"Now I know of the games played at CalTech where the rules have been expanded and changed to reflect incredibly high levels, comic book characters and spells, and so on. Okay. Different strokes for different folks, but that is not D&D. While D&D is pretty flexible, that sort of thing stretches it too far, and the boys out there are playing something entirely different — perhaps their own name “Dungeons & Beavers,” tells it best." - Gary Gygax from Strategic Review vol. 2 no. 2
1. isn’t Dungeons & Beavers just a more direct-from-the-id name, as we would expect from those big Caltech brains? 2. Wait why don’t they play that on Big Bang Theory???
Gary's concern was powergaming, but Warlock's great sin is being deadly dull and taking the fanciful charm right out of D&D. Truly the no-flavour gearhead edition.
There's a thought... lower-level, limited-effect versions of various spells. Charm Monster a 4th level spell? Well how about Charm Mollusc at 1st, Charm Spider at 2nd, Charm Big Cats at 3rd? Hmmm...
Actually, now that I check it again, Warlock does not have Charm Mollusc. That must have been an addition by Holmes (it appears in one campaign story in A&E). But the 1975 Warlock does have 8 other types of Charm in addition to Charm Person --- Charm Amphibian, Charm Arachnid, Charm Avian, Charm Crustacean, Charm Fish, Charm Insect, Charm Mammal and Charm Reptile.
It's interesting how the interpretation of charm was much looser in my experience in those days. Nowadays with most referees a charm insect would be pretty useless: "Okay, you charmed that giant beetle. It follows you around and keeps bumping into you affectionately."
Per Holmes' writing, they used Charm as complete control as suggested by the LBB. Adventure of the Lost City has the charmed allosaurus and spiders you mentioned above. Holmes commented on the change in his review of the Moldvay set.
I much prefer the original ruling, which was largely how we ran things in B/X, too (my second character, an elf, charmed the ogre in B2 and had him around as a henchman for years).
James, I have toyed with the idea of ten levels of each spell and it works for some like magic missile but is silly for many others. What would a 6th level magic mouth do?
Hmm... I would say at that level, it imbues a part of the caster's personality as well as limited intelligence to answer questions or issue statements based on a singular subject. At 10th level, it would basically be a speaking simulacrum of the caster's, perhaps even able to cast a few low level spells, and able to call back to the caster's duch that those interacting with the mouth would actually be speaking with the caster's...
To be serious, though, I guess there are 2 way to approach "levelled" spells. Some can simply become multiplied, like magic missile, while others could gain additional features. A high-enough level magic mouth might also act as a suggestion, for example.
Dungeons & Beavers refers to the mascot of Caltech, where this was developed
ReplyDelete"Now I know of the games played at CalTech where the rules have been expanded and changed to reflect incredibly high levels, comic book characters and spells, and so on. Okay. Different strokes for different folks, but that is not D&D. While D&D is pretty flexible, that sort of thing stretches it too far, and the boys out there are playing something entirely different — perhaps their own name “Dungeons & Beavers,” tells it best." - Gary Gygax from Strategic Review vol. 2 no. 2
ReplyDelete1. isn’t Dungeons & Beavers just a more direct-from-the-id name, as we would expect from those big Caltech brains?
ReplyDelete2. Wait why don’t they play that on Big Bang Theory???
Gary's concern was powergaming, but Warlock's great sin is being deadly dull and taking the fanciful charm right out of D&D. Truly the no-flavour gearhead edition.
ReplyDeleteI dunno, Charm Mollusc is pretty, uh, charming
ReplyDeleteI presume this is where Dr Holmes's charm spider and charm allosaurus spells came from.
ReplyDeleteThere's a thought... lower-level, limited-effect versions of various spells. Charm Monster a 4th level spell? Well how about Charm Mollusc at 1st, Charm Spider at 2nd, Charm Big Cats at 3rd? Hmmm...
ReplyDeleteActually, now that I check it again, Warlock does not have Charm Mollusc. That must have been an addition by Holmes (it appears in one campaign story in A&E). But the 1975 Warlock does have 8 other types of Charm in addition to Charm Person --- Charm Amphibian, Charm Arachnid, Charm Avian, Charm Crustacean, Charm Fish, Charm Insect, Charm Mammal and Charm Reptile.
ReplyDeleteWhat levels?
ReplyDeleteAll first level, all with the same Spell Point cost (4), except Charm Insect (2).
ReplyDeleteIt's interesting how the interpretation of charm was much looser in my experience in those days. Nowadays with most referees a charm insect would be pretty useless: "Okay, you charmed that giant beetle. It follows you around and keeps bumping into you affectionately."
ReplyDeletePer Holmes' writing, they used Charm as complete control as suggested by the LBB. Adventure of the Lost City has the charmed allosaurus and spiders you mentioned above. Holmes commented on the change in his review of the Moldvay set.
ReplyDeleteI much prefer the original ruling, which was largely how we ran things in B/X, too (my second character, an elf, charmed the ogre in B2 and had him around as a henchman for years).
ReplyDeleteMussel Spasm was a choice for first level and not as silly as it sounds. It would paralyze a monster for a round.
ReplyDeleteJames, I have toyed with the idea of ten levels of each spell and it works for some like magic missile but is silly for many others. What would a 6th level magic mouth do?
ReplyDeleteHmm... I would say at that level, it imbues a part of the caster's personality as well as limited intelligence to answer questions or issue statements based on a singular subject. At 10th level, it would basically be a speaking simulacrum of the caster's, perhaps even able to cast a few low level spells, and able to call back to the caster's duch that those interacting with the mouth would actually be speaking with the caster's...
ReplyDeleteAnd it includes the caster’s choice of lipstick color.
ReplyDeleteIt also has excellent intonation and inflection.
ReplyDeleteTo be serious, though, I guess there are 2 way to approach "levelled" spells. Some can simply become multiplied, like magic missile, while others could gain additional features. A high-enough level magic mouth might also act as a suggestion, for example.
ReplyDelete