Jim Ward, a longtime game designer for the Dungeons & Dragons tabletop game, passed away on March 18 at 72 years old.
Jim was best known for creating the first science fiction RPG Metamorphosis Alpha. He was one of the early players in Gary Gygax’s Greyhawk game and a fan of the stories that inspired the creation of Dungeons & Dragons. Jim worked for TSR for many years, eventually becoming the Vice President of Product.
Born May 23, 1951, Ward began his game career in 1976 with his and Rob Kuntz’s Gods, Demi-Gods & Heroes rulebook for TSR. That same year, he created Metamorphosis Alpha, TSR’s fourth role-playing game ever and its first science-fantasy RPG.
At TSR, Ward worked on various modules and supplements. This was at the same time D&D was in its first popularity boom, and the Ruins of Adventure supplement he co-made with David Cook, Steve Winter, and Mike Breault was adapted into the 1988 Pool of Radiance video game.
He’d also work his way up the executive ranks, becoming its creative services VP before exiting in 1996 from disagreements with fellow higher-ups.
For his work at the time, Ward was inducted into the Academy of Adventure Gaming Arts & Design Hall of Fame in 1989.
After leaving TSR, Ward designed a collectible card game for Dragon Ball Z by the late Akira Toriyama. He’d later help make similar games for Robert Jordan’s The Wheel of Time, Core Design’s Tomb Raider, and the TV series Babylon 5.
Eventually, he’d go to co-found his own company, Fast Forward Entertainment, with the likes of fellow role-playing designers like Timothy Brown and Lester W. Smith. He’d later join Troll Games as a writer for game supplements like Castles & Crusades.
Jim Wards Credits
Fiction
- Dragonsword of Lankhmar (TSR, 1986), a pair of gamebooks starring Fritz Leiber’s Fafhrd and the Gray Mouser characters.
Pool of Radiance, with Jane Cooper Hong, (TSR, 1989), a Forgotten Realms novel derived from the Pool of Radiance computer game.
Pools of Darkness, with Anne K. Brown (TSR, 1992), the sequel to Pool of Radiance
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.
The Mansion of Mad Professor Ludlow (TSR, 1980).
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.
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 RPGs.
The Starship Warden (Troll Lord Games, 2021)
Television
- G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero (1985)
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.
In 2008, Ward became the Managing Editor of and a contributor to The Crusader magazine published by Troll Lord Games.
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