Jousting in Original D&D | Live Tournament | Wandering DMs S04 E28
Dan is challenged by viewer Stephen Wendell to an old-school D&D Jousting tourney!
How was Jousting in Original D&D performed? It referred back to the mini-game in the pre-D&D Chainmail ruleset by Gygax and Perren. Players took the role of armored knights, and on each pass picked a defensive posture and an aiming point, and consulted a matrix for the effect of the pass. No dice or random outcomes involved, it’s purely a test of player skill! Some of us still use it in our D&D games today, and it’s a featured event every spring at GaryCon. Now, Wandering DMs patron Stephen Wendell has authored a strategy he thinks can unseat WDM Dan at one of his favorite games. Can he win the banner? We’ll find out live!
From Original D&D Volume 3, The Underworld & Wilderness Adventures — “Fighting-Men within castles will demand a jousting match with all passersby of like class. Otherwise they will demand a toll of from 100 to 600 Gold Pieces from the party. If a joust takes place (use rules from CHAINMAIL) the occupant of the castle will take the loser’s armor if he wins, but if the character wins the castle owner will host all in the party for up to one month, supply them with two weeks of rations, and provide warhorses (Heavy) if the party so requires.”
From the Chainmail Rules for Medieval Miniatures — “Each player selects an aiming point (his attack) and a position in the saddle (his defense). Note that the aiming paint will preclude certain defensive positions in mast, but not all, cases. The aiming point of each player is matched against the position of their opponent and the result found. Results can vary from both opponents missing to both being unhorsed, as a study of the jousting Matrix will reveal. (See Appendix C.)”
- Read Stephen’s strategy analysis on his Donjon Lands blog
- And read about Stephen’s upcoming “Blue Flame, Tiny Stars”
Wandering DMs Paul Siegel and Dan “Delta” Collins host thoughtful discussions on D&D and other TTRPGs every week. Comparing the pros and cons of every edition from the 1974 Original D&D little brown books to cutting-edge releases for 5E D&D today, we broadcast live on YouTube and Twitch so we can take viewer questions and comments on the topic of the day. Live every Sunday at 1 PM Eastern time.
