Which D&D author/designer do you like best?

[johnsemlak]

Which D&D author/designer do you like best?

More specifically, which author would attract you to a product my themselves, whatever company or product line it was?

I used no particular method in picking the names; just choose most the the WotC heavyweights, a few big names from the old TSR days, and a few big names in the d20 business.

Doubtlessly, I've left out a few people's favorite authors. IF so, post your opinion below.

Finally, note that a small handful of choices are no longer writing D&D material.



EDIT: Doh!!! I meant to allow multiple answers. !@#*&! Well, you'll have to be REALLY selective.

 

[Psion]

You can only choose one?

I chose (drumroll) Bruce Cordell. He's always churning out cool stuff. I can usually tell the difference between the ideas he contributed and the ones other authors contributed in a WotC book.

Monte Cook is pretty good, but he has some stuff that has not impressed me (notably, the alternate classes and Queen of Lies.) But he has some great stuff, too. Dead Gods is my all-time favorite adventure, and the more I hear about his future products, the more intruiged I am.

 

[JeffB]

Yeah..I would have chosen a coouple really... I'm likely to buy anything by Gygax, most anything by Greenwood and Grubb, and I suspect if Tom Moldvay (btw you spelled it Moldway) was still doing stuff, I would pick it up sight-unseen just because I've always loved his older products. Jim Ward used to be in that group...no longer though...his ideas are good, his execution is terrible with FFE.

In addition anything by Bill & Clark is a must buy IMO.

I think most everyone else on that list is totally Hit or miss with me. Once in awhile I'll pick up something by Arneson, Monte, Pramas, or Cordell, and go "WOW" and the next thing I pick up by them I go "blech...". But that's just me

EDIT: And Carl Sargent is great too...D&D, Earthdawn, WHFRP, whatever..his work is excellent.

 

[EricNoah]

Other: David Noonan.

Seriously, the guy will be a legend within the next few years.

Maybe.

(edit -- I can't change the poll to allow multiple selections)

 

[Apok]

As much as I love and respect Monte's work, I've gotta go with Bruce Cordell. Return to the Tomb of Horrors was the most fun I've ever had gaming, period. Besides, he created 3e psionics and while it isn't the perfect system it's a damn sight better than in any other edition. Especially when you use the ITCK ruleset.

 

[johnsemlak]

Other: David Noonan.

Seriously, the guy will be a legend within the next few years.

Noonan would have been the next choice. Just too many, I suppose.

(edit -- I can't change the poll to allow multiple selections)

That's twice I've posted polls and not done that when I wanted too. Just gotta be more carefull. Well, I hope it encourages more people to post their opinions

Quoted by JeffB
I suspect if Tom Moldvay (btw you spelled it Moldway) was still doing stuff, I would pick it up sight-unseen just because I've always loved his older products.

I knew I'd misspell someone's name. Moldvay always gets me.

BTW, anybody know what happened to him?

 

[Leopold]

i like gary's old school stuff (1st edition)..the new stuff is so so...world of erde? I just don't get it...

monte's new stuff is good, some is wierd and i scratch my head but it's good enough for me..

where's jonathan tweet???

 

[JeffB]

i like gary's old school stuff (1st edition)..the new stuff is so so...world of erde? I just don't get it...

I think you may be confused here..Gary did not design Erde...that it TLG's house campaign setting...

 

[Arnwyn]

Top 3: Greenwood, Bill & Clark, Cordell.

 

[JeffB]

I knew I'd misspell someone's name. Moldvay always gets me.

BTW, anybody know what happened to him? [/B]

after he was let go by TSR he did Lords of Creation for Avalon Hill...

Then him and a few other ex-TSR staffers started Pacesetter games...they did Chill and Star Ace and a Tim Travel RPG (which was cool I had it, but the name escapes me)