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'{{Redirect|James M. Ward|the voice actor|Jim Ward (voice actor)}} {{Infobox writer | name = James M. Ward | image = | alt = | caption = | birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1951|5|23|mf=y}} | birth_place = [[United States]] | death_date = | death_place = | occupation = Writer, game designer, author | pseudonym = | spouse = Janean | children = 3 | nationality = [[Americans|American]] | period = | genre = [[Fantasy]], [[role-playing game]] | notableworks = ''[[Deities & Demigods]]'', ''[[Greyhawk Adventures]]'', ''[[Pool of Radiance (novel)|Pool of Radiance]]'', ''[[Metamorphosis Alpha]]'', ''[[Gamma World]]'' | language = [[English language|English]] | portaldisp = }} '''James M. Ward''' (born May 23, 1951),<ref>{{cite web|website=Eldritchent.com|url=http://eldritchent.com/page/Jim-Ward.aspx|title=Jim Ward}}</ref> is an American [[game designer]] and [[fantasy]] author. He is most well known for his game development and writing work for [[TSR, Inc.]], where he worked for more than 20 years. ==Career== ===''Dungeons & Dragons'' and TSR === Ward was one of the players in [[Gary Gygax]]'s early [[Greyhawk]] games as Gygax developed the ''[[Dungeons & Dragons]]'' game.<ref name="designers">{{Cite book|author=Shannon Appelcline|title=Designers & Dragons|publisher=Mongoose Publishing|year=2011| isbn= 978-1-907702-58-7}}</ref>{{rp|24}} The ''Dungeons & Dragons'' character [[Drawmij]] was named after him; "Drawmij" is simply "Jim Ward" spelled backwards.{{citation needed|date=May 2014}} [[Robert J. Kuntz|Rob Kuntz]] and Ward's ''[[Gods, Demi-Gods & Heroes]]'' (1976) expanded the [[Dungeons & Dragons (1974)|original ''D&D'' game]] by introducing gods.<ref name="designers"/>{{rp|8}} Ward designed ''[[Metamorphosis Alpha]]'' (1976), which was the first science-fantasy role-playing game, and published as [[TSR, Inc.|TSR]]'s fourth role-playing game.<ref name="designers"/>{{rp|9}} Ward co-authored ''[[Deities & Demigods]]'' (1980) .<ref name="designers"/>{{rp|382}} In the early 1980s, Ward and [[Rose Estes]] formed an education department at TSR, intended to sell classroom modules to teachers.<ref name="designers"/>{{rp|14}} Ward ran Kuntz's adventure "The Maze of Xaene" as the ''D&D'' tournament module at EastCon in 1983, although the module never saw print at TSR.<ref name="designers"/>{{rp|240}} Ward wrote ''[[Greyhawk Adventures]]'' (1988), a hardcover volume that presented new rules for the Greyhawk setting.<ref name="designers"/>{{rp|19}} Ward, with [[David Cook (game designer)|David Cook]], [[Steve Winter]], and [[Mike Breault]], co-wrote the adventure scenario that was adapted into the game ''[[Pool of Radiance]]''.<ref name="Dragon149">{{cite journal|title=The Envelope, Please!|author=The ''Dragon'' editors|journal=Dragon|issue=149|date=September 1989|pages=20–21}}</ref> In 1989 he was inducted into the Academy of Adventure Gaming Arts & Design Hall of Fame.{{citation needed|date=May 2014}} When TSR produced a second edition of ''AD&D'' (1989), Ward instituted changes such as removing [[Assassin (Dungeons & Dragons)|assassins]] and [[half-orc]]s from the game, explaining in ''[[Dragon (magazine)|Dragon]]'' #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 upset readers' replies in ''Dragon'' #158.<ref name="designers"/>{{rp|23}} Ward can be glimpsed early in the [[DragonStrike (board game)|Dragon Strike]] tutorial video playing the man who is slapped in the face at the king's party.<ref name="Dragon #198">{{cite journal | last = Moore | first = Roger E. | title = Editorial | journal = [[Dragon (magazine)|Dragon]] | issue = #198 | pages = 14 | publisher = TSR, Inc. | location = [[Lake Geneva, Wisconsin]] | date = October 1993 }}</ref> Ward designed the ''[[Spellfire]]'' collectible card game.<ref name="HG"/> Ward was eventually made the VP for Creative Services, but left TSR over disagreements about how the company's crisis involving book sales in 1996 was handled.<ref name="designers"/>{{rp|30}} ===After TSR === Ward designed the ''[[Dragon Ball Z Collectible Card Game]]''.<ref name="HG"/> Ward founded the [[D20 System|d20]] company [[Fast Forward Entertainment]] with [[Timothy Brown (game designer)|Timothy Brown]], [[Lester W. Smith|Lester Smith]], [[John Danovich]] and [[Sean Everett]].<ref name="designers"/>{{rp|351}} From 2000 - 2005, he was President of Fast Forward Entertainment, an independent game development company.{{citation needed|date=May 2014}} Ward wrote ''Sete-Ka's Dream Quest'' (2006), an adventure gamebook published by [[Margaret Weis Productions]].<ref name="designers"/>{{rp|353}} He wrote the Halcyon Blithe novel ''Dragonfrigate Wizard'' (Tor, 2006), which he considered one of his better and prouder creations.<ref name="HG"/> Ward joined [[Troll Lord Games]], writing books such as the ''Towers of Adventures'' (2008) boxed set and the ''Of Gods & Monsters'' (2009) supplement for ''[[Castles & Crusades]]''; Ward also became the editor for Troll Lord's ''C&C'' magazine, ''The Crusader Journal''.<ref name="designers"/>{{rp|382}} Ward also wrote the horror fantasy game ''Tainted Lands'' (2009), based on ''C&C'''s "SIEGE" system.<ref name="designers"/>{{rp|382}} In 2010, Ward was diagnosed with a serious neurological disorder that required treatment at the [[Mayo Clinic]]. His friend [[Tim Kask]] has helped to establish a fund to help Ward offset some of the medical bills.<ref name="Friends of Starship Warden">Friends of [[Metamorphosis Alpha|Starship Warden]]: [http://bailoutthewardenfund.bbnow.org/index.php the James M. Ward Relief Fund]</ref> ==Personal life== James Ward married his wife Janean in the early 1970s, and they have three sons together, Breck, James, and Theon.<ref name="HG">{{Cite book | contribution=[[The Great Khan Game]] | title=Hobby Games: The 100 Best | last=Ward | first=James M. | authorlink= | editor-last=Lowder | editor-first=James | editor-link=James Lowder | publisher=[[Green Ronin Publishing]] | year=2007 | pages=138–141 | isbn=978-1-932442-96-0}}</ref> ==Selected works== ===Fiction=== * ''Dragonsword of Lankhmar'' (TSR, 1986), a pair of gamebooks starring [[Fritz Leiber]]'s [[Fafhrd and the Gray Mouser]] characters. * ''[[Pool of Radiance (novel)|Pool of Radiance]]'', with Jane Cooper Hong, (TSR, 1989), a [[Forgotten Realms]] novel derived from the ''[[Pool of Radiance]]'' computer game. * ''[[Pools of Darkness (novel)|Pools of Darkness]]'', with [[Anne K. Brown]] (TSR, 1992), the sequel to ''Pool of Radiance'' * ''[[Pool of Twilight (novel)|Pool of Twilight]]'', with Anne K. Brown (TSR, 1993), the third book in the ''Pool'' series. * ''Midshipwizard Halcyon Blithe'' ([[Tor Books]], 2005). * ''Sete-Ka's Dream Quest'' ([[Margaret Weis Productions]], 2006). * ''Dragonfrigate Wizard Halcyon Blithe'' ([[Tor Books]], 2006). * ''Time Twisters Anthology'' ([[Daw Books]], 2006). * ''The Curse of Time'' ([[Margaret Weis Productions]], 2007). ===Role-playing games=== * ''[[Metamorphosis Alpha]]'' (TSR, 1976), the first [[science fiction]] [[role-playing game]]. * ''[[Gods, Demi-Gods & Heroes]]'', with [[Robert J. Kuntz]] (TSR, 1976), one of the four rules supplements to the original edition of ''[[Dungeons & Dragons]]''. * ''[[Gamma World]]'', with [[Gary Jaquet]] (TSR, 1978), the first role-playing game in the [[post-apocalyptic]] subgenre. * ''[[Deities & Demigods]]'', with [[Robert J. Kuntz]] (TSR, 1980), a core rulebook for the 1st Edition of ''Advanced Dungeons & Dragons'' presenting similar material to that of ''Gods, Demi-Gods & Heroes''. This work introduced a number of now iconic ''Dungeons & Dragons'' deities, such as [[Corellon Larethian]], [[Garl Glittergold]], [[Gruumsh]], [[Moradin]], and [[Yondalla]]. * ''[[Greyhawk Adventures]]'' (TSR, 1988), a hardcover sourcebook for the ''[[World of Greyhawk]]'' campaign setting. * ''Metamorphosis Alpha 4th Edition (Mudpuppy Games, 2006)''. * ''Towers of Adventure'' ([[Troll Lord Games]], 2008), a digest box set for the ''[[Castles & Crusades]]'' game.<ref>{{cite book |last=Ward |first=James M. |authorlink= |date=August 2008 |isbn =978-1-929474-19-6|title=Towers of Adventure }}</ref> * ''Tainted Lands'' ([[Troll Lord Games]], 2010), a dark horror themed box set expansion for the ''[[Castles & Crusades]]'' game. * ''Beneath the Dome'' ([[Troll Lord Games]], 2013), a serial adventure for the ''[[Castles & Crusades]]'' game. * ''Gods and Monsters'' ([[Troll Lord Games]], 2014), a book on gods and monsters from various mythologies for the ''[[Castles & Crusades]]'' game. * ''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 RPG's. ===Other=== *''[[Dragon Ball Z Collectible Card Game]]''. *''[[Westeros GAME OF THRONES Miniatures rules]]'' (2007). *''[[Astrobirdz Concept]]'' card game, RPG, board game, coin game, YA novels. * My Precious Presents card game * ''Dragon Lairds'' board game, created by Ward and [[Tom Wham]] was published in 2008 by [[Margaret Weis Productions, Ltd]].<ref>{{cite book |last=Ward |first=James M. |first2=Tom |last2=Wham |authorlink2=Tom Wham |year=2008 |isbn =978-1-931567-60-2|title=Dragon Lairds }}</ref> * In 2008, Ward became the Managing Editor of and a contributor to, ''The Crusader'' magazine published by Troll Lord Games.<ref>{{cite journal |publisher=Troll Lord Games |first= |authorlink= |date=March 2008 |journal=The Crusader|title=The Crusader |volume=4 |issue=8 |pages= |id= |url= |accessdate= |quote= }}</ref> ==References== {{reflist}} ==External links== * {{isfdb_name|id=James_M._Ward|name=James M. Ward}} * {{cite web|url=http://www.pen-paper.net/rpgdb.php?op=showcreator&creatorid=499 |archive-date=December 15, 2008 |title=Games listing at Pen-paper.net|dead-url=no |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20081215015238/http://www.pen-paper.net:80/rpgdb.php?op=showcreator&creatorid=499}} * [http://www.boardgamegeek.com/designer/1832 Games listing at Boardgamegeek.com] {{Authority control}} {{D&D topics}} {{DEFAULTSORT:Ward, Jim}} [[Category:1951 births]] [[Category:20th-century American male writers]] [[Category:20th-century American novelists]] [[Category:21st-century American male writers]] [[Category:Place of birth missing (living people)]] [[Category:21st-century American novelists]] [[Category:American fantasy writers]] [[Category:American male novelists]] [[Category:Dungeons & Dragons game designers]] [[Category:Living people]] [[Category:Role-playing game designers]]'