Line #7 TabletopGame/MazesAndMinotaurs


1	In November 2002, Paul Elliott -- author of various free roleplaying games including the excellent ''Zenobia'' -- wrote an article called [[https://web.archive.org/web/20030425054832/http://www.rpg.net/news+reviews/columns/tempus12nov02.html The Gygax/Arneson Tapes]] for his Tempus Fugit column on [=RPGnet=]. In it, he imaged that Creator/GaryGygax was inspired by Greecian myths instead of [[TabletopGame/DungeonsAndDragons Tolkien-esque High Fantasy]], and created ''Mazes and Minotaurs''.
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3	Along comes Olivier Legrand, a French game designer, who decides to actually make the [[ShowWithinAShow fictional game the column describes]] with three goals:
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5	* '''1) Write a complete game in English.'''
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7	* '''2) Write a game with a genuine old-school, 1970s feel, reminiscent of early D&D.'''
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9	* '''3) Write a game that would be totally coherent with Paul's article.'''
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11	He did, and released it for free!
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13	Check it out [[http://mazesandminotaurs.free.fr/ here.]]
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15	----
16	!!This tabletop game has the following Tropes covered:
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18	* AlliterationAndAdventurers: It's often titled "''Mazes & Minotaurs''", as a parody of ''TabletopGame/DungeonsAndDragons''.
19	* BarefistedMonk: The equivalent to D&D's Monk class is the Panktrataist, a boxer or wrestler. They wear gloves, but not a lot else.
20	* DumbMuscle: Half-Giants in ''Vikings & Valkyries'' get a huge bonus to Might, but take a big penalty to both Wits and Grace.
21	* ElementalPowers:
22	** The base game Elementalist must pick two elements from [[PlayingWithFire Fire]], [[BlowYouAway Air]], [[DishingOutDirt Earth]], and [[MakingASplash Water]], with one being their primary element. However, they cannot pick the opposing combinations of Fire and Water or Earth and Air.
23	** ''Mazes & Minotaurs Companion'' adds [[LightEmUp Light]] and [[CastingAShadow Darkness]], but they're restricted to secondary elements only.
24	** The Mage class from ''The Land of the Sun'' supplement functions as an Elementalist with Light as the primary element. Their magic is also changed to reflect their devotion to Ahura Mazda.
25	** ''Vikings & Valkyries'': Elementalists only have three options: Air, Fire, and [[AnIcePerson Ice]], but there's no restriction against opposing elementals.
26	* FighterMageThief: Player classes are categorized into three groups: Warriors, Magicians, and Specialists. The Warriors are the toughest with 12 base HitPoints and have combat-related special abilities. The Specialists' abilities are geared toward adventuring more than Warriors' (the exceptions so far are Archer and its variant, Slinger, which have combat oriented abilities but functionally count as Specialists). Only Magicians can use magic.
27	* GaidenGame: ''Vikings & Valkyries'', a spin-off based on Myth/NorseMythology instead of Myth/ClassicalMythology. The sidebar also mentions ''Fiannas & Fomors'' based on Myth/CelticMythology.
28	* LampshadeHanging: Lots of quirks of the D&D game are addressed in the pseudo-historical commentaries like the armor class system, the wargamist quarrels, etc.
29	* OneGenderRace:
30	** Centaur player characters can only be male, Nymphs can only be female. In the case of centaurs, and half-giants in ''Vikings and Valkyries'', it's specifically mentioned that all ''adventurers'' of that race are male. A Dwarf race is available for male Sorcerers, Thieves, and Elementalists in ''V&V'', as well.
31	** Set up but then subverted in the "Triremes and Tritons" supplement, where tritons are, like centaurs, described as only producing male adventurers. Then the next page shows the female triton class, tritonides, who are noted to be rebels against their society's strict gender roles. And then the ''next'' page has the all-male Delphin class, which naturally mentions female Delphins as existing.
32	* {{Retraux}}: The game is styled like the very first tabletop roleplaying games.
33	* RetroactiveLegacy: Given that it's a parody of early ''D&D'', its sourcebook claims it's a rerelease of an original 1972 version.
34	* RunningGag: There are a few in ''Creature Compendium'''s From the Letters Page of Griffin Magazine section.
35	** There is one person who keeps complaining about how creature naming only goes FromBadToWorse.
36	** Another person always points out how aerial or aquatic creatures are useless in the absence of detailed rules for aerial/aquatic combat, then starts ranting about their house rules (which, thankfully, is cut short by editors).
37	** Another person complains about how certain creatures can't be playable, and always ends with the same sentences.
38	--->"''This is absurd, especially since [insert name here] are a predominantly player-character class! Could you provide some kind of official ruling on this?''"
39	* ShoutOut: "The three Sea Titans are named [[Franchise/CthulhuMythos Dagon, Kraken and Ktolos]]."
40	* TheSixStats: Strength, Dexterity, and Charisma are respectively renamed to Might, Skill, and Grace. Wisdom gets separated into Wits (alertness and cleverness) and Will (resolve and self-discipline). Constitution and Intelligence are replaced by Luck.
41	* SquishyWizard: Magicians have base HitPoints of 8 and cannot wear armor, making them far less durable than Warriors or Specialists.
42	* WeaponSpecialization: Warriors and Specialists have Weapon of Choice feature, a type of weapon which the character is really good at. When the character attacks with their Weapon of Choice, the player rolls two [=D20s=] and uses the better result.
43	* WhatIf: What if G.G. was hooked on a Grecian world instead of a medieval one?

Context TabletopGame / MazesAndMinotaurs