Frank Mentzer Interview … D&D 5E Reviews … D&D Article Compendium .. B/X D&D Modules .. Zaxxon The Elf … Giants! ... No Prep 5E … Jasper The Rat … Into the Unknown.. Mathematics of Advantage … Honor Among Thieves … and more!

Table of Contents

EDITORIAL, LETTERS, AND COOPERATIVE NEWS 2

GAMERS FOR ISLA 7

D&D ARTICLE COMPENDIUM 8

FRANK MENTZER INTERVIEW 23

FRANK ELABORATIONS 26

D&D 5^th EDITION REVIEWS 34

ZAXXON THE ELF 41

SOME B/X D&D MODULE REVIEWS 46

THEY MIGHT BE GIANTS: AD&D 2e 59

NO PREPARATION D&D 5^th EDITION ONE-SHOTS 81

INTO THE UNKNOWN REVIEW 86

JASPER THE (ACTUAL) RAT AND THE SEPULCHRE OF GHASTLY TERROR 93

THE MATHEMATICS OF (DIS)ADVANTAGE IN DUNGEONS & DRAGONS 5^th EDITION 98

THE TALE OF SIR TANGRED 106

ULTIMATE DUNGEONS & DRAGONS ATARI COLLECTION 121

MOVIE REVIEW: DUNGEONS & DRAGONS HONOR AMONG THIEVES 124

ADMINISTRIVIA

RPG Review is an irregular online magazine which is available in print version every so often (e.g., Issues 40 and 44 for RuneQuest Glorantha Con Down Under). All material remains copyright to the authors except for the reprinting as noted in the first sentence. Contact the author for the relevant license that they wish to apply. Various trademarks and images have been used in this magazine of review and criticism. Use of trademarks etc are for fair use and review purposes and are not a challenge to trademarks or copyrights. This includes Dungeons & Dragons by TSR/WotC and may include The Tale of Sir Tangred by Dark Galaxies Gaming. It include the image in Frank Elaborations from Wrath of the Immortals, p5 by TSR.

EDITORIAL, LETTERS, AND COOPERATIVE NEWS

Welcome to another issue of RPG Review, and what a very special issue this one is! Organised with quite minimal notice, this special double-issue celebrates fifty years of Dungeons & Dragons and, as a result, our content is very much orientated toward that end.

Who would have thought, back in the day, that Dungeons & Dragons would make it from a small, self-published, saddle-stapled A5 publication to the global phenomenon that has lasted fifty years and shows no signs of slowing down? Well, I’m sure the people who were in the midst of it all may have dared to dream. Which is kind of the point, really, about roleplaying games.

Of course, over the past sixteen years that RPG Review has been published we’ve had a fair share of Dungeons & Dragons articles. These have been compiled with the issue number plus URL, page number, and a brief introduction to what the article was all about. It included various reviews, histories, characters, creatures, scenarios, etc. Personally, I’m quite proud of “The History of Dungeons & Dragons” in Issue 25. Obviously, there was some editorial considerations; Pathfinder and Fantasy Craft, for example, were counted as sufficiently “D&D-like” to be included, but Hyperlanes, a SF game that uses D&D 5E rules, was excluded.

Our special interview subject for this issue is none other than Frank Mentzer, the chief developer behind the “BECMI” series of Dungeons & Dragons in the 1980s. This is, in fact, the second time we’ve interviewed Frank, the first being in RPG Review Issue 32, September 2016. Fortunately, the questions are quite different! He has the honour of being the only person we’ve interviewed twice, but for Fifty Years of Dungeons & Dragons, we really couldn’t go past such an extraordinary contributor to the game.

Yours truly runs some reviews of the core 5^th Edition Dungeons & Dragons books as the next article, even though these are now ten years old from their release date. Nevertheless, it does book-end quite nicely with the first issue of RPG Review which reviewed 4^th Edition. I’ll note that Karl Brown also did a review for our special issue on Dungeons & Dragons 5^th edition in September 2014 for Issue 25; and I believe that was before all the core rules were published! A compare and contrast is strongly recommended.

Speaking of Karl, apart from being an incredibly prolific contributor in past issues, he has also provided four articles for this issue; a truly gigantic (pun intended) article on giants for AD&D2e, “They Might Be Giants”, "No Preparation D&D 5th Edition One-Shots", "Into the Unknown Review", and "Jasper the (Actual) Rat and the Sepulchre of Ghastly Terror". The first two are pretty much what is written on the tin, but I'll leave it to reader to investigate what a rat is doing in a sepulchre. Probably gnawing or stashing the bones of Bishop Hatto.

The following article is by Tim Rice who, with his particular skills in this area, investigates the mathematics behind the advantage die of D&D 5E. This is followed by a scenario by Chris McCrutcheon, "The Tale of Sir Tagred", designed for differing character levels. Finally, in different media, I offer a review of a compilation of Dungeons & Dragons computer games, whereas in the realm of film, Andrew Moshos gives his review of the now famous and relatively recent Dungeons & Dragons film, "Honor Among Thieves".

One final matter; do check out the “Gamers for Isla” article and follow the links. It’s a new initiative from the RPG Review Cooperative, and it matters.

Hi Lev, just a quick note to say I am thoroughly enjoying this issue! [Issue 55] Thank you for putting it together!

Thank you for the kind words, Rusty! For fellow readers, Issue 55 of RPG Review was Law and Politics available at: http://rpgreview.net/files/rpgreview_55.pdf which included The Thirty Year’s War for Burning Wheel, Politician Characters, Strange Laws in History, Law and Politics in the Alien setting and much more.

Woah, that Ruby Constance piece [RPG Review 56] is awesome. I hadn't heard of this author before. Very Discordian, and the William Burroughs references makes me wonder about a link to the IOT.

Good work on the Eclipse Phase module, it reminds me of the "Illuminatus!" trilogy.

She has some skill, right? Ruby Constance has written a few pieces available on Softblow, Baby Teeth Journal, and Voiceworks. The particular piece you refer to really does take one on quite a journey of which my own Eclipse Phase adaption is partial at best (and not nearly as good with the aesthetics). Hopefully we’ll see more work from her in the future.

The RPG Review Cooperative held its founding meeting in December 2015, and was subsequently incorporated by the State of Victoria on January 7th, 2016. The following is a review of our eighth year of activities. All activities have been in strict accordance with our objectives. The committee members for 2024 were Lev Lafayette (President), Michael Cole (Vice-President), Andrew Daborn (Secretary), Tim Rice (Treasurer), Elizabeth Bowman, Karl Brown, Adrian Smith, Andrew MacPherson (ordinary members). Note that the number of ordinary committee members was expanded from 2023 levels.

In the past year, we have published three issues of the RPG Review journal (Issue 56 and Issue 57-58), although technically the latter came out in January, for a December-March issue. These have all be added to the National Library of Australia. The RPG Review website received 43,790 unique visitors in 2024, a 27% increase from 2023 (34,396). Top downloads for RPG Review being Issue 55 (Law and Politics) receiving 1888 downloads, Issue 49-50 (Cyberpunk 2020 conference, December 2020) receiving 927 downloads and Issue 39 (The Far East, June 2018) receiving 790. The article "The Riddle of Steel Review" from 2010 received 1171 downloads.

The Cooperative's Library consists of 787 gaming publications, 172 gaming magazines, and 3 fiction books, a total of 962 items. We also continue to provide various IT support mechanisms (github, mailman mailing lists etc) with hosting donated from one of our members. For game authors, we also offer discount ISBNs which we gain an advantage from bulk purchasing.

Membership has increased to 29; an increase of almost 53% on the previous year. The Cooperative has continued with its sales of second-hand or new games to the public, which included two very successful stalls and presence at Conquest Convention and the Conquest Market Day. The Coooperative experienced a small financial loss for the year which can be classified as a "loss leader" activity, whilst our overall capital increased due to appreciation of Library stock and donations.

An important and relevant future-orientated decision of the last AGM was that all AI created or assisted content used in RPG Review publications will be fully credited, including the model of AI used, in that publication.

This was a year of significant improvements for the Cooperative which, with planning, organisation, and enthusiasm, we will be able to continue in 2025.

GAMERS FOR ISLA

sla Bell was a local Melbourne personality, a young artist and environmentalist, who left quite an impression on all those who knew her. Sadly, in October 2024 she was killed.

A timeline of Isla Bell’s murder investigation, as detailed in police court documents as of November is available at the following URL:

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-11-21/isla-bell-murder-investigation-police-court-documents/104628394

Justine Spokes has established the Isla Bell Charitable Fund to honour her daughter, Isla Bell, and her incredible legacy. The RPG Review Cooperative, with the approval Isla’s mother and uncle, both Principal Advisors to the Fund, has established a “Gamers for Isla” fundraising campaign.

We encourage members and supporters to donate to the Isla Bell Charitable Fund directly, or conduct fundraising through the sale of RPG books and boardgames. We will have especially marked games for sale at the Conquest Convention (https://www.conquest.asn.au/) from Friday the 18^th to Sunday the 20^th of April.

- Create a scholarship for young women pursuing studies that reflect Isla’s passion for art, animals, and nature.

By providing meaningful opportunities such as these, the Fund seeks to nurture emerging talent and inspire the next generation of artists. Through this initiative, Isla’s legacy as a prolific artist and her love for the natural world will continue to shine brightly, empowering future generations.

The Isla Bell Charitable Fund was founded by Isla’s mother, Justine Spokes, her dad, Sean Ryan, and her uncle, Kieran Dionysus, to honour and celebrate a powerful and beautiful woman. It is a Named Fund at the Australian Communities Foundation, a public charitable foundation.

All donations over $2 are tax-deductible.

D&D ARTICLE COMPENDIUM

The following is a listing of D&D-related articles in previous issues of RPG Review and an introduction to each article. It took quite a while to compile these! There was also a little bit of editorial value-judgments involved; d20 fantasy and Pathfinder articles, for example, were counted as D&D-related.

RPG Review Issue 1, September 2008 (https://rpgreview.net/files/rpgreview_1.pdf)

The Tragedy of Arachne: A high level D&D Scenario by Lev Lafayette et al. p12-17

A replacement scenario for Q1: Queen of the Demonweb Pits, In "The Tragedy of Arachne" the PCs must travel across space and time to defeat a revenge motivated spider goddess.

RPG Review Issue 2, October 2008 (https://rpgreview.net/files/rpgreview_2.pdf)

"Pathfinder is a direct descendant of D&D v3.5 and ensures backwards-compatibility with that system, making use of the Open Gaming License which D&D 3.x and the d20 supplements were published under. The Beta version of the Pathfinder RPG received the gold ENnie award for "best free product or web enhancement" in 2008"

"It began with a desire to play D&D but without a game world. A Jacaranda School Atlas lay nearby. Concentrating on Australia, it had plenty of maps, distances, weather patterns, names of towns and cities. From their the setting grew a life of its own and, through the wonder that is cooperative storytelling the world became Ralis."

"If you DM with a laptop, you can have dual monitors, one showing the DM map and the other the player's. You'll be able to 'hide' things and the players will only see what's in range or what they've seen before."

RPG Review Issue 3, March 2009 (https://rpgreview.net/files/rpgreview_3.pdf)

"In the last issue, I wrote an article entitled The Spirit of Middle Earth which showed how to be faithful to the themes in Tolkien's Middle Earth. This article implements the ideas in practise by using using existing material, specifically three old AD&D modules, L1: The Secret of Bone Hill, N1: Against the Cult of the Reptile God and T1: The Village of

"The campaign ruleset is designed around the Hero System (5th edition) rules... Recommended supplements to aid the campaign include the recent Champions supplement "The Mystic World", which outlines some important history in the official Champions universe, Dieties & Demigods for (Advanced) Dungeons & Dragons, Planescape and Manual of the Planes and finally Spelljammer. "

RPG Review Issue 7, March 2010 (https://rpgreview.net/files/rpgreview_7.pdf)

"For those without the context Drustos is a halfling druid in a game being run by Reynardo. This first post covers extracts from his diary over the years before he first sets out adventuring"

RPG Review Issue 9, September 2010 (https://rpgreview.net/files/rpgreview_9.pdf)

"How can a game called Dungeons and Dragons not allow the latter as PCs? Well, given the limited scope of the numbers behind the game and the lowly nature of lowlevel characters a dragon is just too damn powerful. Numerous attempts to create dragon PC races, many of which are available on the net, have failed to deal with this imbalance of power."

Dragons (and other creatures) of the Bilybara for D&D3.x by Lev Lafayette p42-53

"The following is a story based in Ralis, documenting the conflict between three great dragons that command much over the land, the conflict that occurs. It is designed for a group of 46 characters levels 15 and up. The storyline involves the PCs successively defeating no less that three major dragons with respective factions before coming into conflict with the great dragon Tiamat who many years prior engulfed the Rainbow Serpent"

RPG Review Issue 11, March 2011 (https://rpgreview.net/files/rpgreview_11.pdf)

"Jonathan Tweet is a significant figure in the game design industry. With the first publication as coauthor with Mark Rein*Hagen for the award-winning Ars Magica in 1987, Tweet is also the designer of the surreal Over The Edge (1992) and Everway (1995), two rules-simple narrative-heavy games, the designer of Talislanta Guidebook (3rd edition) also in 1992, and most notably the core rule books for third edition of Dungeons & Dragons."

"The DarkSun world, called Athas, is a step in a significantly different direction than the normal High Fantasy realms. No longer is Athas a verdant blue planet teeming with life, it has been reduced to a desert world ravaged by the use of defiling magic and the decay of its sun. Magic now has a cost that needs to be paid by drawing life energy from natural plant life and most users of magic are treated with outright hostility from the general public. It is also amusing to note that death from old age is a great achievement because it is rare this occurs."

RPG Review Issue 12, June 2011 (https://rpgreview.net/files/rpgreview_12.pdf)

"The following is a conversion article from a range of Druid spells from 1st and 2nd edition Advanced Dungeons & Dragons to the Hero System (4th edition). The total points for each spell is calculated to be around 2325 real points to make incorporation in power frameworks easier."

RPG Review Issue 13-14, "Planescape and D20 Double Issue" December 2011 (https://rpgreview.net/files/rpgreview_12.pdf)

"Patrick Kapera and Alex Flagg developed Spycraft, the popular d20 and OGL modern action and espionage RPG first introduced in 2002 by Alderac Entertainment Group. They later founded Crafty Games (www.craftygames.com) to take over where AEG left off, and created Fantasy Craft, a modular fantasy toolkit RPG using the same rules."

"With the release of Dungeons & Dragons, 3rd edition, the "d20 System" was also introduced. This would become the dominant roleplaying system of the decade, and certainly highly influential in this second decade of its existence. Largely released as a System Reference Document (SRD) it was also part of a new business model approach which shifted away from onerous licenses in favour of of the Open Game License (OGL), although it must be pointed out that the D20 trademark was quite separate from the OGL, which had significant repercussions"

"Stew Wilson runs a 'blog primarily dedicated to generating characters in different game systems. In this instance, he tries his hand at AD&D first edition, a game which he was quite unfamiliar with. The process both illustrates some of the gnomic reasoning used in said game as the precursor of the d20 system as well as providing a useful and interesting character at the end of it."

"Many GMs struggle with running killer NPCs. One big goal of the book is to arm you with enough actionable advice that you'll scare the crap out of your players if they ever catch wind of an NPC assassin ever again. Part of this GM training involves learning some general principles of engagement when running assassins."

"There are many reviews of this game online and most are glowing, however, those who had only read through the book or had run a single play-test game wrote these reviews when the game was new. Here I provide an in-depth look at Fantasy Craft drawing on a year playing the game. While my review is positive, there is not one game for everyone. This review recounts my experiences with Fantasy Craft and why it suits my needs. If you are wondering, 'Is Fantasy Craft the game for me?' then this review will help."

"The players are part of a society known as the Tainted: mortals who have inherited a strange curse (and boon) known as the Shifted Soul. Whilst normally the soul is a reflection of the body and mind, for the Tainted it is the physical which is less 'real'. Tainted literally carry their souls with them through life in the form of crystal fragments called Heartgems. As long as the soul remains intact, the body is merely a projection that may be harmed or even destroyed without permanent consequence. However, the physical destruction of this soul brings an immediate and final end in annihilation."

"Charms are single-use wondrous items unique to the Planescape setting. Like a potion, using a charm takes a standard action, but this action does not provoke an attack of opportunity. Unless otherwise noted, any class and race may use a charm and benefit from its effects. As wondrous items, charms may be created by characters with the craft wondrous item feat. Charms are categorised according to their effective spell level in a similar way to potions, except their spell level can range from 0 to 5."

"The Eternal Dungeon is a one-shot D&D3.x adventure. Whilst it can be easily modified to other d20 games or similar, it works particularly well with D&D due to the common motifs, specifically (a) it must be in a dungeon, (b) it uses the four classic D&D character classes (Fighter, Rogue, Wizard, Cleric), (c) it requires that each PC belongs to one of the extreme moral and legal alignments (Lawful Good, Lawful Evil, Chaotic Evil, Chaotic Good)."

"A classic post from over ten years ago; was originally put together by numerous posters at a WoTC forum, no long since gone."

"Fights take too long in 4th edition D&D, and while a number of fixes have been suggested over the years, I think the best would be to reduce the number of hit points everyone has, especially if it would make HP calculations simpler. Based on my calculations, the following formulas would reduce HP, for all classes, by approximately 25%"

RPG Review Issue 19, June 2011 (https://rpgreview.net/files/rpgreview_19.pdf)

"The Apocalypse Stone is high-level campaign that simulates end times for a fantasy environment. Designed as a high-level Advanced Dungeons & Dragons (2nd edition) campaign it is fairly adaptable to any number of other game systems due to the thematic strength of the product."

"The Advanced Dungeons & Dragons "Monster Manual" was the first hardcover for the AD&D game."

"As a development from the Monster Manual (AD&D 1e), through to the Monstrous Compendium (AD&D 2e), the Monstrous Manual (AD&D 2e, revised) provides over six hundred monsters in almost four hundred pages of text."

RPG Review Issue 22, December 2013 (https://rpgreview.net/files/rpgreview_22.pdf)

"Making Magic More Interesting (and Dangerous), a Brief Mana System with Spell Failure for AD&D"

"When I was GMing 2nd and 3rd edition D&D I had this houserule that wizards didn't have to memorize spells every day but they did have to roll a skill to cast a spell. In 2nd edition it was a proficiency and in 3rd edition it was a skill, but both were called Spellcraft."

RPG Review Issue 23-24, June 2014 (https://rpgreview.net/files/rpgreview_23.pdf)

Includes Mystara, Ravenloft, and Planescape. Surprising to many, doesn't include Dark Sun's Athas.

Big Sandbox Campaign Settings: Mystara and Planescape by Daniel Lunsford p68-73

"When the call went out for someone to 'put finger to keyboard and put together a few (or several) pages on which D&D worlds they know, love, and hate' I thought 'Aha! Mystara! Planescape! I know those like the back of my DM screen'. There were questions I had to answer first in keeping with the different worlds theme that RPG Review announced, though: 'Why do I love those settings so much? What do they have in common that makes them stand out?' Simple, really: they're both big, open sandbox campaign settings."

"The Forgotten Realms are arguably the most popular of all the Dungeons and Dragons settings, often confused with being the base world for the game as a whole. The continent of Faerûn, part of the fictional world of Abeir Toril, is the basis for most of the major adventures."

"The Demiplane of Dread, or Ravenloft, is one of the most unique Dungeons and Dragons lines. Billed as a Gothic Horror roleplaying setting, Ravenloft is one of the few AD&D settings which focuses more on atmospheric roleplaying and less tangible rewards and goals for a gaming party. Often sheer survival outstrips treasure or glory as the best outcome from an adventure."

"Our D&D campaign has a tradition of doing a holiday story every year (or in the case of some of our members, holiday art-Lizardbeth made us AWESOME icons, and Natasha drew the entire party as reindeer.) Since I had this small saga of how the party's dark elf butler spent the holidays, I figured I'd share, for the possibly vague amusement of those of you who follow our D&D campaign."

RPG Review Issue 25, September 2014 (https://rpgreview.net/files/rpgreview_25.pdf)

"Your period of active commentary and design in roleplaying games seems to be broken up into two distinct periods; firstly from the mid-70s to the early-80s where you were writing for various magazines, contributing to modules (such as the princes in The Temple of Elemental Evil), and the Fiend Folio, engaging in various board game design. Then there's the period from the mid2000s, where you've ventured into gaming education for video and tabletop games."

"The story of the role playing game hobby, from tabletop, to computer, to networked massive multiplayer online RPGs, all comes down to Dungeons & Dragons (and arguably before that Braunstein, but that's a story for a different article)... Whilst there are many examples of colourful episodes in the history of the game and the various companies that have been involved in its publishing, finding a summary single article which covers the story is often difficult. This is an attempt to bring together some of the major features of the various game editions and the changes in publishers over the years."

"I’ve been playing Fourth Edition Dungeons and Dragons for a number of years now. My book shelf is overflowing with a collection of books spanning most of the edition. And I don’t have any plans to purchase Fifth Edition. Not because I think Fourth Edition is the best roleplaying game ever made. Or that I believe Fifth Edition is somehow inferior to Fourth Edition (it’s really far too early to tell what Fifth Edition is, let alone its strengths and weaknesses... It is because I think that Fourth Edition Dungeons and Dragons does Dungeons and Dragons well in its own style and right"

"A review with a difference about Dungeon & Dragons 5th Edition and about choosing your next fantasy role playing game. Since a new D&D edition has enough media impact to draw new people into our hobby I've attempted to write this review in a way that will be useful to new people and to veterans."

"First edition had tens of magazine articles offering new races, 2e had the The Complete Book of Humanoids as well as new races specific to campaign settings, and 3.5 had Savage Species. Fans from all these editions are looking to get into the new 5th edition but there is no official way to convert oddball races. Until an official solution is released this article provides a fair way to create PCs of many monstrous races utilising evidence from canon rules."

"With over 40 years of development, including six different versions of the rules and a multitude of settings, there is a lot of information within the Dungeons and Dragons franchise for the gamer to digest. Although the current numbering of D&D runs from the AD&D line, with the latest version known as Dungeons and Dragons 5th Edition (aka D&D Next), the original D&D line is still popular, with its iconic Known World setting, and is still ripe with inspiration for the modern gamer."

RPG Review Issue 26-27, March 2015 (https://rpgreview.net/files/rpgreview_26.pdf)

Piratical Pregens: D&D 5th Edition: Brorazon the Sail Burner by Karl David Brown p45

"Brorazon is a crude rhino sized dragon who has sailed with pirate bands in search of treasure"

"This article provides new PC races chosen to suit nautical adventures inspired by Harry Hausen Sinbad films, the golden age of piracy, or viking sagas. I have reverse engineered the WOTC race creation system and used this to ensure these races are balanced designs."

RPG Review Issue 28-29, December 2015 (https://rpgreview.net/files/rpgreview_28.pdf)

"Efficient and effective character builds in Dungeons & Dragons have been a major feature since third edition, if not before then. This following example for 5th edition : How to survive a great fall (1000 meters & over) as level 2 Half Orc barbarian and still walk to tell the tale."

"D&D is just a game after all, and as long as my players are having a blast, who cares if they’re coming back from the dead? But this has really begun to go too far"

"In many Dungeons and Dragons campaigns death is merely a hurdle. In fifth edition PCs and NPCs alike can return from death with a diamond and a 3rdlevel or higher spell slot. Creatures can return from death as wights, revenants, ghosts, and other more powerful undead."

"The Scythe of Thanatas is an major artifact item for D20/Pathfinder and similar systems. It was originally used in Stean Vitasovic's D&D3e fantasy dark ages Balkans campaign c20012002, and whilst the statistics provided are for that particular context it requires little elaboration for other game settings or systems."

"Following on from third edition's "Libris Mortis", "Open Grave : Secrets of the Undead" is the equivalent for 4th edition Dungeons and Dragons, with Bruce Cordell notably sharing author credits in both supplements."

"This is a setting for the D&D 5e game but one quite unlike typical settings like WOTC’s The Forgotten Realms or Greyhawk. Don’t worry though, this setting draws on British fairy tales which in turn have influenced a lot of fantasy novels, TV, and film. This world will seem very familiar."

"Phaemorea is a classic High Fantasy genre game world designed for the classic BEMCI Dungeons & Dragons rules, however it can easily be ported into any version of Dungeons & Dragons , or with a little more tinkering, any system that supports high fantasy."

Why Computer RPGs Aren't As Much Fun as Old-Time D&D by Lew Pulsipher p114-117

"For so many people it seems like a lot of work especially in MMOs "the grind" aimed at rising in level. People don't enjoy the journey, they only enjoy the destination ("I'm 80th level!"). That's why there's a big market for sale of items and gold and even entire accounts for such games, the market addressed by "pharming"."

RPG Review Issue 31, June 2016 (https://rpgreview.net/files/rpgreview_31.pdf)

Includes Castles and Crusades, Old School Reference and Index Compilation (OSRIC), Basic Fantasy RPG

Backswords and Bucklers is the game of Elizabethan skulduggery and mischiefmaking on the mean streets of 16th century London inspired by both memories of White Box D&D and 'Gloriana' by Michael Moorcock.

"The Players’ Summary (issue 28 RPG Review) provides enough orientation for players to create characters with the guidance of a dungeon master who has digested this entire article. Reading this guide is optional for players but if you want to be further informed about character options and the setting this series of articles is for you."

Interview and conversation with Russell Andrews, certified Hackmaster GM, et al.

"One of my alltime favourite Dungeons and Dragons modules is The Nightmare Lands. A second edition Ravenloft module written by Shane Lacy Hensley of Deadlands fame, the module takes the Party deep into a twisted, malleable, dream world ruled over by a twisted entity the Nightmare Man. "

"So our latest D&D adventure has us being tested by Rooster the paladin's god, the Silver Weasel, to see if we are tough enough to go on his quest for...whatever the hell it is. Each test is individually tailored. This one was for our thief, Ceri."

RPG Review Issue 32, September 2016 (https://rpgreview.net/files/rpgreview_32.pdf)

"The story of TSR is readily available and serves as an informative rags-to-riches-to-rags. It is of great importance to the tabletop RPG hobby, for those who wish to go down the independent publisher path, and, for business in general."

"During the past several years several people have asked me various questions on the same topic or subject, and my feelings about it. I guess it has come time to state it publicly, once and for all. Gary Gygax and Brian Blume hired me to be the company editor, that company first being Tactical Studies Rules, and then TSR Hobbies. I edited some of their business letters; I edited some of Gary’s stuff; I edited whatever game the company was working on (but more as a proofreader in those instances); I edited Strategic Review and then when I edited Blackmoor, all of our lives changed a little that day."

Includes reviews of Dungeons & Dragons Set 1: Basic Rules (Revised by Frank Mentzer), Dungeons & Dragons Set 2: Expert Rules (Revised by Frank Mentzer), and Dungeons & Dragons Set 3: Companion Rules (Revised by Frank Mentzer).

"This article provides rules for non-humanoids to take on character classes and advance in level just as humanoids do. This information may provide referees with more variety in their NPCs and after careful consideration perhaps PCs could also fill these roles in some campaigns, after all where would Frodo be without Gandalf's amazing steed Shadowfax or Gwaihir the Windlord King of the Eagles?"

"The Chevaleresse, or Female Paladin, is a subset of the Paladin followed by women characters."

"Likewise, the first edition of Advanced Dungeons and Dragons released in 1977 led to a few games on Mattel’s Intellivision home console and on the Apple II home computer. But AD&D 2nd edition, released in 1989, is where things really took off."

"In 2012 someone else had another go at a Dungeons & Dragons movie. This one is Dungeons & Dragons 3: The Book of Vile Darkness, directed by Gerry Lively (who also directed the second film)".

RPG Review Issue 34, March 2017 (https://rpgreview.net/files/rpgreview_34.pdf)

"This article discusses my mathematical analysis of races in D&D 5e and what I discovered."

RPG Review Issue 35-36, September 2017 (https://rpgreview.net/files/rpgreview_35.pdf)

"The following provides a summary of the world, environment, kinfolk, creatures, and scenario ideas with upgrades to D&D 5e."

"Odd-sized humanoids and talking animals are staples of the fantasy genre.. Therefore adding ideas from Gulliver’s Travels is not really a stretch. The talking horses (Houyhnhnms) and diminutives (Lilliputians) presented here are generalized so that they can be inserted into almost any D&D campaign world as inhabitants of isolated lands."

RPG Review Issue 37, December 2017 (https://rpgreview.net/files/rpgreview_37.pdf)

RPG Review Issue 39, June 2018 (https://rpgreview.net/files/rpgreview_39.pdf)

"One criticism of the the Dungeons & Dragons 5th Edition is that there are too few monsters able to challenge a high level party, characters of ‘tier 4’ in that game’s jargon... A solution is to convert old powerhouse monsters to the new rules but this is a time consuming activity"

"In this article we attempt to translate a race from Asian folklore into D&D as a player character race. Hengeyokai are animals that can assume human form. Though 'hengeyokai' is a Japanese term similar creatures appear in the folklore of nearby cultures"

RPG Review Issue 41, December 2018 (https://rpgreview.net/files/rpgreview_41.pdf)

"Paul Bimler is the author of solo adventures for D&D 5e. He publishes as a small label ‘5e Solo Gamebooks’ on the DMs’ Guild. His first adventure created a bit of splash and went on to become a ‘Mithral Bestseller’ on the DM’s Guild."

"Magellanica is an Australian-themed RPG campaign setting designed for D&D 5E and Pathfinder. I wrote it as a means to incorporate the fantastical elements of Australian history and mythology into fantasy roleplaying."

RPG Review Issue 42, March 2019 (https://rpgreview.net/files/rpgreview_42.pdf)

"The 5th edition of D&D does not have many monsters capable of challenging a high level party of adventurers... From the monsters generated for my Council of Wryms conversion I have curated choke vines to challenge highlevel PCs and an assortment of other wilderness monsters and NPCs that should provide interesting encounters. "

RPG Review Issue 43, June 2019 (https://rpgreview.net/files/rpgreview_43.pdf)

"The Green Isles Campaign does not use the standard Great Wheel cosmology of D&D. The cosmology seen in the fairy tales of the British Isles probably has roots in Celtic, AngloSaxon, and Christian beliefs."

"To give you something new I have to go deeper. Here I take you on trip through time giving you the context of D&D prePlanescape to recapture why it was so radical at its time of release. "

"Other possibilities: Being Chaotic Neutral, the Deck of Many Things, Dual-Classing, or Polymorph Other... Play Torment, everyone. It's so good."

RPG Review Issue 45, December 2019 (https://rpgreview.net/files/rpgreview_45.pdf)

"Council of Wryms by Bill Slavicsek for TSR 1994, and 1999. Though long outofprint the boxed set is still readily available for purchase as a pdf at a reasonable price."

RPG Review Issue 47, June 2020 (https://rpgreview.net/files/rpgreview_47.pdf)

"Death cannot hold them, they slip from her restful embrace to fight and love again for they have a spark of the divine within them, a spark that shows in their looks and deeds."

RPG Review Issue 48, September 2020 (https://rpgreview.net/files/rpgreview_48.pdf)

Includes: 5e Witch Project: Complete Witch, Witch Project : Wonders of the Witch, Witch Project : Hidden Oddities

"The ghost is a race available for play at 7th level or higher. You can start playing a ghost as a new character. If a PC of any race dies, they can return as a ghost"

RPG Review Issue 51-52, September 2021 (https://rpgreview.net/files/rpgreview_51.pdf)

Foodies: A Buffet of Pregenerated Characters by Karl Brown and Brendan Hack, p59-67

"This article collects together information on the Devil as he appears in British fairy tales and therefore the Green Isles. Devils and especially The Devil rarely appear in British fairy tales which might seem strange for a traditionally Christian nation"

RPG Review Issue 54, March 2022 (https://rpgreview.net/files/rpgreview_54.pdf)

"British fairy tales are full of talking animals with intelligence to rival humanity. Most talking animals are indistinguishable from ordinary animals of their type."

"This article describes freewilled illusions as a player character race for D&D 5th edition."

RPG Review Issue 55, December 2023 (https://rpgreview.net/files/rpgreview_55.pdf)

RPG Review Issue 56, October 2024 (https://rpgreview.net/files/rpgreview_56.pdf)

FRANK MENTZER INTERVIEW

H
ow did you get into roleplaying? Which games do you prefer? What have been your most memorable moments in actual play?

That covers 6 decades, so I'll just do the first one. In the 1970s after college I played a lot of boardgames with a close friend, Don Paterson. He showed me the new one, the D&D white box, but we couldn't understand it (a common story). Eventually we saw it being played, had the epiphany, and went from there.

One of my thriving D&D group, Dave Axler, showed me an ad in Dragon magazine for 2 positions at TSR. He talked me into applying, I interviewed by phone, and then moved to Lake Geneva in January 1980.

During the 1980s, there was a lot of fear of D&D, both on supernatural and moral claims from certain sources. Do you think that TSR handled this well (e.g., the pulping of the first print run of B3: The Palace of the Silver Princess)?

As a TSR spokesperson I appeared on some TV shows, and did many personal appearances, to rebut the whole thing. We did as best we could, though some (e.g. 60 minutes) just used us for their own ratings. (The pulping was due to internal disagreements, not the 'satanic panic'.)

Could you describe your role with the Role-Playing Games Association (RPGA)? What is the association of the R series of modules (R1: To the Aid of Falx, R2: The Investigation of Hydell, R3: The Egg of the Phoenix, etc) with the Association? How did it evolve over time?

TSR's General Manager Mike Carr had proposed the RPGA, and management was looking for someone to create it. I passed a few tests -- winning the 1980 DM's competition and then running a D&D game on television during the Jerry Lewis Telethon -- so Gary assigned this to me. Notably he gave me Bill Hoyer as primary staff; Bill (RIP) is unknown but was there in 1968-75 when D&D was born, a friend and club member, one of the pioneers.

To promote the club I started the Polyhedron newszine (quarterly) and wrote several tournaments for convention use, four of them later published as the "R" modules. (They were later combined and changed for module I-12.)

Could you describe how the BECMI D&D game came into being and its development? What is your opinion of the previous edition of the game B/X D&D?

Moldvay was wonderful, a major step forward from the previous (Holmes '77) edition. But with the new mega-popularity of the game, TSR needed a thorough repackaging, art like you see on good book covers in good bookstores, as well as a more understandable method of learning how to play. I did the words, Larry Elmore did the famous artwork, and we had a hit.

Was there a clear idea of the progression of the BECMI series from the outset, or did it evolve over time?

All the bits were planned, but I wished I could have put more into the earlier sets, instead of leaving some (weapon mastery for example) to the later sets. Gary watched over the 'red box' carefully but then turned it all over to me. He got tied up with business things so I wrote the next 4 boxes by myself. The misunderstood Immortals set is the background for everything previous, and presents an End to the game itself for the first time.

Common criticisms of BECMI D&D are the limited alignment system, the use of non-human kin as classes, and the progression and power of the thief class. How do you respond to these criticisms?

I certainly failed on the Thief by slowing the progress down across 36 levels. If done again I'd put all that in the first 15 levels, then add new skills and abilities (sigh).

However, the race-as-class aspect and L/C alignments were all givens from the start, since my series was strictly based on Original D&D and Holmes/Moldvay, and nothing from Advanced D&D.

Each edition of the BECMI boxed sets was recommended for different age groups. For example, the box of the Basic set states that it is for players "ages 10 and up", the Master rules "ages 12 and up", and the Immortals "ages 14 and up". Was it a reflection of the increasing maturity and complexity of the content?

That tag was always generated by the business folks, not me. It did reflect the general intention: work through them one by one, learn and mature as you go. The boxed sets were carefully planned as a programmed learning system. Details from each set built on the previous ones. In the crucial first one, the reading level was analyzed, and I summarized the entire game experience into an introduction, a short story, and a simple adventure. It worked; parents are using that 40 years later to teach their kids.

After Gary Gygax left TSR, you joined him with Kim Mohan (AD&D Wilderness Survival Guide) and formed New Infinities Productions. New Infinities Productions was not a successful company.

NIPI failed for lack of funding, and what little we had was drained by harassment lawsuits from TSR. We all knew a big fight was coming, since Gary wanted to regain AD&D and Greyhawk. We produced some nice fantasy items and an incomplete science fiction game. (CC was rushed into print because we were almost broke.)

After New Infinities Productions, you were out of the industry for many years. What were doing during that time? Were you still doing any gaming?

Hobby gaming keeps on going. In the '90s I tried various things, then remarried in 1999 and moved to the Wisconsin Northwoods to manage my wife's bakery. (I don't bake very well.) That ended in 2010, we both lost our parents. Two years later I joined the Eldritch Ents.

In 2010, Eldritch Enterprises was formed. How did that come about, and who was involved? Has it been successful?

I joined Tim Kask (1st editor of Dragon magazine), Chris Clark (Inner City Games since the '80s) and the late Jim Ward (various famous RPGs) to try a new RPG company. It was inadequately funded and wrapped up within 3-4 years.

Your own publications from that publisher include The Case of the Missing Magic (2012), Quondam Fount (2012) and Lich Dungeon Level I and II (2012, 2013). Can you describe what these publications cover?

CMM and Quondam are unique; the adventures use topics that you've never seen. (I dislike doing the same thing as everybody else.) Lich Dungeon was the first dungeon in my original campaign, so those levels show what I did in the late '70s before my work at TSR.

What RPG games are you playing today? How do they differ in style from what you've played in the past? What do you think is the future of the RPG hobby?

I only play occasionally for health reasons (74 now), and it's usually running games at conventions. As I became ill I wrapped up my 29-year long online D&D campaign. I don't really keep track of the modern Industry.

When the game was invented, I feel that it was far more than just a game. For the first time in human history we were able to enjoy a Cooperative pastime with codified rules, not just backyard child's play. Competition is in our genes, but in this game we transcend that. The losers are not other players; they're all imaginary.

FRANK ELABORATIONS

A compilation of some of Frank Mentzer's classes, items, locations, spells, and commentaries dating from 2019 onwards!

If those encountered are aggressive in the slightest, parties usually wipe them out.

One who follows this path prioritizes harmony among all living things. A key part of harmony is Understanding, comprehension of the viewpoints of others.

Harmonizers believe that although some (few) may be intent on mayhem even without regard to their own lives, most living things will prefer nonlethal solutions to life's problems. Harmonizers are not averse to combat, but consider it a last resort.

The standard druid spells are available to Harmonizers, with several additions. This is the most notable. If implemented, modify the encounter sequence to include a Parlay option. (Talk 'em into quitting or cooperating instead of eliminating 'em. Radical!)

This gives the recipients the ability to understand all languages used within range. It confers no usage ability, only comprehension. The effect lasts for 10 minutes per level of caster. Target creatures make a saving throw / WIS check or pause their activities briefly while assessing the changed situation. (Higher level spell power might not allow a save.) In such cases, they can and will defend normally as needed, but will not initiate hostilities. The enforced pause lasts only 1d4 rounds, but may be voluntarily extended of course.

This spell can be cast at as L1 to L5. The effects vary by the power applied, as follows. Of special note, if a Harmonizer briefly entreats his or her deity to change a different memorized spell to a Comprehension spell, that change is often granted, taking but 1 minute.

Comprehension L1: 1d4 individuals, save v spells / WIS check or pause 1d4 rounds

L2: Up to 3 designated individuals auto (no save/check) plus 1d6 others save / WIS check

Also for Breath: Gains 1d6 more dmg for each 10 HD slain. Can be worn up to 12 hrs max. When removed must be stored in a special box (mini-coffin) for 4 hrs (min.) to recharge. (vampiric essence via dmg gain; may Detect as slightly evil, tho not much)

Includes License (from the official School in Keoland) for all 5 spells, eligibility to purchase scrolls

Level of effect = cost in charges; Start = 50 (ask about expensive recharging, prices may vary by demand)

L5 Interposing, R 20", 20r: Interposes, no save; others' mv is 1/2 (sideways); size = choose (human thru giant)

L9 Crushing, R 10", 20r: As any other, OR grab & squeeze: round 1 = 1d10 dmg, 2 & 3 = 2d10 @, 4 etc = 4d10 @

To activate this rare and valuable object, a mage must spend an entire week reviewing his or her Spell Book while wearing the Ring. If the Ring is ever removed it is deactivated.

While the Ring is activated, the wearer gains choices in spellcasting. The Ring may be used to produce any spell in the spellbook, as long as the caster has memorized a spell of the same relative power (Level). When that occurs, the memory of the equivalent spell vanishes, providing the 'power' for the effect conjured. The caster may choose which equivalent spell will vanish from memory (if applicable).

Example: A mage has memorized Fireball (L3) but also has Lightning (L3) in his book. Encountering a situation where the latter would be more useful, he uses the Ring to produce the Lightning, and immediately forgets the memorized Fireball. The Ring then has 7 spell levels remaining for the day.

Historical note: The legendary mage Jak Vants wrote many authoritative works on magic use. This item was created to prove that there are alternatives: "No, Jak".

It's a speed restriction imposed by immortals who oversee multiversal operations ('the gods' to ignorant mortals). They take great care of the Prime and its connected elements because that's the #1 source of more immortals. (They call it the Cosmic Womb.)

And that's why firearms were never invented in my D&D game. Occasionally they DO show up though, debris dropped by illegal visitors. One PC found a revolver with a couple of shots left, and tried it against a demon's head. The creature's Anti-Magic check succeeded, thus exempting the gun from the fire restrictions. Blew its head off. (yeah, metagaming, but overruled by the Fun factor.)

In the BECMI Companion set I introduced Blackflame*, reverse-fire that restores combustibles instead of consuming them. It's pretty tricky to keep going, gotta feed it ashes. I stole the idea of course from one of Niven's "Dream Park" adventures; too good to let slide; thank you sir. (* Clan Relics: Dwarven Forge of Power, Elven Tree of Life, Halfling Crucible of Blackflame.)

Background: This can work because the 'science' of the game is elemental. All four elements come from their own nearby Planes, feeding the Prime (our home) like a trillion tree roots, arriving at myriad points throughout the universe.

Trap-finding and -removing became a part of the D&D game in 1975, with the introduction of the Thief class (Supp 1 Greyhawk).

I always thought that whole subsystem (traps) was incomplete. There are some percentages but not much on how to modify them. SO this is offered as a way to make sense of all that.

In general this adds a lot of rationale and verisimilitude to the whole trap thing, but the Cost is added complexity. It helps that this 'work' is all on the GM's side, never hassling the players, and is

If/when a trap is indicated or placed by low-HD creatures, it probably DOES NOT* work, and is almost always a low-damage effect without specials (poison etc). High-HD creatures can ignore substantial damage, so their traps inflict more of it. The craftier ones are also more inclined to add special effects to damage, such as slice (finger or hand removal), explosion (radius 1' to 10'), bleeding, pit-trigger, poisons of varying types (saving throw mods of +4 to -4), and whatever others you can logically add.

Low-level dungeons = minimal traps, often glitched. Higher-level / deeper dungeons = nastier traps by nastier trapmakers.

(GM elaborates on simple trap type, with possible indications of who may have set it)

This adds something the D&D game has never had, really -- malfunctioning traps, a very logical thing. The exception is from Gygax (of course), pit traps that only trigger on a die roll, adding a random danger in dungeon crawls.

See table -- and the GM should of course modify these suggested numbers to suit the game and campaign. This is but a concept, a starting point.

In playtesting: When players let down their guard after finding a few duds, they become more susceptible to a nasty one. The frequency of functional traps can be altered quickly to balance their paranoia. (Beware the time-wasters; useless game delays are frustrating and bad. Don't waste the time you can chisel out.)

Nonhumans may become proficient in trapmaking varying by the environment, competition, and intelligence. This skill might only apply to certain members or classes, and is unlikely to apply to 100% of those encountered.

To apply proficiency, use PC Thief stats with HD = Thief level, but at double chance of success (>100 = autosuccess).

Malicious types may prefer traps that wound or hamper invaders, relishing the additional pain they cause and using it tactically.

Aiming Hi or Low: A trapmaker may try to create a specific level of trap, either simpler or tougher than usual. Adjust chances of success accordingly. (The skilled may deliberately make an easy trap, to be found and mislead invaders.)

I obviously only took a few minutes to throw down numbers in series, for all columns, arbitrarily spreading them over 16 HD (covering almost everything in the books). Gygaxian really.

This is a starting point for YOU to design this subsystem in a way that works for your games. Fiddle with the chances of functionality, damage, and specials.

By Creature HD; numbers across: Chance Trap Works (d10), Damage of Trap, chance of Special (d10)

In this world, the Druids are in tune with the sentient planet, and their surface-world advice is usually heeded. The royals of Empyrea have done so, to the great improvement of their realm over 2 centuries.

But the gods (immortals?) are firm on this one. As a sentient being you produce a finite and mensurate amount of Belief (however they weigh that aspect of the sphere of Thought).

Belief can be aimed - 'invested' - in various things. frex if you think Humans can accomplish anything, then that's where your Belief is attuned. If you submit utterly to the gods, then they gain Power from that (see D&D Immortal set, 1986).

Thus, the gods take note when your Belief is split between Them and something else. You've Strayed.

The power to use magic is not dependent on the gods y'see, though they like to stick their noses into it, for Control. Magic is a fairly simple process, tapping the latent potential energy at the nearest planar boundary (usually the Ethereal). But it barely works in 3 dimensions. You need 4 or 5 for it to be reliable, so it's easily constrained by a simple local dimensional cap like what they applied to our realworld.

I had a rigid point of view while at TSR in the early 1980s, and became the designated 'top dog' for Advanced D&D (1e) rules, taking that load off Gary. I also led a charge toward a defined game philosophy, which I can state simply:

"Design to cleverly optimize the Rules As Written, resisting your valid artistic urge toward a contradictory principle. Do that later."

(Subtext 1982: 'I think it's a critical time in 1e-world, so let's be real careful here.')

I still regret that my rigidity forced my friend Len to revise a lot of details in his "L2" adventure to satisfy my (hard-logic) nitpicking.

Decades later, I'm a minimalist. I don't use written rules* (see below) or a screen. I'm part of the group, more a Guide than a 'Master.'

I start with a rough framework, easily changed. Then I take the flow of players' reactions, implications of words (oft deliberately warped), and whims[+oc->], as seeds. Some sprout in the ensuing attention, but many are starved and fade into forgettable 'side details'. A story evolves, adventure arises. Parts of my original ideas may survive, but they're customized for the users.

I'm the Producer. The players are the writers, and their output is extrapolated, reheated, tweaked, and orchestrated by yours truly.

Dozens of gamers have participated in this irregular experience that I ran at various game conventions. I invite the veterans to drop by with stories.

How the heck? This: Each player uses the applicable rule for a system chosen. If you believe that people must be controlled at a game table, peer pressure is usually adequate on this score. Please be generally knowledgeable re the systems in use, proceed equitably, and make final decisions quickly. (Stay sharp and you'll know if they're all goofing you, or group-cheating with a wink; it can happen occasionally.)

PLAYERS need rules, sure. At my table, pick from Arnesonian (OD&D thru BECMI) or Gygaxian (1e/2e, the wargamer's fav)... or use method A or G, or fine-tune it further.

The differences in the above group of game rule sets are wrinkles, not barriers.

The obvious disagreements within Systems are trivial compared to the complex game experience.

Love the one you're with. [Stills 1970] Please don't bash mine. Hey, want to try a mashup?

Commentary: "Balanced" encounters in D&D games

Encounters occur in an environment, in context. If monsters that would interact adversely with each other are located in proximity, then they would encounter each other long before you happen to wander by. But you never seem to spot that, you never come across other monsters in conflict. In most writeups that I've seen in 40 years, they're always alone, and usually hostile to you. That makes the encounters quite simple. I prefer environmental context.

The first-ever 'dungeon module' for D&D, Palace of the Vampire Queen from Wee Warriors (Pete & Judy Kerestan), had the usual array of rooms on the usual castle levels. Being the first attempt at this sort of thing, the monsters never left their rooms, and if they had there would have been major trouble. In exploring the place, you found them in situ, period.

In some of their earliest accessories, TSR offered "Monster & Treasure Assortments" -- simple lists of critters & loot. In a typical dungeon, you simply select or roll, and that's the encounter for a room or area. Again, there is zero consideration of the environment, of any interaction of residents.

After decades of experience, most of us design environments instead of such primitive illogical arrays, and then 'stock' them with residents (many being monsters, and many being potentially hostile and combative). When you explore an environment you (should) find clues indicating what those residents are, and where. I expect you to seek and find such clues, and to assess whether you're capable of defeating them by force -- and if not, to form alternate plans to deceive or evade them, or synthesize some other reasonable course of action resulting in your survival and success (at gaining loot, probably).

Some environments will contain a 'spead' of challenges. Some of those encountered may be very easily defeated... and others (perhaps nearby) may kick your butt if you don't learn to run away. The variety encourages you to seek and use information, develop plans (if this then A, but if that then B), and be aware that no single strategy will handle everything. One size does NOT fit all.

If a designer doesn't bother to construct an integrated rational environment, and doesn't bother to give clues about the residents, then I think that's a lazy, sloppy, or inept designer. Don't be that way.

GM means Game Manager to me; I'm not into the arrogance and domination implied by 'Master. When a GM selects a product (environment) for the players' characters to explore and experience, the GM should attempt to match the difficulty. You don't send novices against a dragon lair, and you don't send high-level professionals against sniveling runts who will have no chance of success, present no challenge whatsoever. The Fun comes when you are challenged, when each 'team' has a chance of winning. Most products give some clue up front -- 'designed for levels A to B (range)' or the equivalent.

Thus, whenever I see these debates about 'balanced' encounters -- or see the products sold that oh-so-carefully 'balance' the opposition, effectively making the characters' success inevitable -- then their goal seems to be zero chance of failure, zero need for thought and analysis. The only 'challenge' is in choosing which resources to employ and when... logistical head-games, but lacking the chance of failure. You are supposed to have a guaranteed 'win', and the only variables are whether you win efficiently and quickly, or sloppily and minimally. But it's always a win.

2. You play different phases of your career(s). Start with low-ish levels, then jump ahead, then jump again, and again. Much of the PCs' lives will be skipped, so again you'll explain how you gained those levels (together).

3. Eventually you reach the Epic, your reason for Being. You & your items are exceptional, and your Destiny finally arrives.

One fundamental flaw in the D&D game is the universal method of playing out every day in the characters' lives in sequential order. (What the HELL?) NO other form of storytelling -- novels, television, film, NONE -- uses that tedious method (imo inherited from board games). ALL good storytelling focuses on Things That Matter and skips the trivia.

But in RPGs we're programmed to work our way up (often from level 1 or 2) in the game. Every time. And I say hogwash. That leaves most of the game laying there unused, waiting for you to 'work your way up' to it.

D&D 5^th EDITION REVIEWS

Player's Handbook

ith the longest lineage in roleplaying games, the Dungeons & Dragons Player's Handbook, 5th edition, is now ten years old, with an initial publication of August 2014. Despite engaging in fairly heavy use as a player shortly after release, I do confess that prior to writing this review, I didn't really take the deep dive that the product deserves. This review is the first of three reviews of the core publications, along with the Monster Manual (September 2014), and the Dungeon Master's Guide (December 2014), all following a traditional three-book system that has been consistent with AD&D 1st and 2nd edition, D&D 3rd edition, and D&D 4th edition.

Physically, the book is quite weighty at 320 pages and is appropriately well-bound and sturdy. The two-column print is easy to read, albeit the page numbers and chapter references have insufficient contrast with the yellowed background. There are three parts to the book: effectively Characters: Adventuring, and Spell, and a set of appendices. There is a good single-page table of contents and an extensive index. The writing style is easy to read throughout and starts with a gentle introduction to the game and the core mechanics. There are various illustrative references to the literature of Dungeons & Dragons throughout the text (e.g., Weis and Hickman's description of Elves from "Dragons of Autumn Twilight"), which is quite charming. The artwork throughout, including the cover, is competent and colourful (the product is full-colour throughout), but not particularly evocative or creative.

Character creation is laid out in step-by-step instructions: choose a race, choose a class, determine ability score (random or point-buy), describe the character, and choose equipment, with class and proficiency bonuses gained at each level determined by the number of experience points. All character races have traits; abilities score bonuses, age, common alignment (a return to the law-neutral-chaos, good-neutral-evil axes), languages (including "racial" languages), size, speed and with variations with subraces. A new inclusion is the use of "inspiration", invoking the character's personality in a stressful situation to create an advantage. Races include Dwarf, Elf, Halfling, Human, Dragonborn, Gnome, Half-Elf, Half-Orc and Tiefling and ability bonuses stack, rather than replace, for subraces (e.g., mountain dwarves receive +2 Strength and +2 Constitution).

There are twelve standard classes, each with a specified hit die to determine hit points (e.g., d12 for Barbarians, d6 for Wizards), primary abilities (e.g., Strength and Charisma for Paladins), Saving Throw Proficiencies (e.g., e.g., Strength and Dexterity for Rangers), and weapon and armour proficiencies. The twelve classes are Barbarian, Bard, Cleric, Druid, Fighter, Monk, Paladin, Ranger, Rogue, Sorcerer, Warlock and Wizard. Classes have standard class features and gain additional features with level gains. As with races, classes have specialisations which come with bonus proficiencies. Multiclassing, with prerequisites, is also allowed with the distinction between total level and class level clearly explained. In addition, characters also have backgrounds which provide past history and character features, such as personality traits, ideals, bonds, and flaws. Various equipment (weapons, armour, adventuring gear, transport, etc) also receives its own chapter.

The second part of the book consists of three chapters that deal with abilities, adventuring, and combat. Abilities and ability checks are really the core resolution method of the game, with saving throws and skills both based directly as variants of ability checks. Skills, in particular, are notably reduced in quantity and descriptive scope compared to previous editions. The core mechanic in the game is a d20 check versus a target number, plus modifiers, plus an advantage or disadvantage die. The latter is a significant simplification of previous editions where modifiers could become an exercise in arithmetic, but it has a great deal of coarseness and randomness to it. Simply put, if a character is at an advantage, they can roll 2 d20s and pick the highest, and if they are at a disadvantage, they pick the lowest.

The Adventuring chapter is quite short but quite dense in its brevity, covering time and movement, environmental challenges, including food and water requirements, drowning and falling (no game is complete without it), social interactions and, finally, rest and recovery. A main activity in D&D has always been combat and this edition is no exception with order, movement and position, actions, damage, and unusual environments discussed. At its core, it comes down to initiative (Dexterity checks), attack rolls (d20 versus armour class as a target) with various colours (e.g., opportunity attacks, two-weapon melee), and damage rolls against hit points, with negative values requiring saving rolls for survival, unless massive damage applies.

Spells are differentiated by spell level (0 for cantrips, up to 9 for powerful spells like "Wish"). For spell-casters, there is a distinction between "known" spells and "prepared" spells, the latter selected from the former. The number of spells that are castable without rest to replenish is determined by spell slots, a number of spells based on spell level. A small selection of spells can also be cast in rituals that take up ten times the normal casting time. Casting time is a significant change with some spells as reactions and multiple spells can be cast in a round if a bonus action is available. In addition to casting time, spells have variable range, area of effect, duration, and components (verbal, somatic, and material). Many spells may be resisted with a saving throw and some also require an attack roll. Spells of different names can combine in their effects.

Spell-casting classes in the game consist of Bards, Clerics, Druids, Paladins, Rangers, Sorcerers, and Wizards. Their available spells are listed according to class but then are described in detail in alphabetical order. The spells are pretty much a well-known D&D staple, simultaneously the most interesting and complex part of the game, with many moving parts and detailed variations. One particular change of note is the many more spells in this edition vary in power according to the caster's level.

The appendices provide a useful glossary of conditions and their in-game effects (e.g., "blinded"), a summary of gameworld deities, domains, and alignments, and a description of the planes of existence. In addition, a limited creature statistics section provides a brief introduction to the Monster Manual.

In many ways, the D&D 5th edition Player's Handbook presents a game that is a rules-light version of the 3rd edition, plus some of the innovative ideas of the 4th edition (without being a radically different game), and adds a few new ideas of its own. On the positive, this is probably the game that makes the most effort in encouraging character background in D&D and providing in-game mechanics to support this. Many contemporary players will like the stripped-down version of the rules; personally, I think it's too stripped down, but I don't mind a bit of extra crunch. The advantage/disadvantage die is also something that will appeal to many, but again, I find the coarseness and randomness not to my taste. As another positive, some effort has been made to include a lot into the book in terms of "can the game be played with these rules alone?" However, by the same token, the game is quite verbose, even if clearly written.

Ultimately, whilst it certainly satisfies the D&D historical lineage and is designed in such a manner to encourage ease of play, the biggest problem with the product is that it is unfortunately quite dull. Admittedly, this is difficult to pinpoint and is quite subjective, but it was a strong and consistent evaluation across the different design vectors: the artwork, the writing, the game system as a whole, and perhaps most importantly, it becomes part of what is a very limited scope of the game; this is pretty much only a game about beating up monsters and stealing their stuff. Maybe that's playing to the game's strength in terms of design, but it doesn't speak highly for more flexible and imaginative applications.

Style: 1 + .7 (layout) + .5 (art) + .4 (coolness) + .8 (readability) + .7 (product) = 4.1

Substance: 1 + .5 (content) + .4 (text) + .4 (fun) + .4 (workmanship) + .3 (system) = 3.0

Monster Manual

The fifth edition of this classic supplement provides a "horde of classic Dungeons & Dragons creatures ... a monstrous feast", all contained within a hefty and well-bound 352p hardbound book. The cover art, a rather impressive and frightening beholder confronting two adventurers, is well-executed and creative in its representation of a violent confrontation. It is a rather good example of the quality of artwork found within the book as well, although the interior art lacks an evocative context that was sometimes found in earlier editions of this book. The layout is pretty nice too, with stat blocks quite distinguished from the rest of the text. But as with the Player's Handbook the page titles and page numbers are too small and don't have sufficient contrast with the background.

Inside, there is a simple index that outlines the book: an introduction of several pages, around 150 monsters, each provided with at least a page of description (thank you, AD&D2e, for that innovation), and several pages of more natural creatures (described with much greater brevity) and NPCs. The introduction is fairly useful, defining monsters, where they live, statistics, type (the sort of D&D-style phylum; aberrations, beasts, celestials, dragons, etc), more statistics, experience point value, and traits. It largely follows the overall perspective found in D&D 3rd edition but is stripped back significantly. I rather miss the old style of allocating monsters according to a particular geographical niche and rarity, although the former does appear in table information, and rather poorly, in the Dungeon Master's Guide, as is monster building guidelines. This said, the ecological descriptions of monsters, always an interesting and colourful feature in the past, are heavily cut back in this edition.

The monsters t

hemselves are all the favourites from Dungeons & Dragons, including those that are identified with the game itself (e.g., beholders, flumph, gelatinous cube, mind flayers, modrons, shambling mounds). An interesting feature is that the various monsters are allocated key phrases in their description, leading to a paragraph or more of elaboration. For example, Lizardfolk has the key phrases: "Great Feasts and Sacrifices", "Canny Crafters", "Lizardfolk Leaders", and "Dragon Worshipers", all of which paint an immediate picture of the sort of society and experience that one is likely to encounter with such beings. In terms of presentation, it's a great idea. Yet, in doing so, the text loses something in the signal-to-noise ratio due to verbosity.

There is not much in the way of templates, either. If one looks at the Monster Manual for D&D 3.5 edition, there is quite an array (for example) of animated Skeletons of creatures great and small, from humans to giants and dragons. This makes some sense of course, because a deceased corporeal being can be animated. Unfortunately, this was taken away in the 4th edition, and in this edition, one finds "skeleton", "minotaur skeleton", and "warhorse skeleton". Of course, the eponymous "dragon" does come in various flavours, as it always has been the case. But if you want to design an exotic lycanthrope, you're pretty much on your own. One thing that should be noted is the inclusion of "Legendary Creatures", which is basically a set of extra abilities that a monster has outside of the normal capabilities of the species. However, these are quite rare and are bound to a creature's lair.

Many have noted that the book could really do with a critical editor's eye, resulting in some strange and seemingly contradictory results that a DM might modify. For example, a cat has no ability to see in darkness, which contradicts the earlier edition, whereas a natural bear can climb (finally!), but the larger owlbear cannot. Previous editions, in some manner, would provide interesting encounter groups of variable strength and even results of lore skill tests. The keyword here is "interesting". A major criticism of the Player's Handbook is, "Sure, it's D&D, but not a very interesting version". This also applies to the Monster Manual but to a greater extent. The interesting features that we've come to know and love, especially the uniqueness of different creatures, are largely absent.

This drives an unfortunate conclusion to the Monster Manual; a review that is somewhat shortened primarily due to a lack of interesting content. The physical production of the book is good, the layout and writing fair, the artwork and presentation reasonably good, all contributing to a pretty stylistic publication. But when it comes to substance, a different picture emerges. Yes, the Monster Manual does provide the stat blocks and descriptions necessary to introduce monster challenges to a D&D 5th edition game; it does satisfy that minimal criteria. But everything else that makes a "Monster Manual" a good resource is absent.

Style: 1 + .6 (layout) + .7 (art) + .4 (coolness) + .5 (readability) + .7 (product) = 3.9

Substance: 1 + .4 (content) + .3 (text) + .3 (fun) + .3 (workmanship) + .4 (system) = 2.7

Dungeon Master’s Guide

roduced in a solid hardback with gloss paper, this 320p tome features the archlich Acerek, whom characters may know from previous encounters. It's a pretty good choice for the cover, and quite well executed. Probably the best out from the core books for this edition. The internal art is also competent and contextually appropriate, although without particular creativity. The inside consists of three major parts - the world, adventures, and rules, with supplementary appendicies. It's a well-organised tome, with a a good chapter organisation, and a multi-page index and table of contents. Like other publications in the series, the chapter and numbers on each page could be clearer. The writing style is accessible, whilst at the same time lacking flourish and often slipping in verbosity.

After a handy introduction, the first two chapters cover world-creation and the multiverse. This starts with core assumptions of the D&D universe and how to adapt them to particular implementations, loose pantheons in the standard environment, a fair but limited description of religious systems (albeit without association to levels of social organisation), and various levels of mapping and populating the campaign world and the various relevant social institutions. An optional rule is presented for "Renown" within particular factions or organisations, which would perhaps be more appropriate for populations, with status withing groups normally related to position. There are brief notes about magic in the campaign world, more extensive examples of creating a campaign ("start small" is very sound advice!), and campaign events. The "campaign events" section is actually a very good source of inspiration and also makes the sensible remark that sometimes major events should not be introduced when they do not suit the narrative. Following this are rather truncuated suggestions of play style, more extensive comments om tiers of play (including starting at higher level), and a few examples of flavours of fantasy.

The multiverse of Dungeons & Dragons has always been a highly entertaining cosmos, and this latest iteration is no exception. This time, however, greater flexibility is provided for alternative planar systems. Nevertheless, the core descriptions of inner and outer planes that follow do follow the "Great Circle" approach that has been in play since the earliest editions. There is good commentary on the experience of the various planes, such as the use of magic, material concerns, and psychological effects. As for the prime material plane, there is recognition of the old campaign worlds of Dungeons & Dragons, including Forgotten Realms, Greyhawk, Mystera, Dark Sun, Krynn, Eberron, and Birthright, each with the major plot elements of the these prime material locations described as independent to their location; for example Mystera is noted for the meddling of Immortals, former adventurers raised to near-divine status. Alas, it would be several years after publication before Spelljammer is appropriately recognised.

Taking up over half the book, the extensive second part consists of five chapters; creating adventures, creating non-player characters, adventure environments, between adventurs, and treasure. As can be expected, adventure creation is compared with script-writing for novels, movies, TV series and the like, and key plot elements are described. Notably, the plot elements do not include what is often considered the most challenging dramatic conflict; divided loyalties within a group, and internal conflicts. Likewise when looking at adventure structure, all that is provided is a simplistic "beginning, middle, end", without the iterative process of larger plot elements that lead on to new adventurers, grander narratives, denouement, etc., although this is mentioned in the later chapter "Between Adventures", which also includes campaign tracking, costs, and various downtime activities with plenty random tables.

The random tables for adventure design are best ignored in favour of simply selecting something that is preferred, noting the aforementioned scope limitations. The NPC creation chapter is likewise for dullards, a series of random tables of personality, abilities, and disposition. A more handy section is provided for NPC followers and allies, with an optional rule for loyalty. These issues continue for the "Adventure Environments" chapter; more random tables in lieu of actually describing locations in a manner that is internally consistent, although it must be said that the dungeon and wilderness sections do pay some attention to this, albeit leaving out the often-overlooked element of how incredibly defensible dungeons can be in the right hands. It was very disappointing that encounter tables for environment type and creatures according to rarity were not included.

Treasure is, of course, a major inspiration in the Dungeons & Dragons tradition and this book is no exception. In fact, one hundred pages, almost a third of the total content, is the chapter on treasure. With plentiful tables to aid the selection of items, the largest collection is inevitably magic items which, with as rather interesting components, includes creator and history, minor properties, and even quirks; after all "quirky" is very much in the trope of magic. The magic items have always been one of the more interesting parts of Dungeons & Dragons making it very much a "gear-orientated" game and the most of the familiar old classics are replicated here in the new edition. A few pages are dedicated to more prosaic, but important, treasures, such as land and titles and the truly wondrous powers of boons.

The final part consists of two chapters, "Running the Game" and "Dungeon Master's Workshop" before moving into the appendices of "Random Dungeons", "Monster Lists", "Maps", and "Dungeon Master's Inspiration". The first chapter begins with some rather ordinary but sensible advice about managing the group, the importance differentiating between "player" and "character", and similar topics. An exteremely important matter, in my considered opinion, is the fundamental importance and experience of the social group, which is only briefly touch upon. Most of the content are generic guidelines for rules such as difficulty classes, social interactions, and other ability checks, combat, seiges, diseases and poisons, etc. This really leads into the last chapter to the degree that the difference is quite unclear with the addition of new abilities for particular campaigns (e.g., Honor, Sanity) along with rule variants for healing, rest, explosives, and "plot points" for a dash of narrativism. Most of it, however, is combat options, monster generation, and spell creation.

The appendix of random dungeons is a long tradition of developing a complex that lacks rhyme or reason, and even includes the old "dungeon dressing" collection of random tables. The monster lists differentiates by geography (coastal, desert, forest, etc) and by challenge rating, but without the charts that indicates the relative rarity of the monster to each environment. The maps are really filler and not a particularly interesting choice of locations let alone being an evocative expression of the locations.

A fairly solid product physically and quite extensive in its scope, the fifth edition of the Dungeon Master's Guide is nevertheless a somewhat uninspired work. It satisfies the requirements for such a publication, its ticks the rights boxes for content, it includes the right options to incorporate new concepts in game development, and it moderately flexible in its design, but it lacks flourish and detail to integrate the rule system into the overall experience of a Dungeon Master building a campaign world. Rather like other core books, it's basically milquetoast; satisfactory but somewhat bland, incomplete, and timid.

Style: 1 + .6 (layout) + .7 (art) + .4 (coolness) + .4 (readability) + .7 (product) = 3.8

Substance: 1 + .4 (content) + .3 (text) + .4 (fun) + .4 (workmanship) + .3 (system) = 2.8

ZAXXON THE ELF

I suspect that almost everyone remembers their first D&D character; mine was an Elf named "Zaxxon", designed with the Moldvay Basic D&D rules. Yes, “Zaxxon”, named after the video game that had been released in 1982, an game based around the invasion of a space-fortress by a single fighter ship of impressive capabilities. For what it's worth, Zaxxon was the first game to employ axonometric projection (hence the "axon" in the name) which was “a little tricky” to navigate at times.

I am quite fortunate that Zaxxon survived a couple of years play. I can't say the same for many other characters that I played at the time. I still miss the AD&D 1e Paladin, Antares (based on the image of the character on the TSR minigame, "Revolt on Antares") I rolled up a character that had 18/100 Strength which caused disbelief at my good fortune by other players. Alas, the Paladin was skewered on the end of a goblin's set spear in a night-time conflict in the first session after creation. That still smarts more than forty years after the event.

I am also very fortunate that I have recently found a summary of the character's experiences, almost faded like ether, on a 9-point dot matrix printout from a BASIC line editor I wrote on a TRS-80.

According to these notes, much better than my memory, Zaxxon was first played on December 30, 1982 using the B/X D&D rules in a party which included Frog (a magic-user), Avathar (a thief), Reverend Helix (a cleric), and Redmore (a dwarf). Like so many others of that era, our first adventure was "The Keep on the Borderlands" (module B2), starting at the keep itself, and then engaging in several forays into the nearby "Caves of Chaos" over the period of the next five months, and some time in the wilderness rescuing a merchant captured by bandits.

Somehow the entire party survived this which is not easy; those caves were teeming with some rather nasty creatures, especially for low-level characters. I do recall we engaged in several forays and were extremely cautious. Further, we were joined by Blackthorn (a fighter) at the time, adding to our arm. But survive we did, and with our success the characters gained levels and also learned of a new locale nearby, Caverns of Quasqueton (module B1 In Search of the Unknown).

The search for Quasqueton was interrupted by an encounter with a young nobleman, Rodemus, who was ranting that his father was a vampire who had killed the rest of his family. Despite our relative inexperience (but plenty of bravado) we entered the castle of Rodemus, discovered that a vampire was impersonating the head of the family, and was able to remove the vampire's presence (ring of wishes, one charge). This was derived from "The Haunted Keep" in the Modlvay D&D Basic rules. From my notes: "The youth's sanity was only partially repaired". Not surprising, really.

The quest for Quasqueton was again interrupted by an encounter with what we assume was a place of the Unseelie Court, as a floating castle made an appearance. In a manner that probably doesn't accord with the game system rules (but exceptions suit the strange world, right?) we had to confront various undead that were under the control of an Elven Mummy. Who knew that such things existed? Unfortunately the brave dwarf Redmore "met his end at the cold touch of wraiths". Ugh, level drain. That stuff was nasty.

Finally we made it to Caverns of Quasqueton and, now at a slightly higher level than what the module recommended, we worked our way in cleaning the place out over months and came to the conclusion that the previous owners, Rogahn the Fearless and Zelligar the Unknown, must have gone quite mad for such a place to be designed. Perhaps rumours of their chaotic natures were true? Does that explain that room of magic pools? In any case, we cleared the place up and were struck by a moment of insight: "Carved out of the rock protrusion which crested the heavily forested hill, this mystical hideaway was well hidden, and its rumored existence was never common knowledge."

Really? We Australians, apparently even in our early teenage years were well-versed in the principles of squatter's rights and ownership through abandonment. So we decided that at levels 3-4 that we should become the owners of this complex and its caverns. What was a base for Rogahn and Zelligar was now ours by right of occupancy and use.

There was a few months of enjoyment in our new local and plenty of interior redecorating which was sorely needed. However, such is the life of an adventuring party, the good Reverend Helix received a message in a dream from a "Protector of Haven" which we learned was a nearby Principality where the famed Princess Argenta and her castle had fallen under some spell, and the valley of Haven was now sorely pressed by all sorts of marauders. In a rather extraordinary adventure (module B3 "The Palace of the Silver Princess"), we managed to destroy a ruby that was being used by an evil being to control the area.

Princess Argenta and her people were, of course, overjoyed at this change in circumstances and rewarded us well. Not the least being recognition that we were the rightful owners and successors of the Caverns of Quasqueton. These were the somewhat lawless borderlands and we were quite mercenary about it all. We were also were joined by a halfling, Lefto, who came from the valley of Haven. Funny little character, it was a pleasure to have him join our band.

It was in the process of going through the documentation in our base that we chanced upon a ship's log from the famous Rory Barbarosa that spoke of a group of islands, the Thanegioth Archipelago, several days sail south of Specularum. "The inland city is rumored to be filled with treasure beyond imagining. In particular, I heard persistent tales concerning a great black pearl of 'the gods' that still remains in the inland city" (module X1, The Isle of Dread).

It just so happened that funds were looking a little low at this point, and maintaining a complex isn't as cheap as you would think. With remaining money, we purchased a seaworthy vessel and made our way to The Isle of Dread, where we met local people, some flying intelligent racoon-squirrels (phanatons), giant chaotic smart spiders (arenea), dinosaurs, and more. The most surprising encounter was a sleeping green dragon which we successfully subdued, albeit with the loss of Blackthorn.

With the dragon subdued we used it to tow our vessel back to Specularum. Alas, even with this impressive locomotion we were unable to reach the town in time for Blackthorn's body to be subject to a raise dead spell, so we sought out a local wizard, a rather weird merchant-mage, who was able to both take the dragon off our hands "for a zoological garden", and to cast reincarnate. As the dice fell, Blackthorn returned as a magic-user. This was a bit of a shock for him, and he requested some time off adventuring as he returned to Quasqueton.

The remainder of the party made a second trip to The Isle of Dread, and this time we made it to the central plateau and ruins of what was (we would discover) was once ruled by the kopru, a rather malignant salamander-like species. Fortuntely, they weren't that numerous and we defeated them, albeit we were sorely tested! We also found a black pearl, like the one described by Rory Barbarosa, but it wasn't nearly as valuable as we once thought.

On our return to Specularum, we were given an audience with the Duke who had been informed of our exploits. I guess bringing a subdued green dragon to the city brought some attention to ourselves. We were informed that no news had been hear from the Keep on the Borderlands for some time, and the only information received as that various goblinoid species were now working for one "Blackthorn The Sorcerer"! Could this be our Blackthorn reincarnated? Was the change of class enough of a shock for him to change his alignment as well?

Once again we headed out toward the Keep on the Borderlands. This time however, it was protected and fortified by orcish beings who, despite our experience, were more than capable of preventing our ingress. We beat a hasty retreat to the old Caves of Chaos to find that they had been repopulated and were being used as a secondary post to Blackthorn's army. In this environment we were more able to defeat the forces there in a traditional piecemeal fashion. In the course of actions, we discovered from the priests within that Blackthorn had taken over and fortified our base at Quasqueton, was now allied by a more powerful lord "The Master of Sind" (c.f., X4 Master of the Desert Nomads and X5 Temple of Death), and there was a portal to these lands through the Cave of the Unknown.

Naturally enough, we ventured into the portal and exited into the foyer of a grand mansion, shrouded in mist. Soon, we would come to realise that we were trapped in the strange, decadent, and chaotic household of the D'Amberville family (X2, Castle Amber, aka Chateau d'Amberville), who often seemed quite beyond their senses. Although dangerous with a surprising number of spirits, the house was packed with treasures as the family (at least those who retained a semblance of wits) seemed indifferent to their vast wealth. It was in the vast indoor forest that our old friend, Frog the Magic-User, was felled by The Wild Hunt. I know became the chief magic-user in the party, a position that I did not highly relish! We made our way through the dungeon of the mansion, faced a wild alien brain-eating, a giant slime worm, and a demon, all before eiting in the province of Averoigne, where we had to find four magic items to break the curse confronting the D'Amberville family; a particular challenge was fighting a massive colossus. Nevertheless, with the items acquired, we could travel through time to Stephen D'Amberville's crypt, defeat the guardians, and return to Chateau d'Amberville, where Stephen - revealed to be a powerful wizard - returned our felled companion to life, and disappeared along with the castle!

We found ourselves in a wilderness. But how far were we from this "Sind desert" that we'd heard of?

And that was the last time the character was played and, like many, the campaign ended before the story was concluded; September 17, 1984. Still, almost two years wasn’t too bad at all. Zaxxon the Elf has not been played since this date; but, for our special D&D issue, we can generate a character sheet summary for all major editions of the game.

In Original D&D Elves could switch from Fighting-Men to Magic-Users between adventures and were limited to 4^th level as Fighting-Men and 8^th level as Magic-Users. In the Greyhawk supplement Elves of exceptional strength could reach higher levels, and in this interpretation the Girdle helps (however, without it Zaxxon is reduced to a 4^th level fighter). Zaxxon is probably more powerful in this version of the game than any other due to the way that hit points are calculated, etc. Note that there is not DEX bonus to Armor Class in Original D&D!

Spells: 4-3-3-2 (Detect Magic, Read Magic, Read Languages, Charm Person, Detect Invisible, Locate Object, ESP, Fireball, Lightning Bolt, Slow, Polymorph Self, Polymorph Other)