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.

 

[Devall2000]

highest allowable level for PC's

Hey Gary,
The information you've been providing is invaluable. I can't say 'thank you' enough.

I'm curious to know the highest level you would allow PC's to attain before you had them retire and/or made the players roll up new characters.

thanks,
Jamie

 

[The Blue Elf]

I'm curious to know how did Zagig become a Demi-God,Gary?

And thank you very much Gary for your time.

 

[Devall2000]

Well, I've gone all the way back through to where this thread first began. I think it's 34 pages worth of Q&A with Gary. I found that the question I had about levels was answered.

Gary, I've been reading about how the Gord the rogue novels are coming out in graphic novel format. This made me think about a graphic novel that came out in 80's. It was a spider-man graphic novel called "hooky." It was off the beaten path as far as spider-man went/goes. Have you ever had the chance to read it?

Also, have you ever played Axis & Allies? What did you think of it?
thanks,
Jamie

 

[Joseph Elric Smith]

Hey Gary on another list we've been discussing the Paladin, and the use of Detect evil. Would you care t5o explain what you envisioned when you gave that ability to the class, and how you expected it to be used?
Ken

 

[Col_Pladoh]

Paladin's Detect Evil Power

Howdy Ken

Well, as the Paladin is supposed to be the virtuous warrior wholly dedicated to being upright and doing good, the Detect Evil capacity seemed natural.

I envisaged it as being one that the Paladin must use with active thought, that meaning when he is thus engaged he can be doing nothing else. (It was not meant as an automatic sensing device akin to a Geiger counter detecting radiation level.)

The Evil needs to be an active force such as in a character or a spirit entity or at worst a semi-intelligent monster able to contemplate doing wicked things, or an active magical effect that has a sentient quality that triggers it malign effect.

Okay, there is is, and don't ask why this isn't quantified thus in the original PHB

cheers,
Gary

 

[Col_Pladoh]

Whoa! Missed a few...

I just got a notice of a post today, answered it, then chacked back and found several others that I'd not been alerted to. Sorry about that I'll answer them now.

Gary

 

[Col_Pladoh]

Howdy!



What are the differences in using OAD&D versus LA when making a dungeon with increasing dangers?

Thanks!

Mike

that's a difficult question to answer, for the beginning Avatar in the LA game is more like a 7th - 8th level PC in many ways. When placing weaker creatures in encounters, the Lejend Master needs to have plenty of them, and be careful to operate them in as clever a manner as possible considering their nature.

Increasing dangers aren't so difficult, as the creatures with higher Health and chance to hit, those doing a lot of extra Harm or with special attack forms are clearly ratable and tougher to defeat. Also. problems requiring the use of some not-too-common Ability, come into play, as to difficult problems and tricky situations.

One needs be careful, though, for Avatars take a long time to work up to potency greater that their corresponding level in AD&D terms. Regular play (40 + sessions) adds what amounts to about a level and a half per year, assuming the acquisition of some good Extraordinary Items (magic) along the way.

They system can manage Avatars of considerable potency, of course, and even veterans of six or more years can be properly challenged. Don't forget that the LA game does not center on combat, makes it a key element amongst several or many

Cheers,
Gary

 

[Col_Pladoh]

Re: highest allowable level for PC's

Hey Gary,
The information you've been providing is invaluable. I can't say 'thank you' enough.

I'm curious to know the highest level you would allow PC's to attain before you had them retire and/or made the players roll up new characters.

thanks,
Jamie

Never did I demand a retirement of a PC. Most of the players with characters in the high-teens level voluntarily took those PCs into semi-retirement, keeping them only for adventures that called for potent adventurers. My own top-level PC Mordenkainen, went past 20th level thus--special high-level scenarios. In one in company with several other like PCs. the first encounter faced by the group were liches armed with Rods of Cancellation that charging the party.

Mordie's last two adventures were one there he was accompanying some mid-level characters who got transferred to the MA game's Starship Warden and another in which two ancient white dragons were awaiting the party. Each of those was about a year apart.

Otherwise, as did my players, I tend to have more fun playing a PC of somewhere between 5th and 12th level.

Gary

 

[Col_Pladoh]

I'm curious to know how did Zagig become a Demi-God,Gary?

And thank you very much Gary for your time.

Castle Greyhawk had to have such a figure behind it. Otherwise, how could one explain all the strange and near-impossible (even in a magic-active universe)?

So the advent of Zagig corresponded to the development of the castle-dungeons complex early in 1973 used in my Greyhawk campaign. Zagig put in a cameo appearance when the adventurers managed to plumb the utmost depths, as will be covered in a DRAGON Magazine essay in my "Up on a Soapbox" column one of these months

Cheers,
Gary

 

[Col_Pladoh]

Well, I've gone all the way back through to where this thread first began. I think it's 34 pages worth of Q&A with Gary. I found that the question I had about levels was answered.

Gary, I've been reading about how the Gord the rogue novels are coming out in graphic novel format. This made me think about a graphic novel that came out in 80's. It was a spider-man graphic novel called "hooky." It was off the beaten path as far as spider-man went/goes. Have you ever had the chance to read it?

Also, have you ever played Axis & Allies? What did you think of it?
thanks,
Jamie

The Gord the Rogue graphic novels are postponed due to difficulties with illustrators and colorists. Now I know why the publisher was reticent about announcing. The release date has been moved from August to the end of the year

No, I missed the Spiderman graphic novel. I really enjoyed the movie, though. I am eager to see the League of Extraordinary Gentlemen film, as I really liked the graphic novel!

As a hardcore board wargamer, I found Axis & Allies a little too abstract for my taste. Both sons Ernie and Luke played it a fair bit. When I got the more recent Avalon Hill/Hasbro ACW boardgame, I created less abstract, more historically oriented, "wargamers'" rules for it immediately after playing once with the printed ones

No, I have no problems with gamers who "improve" game rules similarly, even if those "improvements" happen to be on something I wrote

Cheers,
Gary