Sunday, December 17, 2006

So What's a "Bluvardy"?

(note -- article originally written on December 17, 2006 -- rewritten on June 1, 2014)

Thirty or so years ago, in the early days of
"Dungeons and Dragons", there was very little in the way of "supporting material" and so many folks developed their own variant roleplaying games. These variants were called "Vardies" (short for "variant D&D") in homage to D&D's groundbreaking rules.

"Bluvardy" is what I am calling my role-playing variant . . . which is NOT at all like the current "Dungeons and Dragons" (which is a complex descendant of "Advanced Dungeons and Dragons" -- both of which are far, far more detailed than "Bluvardy").

Indeed it is my opinion (and I admit that I'm heavily in the minority) that the richness of detail developed for the above-mentioned rules in the last score or so years has not only failed to improve roleplaying; but has hindered it.

"Why?" By most accounts, the newer version of "AD&D" (now called D&D) are not only far more detailed, but it far more "realistic".

Right . . . "realistic" . . . We're talking about a "roleplaying game". I don't care about Realism;
I want Imagination. So my variant works from a base of those early "D&D" guidelines. I've changed a lot of the mechanics, of course, and you will not find much detail because I want more imagination and less time spent "looking things up". Consider anything you've read elsewhere (and perhaps even here) simply as rumors.

As this blog goes on, I will be describing my thoughts on "Bluvardy" . . . and will describe how my game mechanics differ from those many are used to. 


Also, please note that I have removed ALL of the other posts to this blog prior to June, 2014 because I have totally revamped my Bluvardy rules and I do not wish to confuse folks with now out-of-date material. 


-- Jeff

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