Some really old adventures I've been browsing through had stats for "DragonQuest", a game that I wasn't aware of 'til then. It seems it was quite big back then but has been totally abandoned by now.

Anyone have some pleasant memories attached to it? (Or some horror stories?)

I only know it by reputation.  It was wargame giant SPI's answer to D&D.  Reputedly very wargamy in approach and layout.  I owned their sci-fi game Universe for a time and it was pretty hardcore grognard, such that I never finished reading the rules.  DragonQuest evaporated sometime after TSR purchased all of SPI assets.

It was a pretty cool game.  I remember playing a few sessions (I used the module The Palace of Ontocle).  It had nifty critical charts (though not as comprehensive as Rolemaster), an interesting approach to character generation and skills, and other good stuff.

The thing that really set it apart, though, was its magic system.  It was divided into different 'colleges' (fire, celestial, summoning, etc.), each of which was really different.  The summoning college was especially cool, as the game book listed all kinds of 'demonic nobility' (demon lords, barons, princes, etc.) that you could summon, if you dared.  Very dangerous for a FRPG in the early 1980s.

Quote from: jrients...  DragonQuest evaporated sometime after TSR purchased all of SPI assets.

Actually, TSR published a revised version of DragonQuest after purchasing SPI.  Of course all the best parts -- viz. the demons -- were purged from the product.

Quote from: AkrasiaActually, TSR published a revised version of DragonQuest after purchasing SPI.  Of course all the best parts -- viz. the demons -- were purged from the product.

Right.  Then it disappeared from the world of mortals sometime thereafter.  If I had meant 'TSR killed it' I would have said so.

If I had been in TSR shoes I would have ended the line upon purchase.  When you've got the number one selling fantasy roleplaying it's a waste of resources to also support a line for a game in 12th or 6th place or wherever DragonQuest fell.

Quote from: jrientsRight.  Then it disappeared from the world of mortals sometime thereafter.  If I had meant 'TSR killed it' I would have said so.

Sorry for misinterpreting what you said.

Quote from: AkrasiaSorry for misinterpreting what you said.

No problem.  I was the one being less than specific, as I couldn't recall all the details.

Coincidentally I was feeling nostalgic a month or two ago and dredged up my copies of the game. I started running a campaign in the Wilderlands setting using the 2nd editon rules with a bunch of folks who had never played it before. So far, so good.

The group is trying the darker side (where Dragonquest really shines) with two summoners, a necromancer, a witch, several assassins and thieves, etc. I started them in the City State of the Invincible Overlord and they are just now getting to a point where they are dangerous. Good fun.

When the game was about to published, SPI put out an arena combat game called Arena of Death, using just the combat system. It appeared in their magazine Ares. My friends and I played it for a few weekends, and we enjoyed it.

Those first edition rules were very wargamey not only in presentation but execution. There was a detailed breakdown of time and space, with a hex map, action points, and phased movement. Although it worked well for the arena game, it was too much for an RPG and SPI streamlined combat into a more conventional structure for the second edition. As well, I think the list of weapons became more stereotypically European--think "great sword" instead of "o-dachi".

I still own both editions of the game and pretty much all the paraphernalia except the GM's screen. With a little luck I might be able to play a bit since I've come into contact with some local people who also remember the game fondly.

I had (and played) Dragonquest as an alternate to AD&D 1st for a long time during the 1980s.

It had some good points (huuuuge weapon selection - each weapon was a skill. Also a really interesting professions system: you could multiclass everything. So if you had  a level of Ranger, you could then pick a level of Tactician and then switch to a level of .. something else. Etc.  You could also choose no classes at all, and just spend your exp on weapon skills.

Also, it had multiple magic systems, the most intersting of which was the summoner/binder. If you have the current version of Tome of Magic with the binder in it, you will notice a direct homage in the vestiges.

It was a bit lacking in directions for how to actually play it, despite an extensively documented set of hex-based tactical procedure rules.  FWIW, it's similar to Brian Gleichman's game in documentation and rules style. You could make cool characters, and there was a wilderness encounter table, but at our level of play back then, there wasn't enough structure.

Yes, the professions system strikes me as a neat compromise between skill-based progression and classes.

Note that the game uses experience points, in a manner similar to GURPS. You get your points, you spend them on whatever cool stuff you like.

Essentially you get one "profession" at minimal cost early on. Additional professions can be bought over time; the buy-in is higher for that first level, but after that, you just spend your points. Each profession can then be used to perform a variety of special tasks, using various calculations based on the level in the profession and other factors.

But notably, as AM alludes, your progression in a profession is completely independent of advancement in combat ability. Essentially a profession is a "skill cluster", not a class.

One of my favorite was the 'Mechanician'- a sort of DaVinci-esque designer of traps and things. I remember I had an orcish Mechanician who carried a crossbow with a rocket-propelled grappling hook.

Quote from: Abyssal MawOne of my favorite was the 'Mechanician'- a sort of DaVinci-esque designer of traps and things. I remember I had an orcish Mechanician who carried a crossbow with a rocket-propelled grappling hook.

I am *so* using that!

My players have one mechanician in the group, but she would drool over a rocket-propelled anything.

Quote from: JohnBI am *so* using that!

My players have one mechanician in the group, but she would drool over a rocket-propelled anything.

It was rocket-propelled in the sense that your character actually had to light a fuse and a rocket would blast off from the crossbow launcher, trailing a cable. I think I also had a decorative helmet that shot poison darts.

TSR would run new copies off every now and then in order to keep the trademark fresh. Then, rather than have the new copies pile up in the warehouse they would include them in shipments to stores. My FLGS would get about twenty copies with every 3rd order or so, essentially gratis.

Yes, management at TSR really was that dumb.