Issue #81 (September/October 1977) of Campaign magazine is notable for its lengthy overview/review of Dungeons & Dragons, written by Len Kanterman (of Starships & Spacemen fame) and Charles Elsden. The entire article is worthy of extended examination – and I plan to do just that over the course of several upcoming posts – but I thought a section toward the end might elicit some commentary. Dubbed the "ten commandments of D&D," they represent the authors' advice to traditional wargamers playing the game for the first time.
All told, it's not bad advice, though most of it consists of maxims long-time players have no doubt heard variations of for years. I'm immediately struck by two things. First, much of the advice concerns combat and the best way to survive it – no surprise, I suppose, given both the likely audience of Campaign and the nature of D&D gameplay. Second, the specter of the Killer DM looms large here or at least the idea that surviving a D&D session is difficult and it'll take ingenuity and the wise marshalling of a character's limited resources to achieve it.
What stood out to you?
I was immediately struck by the advice not to kill for the sake of it. I don't hear many reports these days of creatures being useful beyond their obvious place in a scenario, and especially not the sort that player-characters are likely to kill. To be fair, I didn't hear much about that sort of thing in the past either. It seems like a maxim that Mr. Kanterman adopted in anticipation that such a thing could happen sometime rather than something learned in play.
ReplyDeleteI had a similar reaction. The first three are all about planning - set an objective and how you are going to achieve it. Very wargamey, and that is not a criticism.
DeleteIt's generally good advice, but some of it is really oddly specific.
ReplyDelete#10 has a very similar feel to some given in 1st edition Paranoia. "Put on a good show, and fate will smile on you."
The bit on role specialization doesn't even mention thieves, which is pretty amusing considering he assigns preferred target types for every other class. Pick your locks, find your traps, stay out of combat - an ideal I suspect many thief players would approve of if it were only possible.
ReplyDeleteThe "player hubris" and "wrathful DM" bit is framed in disturbingly religious terms, as though the DM were a god at the table and the players mere supplicants for his favor. This is not a good mindset, and I'm very glad it isn't widely accepted any more.
Thieves were not part of the core game originally. They were introduced along with Paladins in "Supplement I - Greyhawk".
DeleteGreyhawk had been out for two years by the time this article was written, 1975 versus 1977.
DeleteWhat stands out to me reading this is how little of the "advice" applies in the current version of the game. As I look back, I am a bit in awe at how much the hobby has changed.
ReplyDeleteCheers!
That's an interesting take. What points do you think have become irrelevant? Because outside of maybe 9 (where modern takes don't treat the DM as uniquely necessary to play nice with at risk of death) and 10, they all make sense in every edition WotC produced. Risk of death has dropped some (particularly in early "pre-math fix" 4e and 5th) but good tactics are still good tactics, and if anything efficient damage dealing and cross-role teamwork is more vital and effective than ever.
DeleteThe lack of much non-combat advice is pretty old-school, but I don't see where a 5e player would suffer from following most of these guidelines in a fight.
The first eight commandments still hold true at the tables I've played at over the last 12 years. Commandment One, especially.
ReplyDeleteNumber 9 has merit, treat the DM and fellow players with respect, nothing wrong with that. I'd rather just boot the player from the table then come up with some dicey idea to kill off a character.
Commandment 10 does not hold at all. If the party gets in over their head....run like hell!
(Potential #11) Remember that this is a game. You win some, you lose some, but 'The Memories that we have will Last a Lifetime" (Dio), and the common purpose is in exploring, and solving problems, and allocating your resources, and cartography and skirmish-battle-tactics, and disagreeing respectfully, and creating something absolutely fantastic and singular. It is where we can imagine something, and make it real. But it is still just a game. We're off to the Witch . . .
ReplyDeleteIf you are playing an extended fight against an enemy with more than one base or a schedule of operations, intel and interrogation are going to be key. DMs will often also place "conversation monsters" who are worth more talking to than fighting. Both of these fit #2.
ReplyDelete