Gamma World’s evocative cover art of 4 explorers crossing alien terrain, spotting the jagged remnants of ruined skyscrapers of an Ancient city. From the beginning, the original Gamma World grabs you, and doesn’t let go.
Gamma World 1st edition [BOX SET]
1978, 1981 … James M. Ward & Gary Jaquet … TSR 3002 … ISBN 0394518799
Gamma World 1st edition detailed at my reference site – I go into the three printings of 1e, plus the subsequent editions, and the adventure modules.
Gamma World items available in the shop
Noble Knight | DriveThruRPG (PDF / Reprint)
Old school Gamma World is highly collectible, and expensive. If you’re just looking to play and enjoy, DTRPG has you covered at $16 for a print copy.
The Rulebook
Cover and title page art by the legendary David A. Trampier.
The rules immediately set the game apart from the typical fantasy RPGs of the time: Mutations and Technology. And these areas are richly detailed. Though characters begin play without technology, the unspoken assumption is that the PCs would quickly acquire ancient artifacts.
Though Humanoids and Mutated Animals start out with the physical and mental powers to survive in a dangerous environment, Pure Strain Humans can only rely on anemic primitive weapons, and the promise of great things in the future if they survive, since they are most able to utilize ancient artifacts. (This reminds me of AD&D magic users: Start out weak, but amass power as they gain levels.)
The rules and background, even if a bit thin by modern standards, are enough to play. The setting is so rich and exotic, it would take a pretty dull referee to not be able to use this set as a launchboard for their own imagination.
The Map
The large hex map in the original GW set, with its not-quite-familiar continental outlines, has never been matched in its simple beauty in any of the later editions of Gamma World. Depicting oceans, lakes, mountains, and ancient cities (some underwater!) – yet no labels – the map practically begs the referee to puzzle out what the cities are, and to fill in their own details.
See also: A Gamma World map colored by a prior owner. Very cool.
1st Printing set, with the original early TSR Low Impact dice
See also:
My other favorite edition of GW:
My other other favorite edition of GW:
So many great memories!
Folks who want city names or color on their map (but don’t want to mess with the original) can download a replica from my site here:
http://www.mad-irishman.net/pub_gammaworld.html
Great resource! Downloaded the map. Yeah the cities in Dragon were a bit off, unless Eugene OR got up and moved. ;^)
I have an old box in storage, and I am pretty sure I have like 9 of the 10 first edition modules, and books and maps. Tons of Old call of Cthulhu stuff. I didn’t realize Gamma world was that collectable.
Wonderful! Yeah, many of the classic RPGs are in demand these days. Happy Gaming, -W
Did any dice come with these sets? Was it similar to the old D&D basic set that only had d4, d6, d8, d12 and d20? (no d10)?
Hello. The 1st printing (TSR Lizardman logo) had the original chunky TSR Low Impact dice. (I added a file photo to the bottom of the post.) These were later updated with the smaller TSR dice you’d find the B/X D&D sets. I don’t have an pics of those – Dice are almost never present in GW1 sets. The back of the box photo shows them. Best, -W