The POLYHEDRON Volume 2, No.2

CONTENTS The POLYHEDRON FEATURES Gift Cata log Changes ...... 3 Volume 2, Number 2 INTERV IEW wi th Gary Lee "Jake"Jaquet Part 2 of three parts ...... 4 Issue #5 The Round Table Point: Impressions of an RPGA Tournament/Counterpoint ...... B Bag of Tricks Publisher: E. Tips for D&D® and AD&D'" players ...... 10 Editor-in-Chief: Spelling Bee: Crysta/br it tle and Energy Drain Editor: Mary Kirchoff Our series on AD&D'" spell effects continues ...... 11 Contributing Figure Painting Editors: Bill Hoyer Figure painting advice from the expert, by Michael Brunton ...... 12 Tom Robertson RPGA Charter Members The Elite, Part 1, A-L ...... 14 Cover Artist: Bob Walters More Conventions ...... 15 Contributing TOP SECRET ®, BOOT HILL'" and ™ Game Updates ...... 15 Artists: Darlene (pg. 3) REGULARS Bob Walters (pg. 6) Notes From HQ ...... 2 Dave Trampier Notes From Overseas ...... 2 (pg. 11) White Rabbits ...... 3 Laura Roslof Letters ...... 3 (pg. 12) Where I'm Coming From ...... 7 Stephen D.Sullivan Notes For The ...... 7 Dispel Confusion ...... 10 (pg. 15) Codebook ...... 13 Other credits: Nor ...... 16 Illustration (pg. 5) courtesy of Dragon Publishing Illustration (pg. 7) courtesy of rave or complain, write to her. Can 't tell Grenadier Models what you want unless you say some ­ Photo (pg. 8) courtesy of Dave thing ... Conant Are you reading this newsletter? Are Photos (pg . 6-7) courtesy of The Cons are coming! The Cons are you getting what you want out of it? If Gary L. Jaquet coming! School's ending! Campaigns not, write something! COMMUNICATE! Cartoon (pg. 16) by Roger Raupp are starting! Hope to see lots of you at Widener in June, Parkside in August. o_~:._o Mary Kirchoff has taken over as Editor. I am now Editor-in-Chief. You wanna The POLYHEDRON (th e official newsletter of TSR's ROLE PLAYING GAME ASSOC IATION '" Network) is published bi-monthly by TSR Hob­ bies , Inc. The mailing address is POB 509, Lake Geneva, WI 53147 ; telephone number (414) NOTES FROM HQ NOTES FROM OVERSEAS 248-3625.

The POLYHEDRON welcomes unsolicited sub­ Members ' Meetings coming up soon! We'd like to tell you all about what's missions of written material and artwork. How­ See you at the ® East and GEN happening in the lives and games of ever, no responsibility for such submiss ions can CON game conventions, at our usual members overseas. However , they be assu med by the publisher in any event. No Saturday night get-togethers with spe­ haven't told us, so we can't tell you. submissions will be returned unless accompa­ nied by a self-addressed stamped envelope of cial guests (do the initials EGG mean You might like to know, however , that sufficient size. anything to you?), refreshments, gener­ we have members in Australia, England , al discuss ions, questions & answers, and France , Germany (West) , India , Mexico , The POLYHEDRON is mailed free to all RPGA'" more . members. Membe rsh ip rates: 1 year $10; 2 years The Netherlands, New Zealand , The $18; 5 years $40; lifeti me $200. All prices are RPGA Tournaments coming up at the Phillipines, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, subject to change without notice. Changes of same two conventions, plus one at CWA South Africa, and Sweden. address for the delive ry of subscriptions must be con in Chicago , May 21-22. Write for We've also received requests for RPGA received at least 30 days prior to the effective more info. date of the change in order to insure uninter­ information from folks in Brazil, Costa rupt ed delivery . Missing and presumed gaming: We've Rica , Greece, Guatemala, Israel, Jamai­ got wrong addresses for 3 members, and ca, Japan , South Korea , Malaysia, Nor­ All materia l published in The POL YHEORON we'd like to know where you are; we have way, Portugal, Spain, Switzerland, and becomes the exclusive property of the publisher things for you. Please contact us if you upon publication, unless special wr itte n arrange ­ Zaire . ments to the contrary are made prior to publi­ read this; anyone who knows these folks , YOO-HOO! WHERE ARE YOU? Se­ cation. Sampletell them or tell us: file riously folks , write to us so we can spread more information about more DUNGEONS & DRAGON S, D&D, ADVANCED Ponch Fenwick (Bx 5447, Eglin AFB , DUNGEONS & DRAGONS and TOP SECRET FL) things from more people on a truly inter­ are registered trademarks owned by TSR Hob­ national basis. As you can see, the Net­ bies, Inc. GEN CON ® and RPGA'" are service John James Mcinnes (Bx 44 , Nav­ work is growing steadily; the potential marks owned by TSR Hobbies, Inc ."' "" desig ­ comunit, FPO NY) for exchange of ideas between cultural nates other trademarks owned by TSR Hobb ies, Inc. ©1982TSR Hobbies , Inc. All Rights Reserved . Gilbert Winters (Winds .or , Ontario, groups is there . TAKE ADVANTAGE OF CAN) ~ IT! We'd love to hear from you! ~ 2 Issue #5 The POLYHEDRON

for high level characters . There's a Bard along , for instance . It was an RPGA GIFTCATALOG tournament , again used at South . CHANGES R-7, R-8, R-9, and R-10 are a mam­ TSR BELT BUCKLE WHITE RABBITS moth seven-part series (two in each of Previously listed price : $5.00 plus the first 3, one big finale) I'm currently postage . writing for the GEN CON East and GEN NEW PRICE : $6.00 CON RPGA Tournaments. They 've got POSTAGE : $1.50 dwarves in them ; sorry , no more clues. The modules are all quite late . We We're finally getting rolling in produc­ NEW! RPGA BELT BUCKLE overestimated our production capacity , tion ; our new editor's getting the hang of A solid brass version of the TSR Buck­ so they 'l l all come out a little slower than things , and we're expecting a designer le, however , this one features our own we expected. Namely , R-3 (Egg of the on staff shortly . Honest to gosh, the RPGA logo . Suitable for belt up to 2" Phoenix) by July 1, R-4 (Doc 's Island) by newsletters should be right on schedule wide . Unlimited quantity . August 15, R-5 in October (sometime) , by midsummer . First plans for "bimonth­ AVAILABLE : JUNE 15, 1982. R-6 by December , and R-7, R-8, R-9, and ly" meant Feburary , April , and so forth, PRICE: $6.00 R-10 by mid-1983 . Blame my big mouth but the Winter edition (#3) didn 't get out POSTAGE: $1.50 for the delay ; I shouldn 't have given ex­ until February , so ... anyway, you 've got act dates the first time around . #4 by now , this one is the "April " issue, My R-5 module "The Great Bugbear next (#6) comes "June ," hopefully by Hunt " was used for the GEN CON ® July ; and lo and behold , the "August " South AD&D Open tournament , and is a issue (#7) should be out - in August! wilderness tournament adventure . The We'll keep it up from there . players are trying to find a stolen spell­ We pushed the directories out quickly, book somewhere in a 20 square mile but at the end of this year we'll be print­ area. ing a FULL directory of all members and Module R-6, "The Eye of the Bog " by known clubs . Each member will get a list Eric Shook , is a fascinating expedition of everybody - which should fix every­ through different reality probabilities, thing up. IQ;

and has started discussing playing tech­ their own changing preferences , in the LETTERS niques in the "Notes for the DM" column ; long run. TSR editor Jon Pickens ' D&O BASIC col­ " Perhaps this is just idle curiosity on umn started last issue. Members ' sug­ Letters to the editor may be sent to The my part, but will you please tell me how POLYHEDRON , POB 509, Lake Geneva, gestions for AD&D play will be gratefully the DUNGEONS & DRAGONS ® game accepted , nevertheless ; note the new WI 53147. got started? You can help me win a bet " Round Table" column as a forum for against my know-it-all brother who says general discussion. " I have now received the first three that it started from a past knowledge of Art 's getting better. TELL US if you still issues of the RPGA Newsletter and I Mark Twain's book , A Connecticut Yan­ don't like it - and tell us if you do! must say that I have been very pleased kee in King Arthur's Court. " with them all. I truly think that the RPGA " I have been adventuring for almost - PM, Arizona Network fills a void in our growing hob­ three years now and feel that a collective Gary Gygax co-created it, combining by . I would like to make some sugges­ entity is needed to coordinate the prolif­ war-game techniques with . This tions and ask a few questions. eration of the many FRP games that was the first known attempt at creating " First , I am curious as to the type of flood the market. I naturally assume that rules to cover all imaginable actions . The article you seek from your readership. your primary motivation is toward organ­ new game style was called Role Playing , Are articles concerning good DMing and izing D&D players and variations , and I and took many months and thousands of role playing preferred to articles of fic­ sympathize with the Tunnels and Trollers hours of playtesting to develop , which of tion and variations? and the Runequesters and the Travellers , course drew others into the history of the "As for suggestions , I am of the opin­ but the overwhelming majority of new game 's beginnings . By the way, you 're ion that a column on game mechanics , recruits to FRPing are munchkins with not reading the interviews , or you particularly combat mechanics , would delusions of grandeur who need a guid­ wouldn 't have asked! be very useful. While most questions, ing hand to find the true joys that role such as 'who gets to do what when?' can playing provides . Please send more in­ " I would like to congratulate TSR be resolved by several careful reread­ formation so that I can participate in an Hobbies , Inc . on its fine products being ings of the appropriate sections of the action to uplift the game and foil the cap­ produced lately . However , I have one manuals , the advice of an expert to be­ italistic monsters who intend to destroy criticism . A number of my friends and I wish that you would come out with a few ginning referees would probably be very it." - BH, Oregon appreciated . more D&D modules for higher level "I do haveSample one criticism : I don't think Uh ... right. Yes, we are primarily con­ playersfile. For example , 12-14 level , or 14- that the artwork or the comics are as cerned with D&D , AD&D , and other TSR 16 level, such as your S&D series ." good as they should be. The art shows a role playing games ; they 're the ones - DP, California sore lack of attention to anatomy and played most . There are many younger Ah , yes . Many of you have asked about proportion ." AR C l'f . players who have not yet become sensi­ higher level adventures . The "R" series - , a I ornIa tive to the delicate aspects of the games , of RPGA modules will soon touch on this . We'd like to see any good articles from preferring a simpler approach . To each need , and Gary ( and others) are working members , including fiction , tips, or what­ his own , though ; I'm quite sure that most on modules with this request being duly ever. Frank is an expert on AD&O games , players will change their approach to fit considered . ~ 3 The POLYHEDRON Volume 2, No.2 RPGA INTERVIEW with ... ''JAKE'' JAQUET

The POLYHEDRON presents Part 2 of our three-part interview with DRAGON™ magazine publisher, Gary Lee "Jake" Jaquet. Our series with Jake will conclude in Issue #6.

HQ : Besides publishing the great would be the lifetime of the magazine lot of criticism and not much support. DRAGON™and Best of DRAGON issues and not mine , because there 's not a Isn't this overbalancing , also? that you trot out with occasionally, and readership large enough to support JJ: No , that was objective reviewing. It's the DRAGON calendar , what else do that type of magazine without outside not the best product it could have been, you do around here? support , like a company pumping in and ther e are a number of reasons fo r JJ: Besides the magazine, the calendars, money. it- and the collections, we've put out the DRAGON magazine is entirely in­ HQ: Among them , two years in pre­ " DRAGONT ALES™" anthology of fic­ dependent, business-wise; it must sur­ paration. tion that's been fairly well received , and vive on its own merit or it won 't be put JJ: Indeed . But it's not what people ex­ we're considering doing another vo­ out any more. It's as simple as that. pected, and therefore the reviews were lume in the future. We're starting to Now if the day comes th at the lukewarm , because we call 'em like we look at publishing projects , such as TRAVELLER system becoems a more see 'em. We could have given it a great fantasy art posters, fantasy art note popular role playing game than the review , but it wouldn't have been truth­ cards, and greeting cards . D&D system, then we'll do more ful ; it wouldn't have been the opinion of We want to get outside of the regular TRAVELLER than D&D coverage be­ the average person that looks at it. We periodic magazine. If the opportunity cause that , obviously, is what the ga­ would rather not run a review at all than presents itself for a heroic fantasy nov­ mers would want to see more about. run one that shows something othe r el, for example (indeed, we may be HQ: Conversely and contrariwise, there than what it is. It remains to be seen looking at one very shortly), and if it's is a figure review column in your maga­ what happens with the feasible to produce , then we will indeed zine that rarely has figures by Grenadi­ Tome. If its readers don 't like it, they' ll become the publishing house that our er, the official AD&D™ line. How come? tell us and we'll tell it through the name implies . We can put out every­ JJ: We may have over-reacted in try ing magazine. thing from paperbacks to "co ffee table" to establish our credibility; we slated HQ: The RPGA™ network has likewise art books. our treatment of Grenadier figur es for been founded on the basic principles of HQ: Dragon Publishing , though , is still later on. We had to start somewhere, so quality and honesty, somewhat in im­ one of 9 divisions (at last count) of TSR why not start with something outside of itation of Dragon Publishing. Hobbies , Inc. Are you a " hous e organ?" the D&D area, and get that out of the JJ: Well , it has to be; sure , TSR is a big JJ: Well, how do you define "house or­ way first ? It's not a que stion of value; company and has a lot of resources , gan?" If it's defined as a publication we wanted to make sure that people but the minute that you start becoming that pumps the company line exclu­ saw, up front, that there wasn't an self-serving or less that "above board ," sive ly, or is supported by the company AD&D connection , in what we were do­ you lose your credibility and relegate for advertising purposes, the answer is ing. We wanted them to know that we yourse lf to a very small niche of things , NO. review figur es from EVERYONE. There doomed to waste away. I see, what , 11 When TSR wants to advertise some­ will be a treatment of Grenadier com­ different publications about games on thing in the magazine, they pay us ju st ing up in the relatively near future. the market now , some of them of very like any other client. And vice versa: HQ: In a similar manner , the first men­ high quality in terms of the thought and whenever Dragon Publishing needs tion of the FIEND FOLIO™ Tom e con­ care that's given to them, but they serve something that TSR has, we trot down tained three luke-warm reviews , with a a specialized and self-serving purpose. to the Hobby Shop and buy it. There I don't mean the phrase "self- serving" are no free lunches around here. At times, in the negative connotation here; they DRAGON magazine lends more space each promote a specific product or to TSR products than to others. That's concept. because these products have proved HQ: "The me magazines, " as it were? themselves , in the marketplace, to be JJ: Indeed. "Sorcerer 's Apprentice " is an what most gamers are buying. We have example. It's put out by Flying Buffalo , to cover what th e gamers want, and th e same people who put out TUN­ that's a simple business matter. The NELS & TROLLS, and it's a magazine day that we start specializing in only for T& T players. The last I knew , they one particularSample subje ct that gamers have were runningfile on ly about 3000 copies no interest in is the day that we'll start per issue, and they come out quarterly . losing readership. Now it's not that it' s a bad magazine, or I often use the example of railroad poo rly done or anything along those games. I'm a great fan of railro ad lines; it's a very self-serving magazine. boardgames, and if someone came out It caters to the people who play with a magazine devoted to rai Ir oad board­ TUNNELS & TRO LLS game; it's spe­ games, I'd be the first lifetime sub­ cialized itself to that degree. It doesn't scriber. Fine, no prob lem. Howe ver, it hav e anything to do with D&D or 4 Issue #5 The POLYHED RON

the numbers. But we feel that our re­ should be a full-time endeavor in its sponse is statistically significant, and own, to provide the most complete line follow that to a degree too. So yes, I feel of services, which is why I'm glad to see that we're in touch with the readers. the RPGA network formed as a sepa­ That's not to say that we're necessarily rate entity, instead of just being several follow ing their desires , but we're in services provided by the company . This touch with them. The majority of our way you can not only provide the con­ readers would like , for example, less tact service, but also produce special TRAVELLER games, or anything else advertising in the magazine , although products available only to members, outside of their small area. That's not some readers say they would like more, and sponsor contests for members only, wrong; that's just a philosophy of pub­ because they enjoy seeing the sources rather than offering blanket services to lication , if you will. And they accept of materials . We know that 's a desire of anyone who happens to play the games . that, so the size of Sorcerer's Apprent­ the readers, and perhaps we would sell HQ: Most of the public doesn 't know that ice will stay linked to the number of some more magazines if we did have you were the one who originally pro­ TUNNELS & TROLLS players. less advertis ing, but advert ising rep­ posed the RPGA creation. Has it turned DRAGON magazine, on the other resents a source of revenue . We don't out, so far , like you envisioned? And if hand, is trying to serve the average ignore that request from the reader , but not, how? gamer, not the person that plays one we disallow it , for simple business JJ: Well , it's turned out essentially as I game exclusively. The RPGA network reasons . thought. It's been expanded upon a lot lies somewhere in the middle , in that HQ : There's one very visual demonstra ­ more than my original concept was, you are committed to the large au­ t ion of being in touch with the readers and I'm pleased to see that. I originally dience of players of TSR role playing that could also generate some income: thought of a nationa l membership in games. This is such a very large au­ why don 't you run a swap column , ads five figures the first time someone heard dience that you would be outside of from readers , or that sort of thing? about it. Now , looking back, that was a consideration as "me rely " aiming for a JJ: Well , we tried to start a Classified ratheroptimistic conjecture on my part. specialized group. section some t ime back, and it's not I assume that the RPGA membership HQ: But does having a couple more surprising that you don 't know about it, will eventually number 50,000 or more, games make us any better? They could because it was short-I ived and died due but if that had happened you would n't be devoted to a couple more games , to a lack of response around the end of have been ready for it. So perhaps it's but all Flying Buffalo products. Are you 1980. We simp ly said, "Here's a space better that it's grow ing at the pace that saying that there 's a number of players for some classified ads that will cost it is. that's a break point? th is amount," a rather minima l amount, Getting bac k to RPGA Network be­ JJ: Well, you're trying to serve. You de­ as it was , "and you can have this much ginnings : while the rolls list me as "or ig­ fine an audience to begin with. We de­ space," and turned it loose for about six inator," I didn't really start th e concept fine DRAGON magazine's audience as months. We had a half a dozen people of having something for people wh o "peop le that like to play , read about , that sent us classifieds, and that was play D&D games. As with most thi ngs and be associated with adventure pretty much it. It wasn 't a question of connected with the D&D and AD&D games." We therefore try to print arti­ economics , of devoting that page of the games, Gary Gygax origina lly came up cles about what most gamers are play ­ magazine more efficiently to some oth­ with the germ that sparked this who le ing. Obviously we can't put out a maga­ er source; it was just the hassle of try­ organization. At the time we were zine that's going to satisfy every gamer ing to maintain it for those few ads. The looking for some way to increase completely, so we try to satisfy the magazine was much smaller at that DRAGON™ magazine subscriptions! largest number of people . If you start time, so it's quite possib le that it could off with a small audience and aim only be a successful proposition , nowadays ; for that audience, you'll have a corre ­ I'm not saying that we won 't be trying spo ndingly smaller readership. It's not that in the future. It was tried once in a question of better or worse ; it's a the past , and did not work out. question of serving more or less. The HQ : Could the prob lem have been that RPGA network is making the effort to the readers were not aware that they serve MORE; that is, to be more th ings could find other players through the to more peop le. I think that's better , same column? and in the spirit of games and gaming, JJ: Qui te poss ibly , though we tried to that's what we try to do , too. make it appa rent. The classified ad sec­ HQ: Do you really think that you and tion genera lly conjures up images like Dragon Publishing are in touch with " I want to sell this " or " I want to buy the gamers, and if so, how? this," so perhaps if we had emphasized JJ: We do receive a considerable amount contacts it could have gone over big, of feedback from people that write to us and everyone would be in contact with and call us on the phone. And if we do everyone else, and the re wou ld be no things that the readership doesn 't care RPGA network! (la ughs) for , it'll show up in sales. People won't HQ: One RPGA Network function is to be buying it. We also make it a point to put players in touch with each other; have a physicalSample presence at the con­ from our current success, it might be file ventions, where Kim or myse lf can ac­ worth your whi le to look into trying it tually sit down and talk with people that again. might not wr ite a letter or make a phone JJ: Certainly . Well , manufacturers can call. provide services; in ou r case, Dragon We sent out surveys in the maga­ Publishing is a manufacturer of a pro­ zi ne; of course, surveys are always duct , the magazine . However , th e ser­ suspect, in terms of who responds , and vice operation of a big organization 5 The POLYHEDRON Volume 2, No.2

Gary said, "Well, if you have a pin for at it in those terms, ten dollars for a informed ones, and as a gamer. I find it everyone who signs up for a DRAGON membership is a bargain. I don't like very negative, because they 're lumping subscription, that'd be an incentive." paying out money for anything I don 't me into a group, and people are going So we investigated what it would cost have to , but I look at the value, and the to have opinions about me, as a gamer , to buy some pins. It was a very small RPGA Network value has certainly been based on what they've seen or heard or step to saying, "We ll, if we can provide proved. read. pins, then people will say 'whe re'd you I'm anxious to see if the RPGA It's possible that the RPGA Network get the pin?.' and they'll sign up for members hip eventually acts as a group. evolution could continue , perhaps to more subscriptions. It'll become a group Will it be a cohesive force in the hobby having representation in some form. of people that, through some action, of adventure gaming, as an entity in What would happen if you were organ­ had gotten these pins, almost like an itself, or will it remain a passive organi­ ized in regional ways for members to organization." zation? I see a potential here for a propose nominations? You cou ld have So that's where it first started. Next group of people with common interests an RPGA Network representative , or was for all these new subscribers to AND the ability to contact one another president, elected by the membership. become a club and have a special tour­ to become a force, a voice, to provide Groups of people are always forces nament. That was expanded on, too : some direction to this hobby indust ry. to be reckoned with . I mean , that 's the "We'll sanction tournaments across the If, for example, the RPGA membership way our society was organized when country, and we'll have sco ring to gets50% results from a survey of 50,000 democracy was set up. And responsi­ compare everyone against each other," members that says "What are your ble, informed and cohesively organized and it blossomed out into the first con­ opinions on this," then that's 25,000 groups of peop le can be extremely cept of the RPGA network. All that serious-minded people saying "This is powerful forces. That 's what's going to thinking actually occured in about two what we'd like to see" or "This is what be interesting, to me, to see how that hours, but then it sat; it's been about we don't like to see." And that informa­ evolves and develops. two years since the first thoughts. It sat tion, passed on to the industry , certain­ HQ: Interesting point. One logica l sce­ because of matters of organization and ly would have an impact. nario would include state representa­ economics , but once it was first pro­ It could also be an informed voice to tives. We could tie them in with local posed, it was inevitable. those people outside of the gaming in­ conventions, so that every member in HQ: Thank you. You've seen what we've dustry that are seeking information. the country, with a minimum of travel­ done, and what we've put out: the Gaming has evolved a lot over th e last ing, could vote on a national candidate. membership card , pin, certificate, few years, and I think the reporting has That would help in creating local con­ newsletters and so forth. Have you improved, but stil l there are many inac­ ventions in more places . seen anything you don't like, or that curacies and sensationalizings. I find JJ: We can only benefit the gaming hob­ you think we should change? these personally distasteful both as a by as time goes by. It's just a question JJ: Haven't seen anything that I dislike , journalist , because these people aren 't of how much benefit , and when ; it's and I'm quite impressed by what I've checking their sources or deal with un- pacing. :\lf seen so far. It's quite a credit to the RPGA staff that things have come as far as they have so quickly, and the quality that has been established, from a print production standpoint, something I'm very fami liar with. I'm also impressed with the way things are conducted. Peop le call me up and say " I'm an RPGA member, here's my badge number," and say "t hey 're on the ball, and we can get things accomplished because of the organization." I'm looking forward to RPGA Net­ work expansion, and to the official RPGA tournamen ts leading up to the GEN CON 1982 finals, with every thing coming full cycle. I'm also awaiting the catalog of products for RPGA members; y'know, I kind of get off on that sort of thing. It's just going great; I'm really pleased. HQ: Thank you, very much; we're work ­ ing on it. Uh , do you think $10 is too much for a year's RPGA membersh ip? Or, in other terms, do you think it's worth six issues of DRAGON magazine? JJ: Well, I think it's a bargain, no matter which way you look at it. Consider: to do ANYTHINGSample nowadays, I mean, reg­ file istering for schoo l, using cre dit cards ... everyth ing costs something. Th ere's no way around it; even if you don't see the cos ts, you pay for it one way or another somewhere along the line. So if we accept the fact that the re's no free lunch, what is reasonable? If you look 6 Issue #5 The POLYHEDRON

someth in g, WE get it cheaper, and find me as often. Translation : I'm being WHERE l'M YOU'LL get it cheaper. Get it? GO GET moved over into another TSR division. COMING FROM MORE MEMBERS AND SAVE YOUR­ I'll still be writing lots of things about SELF MONEY! AD&D games, like Dispel Confusion and The RPGA Network is going to be­ Spe llin g Bee. But Mary Kirchoff is taking Got a surprise for you: YOU can make come the biggest and best thing ever to over the res ponsibility for The things cheaper! It works like this: if we appear in the world of hobby gaming. POLYHEDRON as a whole. She's a cap­ want to buy RPGA widgets, then we find There are going to be newsletters in able editor, and I think you and she will a widget maker. He estimates how much many different languages , tournaments get along fine . t~ it wi ll cost, and we either say "go" or and conventions in many countries; in " no ," depending on whether we can af­ short, the Network will bec ome HUGE . ford it. But if we want to order 100 of (We just got our first memb er and club in them, they cost us maybe $1.00 each. If Chile , South America.) Th ere's only so we order 1000 of them , the cost drops; much of this, though, that the Staff can maybe to only$ .85 each. And if we buy do; a lot of it is up to you, the Members. If 5,000 of them, they could drop to $ .50 you like what you've got here , TELL each! Now , we have to make a little mo­ PEOPLE! Help YOUR organ ization to ney to keep the organ ization going, but find new members in your own neigh­ we're not out to make big profits; we're borhoods. part of TSR, and they make the big mo­ Finally , I've got good news and bad ney on games and stuff, not on this end. news . The good news is that you won't SO, to wrap this up, if we've got lots of have to listen to my rambling as much; members and can therefore order lots of the bad news is that you won't be able to

Notes For the missing a saving throw. The big finale of be too busy with little details to see over­ the night's game shou ld be a tough one, all results . Dungeon Master satisfying everyone's desire for action In future columns, I'll talk about run­ and puzzles , lethal enough to either kill ning intricate combats, NPC spell cas­ Here 's a few notes on encounters and someone by attrition (just wearing away ters, long-term campaign planning, combats. their hit points) or close to it (even more If you roll for the number of monsters handling problem players and problem preferable; they love to be down to 1-3 characters (often different problems en­ encountered, there will be a wide var­ hp and scared) , but not a killer overa ll. iance in the results of the battles . For tirely) , and more details on running game This finale should resu lt in a major addi­ example, accordinq to the AD&D™ mechanics. If you've got a spec ific prob­ , the party co uld run tion to party resources: if anyone's lack­ lem or situation you'd like me to exp lain across2d10ogres. lf theyareall level 1-3 ing a magic weapon, the very type de­ or offer advice on, let me know ; write to characters and run into 15 ogres, they've sired is found; a rare potion is disco­ me care of RPGA HQ . got problems; I'd give them ample op­ vered, or a major clue to the long-term Now for a few goodies : portunity to evade or negotiate , skipping campaign comes to light. Of course, the standard surprise roll and setting an cash is always appreciated. 1. POOR THIEF : Encounter occurs, thief encounter distance of about 200 yards. I don 't mean to imply that there's lots drinks pot ion of invisibility. Thief climbs However , I usually don't get into this of magic in my world. Most characters of wall. Wall isn 't wall. Wall is either killer kind of problem ; instead of ro lli ng for the level 4-5 and above have a magic wea­ mim ic or stunjelly (from th e FIEND number enco untered , I'll grab a number pon , a potion or two, and occasionally FOLIO ™Tome). Thief never returns. Poor some magic armor or shields; most items thief. based on the talents and levels of the - AR, Los Angeles, CA characters. The players have more fun are +1. More powerful magic items are when they don't have to run away from found regularly, but the parties almost everyt hing (though escaping from po­ always divide everything equally by prior 2. PIT: Here's a variation on the standard tentially lethal situations can be exhilar­ agreement, and most are not wealth y pit trap which you may find amusing. A ating and is always educationa l); suc­ enough to balance the value of the item 25' deep pit tapers at the bottom, forming cessful comba ts are a high point of the against their fair share. They end up sel­ a "V " shape; the victim's feet either stick game. lin g the magic item in question to a local in the bottom, or he breaks both ankles. To help me estimate the party's capa­ shop, and never see it again, sharing the Simp le enough. bilities, I jot down the total number of proceeds from the sale equally. This is - ME, Brantford, ONT levels in the party (counting a multi­ fine with me, as I can introduce magic items of some power without (usually) class 3/3, for example, as 4.5) and divide 3. THE POLE: Unknown to the sleep ing by the number of characters to get an worrying about the effects on the cam­ paign; the item is sold short ly after it's party, a mimic has crept in and looks just average party level. When using the like a ten-foot pole ... "Dung eon Random Monster Level De­ found. I do watch thrifty characters, as termin atio n Matrix " (DMG, pg. 174) the they can surprise everyone by showing - AR, Los Angeles , CA average party level tells me which " Equi ­ up with a lot of cash, enough to keep valent Level of the Dungeon " line to use, intere sting item s in play. 4. WEIRDNESS: Try having a littl e fun SampleAfter running one popular campaign with thefile special abilities of creatur es. especially when the characters are in a large one-level type of dungeon (such as world for 7 years, I've deve lope d a feel Imagine a food fight with some djinn; caves). for "guesstimating" encounter results giants who roll huge bowling balls at the Before beginning any encounter, I es­ before they happen ; you can too , just by party, instead of throwi ng them (roc ks) ; timate what effect I'd like to have on the stick ing with it. But to be able to watch or the phase spiders who do n't want to party. Most enco unters should just trim what goes on and learn from it, you have hurt anybody; they just sneak up and do off some hit points and use up a spe ll or to prepare your dungeons, encounte rs, a little thi evi ng while the party's asleep. two; occasionally someone dies from and NPCs before hand ; otherwise you'll - F 7