Introduction
This is our first attempt at a guest author in this column. We feel that
we couldn’t have found a better candidate. The Judges Guild’s contributions
to D&D, and all of role-playing, are incalculable. I was among
the early skeptics; the novel idea of playing aids by subscription/membership
was certainly unique, and as a DM myself, I viewed “outsider’s”
suggestions as something bordering on profane. I ended up as the TSR
person responsible for screening TJG material to ensure compliance
with the rules. While this was the case, I saw the value of what they did;
they stimulated thought, imagination and creativity. Even if the gamer
didn’t like what they did, he or she, invariably designed their own
version, and still their campaign improved by that act. Bob Bledshaw is
the man that “oversees” the Judges Guild — “runs” doesn’t fit Bob’s
demeanor — it implies harshness, or rigidity, neither of which is evident
in his gracious and gentlemanly manner.

WHAT JUDGES GUILD HAS DONE FOR
DUNGEONS AND DRAGONS®
PERSONAL OPINION BY BOB BLEDSAW

First, let me state that while we are licensed by TSR to produce
playing aids for Dungeons &Dragons, none of that which I have written
below has been edited by them. Our relationship has been quite amenable
and businesslike from the beginning. Dungeons & Dragons is the
universal language of fantasy role playing (being the grandfather of the
third generation systems). Judges Guild has benefitted greatly by it’s
association with this popular game and we in turn have benefitted
Dungeons & Dragons by publishing sorely needed complementary
playing aids. The net effect has been to create a larger economic pie for
all concerned and boost the sales of all fantasy role playing systems.
TSR has the right to accept or reject specific designs for approved use
with Dungeons & Dragons. To date, only one project has been rejected
and then with appropriate comments to permit it’s revision to acceptable
standards. We do not coordinate projects which aren’t meant for
use with the D & D system. Judges Guild is an independent firm which
has no direct ties to TSR except the license agreements for Dungeons &
Dragons and Advanced Dungeons & Dragons which we hold. TSR
does not provide financing, design, or layout help to Judges Guild. We
receive no special considerations in the form of kickbacks, advertising
rates, or reduced prices. In fact, Judges Guild has received sparse notice
in any game reviews or articles by TSR Periodicals except in our paid
advertisements. (Ed. Note: We have shied away from reviewing TJG
products for one primary reason. In the past, I was the TSR person
approving their designs. A definite conflict of interest existed.) Our
arrangement has benefitted both parties . . . . it is in the nature of complementary
products! To those who abhor such an arrangement, an
Archie Bunker salute! It works! And the end beneficiary is the consumer!

Judges Guild has expanded the horizons of D & D campaigning,
supplying playing aids which: promulgated a more desirable method of
play, permitted novices to examine the design of functional dungeons
and wilderness adventures, and provided a transition or bridge between
wilderness adventuring and dungeon adventuring which many judges
chose to ignore, due to the lack of definitive guidelines and examples of
application. Since the inception of my campaign shortly after the first
publication of D & D, our group has been adventuring in wilderness as
well as dungeons. The play was based upon Tolkien’s Middle Earth and
encompassed a complete fantasy world where wilderness was as important
as dungeon adventuring. As many players will attest, I in no manner
shorted the design of my dungeons, with several sprinkled across the
map from the Misty Mountains to the far reaches of Rhun. Some ranged
upwards (or downwards) 28 levels, such as the Lonely Mountain, while
most dipped a mere nine to twelve levels, such as the Lair of Ancalagon
the Black. The time frame was such that the players participated in the
Battle of Fornost (and quite a few less notable miniatures battles with no
less fervor). With the thrust of our play covering a wider variety of action
than most campaigns of that period, our group rapidly overcame any
incongruities in game system, evolved a system of play which permitted
a great deal of involvement on the part of the players, and went on to
make blunder after discovery after blunder, etc. Naturally, the design
emphasis of our products reflect the fine-tuned whole of our experiences
with this campaign. Point by point, the following represents my
own personal opinion of what Judges Guild has specifically done to
enhance fantasy role playing . . . especially Dungeons & Dragons.

1. Recognized the need for playing aids which alleviate somewhat
the burden of time necessary to create a complete fantasy world and
speed play. The Judges Shield, Ready Ref Book, and Wilderlands of
High Fantasy are prime examples.

2. Supplied guidelines to make the original rule set more function.
able in a “live” campaign. Advertising, grappling, phantasmal forces
and others were covered.

3. Placed a new emphasis on wilderness adventuring which elevated
many “dungeons” to the status of “campaigns”. The Campaign
Hexagon System, Village Book, Island Book, Castle Book, and Tegel
Manor with their attendant guidelines on prospecting, terrain, caves,
flora, and fauna can take a bow here.

4. Emphasized a more “humane” relationship between the players
and the judge wherein the judge was slightly more limited in his god-like
powers to following guidelines in the more subjective areas of the game.
Here our guidelines have been intentionally sparse and more in the vein
of mere suggestions such as: wishes; negotiations; placing the combat
charts on the player’s side of the Judges Shield to encourage other
groups to permit the players to become more actively involved in the
game; Dungeon Tac Cards to remind novices of their weapon bonuses;
traps which do not instantly snuff out the fantastic life of a well-played
character; and poisons which also do not kill instantly. These were
published at a time when the quality of many “dungeons” (campaigns)
were judged primarily by the number of characters killed with malicious
glee . . . with little view toward establishing a continuing series of session
to permit the players more identification with their characters and the
resultant extra effort involved.

“It’s ‘your’ campaign, and we leave
much to your imagination and skill.”

“It’s ‘your’ campaign, and we leave  much to your imagination and skill.”

5. Introduced imaginative and mind-stretching approaches which
“spiced up” and aided many campaign judges in developing their own
style and verve. What happens to the hapless player which has a demon
answer his ad for dancing girls? Which rumors are true or false? What
purpose does a non-lethal apparition or Ghost serve? Why should a
wizard send a geased warrior to some remote island to smell the grass on
a slope? It’s “your” campaign and we leave much to your imagination
and skill. Our dungeons, and wilderness is designed to allow them to be
altered to suit the tenor of “your” campaign . . . . but we don’t leave you
without some direction or help.

6. Emphasized the speeding-up of play by placing more duties
upon the shoulders of the players, simplifying by reorganization (see the
monster compendium on the Judges Shield), and designing for the
active judge in mind (no 1-12 clerics of levels 1-28 with 4-79 gold pieces
each, and a 23% probability each of some magical item). Originally we
had some bad feedback which indicated that judges felt that the actual
description of dungeons was their “domain” and all they desired was a
very skeletal framework with the more time consuming level details 
worked out. We learned quickly and now design to allow the judge to
delete (or modify) that which doesn’t suit the tenor of his play. We try to
keep the script fluid and thereby not limit the adaptability of our materials
to divergent campaign styles. Let’s face it! We can’t design for every
type of campaign. Some are run with 20th level characters in mind while
others are just starting. We try not to “lock-step” every campaign which
makes use of our materials to suit the mode of play extant in my
campaign. (Yes, we still play wargames (even my campaign) two or
three times a week, often to the wee hours of dew). The descriptions are
designed with bookkeeping (how many of those ghouls are left anyway?)
and ease of play (with hit points, hit dice, armor class, number
appearing, and damage often specified). Foremost, we try not to make
the judge switch dice types too often, and in general lift much time
consuming “instant analysis” off his back. Some judges (especially
novices) prefer to be led by their +3 nose . . . “the giant’s john is
6’X3’8” wide and 3’ high; filled with excrement within 4’ of the top; and
any player character sitting thereon is immediately transformed into a
grub worm (without saving throw) to plummet to his well-deserved
fate”. Most judges prefer a cursory description (the mundane work) and
some imaginative pointers . . . ala The City State of the Invincible Overlord.
We are sensitive to the freedom of expression necessary in every
campaign. Every campaign should be as unique and original as time
permits the judge. If you change the rule set extensively, especially
sensive areas affecting play balance, you are no longer playing
Dungeons & Dragons. Any advantages given the players must be offset
by advantages given the monsters. Mr. Gygax called me on this very
subject once when he found out (how I’ll never know, because we never
published it) that I reduce the instant kill rule (20 . . . 19 or 20) to double
damage on a roll of twenty only (for monsters and players alike) . . . Gary
thought I had only given this advantage to the players. This was for my
campaign only and we are very careful not to introduce “rules”, per se,
into the Dungeons & Dragons system. Ya don’t tug on Superman’s
cape and ya don’t mess around with the play balance built into the
system you are designing for. Judges Guild designs aids for D & D with
two prime functions in mind: first, to spark the imagination and aid in
designing viable campaign adventures; Secundonmonde’, to provide
the basic framework (sheer time-consuming work) necessary to aid in
the development of a “living” fantasy world.
 

“Ya don’t tug on Superman’s cape, and ya don’t mess around with the play balance. . . .”

A little enlightenment on basic viewpoints might be appreciated on
the second function. (So, appreciated or not, here goes!) In a “living”
fantasy world, creatures of intelligence tend to form working relationships
and are the products of their environments (how’s that for original
phrasing?). Thus, shopkeepers aren’t pushovers and orcs can be found
working for humans, and, (horror of horrors!) elves. Creatures of the
same type vary in their characteristics (smarter than normal Trolls? . . .
why not? . . . variety is exciting) with all degrees of skills, aptitudes, and
responses to life as they find it. Evil is sometimes stronger than good . . .
and vice versa . . . re the Nazis. The leader of a group or nation may be
diametrically opposed to the predominate alignment of the populace (I
often wonder if this is always the case). . . . revolutions do happen.
Creatures of widely divergent end-goals may often work together because
both ends are furthered in the course of events. A dragon may
protect a village like a shepherd his flock until the hatchlings arrive ten
years from now. Like the real world, a “living” fantasy world has many
mysteries and illogical (or so it may seem) events and circumstances not
resolvable by logical deductive analysis, nor is the judge compelled to
create a reason for the being of fantastic creatures or apparent contradictions
in the scheme of things. If everything were logical there would
be no work for scientists . . . and why impose restrictions on your viewpoint
of reality on a fantastic universe, anyway? I know you have to start
somewhere . . . but aren’t ancient economics just as logical as medieval
economics . . . and if it’s so logical why aren’t we all rich (another freshly
coined phrase) Economists today are great at analysis, but, like most of
the “logical” sciences today . . . no two agree completely and the impor-
tant ones disagree significantly. You must begin by assuming that
everything in your fantasy universe is unknowable while enough is
known to permit the players to gain enough knowledge to grow and
develop. A dash of logic goes a long way as players have their own
conception of the mechanics involved . . . ie. the length of a sword,
conceptualizing actions, and so forth. Mystery cannot be replaced, as it
is the source of adventures, diligent research by players, and a main part
of the fun to be had in a fantastic world. Don’t cheat your players of a
little ill-reason every now and then (remember, this is my personal
opinion).

So that is what Judges Guild has done for Dungeons & Dragons . . .
even if I did get off the subject once or twice. May the Blues Brothers
never play at the Balrog’s Eye!

*    *    *    *    *