Old Love, Rekindled

DragonQuest

I have recently become re-enamored with an out-of-print FRP game authored by Eric Goldberg and published by Simulations Publications, Incorporated (SPI games). SPI, for those much younger than me, was a significant producer of hex map wargames during the 1970s and '80s. DragonQuest is on the crunchy side of the rules spectrum and especially in its first edition, has the feel of a wargame. (There is a second SPI edition edited by Gerald C. Klug which alters the combat system.) 

DragonQuest uses a hex-based tactical display and the first edition comes with a selection of cardboard counters very similar to SPI's many wargames of the period. Combat (and to an extent, magic) in DragonQuest feels somewhat "real" in terms of the in-game time actions may take and the effect of certain variables (such as positioning, fatigue and wounds) on those actions. Its mechanics are arguably "less abstract" than those of the then leading FRP game, Basic/Advanced D&D.

How to explain the recent leg of my journey? The recent acquisition and publication by Steve Jackson Games of The Fantasy Trip renewed interest among several friends in hex and counter tactical display combat, of which The Fantasy Trip is an excellent, if somewhat simplistic example. This style of play is arguably more roll-play than role-play and is consistent with how many of us wargamers originally approached FRP games in the 1970s. After a few months of playing TFT, the old bugaboo of wanting more "crunch" crept into my mind and DragonQuest has become my answer. 

Why would a game originally  published in 1980 still appeal to me? Long out-of-print, the production qualities are primitive by today's standard. Monochrome illustrations pass for "color". The layout of the three paper bound volumes which together with a hex-map and counters comprise the first edition boxed product all have the look of 40-year old game components. But despite all the potential "drawbacks", the substance of the rules is what intrigues me. I have heard it said, and I would agree, that DragonQuest was a game way ahead of its time!

The Action Point economy is perhaps the most significant difference between the first edition and later versions of DragonQuest. Using Action Points, each creature has a pool of points based on Agility which are expended during combat to move, attack, parry, cast, or "pass"/delay - which is the only action one may take once all points have been expended for the turn. Some actions expend more than one point. Damage is assessed in terms of Fatigue, Endurance, or a specific wound result depending on the outcome of a d100 attack "strike".

Magic consists of three types, "Talents" which are innate abilities of certain species and function more-or-less automatically (like casting spells in D&D). The other two types of magic, "Spells" and "Rituals" require longer to cast (moments for Spells, hours for Rituals), and depending on the d100 roll, may risk "backfire" complications. Spells, which must be "prepared" and "held" immediately prior to casting draw energy from the caster in the form of Fatigue points and in effect are the most analogous to D&D magic spell use.

Magic is further divided into "Colleges" or schools. A magic using character typically will concentrate their knowledge in only one college of magic. The DragonQuest first (and second) edition Colleges of Magic include: Ensorcelments and Enchantments, Sorceries of the Mind, Illusions, Naming Incantations, Air Magics, Water Magics, Fire Magics, Earth Magics, Celestial Magics, Necromantic Conjurations, Black Magics and Greater Summonings. Each College includes Talent, Spell and Ritual magics tailored to its particular specialties. 

DragonQuest uses a skill based system to define and advance characters. Many of the "third generation" RPGs (those which followed the "second generation" - the D&D house-ruled systems) use "skills" to give players more flexibility in character design than were allowed using the early class based systems. Skills in DragonQuest advance in Ranks and players are encouraged by the system's mechanics to specialize rather than generalize their character's skill advancements. Ranks are an indication not only of d100 ability, but also a level of proficiency with the skill which allows certain tasks to be performed without resorting to dice rolls. (Did I mention that in many ways this game was ahead of its time? Some concepts first seen here would appear many years later in so-called "modern games".)

So why not just play one of those "modern games"? Why do I revisit this long out-of-print "oldie"? Well, it does so many things well, many better than have been done since. The magic system includes detail and flavor while being mechanically smooth to run. It strikes a near-perfect balance between low-magic and high. Character generation is flexible, but seems to avoid most of the min-max pitfalls later games that emphasize PC choice frequently succumb to. Combat seems realistic and doesn't bog down in its detail and bookkeeping. Lastly, to rule tome(s) are approachable at a combined page count under 160. (PF 2e, which also uses a multi-action combat and magic economy, weighs in at pages which doesn't include the separate page bestiary volume.)

SPI was bought by TSR during the latter company's hey-day and although they published a re-edited single volume third edition of DragonQuest (edited by Jon Pickens) in 1989, the game was ultimately dropped as management shifted away from offering SPI products and wargames in general. 

Around 1980, with a few years of Original Edition play behind me - including the incorporation of some Advanced material once those volumes had been acquired - my gaming group and I were looking for something a bit more "realistic" in terms of game mechanics. DragonQuest and other "realistic" systems including RuneQuest and Rolemaster seem to be addressing the perceived market for more believable FRP games. My group ultimately settled on RuneQuest as our game-of-choice, but I remain a fan of both DragonQuest and Rolemaster. Whenever I am thinking of a skill based FRP game - one with a strong tactical feel - that delivers right out of the box, I can think of nothing better than DragonQuest!