Latest news with #GaryGygax
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
The best Amazon deals this weekend: Score rare sales on Apple, Waterpik, KitchenAid and more
This weekend marks the birthday of Gary Gygax, co-creator of Dungeons & Dragons and the man behind Gen Con, the world's largest hobby-game convention. Aside from being a public-health pioneer — this patron saint of geekdom and his creations have prevented untold millions of teenagers from contracting cooties out in the dating world — Gygax is a testament to the fun and rewards of single-minded obsession. That's resonating with us laser-focused shopping experts as we behold this weekend's best Amazon deals. If you find yourself racing through the forest in search of an evil rogue, this mini chainsaw can clear the way — it's a record-low $30, down from $70. Would you like to be a dinnertime wizard? Let this dual-basket, 10-quart Ninja air fryer ($250/$160) work its magic come family feeding time. Wondering what kind of amulets, gems and runes are stuck in the murky depths between your sofa cushions? This deal on my favorite Craftsman hand vac will save you $40 in precious coin before you've even begun your quest. Forsooth, whether you plan on ranging all over the moor this mid-summer weekend or sequestering yourself monk-style at home, make sure you find time for some D&D (i.e., Discounts & Deals). Trending Amazon deals Best Amazon deals: Rare sales Best Amazon deals: All-time low prices Best Amazon deals: Our best-tested products Best Amazon tech deals Best Amazon deals: Style Best Amazon deals: Home Best Amazon deals: Beauty Best Amazon deals: Kitchen Best Amazon deals: Special mention If you have Amazon Prime, you'll get free shipping, of course. Not yet a member? No problem. You can sign up for your free 30-day trial here. (And by the way, those without Prime still get free shipping on orders of $35 or more.)
Forbes
25-03-2025
- Entertainment
- Forbes
Dungeons And Dragons Creator Gygax's Final Legacy Is Now Crowdfunding
Dungeons and Dragons has been shaped by untold hands during its 51 year existence. One of the central figures, Gary Gygax, is revered by many as the father of not just D&D but of an entirely new form of storytelling. Without Gygax and this game, there are dozens of actors, writers and creators who might have never been inspired. Though he left TSR and D&D in the 1980s, Gygax never stopped creating. He built a massive fantasy setting called Castle Zagyg that he used for his own games over many, many decades. Troll Lord Games, in collaboration with Gary's son Luke Gygax, is bringing a massive collection of this work to his fans via a crowdfunding project called Castle Zagyg: Galleries of the Arch Mage for Castles & Crusades, their flagship line. 'This is something I worked years and years for,' said Luke Gygax, author on the currently funding project. 'It's something I promised my father I would help bring to the public. I made that promise in 2007 and here we are today." The current crowdfunding project focuses on the first three parts of a five volume series. These boxed sets detail the castle and the surrounding environs offering hundreds of pages of adventure inspiration. The more money raised by the crowdfunding efforts the more material will be included in each boxed set. 'Many people think Castle Zagyg is a megadungeon where you kick in the door and there's a dragon in the room and then you kick in the next door and it's a room full of ogres," said Luke gygax. "It's not quite like that. There is a rhyme and reason. It's the castle of the mad archmage Zagyg. It's for his entertainment.' While there are storylines and memorable characters, Castle Zagyg offers plenty of exploration. Gary Gygax preferred a style of game more akin to open world video games where players were free to roam an area and build the experience on their own terms. He also aimed to challenge the players as much as the twists of the story challenged the characters. 'There's puzzles. There's clues. Mapping the dungeon was part of the game in the 70s. You would draw the map on your graph paper. Then you look at the graph paper. Maybe you find some space where there could be a room or something and you decide to go check it out.' Gygax partnered with Troll Lord Games to bring Castle Zagyg to life using Castles & Crusades. C&C is one of the most popular and well supported Old School Revival games on the market. It also allows fans who want to run the game using AD&D will find it easy to do so. 'Castles & Crusades we created back in 2004," said Stephen Chenault, CEO of Troll Lord Games. 'The company needed it's own footprint, it's own role playing game. Gary Gygax needed a home for his Castle Zagyg dungeons. I was a huge Advanced Dungeons & Dragons guy. Davis Chenault and Mac Golden delivered a game that really had that feel. Our CK, the Castle Keeper, has control of the narrative but its not very mechanically heavy. Combat and attribute checks and that's basically it. Once players realize this, that they can do anything and try anything, it's just katy-bar-the-door and you can have a lot of fun with it." Troll Lord Games is finishing a project that it began in the 2000s with this collection of boxed sets. Fans will get a chance to see a setting evolve over decades and then get a chance to put their own spin on it. The crowdfunding campaign runs through April 4th, 2025. "[Castle Zagyg] is my father's magnum opus," said Luke Gygax. "So many greats played in it from my brother Ernie to Rob Kuntz, James Ward and dozens of creators who played and playtested these levels. This is his greatest work.'
Yahoo
05-03-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
The new D&D Starter Set may be the first one I've been excited about in years
When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission. The new D&D Starter Set has broken cover, and it feels as if developer Wizards of the Coast has finally caught up to its competition. Called 'Heroes of the Borderlands,' the D&D Starter Set was shown off in a video ahead of New York Toy Fair. Besides showing off a classic cover heavily inspired by old-school fantasy, the reveal pulled back the curtain on the wealth of accessories included within the box; it includes item, spell, and NPC cards to go with maps, tokens, enemy datasheets, what appear to be a handful of adventure booklets, and a character sheet that seems to take inspiration from the best board games thanks to slots for your spell and item cards. This may not sound like a big deal considering how most beginner boxes for the best tabletop RPGs do this already, but it's worth noting that Dungeons & Dragons has always been a bit behind on that front. With the exception of the 2019 Essentials Kit, both Fifth Edition D&D starter sets have been threadbare so far as contents go. In the 2014 version you got dice, premade character sheets, a slimmed-down rulebook, a map, and the (excellent) Lost Mine of Phandelver adventure. As for the 2022 Dragons of Stormwreck Isle pack, it didn't have that – you got the rules, a shorter adventure, character sheets, and dice. It also directed players online for advice on how to play, so it felt a bit like modern video games where you're just buying a digital code in a box rather than something on the actual disc. Because D&D is easily the biggest TTRPG out there, it felt oddly lacking – and fell way behind the likes of the One Ring Starter Set. I'm particularly excited about the much more user-friendly character sheets included in Heroes of the Borderlands. This alternate design features empty boxes to put your items, spells, hit points, spell slots, and more so that you can easily keep track of everything. There's a boxout filled with advice on playing your specific class too, not to mention species and background cards so all the important information about your adventurer is to hand. I've always felt that D&D was more difficult for beginners than it had to be, and this solves the problem. That's especially true of the easy-to-use enemy datasheets that avoid the need to trawl through a Monster Manual. Naturally, we don't know anything about the actual adventures themselves and whether they'll be any good (beyond the fact that over "40 hours of adventure" is included and they're based on 1979's Keep on the Borderlands by D&D co-creator Gary Gygax). However, all signs so far are good. We'll just have to wait for the box's fall release to find out if it lives up to the hype. For more adventures, why not check out the best D&D books? You can also get some cool merch via our guide to D&D gifts.
Axios
29-01-2025
- Entertainment
- Axios
Why Dungeons & Dragons is still winning at 50
Fifty years after Dungeons & Dragons first rolled the dice, the legendary tabletop game remains a cultural force — fueling movies, series, books and one of the most devoted fandoms in gaming history. Why it matters: Dungeons & Dragons pioneered the role-playing genre, and since acquiring it in 1997, Renton-based company Wizards of the Coast has expanded its reach and influence. The big picture: D&D's influence can be seen in the " Stranger Things" series, " Baldur's Gate 3" game, " Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves" movie and brand collaborations with Converse and Lego, Jess Lanzillo, VP of franchise and product for Dungeons & Dragons, told Axios in an email. But its impact extends beyond entertainment, finding uses in education and therapy. By the numbers: 85 million global fans engaged with the brand in the past year, per Wizards of the Coast. That includes playing tabletop D&D and video games and buying merchandise. D&D's popularity surged during the pandemic, with Wizards reporting a 33% revenue spike in 2020. More than 19 million people have created accounts on D&D Beyond, the official digital platform, per Wizards. Flashback: Created by Gary Gygax and Dave Arneson in 1974, D&D introduced collaborative storytelling, where players use dice and imagination to shape fantasy worlds. The game's popularity exploded after Wizards of the Coast — the Hasbro-owned makers of "Magic: The Gathering" — acquired it and expanded its reach. What we're hearing: Niko Mendes, a 27-year-old environmental scientist in Olympia who has played since he was 12, says D&D offers a creative freedom unmatched by other games. "It's an incredible way to tell a story with friends, where choices shape the world in real-time," he told Axios in a phone interview. "It's dynamic, fun, and liberating." Among the new releases Mendes said he is particularly excited about is the revival of classic settings and older worlds such as Forgotten Realms. What's next: Wizards of the Coast is releasing a slate of new products to be rolled out throughout 2025, including: Monster Manual: The newest update will feature 500+ monsters, including 85 new ones, and streamlined navigation. (Feb. 18) Dragon Delves: 10 short adventures spotlighting iconic dragons and their history. (July 8) Eberron: Forge of the Artificer: Expanded options for Artificers and new Dungeon Master tools. (Aug. 19) Starter Set: Heroes of the Borderlands: A beginner-friendly entry point with shared DM campaigns. (Sept. 16) Forgotten Realms Guides: Deep dives into five legendary settings, from Baldur's Gate to Icewind Dale. (Nov. 11) Project Sigil, a new immersive 3D tool for playing D&D, launched in alpha in September, with testers tripling since the launch, officials with the Hasbro subsidiary told media during an office tour last week. What they're saying:"D&D is more than a brand; it is a lifestyle and an institution," said Lanzillo. "We are providing a venue for folks to build lifelong memories and friendships."
