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    POL JlBBDBONTM $2.00Nelff8zine'ssue II

    RPG :AETWORK, Ise3T9RHobblel,lnc,AIIRlllhItRluflld

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    ContentsCover Story

    10 Encounters - Jastafuhrer Leutnant Walter Blume instructsyou to escort a Rumpler through enemy territory, by Mike Carr

    Special Report16 Escalation and Blackmail - Problem areas in Fantasy Role

    Playing Games, by Gary GygaxFeatures

    5 The Knight-Error - A cartoon, by Ron Shirtz6 The Allegory of the Party- Meet Problem players, Kaye Autic,

    Loyal Justin, Avid Dyer, Prudence Canny, Max Odius andMusby Myin, by Mary Kirchoff

    7 Getting Started: A DAWN PATROlTM Game Feature- by Mike Carr

    8 Dispel Confusion - by Frank Mentzer, Allen Hammack,Mike Carr, James Ward, Mark and Jaime Acres,Merle Rasmussen, and Dave Cook

    11 Notes for the Dungeon Master - Deities #2, by Frank Mentzer12 Mapping from Square One - Mapping made easy,

    by Frank Mentzer14 Under Construction - Discover the remains of a crashed

    escape shuttle, by James M. Ward15 Spelling Bee - Druid Spells, by Frank Mentzer22 MATTEl ElECTRONICS DUNGEONS & DRAGONSTM Computer

    labyrinth and MATTEl ElECTRONICS DUNGEONS & DRAGONSComputer Fantasy Pocket Games - Reviews.

    24 Rune ScryDepartments

    3 Notes from HQ - What's new at TSR? Here's what!4 letters - To vary or not to vary - that is the question, AD&D

    game merchandise discounts for RPGA'M Members, and more18 Tournament Scoring System Part II:

    Rating Judges and Players23 TSR Role Playing Game Modules - An update on

    module information24 White Rabbits25 Judges and DM's Needed - Are you a good OM

    - really good? Then RPGA HQ wants you!26 Treasure Chest - More new and exciting merchandise from

    RPGA HQ2 Issue #11

    POL YHEDRONNewszine

    Volume 3, Number 2Issue #11

    Publisher: E. Gary GygaxEditor: Mary KirchoffCover Courtesy ofSteve St. MartinContributing Artists: Keith Parkinson(pg. 14)Jim Holloway(pg.16)Steve Sullivan(pg.24)Other Credits: Photos pages 7 and 1courtesy of Steve St. Martin.

    The POLYHEDRON'" Newszine (the off icialnewsletter of TSR's ROLE PLAYING GAMEASSOCIATION' Network) is published bimonthly by TSR Hobbies, Inc. The mail ing address is POB 509, Lake Geneva, WI 53147, telephone number (414) 248-3625.The POLYHEDRON Newszine welcomes unsolicited submissions of written material and artwork. However, no responsibil ity for such submissions can beassumed by the publisher in anevent. No submissions wil l be returned unlesaccompanied by a self-addressed stamped envelope of sufficient size.The POLYHEDRON Newszlne is mailed free tall RPGA' Members. Membership rates: 1 yea$10: 2 years $18; 5 years '$40. All prices are subject to change without not ice. Changes of address for the delivery of subscriptions must breceived at least 30 days prior to the effectivedate of the change in order to insure uninterrupted delivery.All material published in The POLYHEDRONNewszine becomes the exclusive property of thpublisher upon publication, unless special written arrangements to the contrary an;)made prioto publication. .DUNGEONS &DRAGONS,D&D,ADVANCEDDUNGEONS &DRAGONS,ADVANCED D&DBOOT HILL, GAMMA WORLD, and TOPSECRET are registered trademarks owned bTSR Hobbies, Inc. "TM" designates othertrademarks owned by TSR Hobbles, Inc. ROLEPLAYING GAME ASSOCIATION', RPGA', andGEN CON are service marks owned by TSRHobbies, Inc. 1983 TSR Hobbies, Inc. AlRights Reserved.

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    For months now,members have been writ ing toRPGN" Headquarters and asking for informationconcerning upcoming TSR'" products. Conse-quently I'm going to use this space to fill you in onwhat's upcoming from TSR Hobbies. In the marginyou'll notice TSR's new logo. What is importantabout this one is its duality. Although it resemblesa maze in structure (which credits TSR's f irst love- FRPG's), it does not limit us to one concept. Itprovides room for interpretation and expansioninto other areas. In 1983, TSR Hobbies will beexpanding in the Toy and Hobby f ields. There willnot only be numerous module releases (more onthat in a minute), but also large plastic articulatedfigures for collectors, a line of metal minatures,and more.Immediate releasesTSR's first translation - a French version ofD&D Basic Set wil l be available this year.Starspawn of Volturnus, a novice level modulefor the STAR FRONTIERST"game by Mark Acreswill be available soon. This is the third and finalmodule in the Volturnus series.Mark has also finished Tomb of the Lizard King,an AD&DT" module for levels 5-7.Beyond the Crystal Cave - an AD&D modulefrom our TSR-United Kingdom branch.Oasis of the White Palm - A module for theAD&D game system, levels 6-8, concerning theabduct ion of a shiek's son, by Philip Meyers andTracy Hickman.Blizzard Pass - Our first invisible ink module,

    by Dave Cook. For use with the D&D Basic Set,and designed for both group and solo play.We're also offering the new and improvedGAMMA WORLD game. It's cleaner, clearer,deadlier, and definitely superior to past editions.I've had a chance to see galleys of this before itwent to press and the Dave Ritchie revision of theclassic Jim Ward and Gary Jacquet game willreally impress both novice gamers and old vets.This should be available by summer.The STAR FRONTIERS game will also feature acompanion game for spaceship combat calledKnighthawks, which can even be played separatelyfrom a STAR FRONTIERS campaign.In addition, around 16 new modules will be com-ing out before the end of summer, which shouldtell you why '83 will be the year for role playinggamers.PublicationsThe very popular ENDLESS QUESr" Books arerolling right along. Two more books based on theD&D game have been writ ten by Rose Estes:"Revenge of the Rainbow Dragons," the sequel to"Pillars of Pentegarn," and "Revolt of theDwarves." Future releases this year wil l branch outinto the TOP SECRET, STAR FRONTIERS, andGAMMA WORLD games, in addition to more in theD&D game genre.In addition to producing the excellentDRAGONT" Magazine, Dragon Publishing is alsopublishing AMAZINGT" Science Fiction Stories,

    N O T E S F R O M HQAREST"Magazine, and STRATEGY & TACTICSMagazine for the historical simulations gamer.FiguresTSR Hobbies will be making their own 25mmmetal f igures in the future. Off icial sets of AD&D,STAR FRONTIERS, and GAMMA WORLD gameminiatures will be released throughout '83, includ-ing sets to represent the party used for the AD&DOpen Tournament this year at GEN CON XVIGame Fair. Large plastic AD&D game figures willalso be available this year from both TSR Hobbiesand LJN for those who like big encounters.Long awaited goodiesIn Issue #10, Frank Mentzer mentioned therelease of the D&D Basic Set revision as occuringsometime in 1984, and then went and cast a lit tlemagic of his own. It now appears as though theBasic Set will be available by GEN CON XVI GameFair. The revision will be slanted toward introduc-tory and solo play.The really exciting news is the expected releaseof the AD&DMONSTER MANUAL" Book, sche-duled for release at GEN CON XVI Game Fair inAugust. I'd love to give you hints, but I really can't- well, maybe just one: ever heard of a Pyroisk?You know what pyro means and you know what abasil-isk can do - let your imagination go fromthere.RPGANetwork itemsRPGA Network Members have even more to lookforward to. Our module schedule has been revisedto offer 5-6 releases this year. R4 and RPGAModule 1 are in the catalog sect ion of this issue.RPGA Module 1:Rahasia, a D&D game Modulefor 6-8 players, levels 1-3. Rahasia's her name.Beauty's her curse. The Rahib, an amulet, andfreedom are your goals.RPGA Module 2: The sequel, Black Opal Eye,should be available this summer. Both are byTracy and Laura Hickman.R-4: Doc's Island, an AD&D Module by FrankMentzer for 5 players, levels 6-10. This 32 pagercontinues Frank's "R" series, and even has a littlehistory of the lands you are in for good measure.An intriguing module which presents a questwithin a quest. First, brave an overland/water jour-ney to deliver the famed Egg of the Phoenix to themysterious "Doc." But another quest awaits - ifthe party lives long enough to learn of it!We are currently hoping to release part of BobBlake's AD&D Open in late August. This meansthat not only will the "party" be available from TSRHobbies in 25mm. figures, but the adventures runthere will be available for you to run at home, evenif you can't make the convention.Other itemsCollector's cases, gaming accessories, more fan-tasy apparel, and individualized items are amongthe continued premiums we will offer to fur,/members. And perhaps a surprise or two~

    POL YHEDRON 3

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    "Do you have outfits like D&D gamecharacters wear, such as tunics, boots,cloaks, swords, shields, etc.? Do youknow of any places that would sell suchitems, especially swords?"- Dave Engler, Omaha, NEFrankly Dave, TSR does not encouragethe wearing of fantasy garb of any type.All of TSR's role playing games arestrictly games of the imagination. Peopleshouldn't try to emulate the charactersthey play - those characters are purelyfictitous anddo not reaNy exist.Confus-ing fantasy and reality can be very dan-gerous, especially when it includes usingweapons like swords. - Mary"In your directory you give the namesand addresses of fellow Members andwhat their gaming interests are - all thisis very nice, but Ijust found out that six ofthe people that I wrote to in my area arebetween the ages of 9 and 13. The prob-lem with this is that I am 33 years old.Could you please print the ages of theplayers aswell? This seems like it wouldsave a lot of t ime and trouble."- Thomas Collins, Darby, PAAn unfortunate situation to be sure. I'm

    sorry, but to list the ages and other per-sonal statistics of players would be todiscriminate against them. I suggest thatwhen you write a letter to a prospectivefellow gamer you state your own ageandgamer age preference in the very begin-ning of the letter. Obviously, you won'tbat 1,000 for responses from oldergamers, but all you will havereally lost isa bit of time and a stamp.If all else fails, have you ever consi-dered gaming with a younger audienceon occasion? Quite often, age has noreal bearing on the quality of one's roleplaying. Such an experience might justbe mutually beneficial on a multitude oflevels. - MaryDear POLYHEDRON'MNewszine,"This is the first time I've ever writ tento your magazine. It's been on my mindto do so for a long time now; Issue#9wasthe spark that it took to get this lettergoing."Inthe Notes For The Dungeon Mastercolumn by Frank Mentzer, there was acomment to the effect that the creator ofthe AD&DTgame, Gary Gygax, does nothimself runa'straight,' by-the-rules game.Thisseems rather funny inaway, becausenumerous times, people I've met and4 Issue #11

    gamed with have asked me if anyoneever played a by-the-rules AD&D game,and my answer was always, 'Well, GaryGygax probably does, but I don't knowof any others.'"What I would like to do in this letter isto lay to rest, forever, the rumor that off i-cial AD&D games are common, or evenoccasionally seen. I have been playingAD&D and 0&0 games since 1977, andin all those years have never seen anAD&D game that did not include at leastsmall amounts of 'unofficial' game mate-rial. There have been crit ical hit charts,critical fumble tables, double-damage-on-all-20's rules, new character classes,new character races, new weapon types,newmagical spells, newmonsters, alteredlevel-progression systems that letdwarves be paladins and the like, gamesin which everyone had an artifact, andgames in which there was no magic.Meleehasbeen restructured for segment-by-segment play or streamlined to dumpthings like speed factors and armor-class adjustments for weapons. Magicalsystems - I could not count all the newmagical systems I've seen. Elements fromother games have been included on topof all this. Some characters have beenallowed to reach levels over 20 (some upto level 100); some games have no oneover 1at-level."I allow alternate player characterclasses and races to participate in thegames that I run. Several of my gameshave involved conversion of player char-acters to new game systems for shortadventures. Why do I do this? Why doesanybody do this? Because it isfun. Ilikeit. The people I game with tell me theylike it. They alter their own AD&D gamesand they like it, and so do their players.Aren't some people unhappy withchanging AD&D game rules or someadditions Dungeon Masters make to thesystem? Sure. Aren't some peopleunhappy playing a 'by-the-rules' systemof the AD&D game? Sure. Are theremore people who play 'straight' AD&Dgames than there are people who playvariant AD&D games? IWOUldn'twant toput it to the test if I were you."What's the point of all this? The pointis that someone doesn't have to be ascreative 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 variantsof the AD&D game are unbalancing to

    the system, and from personal exper-ience I know that to be true. But frompersonal experience, I know that manyvariant games are very plausible. A lot ofpeople like crit ical hit tables; I don't, butthey do and they seemto havea well-runcampaign with them anyway (monsters,l ike player characters, get to do criticalhits). Every OM chooses for himself orherself how the campaign will bestructured."As for 'unofficial' AD&D games inconvention tournaments, my wife and Ihave been in several and we haven't seena strictly 'official' one yet. There werealways particular 'house rules' that alteredthe system insomeway,which we learnedand accepted. It was no big deal."It all boils down to this: the AD&Dgame, like any other game in the wholeworld, is sti ll a game. People play AD&Dgames to have fun. I may raise my voiceagainst some particular practice oranother, but at the bottom line I realizethat I am making a lot of noise aboutnothing. Games are meant to be fun - ashared experience for a small group ofpeople who just want to have a goodtime. However, I will defend to the deathof all my player characters the right ofanyone to play whatever they want, pro-vided it doesn't harmanyone, and Heavenknows, theAD&D game isas harmlessasthey come."I would appreciate it if you considerthis letter for publication in a future issueof POLYHEDRONT. Newszine. I wouldbe interested in hearing other people'sfeelings on this matter. Thank you foryour time."- Roger E. Moore, Louisville, KYLet me preface my reply to this letter bymentioning to any of our good readerswho may have been residing on anotherplane for the last year or so, that Roger isa contributing Editor for DRAGONTMagazine and has produced some ex-tremely good material to be optionallyused with the AD&D game system. (Myfavorite ones are the "Point of View" ser-ies of non-human and demi-human dei-ties!) Having listed your qualifications,Roger, let me say that I both agree anddisagree with your letter. The disagree-ments arise in a number of areas, but letme point out the strongest ones.A) You'rewrong ifyou say that becauseyou haven't run in any "straight" gamesthey aren't "even occasionally seen." I'veseen them and run in them, both private

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    and tournament games, and I can assureyou that they are definitely out there. Imust agree that they are not "common." Ifeel that this point was the whole thrustof Frank's comments. If you observe thenumber of new garners starting out whodon't even try the established, balancedsystem, or as Frank mentions, "the D&Dgame, a flexible and adaptable frame-work,"you'd understand the reason Frankurges players to try it. The amount ofmail I read from Refs who have strayedfrom the game (not only ADVANCEDDUNGEONS & DRAGONS and DUN-GEONS & DRAGONS games, but non-TSR games as well) and whose gamesare now completely out of control isstaggering. The usual reason for this isbecause they didn't even try to balancethe game as it is constructed. Seldomcan you successfully build options with-out knowing the basic framework, oreven how and why it exists. I believewhat Frank was emphasizing is the needto play the game long enough to make asound judgement concerning what shouldor shouldn't be "dumped."B) RPGN" HQ Is a bit strict when itcomes to having an AD&DT" or D&Dtournament run "by-the-rules. " We havenever said that any other tournament isless than enjoyable if it isn't one of ourofficial RPGA Network tournaments, onlythat we won't support it. The reason forthis is because a large number of garnerswant an equal chance when they play.We can't always guarantee equality whencompletely off-the-wall monsters, itemsor rules are introduced. Some garnersmay have fought a part icular monsterbefore where the majority have not. We

    try to provide the best common groundpossible for garners to compete - wefeel the best common ground is theestablished game rules that everyonehas access to. Your comment that "it wasno big deal," is not usually echoed by agamer whose character was just killed inan encounter that conflicted with infor-mation gained during extensive years ofgaming. Matter of fact, they often getheated about this form of what theybelieve to be "cheating."As Imentioned, I do agree with you ona number of points. The game is fun andwe have always stressed that fact. Wehave also stressed that it is the Referee'sgame world and what they say is final-afterall, it is a game. Since we agree onthese points, I am a bit confused when Isee the phrases, "allowed to play,""defend to the death of your player char-acters the right of anyone to play wha-tever they want, permitted it doesn'tharm anyone," and putting the two dif-ferent theories "to a test." Where did thisall come from? Who said anything aboutanyone attacking players or their rights?It's all very democratic and noble, but Idon't see what it has to do with Frank'sarticle or RPGA HQ. (I have this image ofme walking around at conventions with aspiked club slaughtering innocent garnerswho pleadingly call out, "No, Kim, no -itwas just an innocent variant!" "Tough," Iholler. "You know the (organ soundhere) RPGA Network rules! To vary fromthe books is to DIE!!" Yep, pretty con-vincing stuff, Rog.)If a player wants to have an M-U ridinga griffon encounter a Scoutship from theTRA VELLER game system, fine. If the

    players like it, great. Our purpose is tooffer a control, just like an anchor, fromwhich the garners can venture. These areour beliefs about the game, which arethere for the same reason as yours - notto hassle or offend anyone, but to helpour members. Thanks for taking thetime. - Kim"What does TSR stand for?"- Zachary Ross, Detroit, MI

    Originally, the initials TSR were derivedfrom an association called "TacticalStudies Rules" of which Gary Gygax wasone of the founders. It no longer standsfor this, but is the name of the company,TSR Hobbies, Inc. - Mary"I have heard of people getting dis-counts on AD&DT" game accessories,(modules, dice, etc.) with a membershipcard. How is this done?"- James Honaker, Charleston, WVRPGA Network policy concerning mer-chandise could certainly use some clari-fying. RPGA Network Members may buyRPGA Network merchandise at a dis-count price either through the meii bycatalog, or at conventions. Conventionsare the only place Non-members maypurchase merchandise, and then theitems are limited and at a higher cost.We are currently working on a systemwhereby members may use their RPGANetwork cards to receive discounts atspecific hobby stores. We hope this pol-icy will be in effect sometime in 1983.When this is established, the exact detailswill be stated in a future issue ofPOL YHEDRON'" Newszine. - Mary

    ~

    TRAVELLER is a t rademark owned by GDW, Inc. POLYHEDRON 5

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    Problem players. You don't have to roleplay long to discover their existence.You've been lucky if you've neverencountered players or a OM like thesomewhat exagerated ones presentedhere. If you have, then you understandthe absolute unlimited number of waysthey can impair a role playing game,both in the playing atmosphere theycreate, and how far a party or campaignprogresses.nd so it came to pass that thetime to adventure was again athand. Five hearty adventurers

    met in the cottage of their declaredleader, KayeAutic, to plan forthe excur-sion that was to begin on the morrow.The paladin, Loyal Justin, spoke first."The time has come, my comrades, toplan for our coming travels. Two majorpoints must be settled before we depart.We must decide where we're to go andwhat we wish to take.""I don't know why we must waste thenight with preparations. I have all that Ineed," sniffed the impatient Avid Dyer.Cautious Prudence Canny was quickto inform the rest of some well-thoughtout facts. "Oh come now, Avid. Surelyyou realize the importance of extensiveplanning to insure that we have forgot-ten nothing. By the by, I've been think-ing. Perhaps we should postpone thisadventure for just a few days. The apoth-ecary is running a special on compo-nents day after tomorrow and I'd like tomakesure that we haveenough along forthe spellcasters." As an afterthought,"We must be sure to take enough equip-ment, you know. There's just so much toconsider ... " Prudence's voice trailed offas though she were speaking to herself."A few days? Why, you must be mad!What wecurrently possess has held us instead for a number of adventures. I saywe leave immediately and waste nomoretime on silly cautions that will do us nogood." Avid stomped his little foot foremphasis.Loyal Justin cleared his throat beforespeaking. "I believe that we should take avote. Each of us has individual talentswhich make usequal in terms of value tothe party. No one person should decidefor the whole." His clear, level tonecaused momentary quiet in the room."Where ismy dagger, my favorite littledagger?" MaxOdious's screamshatteredthe silence. He turned to glare at craftyMusby Myin who was seated next to him,6 Issue #11

    by Mary Kirchoffbut presently engaged in conversationwith Loyal Justin."What haveyou done with mydagger?I've never heard of anyone doing thatbefore the party has left. Hecan't do that,can he?" Max wailed inthe general direc-tion of their leader.The indecisive KayeAutic hesitated asif unsure. "Well, we didn't have a ruleabout that before, so let's just make oneup." Kaye sighed deeply with relief athaving found an answer to the difficultproblem."I don't think you can make up rulesalong the way," whined Max, flinging achallenge at Kaye.Musby, who still had not spoken, inchedhimself out of the circle of people tostand apart from the group. He grabbeda book on Kaye's shelf and pretended toread it while actually eyeing the party.Kaye figeted.Once again, Loyal cleared his throat."If Kaye says that we can make upa rule,then that is what we should do. We haveappointed him leader, and as such weshould accept his word.""Now, we shouldn't be too hasty aboutthis whole situation. Once we set policywe should st ick to it . I've thought aboutit, and I believe that we must follow

    Kaye's lead, but I think a long debate iscalled for concerning whether or notMusby can do whatever it was that hedid. Or were we talking about making uprules along the way? I can neverremember." Prudence shook her headasif to clear it, and began to contemplatesome undeterminable point on the wall.Max puffed, "Well!" and turned to checkwhat appeared to be a list."You're all daft. We're wasting time!There's treasure out there just waiting tobe picked up. We have plenty of every-thing, and these other silly little detailswill get worked out along the way." Avidstarted pacing around the room like atrapped animal, hands behind his back,eyes focused on the floor.At the sound of the word "treasure,"Musby dropped the book, returned tothe circle, and sat next to Loyal."Where were we? Oh yes. We wereabout to make a rule concerning makingrules.""That's not right!" interrupted Max."I know that Max! You have me all in adither!" Kaye Autic searched his mindfrantically. Then his eyes opened wideand a smile covered his face. "Yes! Wewere making a rule concerning whetherMusby can steal anything before the party

    has left." Kaye sunk deeply into his chairand curled into a form vaguely resem-bling a little ball."Well?" Max prompted."For myself, I believe that eachmembershould be free to act on their own voli-tion. Incidentally, has anyone seen mymagic ring? I left it for just a moment inthis sack on the seat next to me. I'd like toput it on before we leave." Loyal begansearching the floor."He's done it again! What are yougoing to do about it?" Max sneered atKaye, who was figeting again."I 'm not going to take the rap for any ofthis!" Musby said staunchly, speakingfor the first time."Be fair. A man isinnocent until provenguilty." defended Loyal. Musby gaveMaxa smug look."I was just about to point that outmyself," interjected Prudence. "Thiswhole matter calls for serious thought."She shook her head, overwhelmed withthe complexities of the situation.Avid sighed loudly and paced faster."We're waiting, Kaye," Max warned,eyes slit t il l he was nearly squinting.Startled at the shift of attent ion, Kayejumped. "I'm thinking!" Then, "I've got it!Musby can steal if he's not caught, but ifhe iscaught, hecan't steal." Kaye sighedeven deeper than before.Silence."Now wait just a minute. Do I look likethe type that would steal from my ownfriends?" Musby said innocently, puttingan arm around Loyal's shoulder."Yes!" screamed Max.Ignoring Max's outburst, Loyal said,"Kaye has given his suggestion. All infavor please raise their hands."Max sunk deeper into the setee. Every-one else raised a hand. Avid and Musbyraised both of theirs.Avid wiped his brow and began gather-ing his things while speaking. "Good!Then it 's settled. Let's go! Boy, am I gladthat that's over with! Look," he said,glancing out the window, "The sun istrying to come up."The others followed his glance, andseeing the sun, absently collected theirmeager gear and headed out of the doorto begin their adventure. Prudence hungback a little, for she had more equipmentto collect . Suddenly, a thought came toher and she scurried to the doorwaythrough which the others had just exited."Wait!" she shouted into the early morn-ing sunlight. "What about the other ques-tions? Maybe we should consider .. .''i~

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    GellingSlarledA DAWN PA TROCM Game Feature

    by Mike Carr

    The DAWN PATROL game is popularfor many reasons, but its most positiveaspects are that any number can play (4to 8 being the best), each game situationis different, and individual games onlylast 45 to 90 minutes on the average.Combine this with the fact that playershave their own rosters of individual pilotpersonalities and the result is a gamewith continuing interest and appeal.Getting started in the DAWN PATROLgame is relatively easy. The basic gamerules are embodied in the first 13 pagesof the rulebook, and the restof the mate-rial can be added later when the playerswish to seek more complexity. The rulesfor movement and shooting are designedto be as simple as possible, and shouldbe relat ively easy to learn. A number of"ready to play" game scenarios areincluded for varying numbers of players.New players are advised to play thegame a few times to get the "feel" of it.Once the players are comfortable withthe game, they can consider making uptheir pilot rosters to get into the role play-ing aspects of the game. Missions sur-vived while learning to play can beaddedto pilots' records when the roster is f irstcreated.At this point, the players as a groupmust makean important decision regard-ing the starting experience levels of theirpilots. The "Starting Experience" ruleoutlines the two options: players caneither start all their pilot personalitiesfrom zero each time, or they can use analternative method which allows the pos-sibility of prior experience for each newcharacter created. The former method isthe traditional method, and is recom-mended, but both methods will work justaswell. The alternative method will allowplayers to have a few characters withsome amount of experience.

    The roster is created by assigning apilot to each aircraft type, determininghis national origin, rank and age, andgiving him a name. Each character thentakes on his own unique identity, and isused each time a player draws that char-acter's aircraft type ina game. Pilots whosurvive missions and score kills addthem to their experience tally, and willgain advantages whenever they reach amultiple of 12 missions or 5 kills. Win-ning medals for bravery and service areanadditional possibility. Of course, somepilots will go on to renown, while otherswill be lost in action. As new pilots jointhe roster to take the place of those whohave "Gone West," each player will havea varying assortment of personalit iesand experience levels. The bonds thatgrow between pilot characters and theplayers themselves are a vital part of thegame!Once players have begun playing theDAWN PATROL game, it's easy to get agroup together on a regular basis. Likeall role playing games, part of the fun isplaying again and again to try to build upyour characters' experience levels.Once players have learned the basicgame, they will want to explore the "full-blown" version. A wide variety ofadvanced rules are available which add alot of excitement and enjoyment to analready action-packed game. You'll feelit keenly the next t ime your 11-missionSopwith Camel pilot takes a critical hitthat starts his engine afire at 12,000feet.Can he put the fireout before the engineexplodes, or will he be forced to jumpfrom the blazing plane? Whateverhappens, you will haveyet another storyto tell about a character who has becomemuch more than just a name on a pieceof paper! And isn't that what role playingis all about?~

    DAWN PATROL Convention PlannedAttention DAWN PATROL play-ers! The DAWN PATROL Society isplanning a mini-convention for inter-ested players this summer. The exactdetails havenot yet been determined,but the site will likely be in south-eastern Wisconsin, and the eventwill probably bescheduled on aweek-end in July. A random team tourna-ment, an official RPGN" Networkevent, and lots of pick-up games willfill the schedule.All RPGAMembers who are DAWNPATROL players will be welcome attheconvention! For information, senda business-size SASE to: Mike Carr,1271-0 Wisconsin St., Lake Geneva,WI 53147.

    DAWN PATROL Player list in WorksA combined listing of DAWNPATROL game players is beingcompiled by designer Mike Carr

    according to geographic location(by first zip code digit). This list ingwill be published later this year, andwill beavailable for a nominal chargeto cover postage and handling. AnyDAWN PATROL players who wouldlike to be included in this list shouldsimply drop a line to: Mike Carr, c/oTSR, PO Box 756, LakeGeneva, WI53147. The object is to bring asmany players as possible into con-tact with each other, so if you playregularly or would like to, pleaserespond!

    POL YHEDRON 7

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    Confusi nFantasy Role Playing GameO: How many levels can you advanceeach character class? The Basic bookesn't say.A: Inthe D&DExpert Set, the limits onmi-human classes (dwarf, elf, halfling)e given. Humans may advance to 36th

    O: How does a Magic Missile work?he rules say it's a magic arrow, but myriends say it's a bunch of little misslesundescribed). They also say that eachoes 1d4+1 points of damage, but theook says 1d6+1. Who's right?A: You, and the book, arecorrect. Youriends are using AD&Dgame rules - aif ferent game. Don't mix the two! Theye different games.When the D&D game Magic-User castsis spell, a glowing arrow appears nexto him. It will remain there up to a fullurn (10 minutes), and he can fire it atny time simply by pointing at a targetreatu reoIf not used by the end of thatrn, the glowing arrow disappears.O: What good is the Cleric's Removeear spell?A: With the Basic rulebook alone, it isnly useful in calming NPC hirelingsho become afraid (break morale). It issed to counter the Fear effect of theeverse of the spell (castable by 4th andigher level NPC clerics). When you addhe Expert rules, you'll find that somereatures (such as a Mummy) can causeear. The spell becomes more useful asu add more rules.DO: In the Cure Disease spell (Expertrulebook), it says that it will cure lycan-ropy. Therefore, nobody should everecomeawere-creature as long asthere's6th level Cleric around! So what's theig deal?A: It's an error. The spell will only curelycanthropy if cast by a cleric of 11thlevel or greater.8 Issue #11

    AdvaDungeon ed ragonsFantasy Adventure GameADO: I've been applying all of Gary'snew classes, spells etc. (from DRAGONTMMagazine) in my campaign. It's gettingpretty confused. What can I do?ADA: The official material in DRAGONMagazine is in rough form, offered foryour consideration. It is not in final form- and many details will be modified (orperhaps missing entirely!) when they arefinally "polished." We need your inputbefore these rules appear in the newgame supplements (tenatively plannedfor 1984 release). So try them this year,and tell us what happens.

    For now, tell your players quite firmlythat you are testing these rules. They areall subject to change. And ifyou discoverthrough testing that an unforseen prob-lem occurs, tell us! You'll help mill ions ofgamers in the long run.ADO: An 11th level Magic-User used anEnlarge spell on amonk, and zapped himup to triple size. I ruled that, logically, themonk could stun opponents of triple thesize indicated. Well, the monk hit with a20, madethe percentage roll, and killed astorm giant with a single blow. Whatshould I have done?ADA: I'd probably have done the samething, but now (learning from your results)I'd say that you should figure the addi-tional size of the monk, in feet, and addthat to the sizes given. For example, if a6' tall monk of 9th level were thus treated,he'd gain 12', so he could affect crea-tures up to 18' 10" tall. That rules out thestorm giant (21'), but it's still very power-ful. Hmmm - we must get Gary's com-ments on this one. Watch for a futureupdate.ADO: The FIEND FOLIUM Tome's des-cript ion of the Drow mentions that theirfine mesh armor is "+1 chain mail," butthe DMG says that there's no magicalelf in chain mail. Which is correct?

    ADA: Both. The FF says "IN EFFECT,+1 ... "; in other words, it 's sofinely madeas to be AC4, instead of the normal AC5for chain mail. It is not magical. Thetougher Drow haveeven better armor, allnon-magical but having the effects of +2,+3,+4, or +5 chain mail. Watch for minorphrasings; they can be very important.Wild West Adventure GameBHO: IsStrength treated like hit points inthe D&D game?BHA: They are somewhat alike: Strengthis a number (20 max), which is reducedby combat. Reductions are one of thethree types: Light (-3), Serious (-7), andMortal (instantly reduces Strength tozero). Unlike the D&D game, evena lightwound affects one's combat ability. Whena character's wounds have reduced hisStrength to 50% or less of his originalvalue,thecharacter's accuracy isseriouslyimpaired - heloses 20%from his chanceto hit. Wounds in the gun arm or handalso reduce his chances.BHO: Why is there a 10% subtractionfrom your chance to hit for successiveshots fired in one turn? It would seemthat the following shots would have abetter chance, because you could cor-rect your aim.BHA: Unless one hits the target (orsomething else nearby like a piece offurniture), it is unlikely that you willactually know whether your shot missedleft, right, or high. This iswhy "spotters"are so useful during target shooting.BOOT HILLgame shooting isa combatsituation, where it's unhealthy to keepyour head exposed and take careful aim.The "kick" from the large caliber ammu-nition (.44 and .45 calibers werecommon) added to the diff icult ies incor-recting missed shots. Finally, you canget a +10 bonus to hit if the weapon isbraced on something solid like a rock orawindowsil l and you have spent the pre-vious turn aiming at the target.

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    BDcoaDlers

    gust 21st, 1918 1010 hoursYou and your group of fellow Germanlots watch as the solitary Fokker D VIIcles the airfield. Its black fuselage isarked with a large white letter 'B,' andu know the aircraft well- it belongs toe Jastafuhrer (squadron leader), Leut-nt Walter Blume.With approximately 20 victories to hisedit, Leutnant Blume is one of Ger-any's foremost pilots. Since taking overe leadership of Jagdstaffel 9 in earlyarch, he has molded it into an effectivehting unit. The young pilots of thesta have learned much about air fight-g from their experienced leader, evenough he is only twenty-two and a halfars old himself! He already wears theight's Cross of the Royal House OrderHohenzollern, and the coveted Pour Ieerite ("The BIue Max") is sure to follow.hen Leutnant Blume speaks, you andur fellow pilots listen! These are diffi-lt times, and every pilot needs everyssible edge to survive and succeedainst the enemy.The D VII glides down to a landing andxis over toward your group. As the bigopeller windmills to a stop, Leutnantume pulls himself out of the cockpit.ith a smile on his face, he takes off hisi ng cap and strides over to you rgroup."It's turning into a better day for fly-g," he says. "The mist is clearing upd the visibility is improving. Are youady to go?"You and your group nod in assent, ande Jastafuhrer begins to outline theission. "At 1040 hours, your kette willndezvous with a single Rumpler at000 feet in sector 17. I've just come

    Issue #11

    by Mike Carl'The following is a DAWN PA TROCM Game Encounter.

    from their unit and they'regetting the cameras ready.You will escort the two-seateracross the lines and protectit while photos are taken ofthe rail depot opposite sec-tor 17. Then, you will bring itback across the lines to itsairfield before returning home.Any questions?"Your gaze meets his, asyou ask the question most onyour mind. "Are the Britishactive today, Herr Leutnant?"The reply is soon in coming."Indeed they are! After themistand rain yesterday, they'llprobably be out in force today.Be alert. But remember -your primary job is to protect this Rumplerat all costs. I have confidence that youwill do a good job! Good luck!" As heturns away, you feel a pat on the shoulder.Your fellow pilots say little, but theyhave flown enough escort missions toknow what has to be done. As you headfor your Fokker, you pull on your flyingcap and look the airplane over. Thebullet holes in the tail from last week'smission have been patched, and the bigbiplane looks almost as good as new. Itswhite wings and black fuselage mark itas a proud member of Jagdstaffel9 - ithas served you well. You know that everypilot at the front would like to have aFokker D VII with the 185 horse-power BMW engine like yours! Yes, formany reasons you are lucky to be withthis Jagdstaffel.As you climb into the cockpit, the chiefmechanic comes up to you. "We've testedthe engine, and she seems as good asever! No more problem with that fuelfeed." You nod as you pull on the safetystraps."Thanks! Will you help get her going?"

    you ask.He goes over and grabs the propeller.You set the engine for starting and yell,"Ready!" He swings the big wooden propand in a moment the BMW roars to life.With awave, he moves to the side as youplay with the throttle. Beside you, eachof the other Fokkers is starting up inpreparation for the mission. You adjustyour goggles, settle into the seat, andtaxi the plane around for takeoff. With awave, you and the others are off, rollingacross the airfield. The engine increasesits speed, and in a short time, you're offthe ground and on your way!

    Your wingmen quickly join you in atight formation, and you head west forsector 17 as you climb. The morning mistis disappearing, and the clouds arebreaking up. You start scanning theskies, and your heart begins to pound.Below, you can see German troops onthe move. They have been in retreatsince the British attacks earlier in themonth. Things have not been much bet-ter in the air. Some days it seems as ifthe Allies have two planes for everyoneon your side. Only by fighting underadvantageous conditions are you andyour wingmen able to maintain youreffectiveness.As you approach sector 17 and theproper altitude, you search the skies forthe Rumpler. There it is! The big two-seater is climbing from the east, and youand your kette dive down to meet it. Justas you get to it, you see the observer andpilot waving their hands. They're havingengine trouble! With a "wash out" sign,they indicate that the mission is scrubbedand turn their Rumpler back towardhome. As their big plane starts to diveaway, you and your wingmen know thatyou're free - it's time to go hunting.You're the first one to see the enemyformation that is climbing toward yourgroup from the west. You waggle yourwings and point, alerting your wing-men to the threat. For once, your groupisn't badly outnumbered. This morningthere'll be no running away!As you nose down your Fokker to diveupon the enemy, you feel the same sen-sation as every time before: the drythroat, the pounding heart, the tinge offear. But you love the challenge, andthat's what air fighting is all about. Youready your guns and prepare for theattack. Now you can see them clearly:Dolphins! This British squadron is agood one. Maybe today you can putoneon your victory list ...This scenario can be played by 4 to 12players. Simply divide them into twosides, with any odd players being British.Players can fly any of their pilot person-alities assigned to these two types ofai rcraft.Start the two formations 6 squaresapart with the Dolphins coming from thewest. The Fokkers begin at 8,000 feetand the Dolphins at 7,600 feet. Dolphinpilots roll normally for possible Lewisguns, and Fokker pilots roll normally forparachutes. There are no clouds.,~

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    NOTES FOR THE

    DIINGof:Olll\\~'srrof:l~by Frank Mentzer

    I Deities #2Any foolish character who seriouslycontemplates an assault on a member ofan AD&D divine hierarchy (whicheverpantheon is used by the OM) is in bigtrouble. As outlined in the previousNftDM, there are ways to prevent thewhole situation from everoccurring. Andas promised, here are some tips for han-dling situations that have alreadydeveloped.You've got supercharacters who have

    already "slain a god" in anadventure youran. Question: Where do you go fromhere? Answer: Backwards, sort of . Youdo a little rewriting.Option #1: Casually ment ion that theclerics of that particular deity haven'thad any problems lately; the deity isstil lgranting 6th and 7th level spells, and it 's"business as usual" in the pantheon asawhole.What happened? Several explanationsare possible. An illusion produced byany pantheon's Supreme Being could bepowerful enough to foil all mortal attemptsat disbelief, and the whole adventurecould have been illusory! Note thatexperience points earned during suchan adventure should sti ll apply, thoughall treasures would mystically evaporateafterwards. (How long afterwards? Why,now that you mention it, they disappearright about - now!)Option #2: The being slain was animposter. It was a monster, created bythe deity (or the deity's superiors) in anear-perfect imitation of the real thing.All treasures and Experience were real,but the realdeity wasn't even approachedby the characters.After all, somebody up there wouldhave been forewarned of the characters'

    plans and approach, and in plenty oftime to permit the creation of such asimulacrum.Option #3: It really happened, and thedeity was slain, but was immediatelyreplaced by the next immortal beingwaiting in line for promotion. Since theexistant hierarchy worked as it was, thebeing automatically assumed the fullpersona of the deity slain. Nobody, eitherin the deities' plane or on the PrimeMaterial, was inconvenienced in anyway.Think about this, too. The names usedfor the deit ies couldn't possibly be theirreal names. The new guy no doubt hashis own, but fills "job X" - and the title ofthat posit ion is "Thor" or whatever.How are you supposed to use theDOG? As a guideline for a rationale.Clerics get their spells from "deities," sowho are the deities? Several mythologi-cal ones are given in the book, and youshould pick one myth os and use it. Thestatistics given are for comparisonbetween the deities - not for compari-sons to supercharacters!Remember that Gary didn't write DOG.Have you seen the Solars and Planetarsin DRAGONMagazine? There aresomeexamples of how tough other-planarcreatures can be, and they're just min-ions, for pete's sake! Can you imaginethe abilities of the higher-ups, in playercharacter terms? I'm waiting for Gary'sGODS OF GREYHAWK book (as I'msure you are) before I get into anyserious character vs. deity affairs.If you like the epic sound of mytholog-ical gods battling each other, or fightingthe monsters of the mythoi, you mighttry making a separate game of it. Put thecharacters aside for a night, and try roleplaying the deities of Greek myth, havinga big battle after a serious disagreement

    arises. (I strongly advise the OM toresearch the mythos some more beforetackling this. DOG is nice, but spacedidn't permit lengthy discussions of thecomplete rnythoi.)You should also try the SAGA: Age oHeroes minigame, which portrays thefamous battles of the legendary Norsegods. Retail price isonly $4.00, and it 's apretty neat lit tle game.I suspect that the whole "god prob-lem" arose from misinterpretation of rulesFor example, some beginners saw theFighters Table (PH, pg. 22), and read ias "1d10 hp to start, 2d10 more at 2ndlevel, 3d10 more at 3rd level, plus Consti-tution bonuses to each die ... " thusresulting in a 9th level Fighter Lord with45 hit dice. This is wrong - every classgains only one hit die more per level. Andwhile the Con bonuses apply to each dieyou stop gaining hit dice at a certainpoint (9th for Fighter) and gain only hipoints thereafter. Thus, a 100th leveFighter (egad!) has 9d10+243 hp, plusCon bonus on 9 dice, for a maximumtotal (with 25 Con, +7 hp per die) of 396hp. Even that astounding total can beusedupquickly when battling theminionsof a deity on its home turf, minions likerocs, huge (unnamed) giants, andanything else the OM can dream up.Sostop this nonsense!TheADVANCEDDUNGEONS & DRAGONS game system was not designed for role playing ofighting deities. They're included abackground information, and shouldn'tbecome the ult imate opponents. Theiexistence and habits can be assumedand not detailed, asare the thousands oNPC beggars populating every medievaAD&D game world. Religion causesenough arguments in real life; don't bringthem into the game. 1('1

    POL YHEDRON

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    Mapping from Square OneP art II

    Corridors"Standard corridor" - draw two paral-lel lines, starting at the beginning of thecorridor and extending in the direct iongiven. This isalways followed bycompassdirection.Corridors running east-west and north-south can be easily described in feet.Five and ten foot intervals are recom-mended, for easeof mapping. Other cor-ridors are known as"diagonals," and areusually not described in feet."Corridor Widens" - the corridoryou'rein gets wider ahead. Always followed by(a) "to" the new width, (b) "over" thedistance to that new width from the startof the widening; can be "Immediately."Usually followed by a direction to indi-cate the wall that "widens," the otherremaining straight. EXAMPLES:

    Corridor widens to 30' over 50' [fig. 1]Corridor widens north to 15' over 10'[fig. 2]A corridor isassumed to widen equallyin each direction, unless specified oth-erwise. In fig. #1, the 10' wide corridorwidens to 30', 10' to the north and 10'south, as nothing was specified.When a corridor widens in both direc-t ions, that should be clearly specified.EXAMPLE:

    Corridor widens to 40' over 20',10' northand 20' south. [f ig. 3]"Corridor narrows" - in the samemanner as above, but a new width lessthan the current width. However, thedirection indicates the wall that remainsstraight, rather than the one that "nar-rows." EXAMPLES:

    Narrows south to 10' over 20' [fig. 4]Immediately narrows west to 10' [fig. 5]"Corridor slopes" - the floor and ceil-ing of the corridor you're in continue atsome angle other than horizontal. Slopesare often undetectable and thus notmentioned. Always followed by "down"or "up," the amount of descent or rise,and "over" a distance. Since slopes areusually not obvious map features, theyshould be noted to the side of the corri-dor. EXAMPLES:

    Corridor slopes down 5' over 20' [f ig. 6]Corridor slopes up 10' over 60' [fig. 7]12 Issue #11

    by Frank Mentzer

    "Ceiling slopes" - the floorof the cor-ridor you're in remains horizontal, butthe ceiling slopes upwards or down-wards. Always followed by "to" the newheight (from floor to ceiling), "over" thedistance. Notes should include old andnewheights of corridor. EXAMPLE(Stand-ard height is 10'):Ceiling slopes up to 15' over 20' [fig. 8]"Floor slopes" - As Ceiling, above,but with respect to the floor. The

    ceiling remains horizontal. EXAMPLE(Std. = 10'):Floor slopes down 10' over 40' [fig. 9]TURNS and INTERSECTIONS"Corridor turns" - the corridor you'rein turns to head in a new direction.Always followed by Left , Right, or com-pass direction. When mapping, the areaof the turn is described separately fromthe corridors leading to and away from it.EXAMPLES:

    Corridor turns left, then goes 30' [fig. 10]Corridor turns south, narrows east to 5'over 10: and continues [f ig. 11]"Sideroad" - one corridor intersectsthe one you're in, at a 90 degree angle.Usually starts with width of sideroad,optional if Standard. Always followed byRight, Left, or a compass direction. Side-road and continuing corridor are thendescribed normally. EXAMPLES:

    10' sideroad right [fig. 12]5' sideroad north [fig. 13]"Diagonal Sideroad" - as a normalSideroad, but intersecting at some angleother than 90 degrees. Always followed

    by a compass direction; size is menti-oned as per Sideroad. EXAMPLES:10' diagonal sideroad right, northeast[fig. 14]20' diagonal sideroad left, southeast[fig. 15]"Four-Way" (or 4-way) - the corridoryou're in cont inues, but two sideroadsintersect at one point, the entrancesopposite from each other. They can beat90 degree angles or otherwise. Allopposing corridors are of the samedimensions, whether Standard or oth-erwise specified. EXAMPLES:

    Four-way [fig. 16]4-way with a 20' [fig. 17]4-way with a diagonal northwest andsoutheast [fig. 18]4-way with diagonals northwest andsouthwest [fig. 19]"Complex 4-way" - whenever any ofthe corridors at a 4-way is of differentdimensions than its opposite, the inter-sect ion should be carefully described,

    corridor by corridor. The OM shouldstart to the mapping character's left anddescribe, in clockwise order, the corri-dors seen. EXAMPLE:Complex 4-way; left is 20', then aheadwidens left to 15' over 20';then back west5' to a 10' gap, wh ich is a diagonalsouthwest [fig. 20]"Tee" - the corridor you're in goes nofurther, but another corridor forms a"T"type intersection, heading left and right,always at right angles. The new corridoris Standard unless described otherwise.This may be followed by other corridor

    information. The "top of the Tee" isalways flat unless noted otherwise.EXAMPLES:Corridor Tees [f ig. 21]Corridor Tees with a 5' north, 10' south[fig. 22]"Lazy Tee" - as a normal Tee, but thenew corridor does not intersect at r ightangles. Only one direction must begiven;the other is obvious. EXAMPLES:

    Lazy Tee with a 5', diagonals northwest(and southeast) [fig. 23]Lazy Tee, north (and south) [fig. 24]Note that the only difference betweenaTee (or Lazy Tee) and aSideroad is thedirection from which the intersection isapproached."Jog" - the corridor you're in shiftsslightly, but continues in the samedirec-tion. Always followed by the directionand distance of the Jog. EXAMPLES:

    Jogs right 10' [fig. 25]Jogs south 5' [fig. 26]"Three-Way" (also called "Y") - mostintersections of this type (unless per-fectly symmetrical) should be described

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    1- - - - - -----I 10Ceiling 15I I " 10 Floor 20I I-+ .

    3

    I~

    7-I jDown 5 it- ----4Up 10

    1 413_---IlL-

    ~~~ ~ "~~~9~Y711~ ss' rtcarefully, corridor by corridor, startingto the character's left and continuingclockwise. EXAMPLES:Corridor Y's, each branch Y2diagonalwide [fig. 27]3-way; north 20', then 2 diagonal widesoutheast [fig. 28]3-way; southwest 1 diagonal wide, thennorth 10' wide [fig. 29]"Six-way" - Usually looks like a 4-way until you get close, when the left andright side roads are seen to be two dia-gonals each. Other formations are pos-sible but irregular, and should be de-scribed carefully.

    4-way with 10' (pause); six-way [fig. 30]4-way with 20' (pause); six-way [fig. 31]"Eight-way" - Immediately notice-able at a distance. Eight corridors inter-sect in one area. If irregular, describecarefully. [fig. 32]Other - 5-way and 7-way intersec-tions will always be somewhat irregular,and should always be described care-fully, a corridor at a time.

    General NoteIf any misunderstandings occur, theDM can easily clari fy matters by describ-

    3 '1 IsI OR--1)--ing the course of a wall. For example,from an existing corridor: "Left wall con-tinues 20'. Right wall goes 30', cuts left.You get to the turn and see corridorheading west; left wall goes 40' and cutsnorth, right wall goes 30'." [fig. 33]This method is highly recommendedfor describing oddly-shaped rooms andcorridors. EXAM PLE: (A 10' wide corri-dor, heading north, opens into an odd-shaped room): "Left wall goes 10' west,5' north, 5' west, 5' north, 5' east, 10'north, 1 diagonal northeast, 20' east, 20'south, 10' east, 10' south, and 20' west toconnect." [fig. 34]

    FeaturesDoors, stairways, furniture, and otherfeatures are commonly found in mostdungeons. Their location is usually givenin relation to other features. For exam-ple, a chair might be "1 diagonal from thenortheast corner of the room."DOORSStandard map symbols are used for alltypes of doors. They include:Normal Door [fig. 35]Concealed Door [fig. 36]Secret Door [fig. 37]One-Way Door [fig. 38]

    tWhen a door is found, the description

    should give a single point; the center ofthe door will be at that point. For exam-ple, to a character at a 4-way intersec-tion: "looking north, you see a Standarddoor 35' ahead on the right; corridorcontinues." Since the center of the 4wide door is 35' ahead, it should bedrawn in the center of the right wall ofthe fourth square north of the intersec-tion. [fig. 39]"Normal" DoorsNormal or Standard doors are themost common types, but Concealed andSecret doors are also found occasion-ally. Any door can be made to work one-way only. Most doors have hinges, butsome may simply slide - up, down, orsideways."Trick" DoorsA door that looks Standard, completewith keyhole, hinges, and doorknob orhandle, may actually be a sliding door,using the extra hardware merely to con-fuse characters. A hinged door may havefalse hinges, and may pivot on any side;a "Standard" door, for example, may behinged across the top to swing upwards,so that characters entering will not (afirst) see what is directly above thedoorway.1@

    POLYHEDRON 13

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    Player InformationA fresh fall of rock calls the find to yourattention. You look up at the new cliffface and see the span of metal slide openwith a hissing sound. It is an easy climbto this new feature of the mountain.Through awindow atthe bottom, ametalstructure with a ladder up to anothersection can be seen, as well as severalsets of blinking lights on wall sectionsabout the room. There are strange drip-ping noises coming from the area aboveyou. The whole scene is a mystery thatbeckons you to find 'ananswer like amutant moth drawn to a nuclear flame.Referee's SectionThis structure was an escape shuttlefrom a biological research satellite. Anew fungus went wild, and it was neces-sary for the resident scientists to aban-don the satellite. Unfortunately, the fun-gus came aboard the escape shuttle withthem. While they were strapped in theupper third of the unit, the fungus wasgrowing and eating in the middle sec-tion. It partially ruined the emergencysystems of the computer, and asa result,the shuttle crashed and buried itself inthe soft loam of the hillside. Much later,the dirt fell away, the automatic systemsof the shuttle opened the outside doors,and more oxygen was cycled into thecompartments. Oxygen is just what thedormant fungus needed to stimulate anew series of growth spurts.14 Issue #11

    lINVf=l~CON sr 1~11C r \ _ " 1 1oL,~Under Construction, a new addition to the list of POLYHEORONNews-zine regular features, is a description of a room, lab, speakeasy, etc. whichcould exist in one of the manyTSR role playing games. OM'smay add themto their campaigns, or use the ideas to design their own rooms. Under

    Construction rooms are written solely by RPGNM Members, and should notbe considered official TSR module sections. The following shuttle issuita-ble for use in any Science Fiction game.

    The shuttle is divided intothree compartments. The en-trance isjust engine, but leadsdirect ly to the lowest sect ionwhich isthe supply area.Withinthe walls are several paneledcompartments which holdstores intended to aid pas-senger survival until helparrived after landing. Theseareas are filled with the follow-ing supplies: A) Collapsable 4man plastic tent, B) Freezedried food for eight people for3 weeks, C) Three types ofweapon systems: 3 HeavyCrossbows and 30 Quarrels, 3Riot Rifles with 300 rounds ofPellet Ammunition, and 4 LaserPistols, 0) Communications Equipment:Planet wide SOS beacon and 2miniatureradio sets, E) Field Clothing for bothcold and jungle climates for 8 people,with adjustable fittings for a wide range

    of sizes, F) Instruct ion manuals on out-door survival in all climates, and G) Gen-eral camping materials for starting fires,cooking food, etc.The controls for the maintenance ofthe engines are in this section, aswell asoutside viewing screens (in their presentposit ion all show rock).The second section is lit bya function-ing computer whose surface is about90% free of fungoid gunk. This room wasdesigned to hold the large emergencycomputer and small chemical analyzingplant. The fungus completely ate awaythe chemical plant and a portion of thecomputer before it ran out of oxygen. Allof the walls of this area are pitted, and adried brown mold rests on everything.The dripping noise comes from a patchof active fungus on the ceiling. Thepatch isabout a meter square and lookslike a bubbling mass of bright greenfoam. Parts of it keep falling, making ahissing/splashing sound, and haveformed another patch on the floor.There is an opening in the ceiling; it ispossible to avoid the fungus when tryingto get to this area, however, no oneknows how long it takes to grow, and itsplatters quite a bit each time a globulelands on the floor.

    Strapped into the command seats ofthe control chamber in the third sectionare the skeletons of the unlucky scient-ists who were caught as they tried toescape the menace they had unwittinglyspread. They have general biologicalutility belts that would be difficult toduplicate anywhere, which contain: A)Spray container that will instantly des-troy most fungus forms (except the fun-gus below them), B) Utility f lashlight, C)Power scapel, 0) Portable x-ray andmicroscopic display unit, E) Microwavegun used to speed the growth of micro-creatures or burn them away quickly(highly dangerous to all forms of life ifimproperly aimed), and F) Neutraliza-tion Cloak suitable for protection againstall forms of radiation or laser light energy.The rest of the small area contains var-ious control panels which list the lastreadings before the ship entered theatmosphere. There areflashing red lights,gauges registering who knows what, andradar screens showing the posit ions ofobjects in space. The entire scene makesthe shuttle look as if it were still in flight.If the panels are touched in any way,the computer will change all of the sys-tems to their proper readings. The com-puter realizes that it is under attack bythefungus,and will verbally suggest thatthe characters try everything to get rid ofit. Unless contained, the fungus will eatthrough the computer in two hours. Thereferee may determine an effective wea-pon against the fungus. Remember,however, that all of the resources of thebiological satellitecou Idn't stop itsgrowthin space!lore of the ShuttleThe shuttle has very complete systemsbecause of the forethought of one bolddesigner in the early years of its devel-opment. Controlling administrators weretrying to minimize the amount of equip-ment placed in shuttles of this type. Thisyoung and ingenious engineer trickedseven senators into spending six days ina shuttle on a deserted area. Once done,the engineer had no further problemsappropriating all of the materials he feltnecessary for the proper construction ofthe shuttle.@

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    spellInGBee

    I Druid SpellsFirst, a few words about scrolls. Druid

    scrolls are rare (4V2% of treasure scrolls).In my campaign, this is explained by theway they're made. I maintain that a littlebit of mistletoe is used in the making ofthe scroll. I also claim that a holy/unholysymbol is used up in making a clericscroll, but those symbols are morecommon, available for a mere 50 gpoThus, I can keep a good grip on scrollmanufacture. Though these details arenot given in the books - and indeed,Gary might advocate another point ofview - they help me maintain control.As greater mistletoe is preferred, anddefined as"cut with a gold or silver sickleand caught in a bowl," this severely lim-itsthe number of druid scrolls having fulleffect. More often, the newly discoveredscroll would be made using holly or oakleaves, for 50% normal range, duration,and area of effect.If a druid scroll turns up, I use the fol-lowing chart to check for the materialsused in making it (roll 1d20):Die Roll Component Used

    1 - 910 - 1415 - 1718 - 1920

    Oak LeavesHollyBorrowed MistletoeLesser MistletoeGreater Mistletoe

    Enough about scrolls. Here are somenotes on a few 1st and 2nd level druidspells:Animal Friendship: Not for adventures (1turn casting time), but commonly usedto gather animal guards, who probablywon't get along with the druid's charac-ter friends.

    Entangle: The second most commonlycarried 1st level spell. Even if the save ismade, the victims move at half speed-and missile fire should have bonuses tohit them.Faerie Fire: The most common spell. Itcan be cast if the target is located in anyway - Detect Magic may be enough,against opponents carrying magicalobjects or under the inf luence of a spellor potion - and will allow everyone towatch the victims' movements for agoodwhile.Predict Weather: Not much use unlessthe Weather System in DRAGON'" Mag-azine is used, or some other systeminvented by your local DM. While we'reon the subject, the DM should note thatthe druid's Call Lightning is uselessunlessyou include someweatherin yourgame.Befair, but remember the possible effectsof that spell- very nasty.Cure Light Wounds: Often carried by adruid who won't admit to carrying it,because it's for personal use in emer-gencies, such as when the local clericdrops. Remember, druids are neutral.Feign Death: A favorite of smart low-level druids. They hate undead; theywonder why those other clerics can Turnthem, while they can't. So this is oftencarried, because as long as the effectlasts, Level Drains won't take effect.However, once 7th level is reached (andthe shapechange ability gained), this isusually dropped infavor of a fast escapein bird form.Fire Trap: Only a 2nd level spell, but 4thfor a Magic-User - if it's in the spellbook. No such problems for the druids.Heat Metal: The most abused spell. Mostintelligent creatures would shed thewarming (or cooling) metal fast , eitherbefore damage occurs or when the f irst

    This column serves as aforum for discussion ofmisunderstood or misusedAD&D game spells.Please send questions orsuggestions to "SpellingBee," Editor,POL YHEDRONTMNewszine.

    by Frank Mentzer

    1d4 istaken. The exceptions to this prin-ciple are usually special items (e.g. intel-ligent swords) and so forth.Locate Plants: Used to f ind wild mist le-toe and not much else except DM spe-cials. A treant or sharnbllnq mound shouldnot be located by this spell. My world'sshambiers are madeof weeds, vines, andso forth, and my treants are normal treetypes (with names like Cedaric, Ashley,etc.), but intelligent. Higher level spells,such as Call Woodland Beings andCommune With Nature, could locatethese creatures, but not this 2nd levespell.Obscurement: Great for outdoor geta-ways, but quite a mess in dungeons!One final note on the druid's shape-change. Druids cannot shapechange intohuman, demi-human, or humanoid forms.Though normal mammals are permitted,humans aren't animals (you may knowsome, but they're technically illegal here)More on druid spells in a later issue.;\~

    EASTCON: June 24 - 26, 1983, Glass-boro State College, Glassboro, NJ. TheEast Coast gaming organizations whohave sponsored GEN CON East GameFair, ORIGINST" and PennCon over thepast 10 years have combined efforts tobring you this year's EastCon, featuringseminars, demos, and tournaments bymajor manufactu rersand game designersOfficial tournaments include TSR'sAD&DT" game and an official RPGA'"Network tournament. Food and housingare available on site in addition to hotelsand restaurants nearby. For a Pre-regform and more information, send anSASE to: EastCon, POB 139, Middle-town, NJ 07748.

    POLYHEDRON 15

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    Escalati

    There are many problems attendantupon the creation and maintainanceof any role playing game, but it seemsas if fantasy brings out the worst (andbest, of course) in gamemasters andplayersalike, for the imaginative natureof the subject matter encouragescreativity and free thinking. TheLearned Mr. Eastland informs methatthe areas most frequently mentionedby Network Members are those whichappear in the title of this article.Without further ado, then, let usaddress these very problems.Who does not know about my standon the "Monte Haul" game? I havederided this sort of play and warnedof the natural consequences for yearsnow. The principle issimple: althoughthegamesystemsoffered aregenerallybroad andopen-ended, the basesuponwhich they are constructed are finitein scope. AO&OTMame rules postulatecommencement at 1st level of pro-fessional skill and gradual progressionto limits not in excess of about 20thlevel. The systems built into the rulesare designed to make progress slowand difficult. If these are followedstrictly, it should take several years ofplay to bring a character to the upperlimits. At such juncture, virtual"retirement" -typically inconjunctionwith the OM, so that the "retired" PC

    by Gary Gygaxcan be used as a "power" in thecampaign milieu by the OM - ismandatory. Other characters, whetherbrand new ones or former henchmenof the "retired personage," are thenbrought into regular play with thesame goal in mind. Given the numberof races and professions, this shouldprovide no less than a solid decade ofregular adventuring before any playerhas "retired" characters in all areas,from clerical to illusionist, dwarf tohalt-ore,It is possible for a clever and highlyinventive OM to allow faster pro-gression and higher levels, but thisassumes many things, the least ofwhich are tougher monsters. NPC'smust be of proportionate (or greater)ability, magic of all sorts must beupgraded, and the whole made tomesh with the base rules. Obviously,this doesn't occurwith any regularity,orelse this article wouldn't beneeded!The usual case is that OM's allowrapid, unearned rise in professionalskil l. Players in such campaigns bragfatuously about their umpteenth levelpaladin/assassins with invulnerablearmor and swords of unfailing sextupledamage. Magic-Users employ spellswhich demolish worlds - after all,they've slain every deity many levelsearlier! Who can keep up with such

    stuff? Nobody to my knowledge. Suchcampaigns disintegrate under thecrushing weight of ennui, with theumpteenth level players wanderingoff to greener pastures out of sheerboredom. Naturally, these formerplayers cannot actually play the game,so their interest can't be rekindled byawell-run campaign -low-level char-acters are for beginners ... (Besides,one or two outings in a real campaignquickly shows them up for bad playerswho relyon level and equipment ratherthan playing skill.)The answer to escalation in anyAO&Ogamecampaign issimple: followthe rules and it won't happen. If eachand every OM played the monstersencountered as if they were his or herown player characters, most of theeasy expeditions would be over.Groups of organized kobolds withnothing more than a few copper piecesin treasure would provide an objectlesson to casual participants lookingfor unearned wealth.Truth to tell, I have lost a characteror two to such lowly foes. Such properbeginnings would also put an end tothe foolish inquiries about what to doafter some PC killed Tiamat anddesired to know the exact nature ofher treasure. When asked how manyabshai devils were fought, how many

    16 Issue #11

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    dragon consorts were there, how manyother devils overcome, the blank staretold the whole story. Another MonteHaul OM giving both monsters andtreasures away is neither unique norexciting. This is not to say that a fewsuperior OM's have not managed toconduct reasonable campaignswherein PC's of 20th level and abovewere active, for I do know of several.The real question returns to the needfor such levels. They are not needed,for restraint of the level of play to thatgiven in the rules is far easier tomanage, and assures that the partici-pants get to explore the game in all ofits facets by playing various charactersof differing race and profession.The foregoing does not apply to theO&O game system. It is, in fact,designed to move player charactersupwards more rapidly. 30th level isnot unthinkable - it is actually notremarkable. The problem is, however,we (TSR) have been remiss in pro-viding the necessary material beyondlow to intermediate level play. O&Ogame players have, understandably,then grafted the AO&OT.game systeminto their campaign and sought to useit as the vehicle for continued ex-pansion of play. The desire is logical.The device is not. To correct thisunfortunate situation, weare now hardatwork revising and reformating boththe Basic and Expert sets of the 0&0game to prepare the way for finalrelease of the next two portions of thegame.The revisedsetswill beavailablein mid-1983. The O&O CompanionSet should be ready by early 1984. Itwill provide for play through the 24thlevel or thereabouts. The fourth setwill continue play through at least36th level of play and deal with quasi-deity status and development of PC"worlds." It isprojected that this shouldbe ready about six months after thethird set, soaGEN CON 1984GameConvention release is not impossible.Along with these addit ions will comea revised and expanded GODS,OEMI-GODS & HEROESTbook and acomplete fantasy world setting for theO&O game. Frank Mentzer is incharge of this massive effort, withFrancois Marcela-Froideval andseveral others assisting. My personalapologies to all of you who eagerlyawait the completion. The undertakinghas been scheduled for several years,but until recently we did not have themanpower to undertake it while con-tinuing to produce regular work.To sum up the problem of escalation,it occurs when the OM allows toorapid a rise in levels for the gamebasis at hand. The problem is typicallycompounded by a "Monte Haul"attitude - after all, the immediate

    gratitude of the players is grat ifyingindeed. Viability of the campaign isvirtually eliminated for short-term acco-lades. To keep participants, the OMmust attempt to create ever-toughermonsters guarding ever-greatertreasu res. Because such monsters arecreated only to be slain, and becausethe more powerful magic and richerloot are always awarded, the cyclemust be repeated,until the imaginationof the OM fails or players tire ofreaping unearned rewards. Use of theAO&OT. game in such a campaign iscertain to bring it to a close veryquickly. Evenwhen the complete 0&0game system is available, a "give itaway" approach will doom the cam-paign to be short-lived indeed.Complete familiarity with the under-lying principles of the game, as wellas thorough rules knowledge andsuperior OMing, are key elements tocampaign longevity and a sure end tothe spiral of excalation in too manycampaigns.This brings us around to the topicof blackmail. Some Gentle Readerswill be surprised to learn that threatsare actually a part of some campaigns.Blackmail in reality isa crime punish-able by law. In the game setting thereare no such laws, but ... The problem,as I understand it, is that too manyOM'sfind themselvescoerced orforcedinto allowing players to get away withcertain things by dint of blackmail. IfaPC isn't allowed to live, do somepostscribed act etc., the player orgroup will retaliate by 1) takingvengence upon the OM's PC in theirgame, or2) no longer play in the OM'scampaign. That is pretty low.As a OM, I have never beendauntedby any implication of retaliation oractual threat to any of my playercharacters in another campaign.Whoindeed would wish to play in acampaign run by so shallow a personas one who would resort to measuresof that sort? Not I. I have, therefore,never lost acharacter due to "revenge."Iam careful with whom I participate inanycampaign, particularly with respectto the OM.If any OMvalues a PCmorethan their personal integrity, theyshould give up gaming until theirpersonality is sufficiently developedto cope with such problems.Let us leave that and go on to thesecond area; "I'll take my marbles andgo home" ploy. To say that such athreat is childish is putting it mildly.The OM who allows blackmail of thissort to affect his or her judgementmust take a hard look at himself orherself in this light. If the threat ischildish, what then the person whoactually reacts to it?! Certainly theenjoyment of playing FRP games is

    undeniable, but at what cost? If it istrue that the only players a OM canget for a game are of the level whereblackmail iscommon, who needs suchassociation, even if itmeanstemporarilygiving up the game? Hopefully noneof the honest participants would resortto crime in order to obtain sufficientfunds to purchase game products.Similarly, why should such goodenthusiasts consort with blackmailersin pursuit of the hobby? Better to setthe whole thing aside for the timenecessaryto find sincere fellow gamersinterested in true playing enjoyment.If it takes months, what is that costweighed against the true joy of sharingwith others of l ike mind and integrity?The answer is easy: tell any black-mailer that you will allow one suchthreat to pass as a jest, but a secondwill bring retribution swift and sure.Most blackmailers are weak orcowardly. A firm reply could welldemonstrate that childish peak willgain nothing, and basically honesttypes will give over the idea andproceed with integrity. With luck, theactual blackmailers - those set onthe course of having their wayregardless - will quit then and there.This will remove the bad example andcounter with the good example ofyour integrity as a OM.Consider this also: where and whendoes blackmail end? Never, of course,until the blackmailer has drainedeverything he or she wants. In thecase of a game, that means a shortt ime indeed. The init ial portion of thisarticle covered escalation. Compoundthat with disrespect for a OM. Whocan respect a OM who gives in toblackmail? Who can trust his or herability and integrity? Who can feel asense of real accomplishment forsuccess in a game of the sort OM'edby such an individual? One singleincident of giving in to blackmail andthe integrity of the campaign isdoomed. It will not last long. Itsmembers will never be respected bythemselves or others.If some player actually dares toopenly threaten you as OM, then theoptions are clear. You must reject thethreat, punish the character, andremove the players from the campaign- permanently or until such time asan open apology and renounciationof blackmail is made. If you arethreatened as a player by blackmail,the reaction must be as immediateand asstrong, with whatever measuresare open to you in the circumstances.If this means leaving a campaign, sobe it. A new and better one can befound.So much for sermons. May the dicebe with you! ~

    POL YHEDRON 17

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    ournament Scoring SysteP art II

    Rating Judges and PlayersIn the last issue of POLYHEDROW" Newszine wediscussed the manner in which recognition wasgiven to RPGA'" Members for their achievements inrecognized tournaments, and the various pointsawarded for individuals and teams who finished first,second, and so forth. The purpose of that article wasto collect and remark on already established scoresfor these events.The subject of this article is the process used for

    the actual determination of who is a winner in anevent or tournament. To preface this, however, let'smake sure we're all talking about the same thing.There are many scoring systems that are in usearound the world today for different contests. Thisone, the RPGA Network Scoring System for Playersand Judges, isdesigned for role playing games only.It will be used by the RPGA Network in 1983 as astandard by which all participants in official, spon-sored, and approved events are judged. The overrid-ing concern in constructing this system was its uni-versal use. This system will be used allover thecountry, inmany different types and sizes of conven-tions, for all of TSR's role playing games. Thereforeit must be as flexible as possible while still beingrigid enough to be considered valid.There may be some who would argue that a morepersonalized approach be used and modified forevery event run. This is not possible due to time andpersonnel, and also impractical when consideringfairness. What wearedealing with here is a record ofhow individuals perform in a given situation andthese records must be as impartial as possible. IfRPGA HQ starts giving awards, prizes, and such, asthey do at GEN CONGameFests,then the possibil-ity of proving why someone won anevent becomes avery real scenario - there must be no question as tothe integrity of the system. Hence the Player/ OMProtest System in last issue and the inclusion of aranking system for judges in future RPGA Events.Following arethe two forms players and judges ofour future events will be receiving. They are rela-tively simple and self explanatory. Before an eventbegins, the coordinator of the tournament or con-vention should provide the person running the eventwith enough player sheets to review each player or,in the case of tournaments, with one sheet for eachgroup for the first couple of rounds, then a sheet foreach person in the final round. At the same time, thecoordinator should give each player a sheet toreview the judge. It would be best if the coordinatorwould explain to both the players and the judge thatit is important that all sheets be filled out and

    returned. A provision for picking up the forms orhaving them brought to a central location shouldalso be detailed at this time. Remind everyone thatwithout completed player evaluation forms, theplayers cannot advance, and without completedjudge evaluation forms, that judge will not improvefor future conventions and tournaments.Prior to the event, the coordinator should arrangefor any assistance needed to tabulate the scoresheets. When the sheets arrive, those tabulatingthem should multiply the score by the modifier to getan area total, then the totals should beadded, alongwith any bonus totals, to provide a grand total. Allthe individual or group grand totals should then becompared to determine who wins, advances, etc.When dealing with the "Score" area of the forms,always remember that a "10" isthe best that individ-ual or group could do in that area - better roleplaying, best knowledge of rules, least amounts ofmistakes made, etc. A "1" indicates that the personor group performed dismally, - the least amount ofobjectives attained, the most time wasted, etc. Therange from 1 to 10 is always poor to great.Before the event is held, the coordinator shouldalso review the tournament or event and decidewhich bonus areas should be included in the judg-ing. DAWN PATROLT"games, for instance, seldomhave a "Treasure" area in them. Some areas mayapply and others may not. It is up to the coordinatorto inform his/her judges of areas which are not to beused in the forms. The coordinator or his/her assist-ants should also beavailable for questions and clari-fications concerning the scoring procedures.After all of the scores have been tabulated,announced, and awarded, and if the event has beenrecognized (see POLYHEDRON Newszine #10), thenext step is to register the results with RPGA HQ.First - prepare a list of all players who scored in thetop three teams and/or the top five positions. Second- retain acopy of this list for your own records (maildoes get lost and we sometimes do make mistakes).Third - send a copy of the results (that's thewinner's names and RPGA'MMembership numbers)to: RPGA Network Coordinator, RPGA Network,POB 509, Lake Geneva, WI 53147.You may use this system for any events you wish,anytime you wish, but only send us the list if theevent is off icial, approved, or a sponsored tourna-ment or event. Again, see issue #10 for a completedefinition of those rankings. You may photocopy thefollowing forms for use in judging events andtournarnents.jo

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    r Judges Sheet(To be completed after the event or round)

    Attention Referees: The purpose of this score sheet isto provide the Coordinator of this event with precise scoresfor every individual or team that played in the event or round. If this is a single event, please fill out 1 (one) sheet forevery player in the event. If the event is a multiple round event and the entire team advances, please fill out 1 (one)sheet for the team and not each person. If there are individual awards to be given in the tournament for best player,etc. , please f ill out 1 (one) sheet for each playeron the team in addition to 1 (one) forthe team in the final round of theevent. Revisions in the system may be brought to your attention before scoring to reflect peculiarities in this event.Remember - please be as object ive and fair as possible. Score everyone on the same "scale." You will see a boxunder the heading "Score" after each section. This is where you enter the numerical factor. The numbers are 1through 10with no fractions allowed; 1 indicates the worst one could do in that area and 10 is the best. You will notethat there is a "Modifier" af ter the score box. This will give you an indicat ion of the differing importance placed oneach area. Do not write in the "Total" box. The Coordinator and his staff will do all computations. If you have aquestion concerning this sheet, ask the event Coordinator before you fil l i t out. Thank you for your cooperation andassistance in this tournament.Please make sure all "Score" boxes and bottom information are fil led in completely.

    RPGA Network Player Ranking System

    Area1. Reaching Event ObjectiveDid the playerls accomplish the objective set downfor them at the beginning of the event?

    2. Reaching Secondary ObjectiveDid the player!s accomplish any alternate objectivesset down for them at the beginning of the event?3. Playerls SurvivedModify the 1 - 10 range for amount of hit points leftover at end of event; 1O=nohits taken, 5=% of hitsleft, O=dead, etc.

    4. Role PlayingDid the playerls play the characterls as i t should havebeen played (keep in mind class, character intent,race, etc.)?

    5. TeamworkIf this was a team event, did the players work for theirteam?

    6. IngenuityDid the player!s come up with any creative or inge-nious ideas that helped the party withoutdistracting it from its purpose?

    7. Individual Risk TakenDid the playerls assume any risks for the party? Sub-tract for any taken needlessly or foolishly.

    x10

    Totalodifiercore

    x4

    x5

    x7

    x8

    x3

    x2

    8. Rule KnowledgeDid the player!s display an exceptional knowledge ofthe game rules? Subtract for constant attemptsto "Ref"the event themselves. x6

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    r " " ' "

    Bonus Points

    Area Score Modifier Total

    A. TreasureWas the treasure found by the party an importantaspect in the event? Or did it just weigh them down x1r waste their time? Score high for treasure found ifthat was the party's objective or for treasure that wasfound and used to accomplish the objective.B. Power AbuseDid the party achieve its goals without using exces- x1.Sive "heavier" magic, items, mutations, etc.? Subtractpoints for powers used in a wasteful manner.C. DeterminationDo you think there should be any extra points givento this team for the determination of magic items, X.Srunes, machines, etc.? Do not confuse this with theestablished goals of the event.

    D.FunWas this group fun to play with? Would you run this x2group regularly if they lived in your area?

    Player.'s Name or Team #Player's RPGA'M Network # DateEvent NameRound #Judge's Signature Total Score

    RPGA'" and ROLE PLAYING GAME ASSOCIATIONT" are service marks owned by TSR Hobbies, Inc.The designations and T" indicate trademarks owned by TSR Hobbies, Inc. 1983TSR Hobbies, Inc. All Rights Reserved.\,. .J

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    Players Sheet(To be completed after the event or round)

    Attention Players: The purpose of this score sheet is to assist the Coordinator of this event with precise scores fordetermining the quality of available judges. If you would please take a minute to fill it out it would help the nexttournament or event Coordinator to provide a better event.Remember - please beasobjective as possible. Befair in your appraisal of the judge, using your past experiencesasa measu reoAfter each areayou will see a box under the heading "Score." You are to place a numerical factor therewhich reflects your opinion on how well the judge performed in that area. The range is 1through 10with nofractionsallowed; 10 means the judge performed admirably in that area with no problems at all and 1 indicates that the judgewas terrible in that area. Do not write anything else in the scoring areas. The Coordinator and his staf f will total thesheet for you. Ifyou haveany question concerning this sheet, ask the event Coordinator orjudge before you fil l i t out.You may fold the sheet up after you have f inished if you desire. Thank you for your time and cooperat ion.Please make sure that all "Score" boxes and the bottom information are filled in completely.

    RPGANetwork Judge Ranking System

    Area Score Modifier Total1. Game Knowledge

    x10id the Referee know the game rules? Could he/shefind specific information quickly?2. DecisivenessWas the Referee firm in his decisions without being x9offensive or abusive?3. ControlDid the Referee allow a player or players to perform

    xlny "illegal" actions (use the same spell twice, etc.)?Did he/she allow players to "browbeat" their waythrough?4. Role Playing

    x4id the Referee role play the monsters and NPC'swell? Did he/she allow you to role play?

    5. Descriptionsx8asthe Referee clear and understandable in the des-criptions of rooms, encounters, etc.?

    6. Time Managementx6id the Referee waste time by giving excess informa-tion, straying from the subject, etc.?

    7. FunWas the Referee fun to play with? Did he/she help x6ou to have an enjoyable time? Would you game withthis OM if he/she lived in your area?

    Referee's Name DateReferee's RPGNM Membership # (if known)Event NameRound # Team #Player's Signature Total Score

    " . . . J

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    MATTEL ELECTRONICS& DUNGEONS & DRAGONSComputer Game Reviews

    Computer Labyrinth GameThe MATTEL ELECTRON ICSDUNGEONS & DRAGONST" ComputerLabyrinth Game is packaged to look likea castle. Playing pieces include an instruc-tion booklet, a metal dragon, two warriorfigures, a treasure chest, and plastic pie-ces for walls and room markers. Yousupply the 9 volt battery.The 8" x 8" playing board is a touchsensitive computer which, when pressed,emits sounds that are the backbone ofthis game - walls, the dragon, treasureand even movement have