Celebrating 2020 - The Year of Blackmoor - 50th Anniversary of Blackmoor and of Role-Playing!
Arneson calls this the "Formula" pattern for most magic. This method limited the number of spells that could practically be taken on an adventure. This was an early verision of the spell components that Gygax used in 1st Ed AD&D. Most people think spell components were a Gygax idea, but he learned the concept from Arneson and later used his own version of it.
The whole purpose of spell components is to weaken and limit magic users. In Arneson's Blackmoor, there were a lot of ingredients, they had to be prepared ahead of time and could only be used once. They were also hard to obtain and the rarest "special" ingredients required extra effort going to dangerous places to obtain them.
Arneson's system required the components to be prepared and mixed correctly so that the spell could be cast.
A Magic User had to study and practice a lot, learning to mix spells that had ever more complicated forumula's. Magic User had to cast Spells, whether through practice or in the Dungeon, did not matter. Spells also had a chance of failure unless practiced and the rarity of materials limited practice. A Catch 22, if you will. Magic Users were also limited by their Constitution.
I have never found any more detailed information about how all of this worked. However, as I said, most of us should be able to write out own rules if we want or need to. As he notes it was a slow, step by step process with nothing automatic.
The Gygax mechanic used in OD&D resulted in much more powerful Magic-Users than in Blackmoor. IMO OD&D Magic-Users were more powerful that Magic-Users in 1st & 2nd Ed AD&D simply because there were none of the limits that were later introduced. I think all of the rules to limit Magic-Users that were introduced in later D&D/AD&D versions were to nerf Magic-Users because they were thought to be too powerful. But no one knew they were going all the way back to Blackmoor methods.
This is also one place where I do not follow the Arneson way, I like the unfettered OD&D Magic-User. It is really a great thing to house rule, you can use the Arneson way or the Gygax way, which ever you prefer, or make up your own. Between Arneson, Gygax and Hargrave there has not been much in the way of new ideas since. I use Arneson, Gygax and Hargrave as a blanket term that covers all of the people who played in their respective campaigns - way too many people to list here.
Over the years, many game designer have thought they were doing something new, but one or more of these original guys were there first. They really do not get the credit they deserve, any of them. David Wesely and Robert Kuntz (just to name two) do not get the credit they deserve. But there are so many more I do not have time to name here.
Here are a few of Arneson's Magic Items look at these and then tell me, are they Magic Items or are the Technology? Are you sure?
Here are a few of Arneson's Magic Items look at these and then tell me, are they Magic Items or are the Technology? Are you sure?
What do you think?
This one gives it away, they are technology, masquerading as magic. Or! Or are they both at the same time?
Next up is Magic!
This section is quite short and really minimal information is given. On the other hand, I think there is enough for most Referee to flesh out a system of their own if they want try this method.
Arneson calls this the "Formula" pattern for most magic. This method limited the number of spells that could practically be taken on an adventure. This was an early verision of the spell components that Gygax used in 1st Ed AD&D. Most people think spell components were a Gygax idea, but he learned the concept from Arneson and later used his own version of it.
The whole purpose of spell components is to weaken and limit magic users. In Arneson's Blackmoor, there were a lot of ingredients, they had to be prepared ahead of time and could only be used once. They were also hard to obtain and the rarest "special" ingredients required extra effort going to dangerous places to obtain them.
Arneson's system required the components to be prepared and mixed correctly so that the spell could be cast.
A Magic User had to study and practice a lot, learning to mix spells that had ever more complicated forumula's. Magic User had to cast Spells, whether through practice or in the Dungeon, did not matter. Spells also had a chance of failure unless practiced and the rarity of materials limited practice. A Catch 22, if you will. Magic Users were also limited by their Constitution.
I have never found any more detailed information about how all of this worked. However, as I said, most of us should be able to write out own rules if we want or need to. As he notes it was a slow, step by step process with nothing automatic.
The Gygax mechanic used in OD&D resulted in much more powerful Magic-Users than in Blackmoor. IMO OD&D Magic-Users were more powerful that Magic-Users in 1st & 2nd Ed AD&D simply because there were none of the limits that were later introduced. I think all of the rules to limit Magic-Users that were introduced in later D&D/AD&D versions were to nerf Magic-Users because they were thought to be too powerful. But no one knew they were going all the way back to Blackmoor methods.
This is also one place where I do not follow the Arneson way, I like the unfettered OD&D Magic-User. It is really a great thing to house rule, you can use the Arneson way or the Gygax way, which ever you prefer, or make up your own. Between Arneson, Gygax and Hargrave there has not been much in the way of new ideas since. I use Arneson, Gygax and Hargrave as a blanket term that covers all of the people who played in their respective campaigns - way too many people to list here.
Over the years, many game designer have thought they were doing something new, but one or more of these original guys were there first. They really do not get the credit they deserve, any of them. David Wesely and Robert Kuntz (just to name two) do not get the credit they deserve. But there are so many more I do not have time to name here.
Here are a few of Arneson's Magic Items look at these and then tell me, are they Magic Items or are the Technology? Are you sure?
Here are a few of Arneson's Magic Items look at these and then tell me, are they Magic Items or are the Technology? Are you sure?
What do you think?
This one gives it away, they are technology, masquerading as magic. Or! Or are they both at the same time?
You may remember from earlier that Magic Swords were the main magic items in Blackmoor, there were other magic weapons and other items, but Magic Swords were given a large share of the love.
Tomorrow we will look at Special Interests!
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