Book

Lords of Creation

📖 Overview

Lords of Creation is a science fantasy tabletop roleplaying game published by Avalon Hill in 1984. The game allows players to create characters who travel across multiple genres including fantasy, science fiction, horror, and pulp adventure. The core rulebook contains character creation rules, combat mechanics, and systems for psychic powers and magic. Players can explore settings ranging from medieval kingdoms to futuristic space stations, with guidelines for running games in each type of environment. The game design lets Game Masters combine different genres into a single campaign by using dimensional portals and time travel. Characters can gain abilities and technology from multiple settings as they progress through their adventures. The system reflects themes of evolution and transformation, as characters develop from ordinary humans into beings of tremendous power. Through its multi-genre approach, Lords of Creation examines questions about the nature of reality and humanity's potential to shape it.

👀 Reviews

The book has limited online reader reviews and discussion, likely due to its out-of-print status and niche tabletop RPG focus. Readers appreciated: - Unique science-fantasy setting blending magic and technology - Detailed pantheons and deities - Freedom for Game Masters to customize the setting - Inclusion of ready-to-play adventure scenarios Common criticisms: - Rules system can be overly complex - Limited availability makes it hard to find/expensive - Some concepts feel derivative of other RPGs - Combat mechanics need more development Online Ratings: RPGGeek: 6.63/10 (8 ratings) DriveThruRPG: No ratings available Goodreads/Amazon: No ratings available One RPGGeek reviewer noted: "Creative setting with potential but mechanical execution needed work." Another mentioned: "The deity system allows for interesting character development but the rules get in the way." Very few professional reviews exist, though Dragon Magazine #89 (1984) gave it a positive review.

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🤔 Interesting facts

🎲 The game Lords of Creation was published in 1984 by Avalon Hill, making it one of the earliest tabletop RPGs to feature dimension-hopping and genre-mixing gameplay. 🎮 Tom Moldvay was also a key contributor to the Dungeons & Dragons Basic Set (1981), which introduced millions of new players to tabletop roleplaying games. 🌟 The game system allowed players to advance their characters to godhood, a revolutionary concept at the time that influenced later games like Scion and Exalted. 🎨 The original cover art was created by Richard Hescox, known for his work on numerous science fiction and fantasy novel covers throughout the 1980s. 📚 The game included rules for playing in multiple genres simultaneously - from sword & sorcery to cyberpunk to super-heroes - years before this became common in RPGs.