''Lords of Creation'' is a multi-genre tabletop

role-playing game A role-playing game (sometimes spelled roleplaying game, RPG) is a game in which players assume the roles of player character, characters in a fictional Setting (narrative), setting. Players take responsibility for acting out these roles within ...

published by

Avalon Hill Avalon Hill Games Inc. is a game company that publishes wargames and strategic board games. It has also published miniature wargaming rules, role-playing games and sports simulations. It is a subsidiary of Hasbro, and operates under the company' ...

in 1983. The game and its accompanying adventures were written by

Tom Moldvay Thomas Steven Moldvay (Nov. 5, 1948 – March 9, 2007) was an American game designer and author, best known for his work on early materials for the fantasy role-playing game ''Dungeons & Dragons'' (D&D). Career During the 1970s while a stude ...

, who also worked on the games ''

Dungeons & Dragons ''Dungeons & Dragons'' (commonly abbreviated as ''D&D'' or ''DnD'') is a fantasy tabletop role-playing game (RPG) originally designed by Gary Gygax and Dave Arneson. The game was first published in 1974 by TSR (company)#Tactical Studies Rules ...

'' and ''

Star Frontiers ''Star Frontiers'' is a science fiction role-playing game produced by TSR, Inc., TSR from 1982 to 1985. The game offered a space opera action-adventure setting. Fictional setting ''Star Frontiers'' takes place near the center of a spiral galax ...

''.

Description

''Lords of Creation'' is not set in a single genre but is designed to allow players to play their characters through scenarios in settings varying from fantasy to science fiction to modern espionage. Characters gain powers and skills as they progress, including magical abilities and high tech cybernetics. Their progression leads to

demigod A demigod or demigoddess is a part-human and part-divine offspring of a deity and a human, or a human or non-human creature that is accorded divine status after death, or someone who has attained the "divine spark" ( spiritual enlightenment). A ...

status – eventually powerful characters become "Lords of Creation", with the ability to create their own

pocket universe A pocket universe or bubble universe, also colloquially called pocket dimension is a concept in inflationary theory, proposed by Alan Guth. Description It defines a realm like the one that contains the observable universe as only one of many infl ...

. Players with a "Lord of Creation" character can then take on the role of

gamemaster A gamemaster (GM; also known as game master, game manager, game moderator, referee, or storyteller) is a person who acts as an organizer, officiant for regarding rules, arbitrator, and moderator for a multiplayer role-playing game. They are m ...

, refereeing the game in their character's pocket universe.

Components

The boxed set contains * a 64-page rulebook * a 64-page ''Book of Foes'' containing a bestiary, as well as historical figures and examples of other Lords of Creation *a 20-sided die, a 10-sided die, and a 6-sided die

Adventures

Three adventure modules were published for the game: *'' The Horn of Roland'', an introductory adventure that starts at a modern-day science fiction convention and eventually leads to the Bermuda Triangle. *'' The Yeti Sanction'', a modern-day espionage scenario involving the kidnapping of the American Secretary of State. The adventure also includes a

gamemaster's screen A gamemaster's screen, also called a GM's screen, is a gaming accessory, usually made out of either cardboard or card stock, and is used by the gamemaster to hide all the relevant data related to a tabletop role-playing game session from the playe ...

, and expanded rules for vehicles. *'' Omegakron'', a post-apocalyptic science fiction adventure set in

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after a nuclear war. This module contains a pad of blank character sheets. Five adventures were originally announced, but the final two, ''The Tower of Ilium'' and ''The Mines of Voria'', were never released.

Publication history

Avalon Hill published ''Lords of Creation'' in 1983, a boxed set designed by Tom Moldvay, with art by Jean Baer, Dave Billman and Bob Haynes. Three adventures for the game were published the following year, but poor sales quickly brought production to a close.

Reception

In Issue 6 of ''

Fantasy Gamer ''The Space Gamer'' was a magazine dedicated to the subject of science fiction and fantasy board games and tabletop role-playing games. It quickly grew in importance and was an important and influential magazine in its subject matter from the la ...

'',

Warren Spector Warren Evan Spector (born October 2, 1955) is an American role-playing and video game designer, director, writer, producer and production designer. He is known for creating immersive sim games, which give players a wide variety of choices in how ...

thought the game was "hopelessly mediocre—good at some things but great at none." However, he realized that the game might be of value for players new to role-playing games. Mike Dean reviewed ''Lords of Creation'' for ''

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'' magazine, and stated that "All in all, ''LoC'' is a powerful new concept in RPGs and should do well in sales." In a retrospective review on the website ''Black Gate'', Ty Johnston called ''Lords of Creation'' "very much a game of its time, but in many way it’s also a game ahead of its time ..one of the earliest to stretch beyond the boundaries of any single genre."

Other reviews

*''

Different Worlds ''Different Worlds'' was an American role-playing games magazine published from 1979 to 1987. Scope ''Different Worlds'' published support articles, scenarios, and variants for various role-playing games including ''Dungeons & Dragons'', ''Ru ...

'' No. 37 (Nov./Dec. 1984)

References

External links

Review at RPG.Net

Entry at RPGgeek.comArticle
in Black Gate {{DEFAULTSORT:Lords Of Creation (Role-Playing Game) Avalon Hill games Fantasy role-playing games Role-playing games introduced in 1983 Science fantasy role-playing games Science fiction role-playing games Campaign settings