James Wyatt (game designer)
Encyclopedia
James Wyatt is a game designer and a former United Methodist
minister. He works for Wizards of the Coast
, where he has designed several award-winning supplements and adventures for the Dungeons & Dragons
roleplaying game. He is the author of several sci-fi and fantasy novels, including a few Forgotten Realms
books, and the 4th edition Dungeon Masters Guide.
, graduating in 1986. He had been playing role-playing games since the late 1970s, beginning with the first Basic D&D
set: "I remember pretending to be a wizard in my backyard before I picked up the basic set... I used the monster statistics in the D&D books to give us wizards something to fight in our primitive backyard live-action roleplaying game." After high-school he attended Oberlin
in Ohio as a religion major and graduated in 1990. He went on to receive a Master of Divinity
from Union Theological Seminary
in New York City, in 1993. He married soon after to Amy. In 1994 Wyatt began his working career as the minister of two small United Methodist churches in southeastern Ohio
.
While working as a minister Wyatt began writing in his spare time for Dragon
magazine, starting with material for TSR
's Masque of the Red Death setting. By 1996, Wyatt decided to change his career path: "While I was in the ministry, I started submitting adventures to Dungeon
magazine... I found that my D&D work was a source of freedom and energy when ministry was more life-draining for me. When I started getting adventures and articles accepted, it was so exciting that it became clear that D&D would never again be just a hobby for me." The same year he moved to Wisconsin
in hopes of getting a full-time job at TSR, which did not immediately work out, but he kept writing material as a freelance author. Wyatt produced work for roleplaying games such as West End
's Hercules and Xena, although he felt that "D&D has always been my one true love in the gaming world... despite junior high flings with other game systems." He continued to have material published in Dragon and Dungeon.
In 1998 he moved to Berkley California, and in 2000 to the Seattle/Tacoma area of Washington state. Wizards of the Coast
ultimately hired him in January 2000 to work on the D&D game full-time; his first assignment was Monstrous Compendium: Monsters of Faerûn
, of which he wrote two-thirds. His other early works for Wizards of the Coast included The Speaker in Dreams (a core adventure on the original Adventure Path
, following The Sunless Citadel
and The Forge of Fury
), Defenders of the Faith
, the monsters chapter in the Forgotten Realms Campaign Setting
, and numerous articles in Dragon and Dungeon.
s in 2003 for City of the Spider Queen
and in 2005 for the Eberron
Campaign Setting, which he co-authored with Bill Slavicsek
and Keith Baker. His other notable works include Oriental Adventures
(for which he won an ENnie Award in 2002), Draconomicon
, the Draconic Prophecies
series, and Magic of Incarnum
.
United Methodist Church
The United Methodist Church is a Methodist Christian denomination which is both mainline Protestant and evangelical. Founded in 1968 by the union of The Methodist Church and the Evangelical United Brethren Church, the UMC traces its roots back to the revival movement of John and Charles Wesley...
minister. He works for Wizards of the Coast
Wizards of the Coast
Wizards of the Coast is an American publisher of games, primarily based on fantasy and science fiction themes, and formerly an operator of retail stores for games...
, where he has designed several award-winning supplements and adventures for the Dungeons & Dragons
Dungeons & Dragons
Dungeons & Dragons is a fantasy role-playing game originally designed by Gary Gygax and Dave Arneson, and first published in 1974 by Tactical Studies Rules, Inc. . The game has been published by Wizards of the Coast since 1997...
roleplaying game. He is the author of several sci-fi and fantasy novels, including a few Forgotten Realms
Forgotten Realms
The Forgotten Realms is a campaign setting for the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game. Commonly referred to by players and game designers alike as "The Realms", it was created by game designer Ed Greenwood around 1967 as a setting for his childhood stories...
books, and the 4th edition Dungeon Masters Guide.
Biography
Wyatt grew up in Ithaca, NY where he attended Ithaca High SchoolIthaca High School (Ithaca, New York)
Ithaca High School is a public high school in Ithaca, New York. It is part of the Ithaca City School District, and has an enrollment of approximately 1,675. Jarett Powers has been principal since 2011.-About:...
, graduating in 1986. He had been playing role-playing games since the late 1970s, beginning with the first Basic D&D
Dungeons & Dragons Basic Set
The original Dungeons & Dragons Basic Set boxed set was first published by TSR, Inc. in 1977, and comprised a separate edition of the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game, distinct from the first edition of the Advanced Dungeons & Dragons game, which was initially published in the same...
set: "I remember pretending to be a wizard in my backyard before I picked up the basic set... I used the monster statistics in the D&D books to give us wizards something to fight in our primitive backyard live-action roleplaying game." After high-school he attended Oberlin
Oberlin College
Oberlin College is a private liberal arts college in Oberlin, Ohio, noteworthy for having been the first American institution of higher learning to regularly admit female and black students. Connected to the college is the Oberlin Conservatory of Music, the oldest continuously operating...
in Ohio as a religion major and graduated in 1990. He went on to receive a Master of Divinity
Master of Divinity
In the academic study of theology, the Master of Divinity is the first professional degree of the pastoral profession in North America...
from Union Theological Seminary
Union Theological Seminary in the City of New York
Union Theological Seminary in the City of New York is a preeminent independent graduate school of theology, located in Manhattan between Claremont Avenue and Broadway, 120th to 122nd Streets. The seminary was founded in 1836 under the Presbyterian Church, and is affiliated with nearby Columbia...
in New York City, in 1993. He married soon after to Amy. In 1994 Wyatt began his working career as the minister of two small United Methodist churches in southeastern Ohio
Ohio
Ohio is a Midwestern state in the United States. The 34th largest state by area in the U.S.,it is the 7th‑most populous with over 11.5 million residents, containing several major American cities and seven metropolitan areas with populations of 500,000 or more.The state's capital is Columbus...
.
While working as a minister Wyatt began writing in his spare time for Dragon
Dragon (magazine)
Dragon is one of the two official magazines for source material for the Dungeons & Dragons role-playing game and associated products, the other being Dungeon. TSR, Inc. originally launched the monthly printed magazine in 1976 to succeed the company's earlier publication, The Strategic Review. The...
magazine, starting with material for TSR
TSR, Inc.
Blume and Gygax, the remaining owners, incorporated a new company called TSR Hobbies, Inc., with Blume and his father, Melvin Blume, owning the larger share. The former assets of the partnership were transferred to TSR Hobbies, Inc....
's Masque of the Red Death setting. By 1996, Wyatt decided to change his career path: "While I was in the ministry, I started submitting adventures to Dungeon
Dungeon (magazine)
Dungeon Adventures, or simply Dungeon, was a magazine targeting consumers of role-playing games, particularly Dungeons & Dragons. It was first published by TSR, Inc. in 1986 as a bimonthly periodical. It went monthly in May 2003 and ceased print publication altogether in September 2007 with Issue 150...
magazine... I found that my D&D work was a source of freedom and energy when ministry was more life-draining for me. When I started getting adventures and articles accepted, it was so exciting that it became clear that D&D would never again be just a hobby for me." The same year he moved to Wisconsin
Wisconsin
Wisconsin is a U.S. state located in the north-central United States and is part of the Midwest. It is bordered by Minnesota to the west, Iowa to the southwest, Illinois to the south, Lake Michigan to the east, Michigan to the northeast, and Lake Superior to the north. Wisconsin's capital is...
in hopes of getting a full-time job at TSR, which did not immediately work out, but he kept writing material as a freelance author. Wyatt produced work for roleplaying games such as West End
West End Games
West End Games was a company that made board, role-playing, and war games. It was founded by Daniel Scott Palter in 1974 in New York, but later moved to Honesdale, Pennsylvania...
's Hercules and Xena, although he felt that "D&D has always been my one true love in the gaming world... despite junior high flings with other game systems." He continued to have material published in Dragon and Dungeon.
In 1998 he moved to Berkley California, and in 2000 to the Seattle/Tacoma area of Washington state. Wizards of the Coast
Wizards of the Coast
Wizards of the Coast is an American publisher of games, primarily based on fantasy and science fiction themes, and formerly an operator of retail stores for games...
ultimately hired him in January 2000 to work on the D&D game full-time; his first assignment was Monstrous Compendium: Monsters of Faerûn
Monsters of Faerûn
Monstrous Compendium: Monsters of Faerûn is a supplement for the 3rd edition of Dungeons & Dragons.-Contents:It features about 150 pages of monsters unique to the Forgotten Realms campaign setting...
, of which he wrote two-thirds. His other early works for Wizards of the Coast included The Speaker in Dreams (a core adventure on the original Adventure Path
Adventure Path
Adventure Paths are serial adventures for the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy roleplaying game. Though originally applied to the series of Third Edition modules beginning with The Sunless Citadel, the phrase has more recently come to apply nearly exclusively to several lengthy series, each consisting of...
, following The Sunless Citadel
The Sunless Citadel
The Sunless Citadel is an adventure module for the 3rd edition of the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game.-Plot summary:This 32-page book begins with a two-page introduction. According to the adventure background provided, the plot involves a fortress that became buried in the earth ages...
and The Forge of Fury
The Forge of Fury
The Forge of Fury is an adventure module for the 3rd edition of the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game.-Plot summary:The Forge of Fury is a dungeon crawl, a site-based adventure describing the stronghold of Khundrukar...
), Defenders of the Faith
Defenders of the Faith (Dungeons & Dragons)
Defenders of the Faith: A Guidebook to Clerics and Paladins is an optional rulebook for the 3rd edition of Dungeons & Dragons, and notable for its trade paperback format.-Contents:...
, the monsters chapter in the Forgotten Realms Campaign Setting
Forgotten Realms Campaign Setting
The Forgotten Realms Campaign Setting is a role-playing game sourcebook first published in 1987, detailing the Forgotten Realms setting, containing information on characters, locations, and history as well as setting-specific rules for use with the Dungeons & Dragons role-playing game...
, and numerous articles in Dragon and Dungeon.
Honors
Wyatt received Origins AwardOrigins Award
The Origins Awards are American awards for outstanding work in the game industry. They are presented by the Academy of Adventure Gaming Arts and Design at the Origins Game Fair on an annual basis for the previous year, so the 1979 awards were given at the 1980 Origins.The Origins Award is commonly...
s in 2003 for City of the Spider Queen
City of the Spider Queen
City of the Spider Queen is an adventure module for the Forgotten Realms campaign setting of the 3rd edition of the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game.-Plot summary:...
and in 2005 for the Eberron
Eberron
Eberron is a campaign setting for the Dungeons & Dragons role-playing game, set in a period after a vast destructive war on the continent of Khorvaire...
Campaign Setting, which he co-authored with Bill Slavicsek
Bill Slavicsek
Bill Slavicsek is a game designer who served as the Director of Roleplaying Design and Development at Wizards of the Coast. He previously worked for West End Games and TSR, Inc., and designed products for Dungeons & Dragons, Star Wars, Alternity, Torg, Paranoia and Ghostbusters.-Biography:Bill...
and Keith Baker. His other notable works include Oriental Adventures
Oriental Adventures
Oriental Adventures is the title shared by two hardback rulebooks published for different versions of the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy roleplaying game...
(for which he won an ENnie Award in 2002), Draconomicon
Draconomicon
The Draconomicon is an optional sourcebook for the Dungeons & Dragons role-playing game, providing supplementary game material focusing on dragons. Different versions of the Draconomicon have been printed for different editions of Dungeons & Dragons...
, the Draconic Prophecies
The Draconic Prophecies (book series)
The Draconic Prophecies is a series of books by James Wyatt and published by Wizards of the Coast. It consists of three books: Storm Dragon, Dragon Forge, and Dragon War....
series, and Magic of Incarnum
Magic of Incarnum
Magic of Incarnum is a supplemental book for the 3.5 edition of the Dungeons & Dragons role-playing game. It was first printed in 2005 to be applied to 3.5 D&D rules.-Contents:...
.