Dear POLYHEDRON Newszine,

"This is the first time I've ever written
to your magazine. It's been on my mind
to do so for a long time now; Issue #9 was
the spark that it took to get this letter
going.

In the Notes For The Dungeon Master
column by Frank Mentzer, there was a
comment to the effect that the creator of
the AD&D game, Gary Gygax, does not
himself run a 'straight,' by-the-rules game.
This seems rather funny in a way, because
numerous times, people I've met and
gamed with have asked me if anyone
ever played a by-the-rules AD&D game,
and my answer was always, 'Well, Gary
Gygax probably does, but I don't know
of any others.

"What I would like to do in this letter is
to lay to rest, forever, the rumor that
official AD&D games are common, or even
occasionally seen. I have been playing
AD&D and D&D games since 1977, and
in all those years have never seen an
AD&D game that did not include at least
small amounts of 'unofficial' game material.
There have been critical hit charts,
critical fumble tables, double-damage-
on-all-20's rules, new character classes,
new character races, new weapon types,
new magical spells, new monsters, altered
level-progression systems that let
dwarves be paladins and the like, games
in which everyone had an artifact, and
games in which there was no magic.
Melee has been restructured for segment-
by-segment play or streamlined to dump
things like speed factors and armor-class
adjustments for weapons. Magical
systems -- I could not count all the new
magical systems I've seen. Elements from
other games have been included on top
of all this. Some characters have been
allowed to reach levels over 20 (some up
to level 100); some games have no one
over 1st-level.

"I allow alternate player character
classes and races to participate in the
games that I run. Several of my games
have involved conversion of player characters
to new game systems for short
adventures. Why do I do this? Why does
anybody do this? Because it is fun. I like
it. The people I game with tell me they
like it. They alter their own AD&D games
and they like it, and so do their players.
Aren't some people unhappy with
changing AD&D game rules or some
additions Dungeon Masters make to the
system? Sure. Aren't some people
unhappy playing a 'by-the-rules' system
of the AD&D game? Sure. Are there
more people who play 'straight' AD&D
games than there are people who play
variant AD&D games? I wouldn't want to
put it to the test if I were you.

"What's the point of all this? The point
is that someone doesn't have to be as
creative as Gary Gygax in order to be
'allowed' to play variant AD&D games.
By 'allowed' I mean freed from criticism.
It can well be argued that many variants
of the AD&D game are unbalancing to
the system, and from personal experieince
I know that to be true. But from
personal experience, I know that many
variant games are very plausible. A lot of
people like critical hit tables; I don't, but
they do and they seem to have a well-run
campaign with them anyway (monsters,
like player characters, get to do critical
hits). Every DM chooses for himself or
herself how the campaign will be
structured.

"As for 'unofficial' AD&D games in
convention tournaments, my wife and I
have been in several and we haven't seen
a strictly 'official' one yet. There were
always particular 'house rules' that altered
the system in some way, which we learned
and accepted. It was no big deal.

"It all boils down to this: the AD&D
game, like any other game in the whole
world, is still a game. People play AD&D
games to have fun. I may raise my voice
against some particular practice or
another, but at the bottom line I realize
that I am making a lot of noise about
nothing. Games are meant to be fun -- a
shared experience for a small group of
poeple who just want to have a good
time. However, I will defend to the death
of all my player characters the right of
anyone to play whatever they want, provided
as it doesn't harm anyone, and Heaven
knows, the AD&D game is as harmless as
they come.

"I would appreciate it if you consider
this letter for publication in a future issue
of POLYHEDRON Newszine. I would
be interested in hearing other people's
feeling on this matter. Thank you foor
your time."
        -- Roger E. Moore, Louisville, KY

Let me preface my reply to this letter by
mentioning to any of our good readers
who may have been residing on another
plane for the last year or so, that Roger is
a contributing Editor for DRAGON
Magazine and has produced some extremely
good material to be optionally
used with the AD&D game system. (My
favorite ones are the "Point of View" series
of non-human and demi-human deities!)
Having listed your qualifications,
Roger, let me say that I both agree and
disagree with your letter. The disagreements
arise in a number of areas, but let
me point out the strongest ones.

A) You're wrong, if you say that because
you haven't run in any "straight" games
they aren't "even occasionally seen." I've
seen them and run in them, both private
and tournament games, and I can assure
you that they are definitely out there. I
must agree that they are not "common." I
feel that this point was the whole thrust
of Frank's comments. If you observe the
number of new gamers starting out who
don't even try the established, balanced
system, or as Frank mentions, "the D&D
game, a flexible and adaptable framework."
you'd understand the reason that Frank
urges players to try it. The amount of
mail I read from Refs who have strayed
from the game (not only ADVANCED
DUNGEONS & DRAGONS and DUNGEONS & DRAGONS games, but non-TSR games as well) and whose games are completely out of control is
staggering. The usual reason for this is
because they didn't even try to balance
the game as it is constructed. Seldom
can you successfully build options without
knowing the basic framework, or
even how and why it exists. I believe
what Frank was emphasizing is the need
to play the game long enough to make a
sound judgement concerning what should
or shouldn't be "dumped."

B) RPGA HQ is a bit strict when it
comes to having an AD&D or D&D
tournament run "by-the-rules." We have
never said that any other tournament is
less than enjoyable if it isn't one of our
official RPGA Network tournaments, only
that we won't support it. The reason for
this is because a large number of gamers
want an equal chance when they play.
We can't always guarantee equality when
completely off-the-wall monsters, items
or rules are introduced. Some gamers
may have fought a particular monster
before where the majority have not. We
try to provide the best common ground
possible for gamers to compete -- we
feel the best common ground is the
established game rules that everyone
has access to. Your comment that "it was
no big deal," is not usually echoed by a
gamer whose character was just killed in
an encounter that conflicted with information
gained during extensive years of
gaming. Matter of fact, they often get
heated about this form of what they
believe to be "cheating".

As I mentioned, I do agree with you on
a number of points. The game is fun and
we have always stressed that fact. We
have also stressed that it is the Referee's
game world and what they say is final
-- afterall, it is a game. Since we agree on
these points. I am a bit confused when I
see the phrases, "allowed to play,"
"defend to the death of your player characters
the right of anyone to play whatever
they want, permitted it doesn't
harm anyone," and putting the two different
theories "to a test." Where did this
all come from? Who said anything about
anyone attacking players or their rights?
It's all very democratic and noble, but I
don't see what it has to do with Frank's
article or RPGA HQ. (I have this image of
me walking around at conventions with a
spiked club slaughtering innocent gamers
who pleadingly call out, "No Kim, no -- it
was just an innocent variant!" "Tough," "I
holler. "You know the (organ sound
here) RPGA Network rules! To vary from
the books is to DIE!!" Yep, pretty convincing
stuff, Rog.)

If a player wants to have an M-U riding
a griffon encounter a Scoutship from the
TRAVELLER game system, fine. If the
players like it, great. Our purpose is to
offer a control, just like an anchor, from
which the gamers can venture. These are
our beliefs about the game, which are
there for the same reason as yours -- not
to hassle or offend anyone, but to help
our members. Thanks for taking the
time. -- Kim