Book Review: Role-Playing Mastery by Gary Gygax

Book Review: Role-Playing Mastery
by Gary Gygax

     In the world of pro wrestling, there are two kinds of fans: the smarts and the marks. The smarts know that the matches are rigged, but are in it for the fun of it. The marks, on the other hand, really believe that they are watching is honest legitimate athletic competition. Basically, this book, Role-Playing Mastery, is by a mark pretending to be a smart.

     Basically, this book is something best suited for beginner role players. If you've been role playing for some time, you won't find this book helpful. There are several stretches where Gygax gets long-winded and preachy and these areas are nor the least bit helpful to anybody.

     The title of the book does not live up to the actual contents. Gygax only makes a passing reference to the kind of challenges that a "master player" may face. Instead of being a book that is useful for playing RPG's in general, it is really only good for D&D itself.

     Overall, it is not of much use to gamers. There are only a few parts of this book that are useful to the gamer. You get the feeling reading this book that you are being talked down too by someone who considers himself far superior to you. Even worse, is the fact that although it is well known that Dave Arneson deserves most of the credit for creating D&D, Gygax tries to aggrandize most of that credit for himself. To hear him tell it, Arneson hardly had anything to do with it. If you feel you need to read this book, then either find a copy at your local library or get one on interlibrary loan. Don't waste your money on this book since it fails to deliver on what the title promises you.