Wednesday, September 11, 2013

Gygaxian Dungeoneering: Put on the uniforms

Check this out:
The Hommlet lacrosse team takes the field .
"These places are the roosts of 23 gargoyles... These creatures greatly fear the Drow, and will attack no creature with a Drow or wearing Drow garb" -- D1 Descent Into the Depths of the Earth, pg. 9, room 8.

"OGRE...has been instructed to guard the room against any creatures who do not wear the symbol of the new master" -- T1 Village of Hommlet, pg. 15, room 7.
"There will always be 8 zombies...Anyone entering will be attacked unless they are robed in temple garb." -- B2 Keep on the Borderlands, pg. 21, room 53.
Three Gygax penned dungeons agree: if you see someone in uniform, steal his clothes.  It should be noted that the Ogre in T1 also required that you flash Lareth's gang sign or he would attack regardless of your outfit.  Presumably EGG's players, by that time, had caught on to the pacifying effects of a man in uniform.

3 comments:

  1. Agreed, but there are problems, like when you encounter the Lawful adventuring party that attacks you even though you tell them you're totally not bad guys and you're just wearing their uniforms and walking through their lair.

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  2. Just lead those lawful d-bags into the gargoyle room and take care of two birds with one stone.

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  3. Even if the ogre does detect your skullduggery, you still get the drop on him, which is nothing to sniff at. The exchange goes like this:

    [PCs walk in wearing Lareth's underwear]

    Ogre: Oh, huh, you must be Lareth's cronies. Wait, I gotta make sure, or I gotta squish you. What's the password?

    [PCs stab the ogre to death while he rolls for surprise.]

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