D&D General Suggestions for Greyhawk resources?

[Parmandur]

But with less information about troop numbers and kit?

Given that Chris Perkins and James Wyatt specifically called out the troop information as a wargaming bit thst didn't age well and had a good laugh in the recent video, yeah, I think they aren't going there. Probsvly not doing the Runes, too, but who knoes?

 

[zenopus]

To learn about the earliest history of Greyhawk - when it was actually being played in before publication as a setting - take a look at some of the posts on my blog (Zenopus Archives), particularly the ones tagged "Great Kingdom". In my most recent post on this subject, I looked at the Greyhawk lore in the "The First Draft of D&D" (the 1973 Pre-Publication Manuscript) that was recently published in the Making of OD&D book:

Early Greyhawk Lore in the 1973 D&D Draft

zenopusarchives.blogspot.com

 

[Charlaquin]

To learn about the earliest history of Greyhawk - when it was actually being played in before publication as a setting - take a look at some of the posts on my blog (Zenopus Archives), particularly the ones tagged "Great Kingdom". In my most recent post on this subject, I looked at the Greyhawk lore in the "The First Draft of D&D" (the 1973 Pre-Publication Manuscript) that was recently published in the Making of OD&D book:

Early Greyhawk Lore in the 1973 D&D Draft

zenopusarchives.blogspot.com

Ooh, that’s awesome, thank you for this!

 

[Parmandur]

To learn about the earliest history of Greyhawk - when it was actually being played in before publication as a setting - take a look at some of the posts on my blog (Zenopus Archives), particularly the ones tagged "Great Kingdom". In my most recent post on this subject, I looked at the Greyhawk lore in the "The First Draft of D&D" (the 1973 Pre-Publication Manuscript) that was recently published in the Making of OD&D book:

Early Greyhawk Lore in the 1973 D&D Draft

zenopusarchives.blogspot.com

My favorite tidbit from that book was how Barsoom stuff was slotted in...

 

[Zeromaru X]

I have the Living Greyhawk Gazetter. Is that a good source, or I should get that Boxed Set everyone talks about?

 

[pemerton]

I have the Living Greyhawk Gazetter. Is that a good source, or I should get that Boxed Set everyone talks about?

It's fine. Compared to the original folio and boxed set, (i) it increases population figures quite a bit, and (ii) it is set after the Greyhawk Wars, so presents a slightly different political configuration.

 

[Parmandur]

I have the Living Greyhawk Gazetter. Is that a good source, or I should get that Boxed Set everyone talks about?

A bit more dry than the 1983 boxed set, and it represents a bunch of metaplot developments and extraneous details that the new DMG treatment is rolling back (though I wouldn't be surprised to see the latter developments mined as plot hooks, particularly with Iuz).

 

[Zardnaar]

I have the Living Greyhawk Gazetter. Is that a good source, or I should get that Boxed Set everyone talks about?

Boxed sets very bare boned. It's kinda the point though ymmv.

Generally the 1E and 3E stuff seems to be used depending on one's preference.

Personally I blend 1E with the Paizo stuff. I don't like Gygax stuff that much.

PCs would be in Sasserine, Cauldron, Diamond Lake or Saltmarsh probably maybe Hommlet (ToEE isn't that good tbh).

Spotlight races would be AD&D ones +Tiefling, Genasi and Lizard folk. Anything reasonable would at least be considered if someone really wanted it.

If one lacks older material Ghostmarsh is looking nice.

 

[TiQuinn]

I have the Living Greyhawk Gazetter. Is that a good source, or I should get that Boxed Set everyone talks about?

Depends what you're looking for. It's fine as far as sources go, but it's a bit dry.

 

[Savnock]

I have the Living Greyhawk Gazetter. Is that a good source, or I should get that Boxed Set everyone talks about?

I find it much more useful as a DMing or player reference than the earlier 1e/2e stuff. Information is plentiful and easy to find for most things, especially geogrpahy, cultures, and history. Yep it's dry, but you're not reading it cover to cover most of the time. When you really need to know about Urnst or a specific mountain chain or forest etc., this is the best reference IMO.

The 1e stuff, 1983 boxed set, etc. is fine for an overview of the world, and the formatting etc. are flavorful and fun. The writing feels very early-RPG and lacks the easy-to-weave-in approach that makes modern RPG products sing though (IMO). It makes good inspirational material and is helpful to at least skim if you want to understand why so many folks love Greyhawk.

As for the events of the Greyhawk Wars and after included in later publications, they are canon for the large amount of excellent material published during 3/3.5 edition. This includes the detailed and generally very well-written adventures in Dungeon Magazine, the Living Greyhawk Journal background articles, etc. Most of that was written by Paizo under the editorial and authorial tenure of the best Greyhawk loremasters out there (Erik Mona).

If you want to use that material, the Living Greyhawk Gazeteer is very helpful, allowing you to put it all in perspective.

In my opinion the 3.5 material, and the excellent Carl Sargent writing in From the Ashes etc. was Greyhawk's high point, and the plot developments are not very hard to follow.

Read it for yourself, starting with the Living Greyhawk Journal articles if you want light, or From the Ashes if you want really great writing.