stay the higher level I believe, the spells in later editions that bear his name are much more wicked than some that bear Bigby's name, but they are both very impressive all the same.

Thank you again Mr. Gygax and again I apologize for misspelling Mordenkainen's name.

 

[Col_Pladoh]

I had figured it had been asked before, I was just curious. Stats would take the fun out of it
Bigby does have some fun spells, but Mordenkainen should always stay the higher level I believe, the spells in later editions that bear his name are much more wicked than some that bear Bigby's name, but they are both very impressive all the same.

Thank you again Mr. Gygax and again I apologize for misspelling Mordenkainen's name.

Welcome!

Gamer geek time for me

Mordenkainen was adventuring in Rob's dungeon when he surprised a 3rd level magic-user of Evil persuation. Mordie's charm spell worked on that worthy, whose name turned out to be Bigby. By dint of fellowship, lecturing, mentoring, and sharing with Bigby, he was not only turned from CE to Neutral, but from there to a leaning towards CG as he considered his past actions.

Ain't you glad you asked a different question so that I could relate that?

Cheers,
Gary

 

[haakon1]

that they are gained at 9th level was quite intentional. Of course later on spells of sometimes greater power were added, so name level for magic-users moved up from 9th, eh?

To 11th . . . I was looking that up last night, even though I run 3.5e now . . . using level titles is still fun.

Hmmm, how would you translate levels to medieval guild positions? Is it more like this:
1st = apprentice
3rd = journeyman
5th = master
7th = guildmaster of the town
9th = grandmaster of the realm

Or this:
1st = apprentice
5th = journeyman
9th = master

I guess I could check the field level titles, but intuitively, I've always "felt" something like that the first. One of my fellow DM's considered 5th level the turning point, because it's wear mages get Fireball!

 

[Rakin]

Thanks Col for both of your answers and how good they were.

I do realise I need to just bite the bullet and use other material one way I do do this is through reading novels. The hardest part I find about using other's adventures is the memorization. In my own world where I control all but the players and since I'm already in love with what I've created I have most of it already thought out or can wing things wihtouth much reprocrusion (sp),

On someone else's work I find myself getting nervous about not knowing enough and forgetting something that could make the rest of the module not make too much sense. Like for instance if a player asks a specific question of an NPC and the wrong answer could alter the rest of the module. Since my memory seems to lack more than others I find myself looking things up during roleplay Q&A, not very fun for anyone.

I guess it's just seems easier to just use my own and not have to worry about screwin up.

Anyway, you should get back to your answering your complex indepth questions about the million little aspect of every little RPG made and all thier characters and not worry about me Good day and thank you.

 

[Col_Pladoh]

Hmmm, how would you translate levels to medieval guild positions?
...

Or this:
1st = apprentice
5th = journeyman
9th = master

I vote for the "Or this" ranking with the following additions:
2nd = seasoned apprentice
3rd = skilled apprentice
4th = senior apprentice

6th = experienced journeyman
7th = journeyman of merit
8th = senior journeyman

10th = senior master
12th = grand master
13th = guild master
14th = past master


Gary

 

[Col_Pladoh]

Thanks Col for both of your answers and how good they were.

I do realise I need to just bite the bullet and use other material one way I do do this is through reading novels. The hardest part I find about using other's adventures is the memorization. In my own world where I control all but the players and since I'm already in love with what I've created I have most of it already thought out or can wing things wihtouth much reprocrusion (sp),

On someone else's work I find myself getting nervous about not knowing enough and forgetting something that could make the rest of the module not make too much sense. Like for instance if a player asks a specific question of an NPC and the wrong answer could alter the rest of the module. Since my memory seems to lack more than others I find myself looking things up during roleplay Q&A, not very fun for anyone.

I guess it's just seems easier to just use my own and not have to worry about screwin up.

Anyway, you should get back to your answering your complex indepth questions about the million little aspect of every little RPG made and all thier characters and not worry about me Good day and thank you.

Worry?

We don't need no stinkin' worry!

Skim the material, ahve the map handy, and then, after reading the intro material, some aloud for the players, while remembering the more interesting parts, wing the rest of it. the material is your own when you are running it for your group

Cheers,
Gary

 

[Delta]

Gary, how many magic items did you normally see on a name level (for example) PC in your D&D games?

I thought to ask as I looked at some of the classic AD&D adventures. With the 1981 printing of "Against the Giants", the "Caution" note says PCs should come with 2 or 3 magic items. But the "Original Tournament Characters" at the end have between 5 and 11 magic items each.

So what would you expect for PCs of this level: 2-3? Half-a-dozen? 10 or more magic items?

 

[Col_Pladoh]

Gary, how many magic items did you normally see on a name level (for example) PC in your D&D games?

I thought to ask as I looked at some of the classic AD&D adventures. With the 1981 printing of "Against the Giants", the "Caution" note says PCs should come with 2 or 3 magic items. But the "Original Tournament Characters" at the end have between 5 and 11 magic items each.

So what would you expect for PCs of this level: 2-3? Half-a-dozen? 10 or more magic items?

Who cares?

If the PCs are walking magic shope, the encounters get beefed up accordingly.

However...

Mordie has about six or seven he carries with him at all times, mainly things to up his AC and number of spells on tap.

Potions and scrolls count as only half or less of a normal, reusable item.

Cheers,
Gary

 

[Delta]

Gary, thanks for the insight.