During this time, Ward become interested in wargaming, and was drawn into theInternational Federation of Wargamers (IFW) founded byGary Gygax in nearbyLake Geneva, Wisconsin. In 1973, Gygax introduced some of the players to a new concept in wargaming — a game that would eventually becomeDungeons & Dragons — where each player took on the role of one character in a fantasy setting that Gygax calledGreyhawk. By the following year, Ward was one of these players, and created a wizard he named Leledibmob.[a] During one session, Leledibmob urgently needed an item that he had left behind, and Gygax created a new spell that allowed Leledibmob to retrieve the item. Gygax called the spellDrawmij's Instant Summons — "Drawmij"[b] being "Jim Ward" spelled backwards.[6]
In 1974, Gygax andDon Kaye formed Tactical Studies Rules (TSR) in order to publishDungeons & Dragons. When sales of the new game took off in 1975, TSR rapidly expanded its product line, and Ward started to design games and write material for them.[7]: 24 In 1976, Ward worked withRob Kuntz to produceGods, Demi-Gods & Heroes that expanded theoriginalD&D game by introducing gods.[7]: 8 On his own, Ward designedMetamorphosis Alpha (1976), which was the second science-fantasy role-playing game,[c] and published asTSR's fourth role-playing game.[7]: 9
In 1980, Ward left teaching to become a full-time employee of TSR[9] and co-authoredDeities & Demigods.[7]: 382 In the early 1980s, Ward andRose Estes formed an education department at TSR, planning to market classroom modules to teachers.[7]: 14 At the 1983 EastCon convention, Ward ran Kuntz's adventure "The Maze of Xaene" as theD&D tournament module, although that module was never published by TSR.[7]: 240
However, in 1984, TSR faced a financial crunch due to senior mismanagement, and Ward, along with dozens of other employees, was laid off. Ward continued to write products for TSR, which paid him in royalties.[9] In 1986, TSR hired Ward back. Ward wroteGreyhawk Adventures (1988), a hardcover supplement that presented new rules for the Greyhawk setting.[7]: 19
When TSR produced a second edition ofAD&D (1989), Ward instituted changes such as removingassassins and half-orcs asplayer character options from the game, explaining this decision inDragon #154 (February 1990) that "[a]voiding the Angry Mother Syndrome has become a good, basic guideline for all of the designers and editors at TSR, Inc"; Ward printed many replies from upset players inDragon #158.[7]: 23
Ward can be glimpsed early in theDragon Strike tutorial video playing the man who is slapped in the face at the king's party.[11]
Ward designed theSpellfire collectible card game.[12] Ward was eventually made the VP for Creative Services.
In 1996, TSR suffered another financial crisis when an unanticipated number of books were returned by booksellers. Ward was ordered to lay off thirty editors and designers, but Ward instead resigned.[9] The financial crisis would shortly result in the company being bought byWizards of the Coast.[7]: 30
Ward then co-founded thed20 company Fast Forward Entertainment withTimothy Brown,Lester Smith, John Danovich, and Sean Everett, and from 2000 to 2005, he was president of the company[7]: 351 t of Fast Forward Entertainment, an independent game development company. Ward wroteSete-Ka's Dream Quest (2006), an adventure gamebook published byMargaret Weis Productions.[7]: 353 He wrote the Halcyon Blithe novelDragonfrigate Wizard (Tor, 2006), which he considered one of his better and prouder creations.[12]
Ward then joinedTroll Lord Games, writing supplements such as theboxed setTowers of Adventures (2008) and theCastles & Crusades supplementOf Gods & Monsters (2009); Ward was also made the editor for theirCastles & Crusades magazine,The Crusader Journal.[7]: 382 Ward also wrote the horror fantasy gameTainted Lands (2009), based on the "SIEGE" system fromCastles & Crusades.[7]: 382
Together withFrank Mentzer, Chris Clark andTim Kask, Ward co-founded Eldritch Enterprises, which planned to publish a variety of general works as well as new creations for role-playing games.[5]: 234 [13]
Ward wrote forGygax Magazine beginning in 2013,[14] including a newMetamorphosis Alpha adventure "They All Died at the International Space Station,"[15] which was also released as a standalone product.[16] Ward was co-author ofGiantLands by Wonderfilled, which was announced on Kickstarter in 2019 and shipped in 2022.[17][18][19]
In 1973, Ward married his high school sweetheart Janean M. Bray,[9] and they had three sons together, James, Theon and Breck.[12]
In 2010, Ward was diagnosed with a serious neurological disorder that required treatment at theMayo Clinic. His friendTim Kask helped to establish a fund to help Ward offset some of the medical bills.[20]
Ward died on March 18, 2024, at the age of 72.[21]
Deities & Demigods, withRobert J. Kuntz (TSR, 1980), a core rulebook for the 1st Edition ofAdvanced Dungeons & Dragons presenting similar material to that ofGods, Demi-Gods & Heroes. This work introduced a number of now iconicDungeons & Dragons deities, such asCorellon Larethian, Garl Glittergold,Gruumsh,Moradin, andYondalla.
77 Worlds RPG (http://Firesidecreations.com , 2014), a science fiction post apocalyptic role-playing game and campaign setting using the Ward Card System (WCS).The 77 Lost Worlds RPG is part of the Apocalyptic Space series of RPGs.
^Drawmij would later become a fictional character who appeared in some commercial TSR products set in Greyhawk.
^The first science fiction role-playing game,Starfaring, was published byFlying Buffalo in August 1976. Although the forward ofMetamorphosis Alpha is dated July 1976, TSR didn't actually release the game until later in the year.[8]
^"Q&A with James M. Ward".Dragons Foot. January 25, 2014. RetrievedMarch 26, 2024.I was in a dungeon and the group needed a magic item I owned that was back at the inn where I lived. My character name was Bombidell spelled backward. So at a whim Gary let me create that spell and use that spell and I did indeed save the day.
^Wincen, Kim (November 6, 2022)."GiantLands – The Beginning".A gentleman with opinions.Archived from the original on April 24, 2023. RetrievedApril 24, 2023.
