WOW !!! This is a spectacular interview..!! The backstory of the Arduin Grimoire..laid out .. just like that... thankyou this was fun...! P.s I'd really like a copy of the Arduin adventures and books.!
Very interesting for us old geezers that played real D&D when DM’s created our own worlds, monsters, and rules. Now the game is so standardized, regulated, and overwritten that it is no fun. Arduin may have been scatterbrained, but it had a chaotic nature to it that is missing in today’s games where everyone knows that a monster is on page such and such and behaves the same way form Peoria to Papua New Guinea.
The Arduin Grimoires were always experimental; Dave was constantly revising rules as he progressed. He did release the Arduin Adventure, which was a true game system as opposed to the Grimoires. Oh, and deodanths time slip forward, not back, which I suppose could be explained by their origin in the far future.
Ah yes, the Arduin Grimoires... what AD&D player from the late 70's / early 80's could forget those? We used them as supplementation along with a slew of other third party books. I'm from the California Bay Area, and one guy from our group got to play in one of Dave's games at a con, and had quite the tale to tell. Quite a character himself, was Mr. Hargrave.
I remember when *my* first DM (back in '77) was explaining the materials; while he used the Holmes boxed set, he mentioned that the guy who taught him how to play D&D had the Arduin Grimoire, as if it was some especially significant thing to have, though it was most of a decade before I got my hands on the Arduin books. By the way, Emperor's Choice games is back in business, with a full stock of the rulebooks and maps, and a good selection of Arduinian miniatures. If you've been wanting the get your hands on Arduin, now's your chance! =^[.]^=
Great video. The best way to get into Arduin at the moment is The Arduin Grimoire Trilogy, which is available on DriveThruRPG. Not a well laid out book, but has the first three Grimoire's content reordered and the Arduin Adventure rulebook too.
i was a phraint for 3 years in high school, 1978-1980. hargrave was a bit of a genius of the imagination. monty hall!!!! didnt know anyone else used that!!! i was called a "toady" by traditional gamers, for enjoying playing in my friends game that didnt try to maximize deaths, and had cool magic treasure. but really well thought out and fun. %liar. i always wondered why that was such a big deal...
I think part of why so many modern OSR products are hit and miss for me is that it seems like everybody is trying to out-Arduin Arduin with ever more loopy weirdness on every page. For me, that sort of thing works better as a the rare bit of spice on to top of a main dish of Gygaxian naturalism. I can't main-line pure gonzo kookiness any more than I can eat nothing but dessert.
Arduin PDFs are available on DriveThruRPG (I recommend the Arduin Trilogy book as it is in Dave's own words): www.drivethrurpg.com/browse/pub/4661/Emperors-Choice
Great talk, probably the best discussion about Arduin on UA-cam
WOW !!! This is a spectacular interview..!! The backstory of the Arduin Grimoire..laid out .. just like that... thankyou this was fun...! P.s I'd really like a copy of the Arduin adventures and books.!
Very interesting for us old geezers that played real D&D when DM’s created our own worlds, monsters, and rules. Now the game is so standardized, regulated, and overwritten that it is no fun. Arduin may have been scatterbrained, but it had a chaotic nature to it that is missing in today’s games where everyone knows that a monster is on page such and such and behaves the same way form Peoria to Papua New Guinea.
The Arduin Grimoires were always experimental; Dave was constantly revising rules as he progressed. He did release the Arduin Adventure, which was a true game system as opposed to the Grimoires. Oh, and deodanths time slip forward, not back, which I suppose could be explained by their origin in the far future.
5e DM here with a pretty Gygaxian level of humanocentrism in my game... I've mined Arduin for monsters, magic items, and a few spells.
Ah yes, the Arduin Grimoires... what AD&D player from the late 70's / early 80's could forget those? We used them as supplementation along with a slew of other third party books. I'm from the California Bay Area, and one guy from our group got to play in one of Dave's games at a con, and had quite the tale to tell. Quite a character himself, was Mr. Hargrave.
Great stuff
Drive thru rpg has some of the books.
Wonders if Matt is aware there is a S&W Ruins of Arduin game out now. :)
I remember when *my* first DM (back in '77) was explaining the materials; while he used the Holmes boxed set, he mentioned that the guy who taught him how to play D&D had the Arduin Grimoire, as if it was some especially significant thing to have, though it was most of a decade before I got my hands on the Arduin books. By the way, Emperor's Choice games is back in business, with a full stock of the rulebooks and maps, and a good selection of Arduinian miniatures. If you've been wanting the get your hands on Arduin, now's your chance! =^[.]^=
Awesome video very much in the gonzo kitchen sink style. As an Arduin fan I enjoyed this. Thank you both.
Great video. The best way to get into Arduin at the moment is The Arduin Grimoire Trilogy, which is available on DriveThruRPG. Not a well laid out book, but has the first three Grimoire's content reordered and the Arduin Adventure rulebook too.
i was a phraint for 3 years in high school, 1978-1980. hargrave was a bit of a genius of the imagination. monty hall!!!! didnt know anyone else used that!!! i was called a "toady" by traditional gamers, for enjoying playing in my friends game that didnt try to maximize deaths, and had cool magic treasure. but really well thought out and fun. %liar. i always wondered why that was such a big deal...
I think part of why so many modern OSR products are hit and miss for me is that it seems like everybody is trying to out-Arduin Arduin with ever more loopy weirdness on every page. For me, that sort of thing works better as a the rare bit of spice on to top of a main dish of Gygaxian naturalism. I can't main-line pure gonzo kookiness any more than I can eat nothing but dessert.
I loved those books when I was a kid!
Arduin PDFs are available on DriveThruRPG (I recommend the Arduin Trilogy book as it is in Dave's own words): www.drivethrurpg.com/browse/pub/4661/Emperors-Choice
But Shardra the Castrator !..."And she eats it!"..
LINK???