Low Magic Oerth? Eject!

[geneweigel]

I had an altercation the other day with some dude who was trying to tell me that "Oerth is low magic compared to other worlds" (So much for socializing with "someone who likes D&D like you". Never fall for that line, folks! ).

Heres the revelant quote (that I didn't have on hand but I pointed out to this guy for the sake of...well...just being right is good enough for me... ):

PAGE 216 of ARTIFACT OF EVIL

"Just so. Your energy comes from a fixed point, as does all. Each focal point is different, distinct, and detectable. It is possible
for those of great power to cloak theirs - however, I cannot. This place is built on a nexus, for I desired to have that advantage. Think
on this: Of all probable worlds of this sort, Oerth is most magical. There are fewer constraints on dweomercrafting and other
spell-working here than on other planes of probability. But that is a two-edged sword, so to speak.

Now make sure you remember the number AOE216 in case this happens to you....

[Scott]

I wouldn't even bother with somebody that off-base.

[GRWelsh]

There's no point in even having such a debate, unless you just feel like wasting time and getting frustrated. Any D&D campaign is only as low magic or high magic as the DM makes it. If you go by the classic modules ostensibly set in Greyhawk's World, I'd say it's pretty high magic compared to a lot of campaigns I've played in. But if your reference point is some magical empire in the Forgotten Realms with 10th, 11th and 12th level spells, then I suppose Oerth could look low magic by comparison.

One thing I like most about Greyhawk's World is its flexibility. You could run a Fafhrd & Gray Mouser or Conan type of adventure, or a pirate campaign, a "Thieves' World" type of game, or something like that -- and it wouldn't be out of place. But you could also run something similar to Elric, or Eternal Champion. In fact, I always thought the Gord books showed exactly that arc -- from the gutters to the gods.

[geneweigel]

Yeah, you're right. Honestly? I was just talking to someone with a "post-Gygax TSR is part of the great D&D picture" outlook is what it was. It just comes fluidly out of their mouth like a mantra... Hmmm...The Temple of Elemental Greyhawk? Seriously, its kind of a blight on fans like me of "Gygax's TSR" to hear that attitude as if it was a natural progression for fans to just take their lumps and move on with what the company did. Frankly, fandom can do whatever they frickin' please, I'm just saying that a random interaction with a "D&D/Greyhawk fan" for me is most likely to be someone who I can't even talk to much less "play ball" with.

Most of the guys that I play with have an attitude that "anything with the name D&D sucks for the last 25 years for some reason let him explain it, I can't be bothered anymore" so running into a random person who actually is an afficianado of D&D is either going to yield someone who loathes the name "D&D" like them or is a full bore subscriber to anything with the name "D&D" it seems. When I posted for gamers I always add warnings of disregard or contempt for "new TSR" so I usually filter out those kinds of "full bore subscriber" types but I have got some "cloaked invaders" a few times who seemingly showed up to make my life miserable....