Mike Mearls: Things I Have Written
This is a big list of most of the things I've worked on. I haven't updated it in years until now, so my recollections on a lot of books are fuzzy. I also appear on a nearly monthly basis in Dragon.
If you throw in magazine articles, I've collected 93 or so projects in the past 3 or 4 years. If you throw in stuff I can't mention yet, it goes a bit over 100. If you count my computer game writing credits, all magazine work, it's over 100 right now.
Damn, I write a lot.
Updated 4/23/04
Works from Malhavoc
I'm now a staff writer for Malhavoc. If you liked my stuff from other companies, you ain't seen nothing yet.
Legacy of the Dragons (Arcana Unearthed)
Ass-kicking monster book. I loved working on this bad boy.
Book of Hallowed Might II (Arcana Unearthed)
I did the stuff for three of the deities in this book.
Children of the Rune (Arcana Unearthed)
Wrote a short story for this collection.
Works from Goodman Games
Aerial Adventure Guide Volume I (d20 System)
Aerial Adventure Guide Volume II (d20 System)
Aerial Adventure Guide Volume III (d20 System)
Aerial Adventure Guide Collection (d20 System)
Underdark Adventure Guide (d20 System)
Dungeon Crawl Classics #2: Lost Vault of Tsathzar Rho (d20 System)
Works in Print from Decipher
Fell Beasts and Wondrous Magic (Lord of the Rings RPG)
I did the stuff on spiders, rings of power, krakens, and some other stuff.
Moria (Lord of the Rings RPG)
Perhaps my favorite project of everything I've ever written. I bled for this one, baby!
Untitled Warrior Book (Lord of the Rings RPG)
Did a bunch of stuff.
Untitled Loremaster Book (Lord of the Rings RPG)
Did a small bit of stuff that got pulled from the warrior book and stuck here.
Works from Paradigm Concepts
Slaves to the Moon (d20 System)
A big old book of lycanthropes. A great company to work with, and the book was a blast.
Works in Print from Atlas Games
In the Belly of the Beast (d20 System)
Wrote a 15,000-word adventure module for the d20 system that melded site-based adventure design with heavy NPC interaction and negotiation. Picked as one of Monte Cook’s top five d20 adventures for 2001 (http://www.montecook.com/arch_lineos30.html). A review of Belly is available at http://www.rpg.net/news+reviews/reviews/rev_4346.html
Touched by the Gods (d20 System)
Created project concept, designed the basic outline and project specifications, recommended freelancers, and wrote two cults, the 10,000 Heroes and the Shepherds of the Root, for a 128-page d20 sourcebook that detailed a set of new deities and religions for d20. Listed in Ken Hite’s Out of the Box column as a runner-up for his pick as best supplement released in 2001 at http://www.gamersrealm.com/store1/outofthebox.php?article_id=19
Postmodern Magick (Unknown Armies RPG)
Contributed three articles: a new creature, a new magickal ritual, and a pair of characters. Reviewed at http://www.rpg.net/news+reviews/reviews/rev_2992.html
Statosphere (Unknown Armies RPG)
Designed a location and accompanying characters. A review is available at http://www.rpg.net/news+reviews/reviews/rev_3255.html
Elevator to the Netherworld (Feng Shui RPG)
Contributed five articles each describing a location and its attendant characters, creatures, and adventure ideas. Reviewed at http://www.rpg.net/news+reviews/reviews/rev_3090.html
In Your Face Again (Feng Shui RPG)
Contributed an 8,000-word scenario, "Last Stand at Old Man Fong’s", for a collection of Feng Shui adventures. Review: http://www.rpg.net/news+reviews/reviews/rev_4122.html
Works in Print from Fiery Dragon
Productions
To Stand on Hallowed Ground (d20 System)
Contributed "Swords Against Deception", a 13,000-word, site-based scenario for the d20 system. Selected by Monte Cook as one of the top five d20 adventures for 2001. A review of this module can be found online at http://www.montecook.com/arch_review4.html
Nature’s Fury (d20 System)
Contributed a 14,000-word adventure titled "Swords Through the Ice Gate" to this book of two d20 adventures. A review of Nature’s Fury is accessible at http://www.rpg.net/news+reviews/reviews/rev_4935.html
The Psionics Toolkit (d20 System)
Designed and wrote a 32-page supplement containing tips and ideas for adding psionics to a traditional fantasy game, new prestige classes, character races, NPCs, monsters, and other psionics material. Review: http://www.rpg.net/news+reviews/reviews/rev_6081.html
Works in Print from Mongoose
Publishing
The Quintessential Rogue (d20 System)
Wrote a 128-page book of new options and abilities for the rogue character class. Designed a complete system for creating and managing a thieves’ guild, rules for creating poisons, guidelines for creating simple tripwire traps, new feats, prestige classes, new items, and more. Review: http://www.gameplaynews.com/reviews.php?article_id=321
The Quintessential Wizard (d20 System)
Wrote a 128-page sourcebook on wizard player characters. Designed new spells, a tower construction system, prestige classes, feats, a system for magical foci that allow wizards to build personalized magic items, a system for gaining apprentice wizards, and more. A review is available at: http://www.gamewyrd.com/review/77/The_Quintessential_Wizard
Works in Print from Alderac
Entertainment Group
Folnar’s Dagger (d20 System)
Created an Adventure Keep mini-module for use with AEG’s Evil d20 sourcebook. Review: http://www.gameplaynews.com/reviews.php?article_id=218
The Prison City of Hell’s Reach (d20 System)
Adventure Keep mini-module detailing the inhabitants of a ruined city. Review: http://www.gameplaynews.com/reviews.php?article_id=293
Dungeons (d20 System)
Contributed numerous skills, feats, and magic items to this d20 sourcebook. Review: http://www.rpg.net/news+reviews/reviews/rev_4387.html
Evil (d20 System)
Wrote an essay on designing evil non-human player characters and designed new feats and skills for use by evil characters in the d20 system. Review: http://www.gamingreport.com/modules.php?op=modload&name=Reviews&file=index&req=showcontent&id=83
Dragons (d20 System)
Helped define concept for d20 sourcebook and contributed to project outline. Designed the new uses for old skills, new feats, a set of draconic classes for dragons, expanded aerial combat rules, and the air lord, dragon slayer, student of the dragon, and wyrmfoe prestige classes. Review: http://www.gameplaynews.com/reviews.php?article_id=217
Undead (d20 System)
Contributed several new uses for old skills and four prestige classes, the champion of the dead, faith hunter, sacred theurgist, and wasteland druid. Review: http://www.enworld.org/d20reviews.asp?sub=yes&where=active&reviewer=Psion&product=UNDE
War (d20 System)
Created over a dozen prestige classes, new feats, and new uses for old skills. Review: http://www.enworld.org/d20reviews.asp?sub=yes&where=active&reviewer=Psion&product=WAR0
Gods (d20 System)
Designed pantheons for orcs, trolls, and minotaurs. Review: http://www.enworld.org/d20reviews.asp?sub=yes&where=active&reviewer=Psion&product=GODS
Monsters (d20 System)
Designed and wrote new prestige classes, character races, feats, and new uses for old skills. Review: http://www.enworld.org/d20reviews.asp?sub=yes&where=active&reviewer=Psion&product=MONS
Mercenaries (d20 System)
Designed new races, prestige classes, rules for recruiting mercenaries, sample mercenaries, and a 10:1 scale skirmish system for d20. Review: http://www.enworld.org/d20reviews.asp?sub=yes&where=active&reviewer=Psion&product=mee65
Magic (d20 System)
I did a bunch of varied bits for this game – arcane monks, spell point system, rules for magic items that improve as you gain levels, a few other magical styles, and some editing. I did a fair amount of the design work on the freeform magic rules.
Good (d20 System)
This book is a rule blur. I think I did alternate paladins and some other stuff. I also edited this one.
Wilds (d20 System)
I did the chapters on mountains and I think forests.
Empire (d20 System)
I solo authored this one.
Relics (d20 System)
I did some editing on this one. It was all artifacts, so the rules stuff was pretty straightforward.
Swashbuckling Adventures (d20 System)
For this book, I did some core classes and some alternate, non-spellcasting versions of core classes.
Works in Print from Fantasy Flight
Games
Daggers at Midnight (d20 System)
Daggers is a Legends & Lairs mini-module that combines an urban, event-based scenario with a mystery. One character in the party is mistaken for a missing thief whose compatriots seek him for a magic item he stole.
Darwell’s Tower (d20 System)
A 4,500-word mini-adventure for the d20 system, Darwell's Tower is an investigatory adventure that requires the PCs to sneak into a necromancer's tower and steal a magical artifact.
Mythic Races (d20 System)
Designed two new races for the d20 system, the risen demon and the tremen. Review: http://www.rpg.net/news+reviews/reviews/rev_5334.html
Seafarer’s Handbook (d20 System)
Designed ten new ships for use with the d20 system, including game stats, background information, and other details. Review: http://www.enworld.org/d20reviews.asp?sub=yes&where=active&reviewer=Simon+Collins&product=SEA1
The Monster's Handbook (d20 System)
Wrote a complete, 128-page book detailing a system for adding new special abilities to a creature, prestige classes, feats, and magic items for the d20 system.
Dungeoncraft (d20 System)
Finally, someone does a d20 book about dungeons from a D&D player's point of view.
Cityworks (d20 System)
A big book on how to design cities.
Portals and Planes (d20 System)
A big book on how to design planar stuff, written to complement Manual of the Planes.
Wildlands (d20 System)
This title is wrong. I forgot what it got turned into. I had a lot of fun writing this one.
Untitled Horror Project (d20 System)
I have no idea if this book is actually going to see the light of day.
Works in Print from Necromancer
Games
The Siege of Durgam’s Folly (d20 System)
Wrote a 25,000-word scenario for the D20 system and designed a set of new monsters for use in the scenario, the hive-like clockworks. A review of Siege is available at http://www.rpg.net/news+reviews/reviews/rev_6308.html
Trivia note: This is the first d20 product that I actually planned out and started writing. I had pitched In the Belly of the Beast to Atlas pre-GenCon 2000 and started writing in late August. I started my design work on what would become Siege while bored and standing in line to get my badge for GenCon. I sketched out the maps of the keep, then known as Fort Prudence, and made notes on the constructs.
Lost Garden (d20 System)
A location-based adventure written for Necromancer Games that will likely never see the light of day. I needed to double the manuscript's length but never had time to tackle it. Perhaps it'll end up as a Dungeon submission. Some of the ideas for this one filtered in Lost Vault of Tsathzar Rho.
Works in Print from Sword and
Sorcery Studios
Relics and Rituals (d20 System)
Created several magic items for a large collection of new spells and items for the d20 system.
Creature Collection II (d20 System)
Contributed several new monsters for this Scarred Lands d20 sourcebook.
Blood Bayou (d20 System)
This book would've been 50% better if I didn't have to fit it into an existing setting. I don't really like working with established intellectual properties.
Everquest Gamemaster's Guide (d20 System)
As a contributor, I have three copies of this book. What the hell am I supposed to do with them?
Works in Print from Steve Jackson
Games
The Green Box: Alach Nach (d20 Weekly)
Created d20 Call of Cthulhu rules for a new creature and a new mystic tome for use with the Delta Green RPG for d20 Weekly.
Hey Man, Nice Shot (d20 Weekly)
Designed a set of combat rules that tie the quality of an attack's success to the damage inflicted.
Works in Print from Kenzer and
Company
Villain Design Handbook (d20 System)
Designed several new magic items for use with evil NPCs in fantasy d20 games.
Works in Print from Pagan
Publishing
Godlike
Designed a complete adaptation of Godlike’s core superhero rules to the d20 system using the OGL. New rules allowed for customizable skills and feats, non-level based advancement, incremental improvement of skills and feats, and customizable levels of play from comic book superheroes to gritty, lethal realism.
Works in Print from White Wolf
Hunter Book: Judge (Hunter: The Reckoning)
Contributed fiction totaling 19,000 words.
Hunter Player’s Guide (Hunter: The Reckoning)
Wrote optional rules and background information totaling 15,000 words.
Hunter Storyteller’s Handbook (Hunter: The Reckoning)
Designed a large selection of monster antagonists.
The Nocturnal (Hunter: The Reckoning)
Wrote in-character game fiction totalling 20,000 words.
Midnight Siege (Vampire: The Masquerade)
Contributed 10,000 words of background and rules.
The Gilded Cage (Vampire: The Masquerade)
Contributed 20,000 words of background information.
Fiction
Thief-Trap (http://www.dragonscroll.com/thescroll/July99/mearls1.html)
Sold a fantasy story to the Dragonscroll magazine of fantasy and science fiction. If the URL does not work, contact me for a copy of the story.
Projects that Never Were
As a reward for scrolling to the end, here's some projects that never were that I can talk about.
Call of Cthulhu d20 Licensed Game Line: A complete game line that I was to serve as developer and primary designer - most likely sole writer, given that I can write a ton and I'm insanely picky about who I'd hire. We had plans for an Antarctic sourcebook, a Miskatonic University book that didn't suck, and more.
Thieves' World Style Game: A swashbuckling RPG set in a fantasy city. Players would be assassins, drug smugglers, and all other sorts of low life. Had a pretty cool combat system.
The Eunuch Game: Immortal lich conquers the world, gets bored, so he sends his eunuch underlings on stupid, pointless quests to keep him entertained. Paranoia meets D&D.
Rough Guide to the Occult Underground: A big book of stuff for Unknown Armies. I had to drop out when I had too much d20 work and too much real work at my day job to handle it.
A Dungeon Board Game: First foray into pro game design, ran away when the publisher explained he didn't need to work with contracts.
Quintessential Barbarian: I wanted to do this one after rogue, but I had other offers come up.
Mirkwood (Lord of the Rings): I was really hot to give Mirkwood the same exact treatment as Moria – a big boxed set with lots of maps, generic systems for adventuring there, and a few cool sites combined with a big 'ole toolbox for campaign design and a race book for Wood Elves. Alas, it was not to be. This would've kicked some serious ass.
There are three games that I could talk about here – Seize Them!, Zero Trigger, and The Werewolf Game (that's an informal name), but I think that someday they'll see life in some form. The ones above are pretty much dead as doornails, though the Eunuch Game might eventually see life in some form or another.