Beautiful man. All this Greyhawk content has really given me ideas and understanding of the whole gaming scene on the 80s I've always been interested in. Your like the only one doing Greyhawk content on here and I'm loving it. Thanks man.
Do you mainly play OSR? As a 33 year old just starting 2 years ago with D&D, I found 5e too childish (every PC is a superhero that is immortal and there are so many races I feel don't fit into the European fantasy theme I like). Ended up finding Swords and Wizardry and merged classes and races to just have simple quick PCs like Human Wizards, Vikings, Celts, Hobbits, Elves and Dwarves. I could never go back to 5e now.
1980 Gaz- before my time as a Greyhawk fan, and haven't bothered myself to go and try to get it; all the stuff in it got reprinted 2000 Gaz- ...just wait for the Living Greyhawk book, like the book itself suggests Living Greyhawk- "Here, have all this nutritious fluff. It's good you you!" "Yum, thanks... ...er, geez, that's a lot. Does it have anything spicy, anything crunchy?" "No." "What abou-" "No. Just eat the fluff." "But it's so plain, I'm choking on it!" "EAT IT!" ... I do not actually *dislike* the LGG, but it can be a thick bowl of boring slog. It feels at times excessively detailed, like I'm reading and actual real life sociopolitical history book.
I recently discovered another map of Oerth that came out in Dungeon Magazine years ago. It was 4 panels just like the Darlene Map and came out in 4 separate issues (118, 119, 120, & 121). I believe it was made by Paizo, and has all of the classic module locations marked on the map. It was a great find that totally blew me away when I saw it. I'll always love the Darlene maps but this is really cool to see each location written on the map. I'm sure it would be easy to figure out a timeline to see which modules were produced after the map was made, just to know which ones were missing from the map. I was curious if you knew about these maps?
Absolutely; in fact I had them laminated! They do distort the Flanaess horizontally a little, because of the size constraints. But they are gorgeous, and have a lot more locations (from the various modules and other stuff that had been published over the years).
Considering Greyhawk fans tend to skew a little older demographically, it shouldn't be a surprise that there are a bunch of very active GH groups there. But I'll let you get back to your TikTok videos, or whatever the kids are doing today. ;-)
Technically, From the Ashes (and to a lesser extent Adventure Begins/Player's Guide) also has a gazetteer in it, although it admittedly largely repeats the Gold Box and Folio! Still, would have been nice to see more of a mention for the 2e Greyhawk material here. Does the later deity "al Akbar" have any relation to I9 Day of al'Akbar? By the way, I'd be interested to see a video on Living Greyhawk… the first and last time I played a "Wizards of the Coast" edition of D&D was a Living Greyhawk session at a local store in 2001. I went running back to AD&D and haven't looked back since!
I'm a bit late for this video, but this was really useful, as always. I missed out on much of the later-era Greyhawk stuff...my access to GH was largely limited to the original Gold Box, and the City of Greyhawk in the blue boxed set. I have a From The Ashes boxed set too, but in my younger days I found it a bit too hard, or maybe just too much work, to try to "re-learn Greyhawk" and all it's changes after the wars, and I missed out on the Living Greyhawk stuff altogether. I've always been, "what is this Gazetteer business?" and never looked into them; your synopsis on this was helpful! Thanks.
There's a post-Greyhawk Wars map that was published in Dungeon magazine (in 2005), actually spread out over four issues (118 to 121), which I really like. I don't use to political aspects of the map since I reject the Greyhawk Wars material, but they don't draw political boundaries so it doesn't much get in the way of its use for every other purpose besides.
I don't care for those maps because they tend to stretch things out a little bit horizontally. There's enough cartographical inconsistency in Greyhawk as it is. 🙂
I've gone through three phases with the 585-era material. First, I liked it, because I was young and didn't really think through the consequences of advancing the timeline. It was just more Greyhawk and I took it as such. Second, I hated it, because I felt that advancing the timeline adulterated the original 576 setting material, and was ultimately unnecessary to the point of actively being harmful. Third, I realized that Gygax himself advanced the timeline with his Dragon Magazine "Events in the Flanaess" articles, which meshed excellently with the material from Greyhawk Wars, and ultimately the changes that were depicted changed, but didn't irreparably damage, what I liked about the setting in the first place. Hope that answers you're question. 🙂
Beautiful man. All this Greyhawk content has really given me ideas and understanding of the whole gaming scene on the 80s I've always been interested in. Your like the only one doing Greyhawk content on here and I'm loving it. Thanks man.
Faerun now rules, according to WotC. Sucks.
You might want to check out Greyhawk Legends & Lore on uTube for more Greyhawk content.
Honestly, the Living Greyhawk Gazetteer is my most used Greyhawk book
You're not alone. My experience is the exact opposite.
Do you mainly play OSR? As a 33 year old just starting 2 years ago with D&D, I found 5e too childish (every PC is a superhero that is immortal and there are so many races I feel don't fit into the European fantasy theme I like). Ended up finding Swords and Wizardry and merged classes and races to just have simple quick PCs like Human Wizards, Vikings, Celts, Hobbits, Elves and Dwarves. I could never go back to 5e now.
While I play both 1E and 5E (at conventions), I run 1st edition myself (with the Adventures Dark and Deep supplements).
Talk about the City of Greyhawk Boxed Set next. I'd love to hear your opinion on it.
i cherish my living greyhawk gazeteer as my most precious trasure
1980 Gaz- before my time as a Greyhawk fan, and haven't bothered myself to go and try to get it; all the stuff in it got reprinted
2000 Gaz- ...just wait for the Living Greyhawk book, like the book itself suggests
Living Greyhawk- "Here, have all this nutritious fluff. It's good you you!" "Yum, thanks... ...er, geez, that's a lot. Does it have anything spicy, anything crunchy?" "No." "What abou-" "No. Just eat the fluff." "But it's so plain, I'm choking on it!" "EAT IT!"
... I do not actually *dislike* the LGG, but it can be a thick bowl of boring slog. It feels at times excessively detailed, like I'm reading and actual real life sociopolitical history book.
I recently discovered another map of Oerth that came out in Dungeon Magazine years ago. It was 4 panels just like the Darlene Map and came out in 4 separate issues (118, 119, 120, & 121). I believe it was made by Paizo, and has all of the classic module locations marked on the map. It was a great find that totally blew me away when I saw it.
I'll always love the Darlene maps but this is really cool to see each location written on the map. I'm sure it would be easy to figure out a timeline to see which modules were produced after the map was made, just to know which ones were missing from the map.
I was curious if you knew about these maps?
Absolutely; in fact I had them laminated!
They do distort the Flanaess horizontally a little, because of the size constraints. But they are gorgeous, and have a lot more locations (from the various modules and other stuff that had been published over the years).
Could you tell us about a D&D product made after 2000 that you find to be outstanding? Thank you.
Dude, who's still on Facebook? Is it 2009?
Considering Greyhawk fans tend to skew a little older demographically, it shouldn't be a surprise that there are a bunch of very active GH groups there.
But I'll let you get back to your TikTok videos, or whatever the kids are doing today. ;-)
This was very good information. Thanks for the explanations! 👍🏽
I love Living Greyhawk, except for the "living" part. That was stupid. The source stuff itself is wonderful. That's the era my campaign plays in.
same here :p
Technically, From the Ashes (and to a lesser extent Adventure Begins/Player's Guide) also has a gazetteer in it, although it admittedly largely repeats the Gold Box and Folio! Still, would have been nice to see more of a mention for the 2e Greyhawk material here. Does the later deity "al Akbar" have any relation to I9 Day of al'Akbar? By the way, I'd be interested to see a video on Living Greyhawk… the first and last time I played a "Wizards of the Coast" edition of D&D was a Living Greyhawk session at a local store in 2001. I went running back to AD&D and haven't looked back since!
I'm a bit late for this video, but this was really useful, as always. I missed out on much of the later-era Greyhawk stuff...my access to GH was largely limited to the original Gold Box, and the City of Greyhawk in the blue boxed set. I have a From The Ashes boxed set too, but in my younger days I found it a bit too hard, or maybe just too much work, to try to "re-learn Greyhawk" and all it's changes after the wars, and I missed out on the Living Greyhawk stuff altogether. I've always been, "what is this Gazetteer business?" and never looked into them; your synopsis on this was helpful! Thanks.
Came here to flood the comments with ambivalence.
Ambivalence? I'm not sure how I feel about that
The Greyhawk Folio was a masterpiece in giving DMs a rich campaign setting that gave just enough detail to inspire them to make it their own.
I like the Folio and especially its maps but I consider the 1983 box the definitive World of Greyhawk set.
Love the original folio and the boxed set. The others not so much.
Lovely video, cant wait for your living greyhawk campaign review video :) We want to know why ! haha
I’ll just stick with the Gold Box set. Before the Greyhawk Wars in the time line.
I'm fascinated by this video collection on the old school Gray Hawk
There's a post-Greyhawk Wars map that was published in Dungeon magazine (in 2005), actually spread out over four issues (118 to 121), which I really like. I don't use to political aspects of the map since I reject the Greyhawk Wars material, but they don't draw political boundaries so it doesn't much get in the way of its use for every other purpose besides.
I don't care for those maps because they tend to stretch things out a little bit horizontally. There's enough cartographical inconsistency in Greyhawk as it is. 🙂
I assume you are familiar with Anna Meyers work? :)
@@sststr Of course. 🙂
A call to Ret-Con the Continental Ret-Con!
How do you feel about after the ashes
It was From the Ashes - but I want this answer also :)
I've gone through three phases with the 585-era material.
First, I liked it, because I was young and didn't really think through the consequences of advancing the timeline. It was just more Greyhawk and I took it as such.
Second, I hated it, because I felt that advancing the timeline adulterated the original 576 setting material, and was ultimately unnecessary to the point of actively being harmful.
Third, I realized that Gygax himself advanced the timeline with his Dragon Magazine "Events in the Flanaess" articles, which meshed excellently with the material from Greyhawk Wars, and ultimately the changes that were depicted changed, but didn't irreparably damage, what I liked about the setting in the first place.
Hope that answers you're question. 🙂