Judges Guild
Bob Bledsaw and Bill Owen stood in the office of Tactical Studies Rules on the 17th of July 1976. They had traveled from Decatur, Illinois to Lake Geneva, Wisconsin for a meeting that would change their lives. The two men hoped to convince TSR to publish materials they used in their home Dungeons & Dragons campaigns. Dave Arneson, co-creator of D&D, met with them during this visit. He gave verbal approval for them to produce supplemental game materials known as play aids. This moment marked the beginning of Judges Guild. The company officially incorporated in 1978 after Owen left the partnership. Bledsaw utilized concepts developed in his own home campaign to build the foundation.
The firm employed forty-two people at its peak in the early 1980s. Over two hundred fifty products sat in print during those years. Fans flocked to the company for prolific product lines and unprecedented detail. Such sources were rare at the time when most publishers offered little more than basic rules. Judges Guild became one of the leading publishers of Dungeons & Dragons related materials. Their rapid growth defined an era before industry shifts caused decline. The company produced licensed products for Advanced Dungeons & Dragons, Traveller, Chivalry & Sorcery, DragonQuest, Empire of the Petal Throne, Tunnels and Trolls, RuneQuest, Superhero 2044 and Villains and Vigilantes. Three RPG magazines also emerged from their press: The Judges Guild Journal, The Dungeoneer and Pegasus.
City State of the Invincible Overlord stood apart as the first published RPG supplement with a fully developed city environment. This flagship product launched a wave of ancillary cities, maps, and other materials. Tegel Manor and Judge's Shield followed closely behind these initial releases. A foldout three-page heavy stock compilation of monsters and rules became known as Judge's Shield. That term later became standard for all subsequent similar products industry-wide. The original City-State maps and book remained among the most popular items ever sold. These works demonstrated how a single location could anchor an entire campaign setting. Other companies soon attempted to replicate this level of detail in their own offerings.
Production values stagnated while the roleplaying games industry moved toward professional typesetting and full color art. Judges Guild was slow to adopt slick hardcovered material or modern design standards. Their fantasy RPG products remained stuck in a 1970s dungeoneering paradigm filled with puns and dungeon gauntlets. Newer companies published more integrated products favoring growing realism movements instead. The license to publish Advanced Dungeons & Dragons materials lapsed in 1982. City-State of Tarantis appeared in 1983 but received little notice from buyers. By 1985 the firm had gone on hiatus. Gamescience reprinted some adventures while Mayfair Games obtained a contract to produce a repackaged version of City State of the Invincible Overlord in 1987.
Judges Guild returned in 1999 selling revised copies of City State of the Invincible Overlord. They reintroduced Pegasus magazine for two issues numbered fourteen and fifteen. A Revised Treasury of Archaic Names and an edited version of Dark Tower also emerged during this period. The company produced products compatible with the d20 System alongside classic original items. Necromancer Games partnered with Bledsaw in 2002 to release revised editions of multiple titles including Player's Guide to the Wilderlands. Adventure Games Publishing received a license in 2006 to create Wilderlands of High Adventure using Castles & Crusades rules. Goodman Games and Eostros Games released updated versions of Thieves of Fortress Badabaskor, Citadel of Fire and Dark Tower in 2007.
Founder Bob Bledsaw died of cancer in 2008 after decades of work. His son Bob Bledsaw II inherited the company following his father's passing. Lost Man's Trail appeared in 2011 as the first original product in over twenty-five years. This manuscript represented the final work elder Bob Bledsaw completed before his death. Deluxe hardback editions of original products joined the catalog in 2014 through a partnership with Goodman Games. These releases included accompanying pages from The Judges Guild Journal. The brand continues to honor its history while introducing new generations to its legacy.
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Common questions
When did Bob Bledsaw and Bill Owen meet with TSR to start Judges Guild?
Bob Bledsaw and Bill Owen met with Tactical Studies Rules on the 17th of July 1976. This meeting marked the beginning of Judges Guild after Dave Arneson gave verbal approval for them to produce supplemental game materials.
What was the peak employment number for Judges Guild in the early 1980s?
The firm employed forty-two people at its peak in the early 1980s. Over two hundred fifty products sat in print during those years while fans flocked to the company for prolific product lines.
Which product became known as Judge's Shield and what does it contain?
A foldout three-page heavy stock compilation of monsters and rules became known as Judge's Shield. That term later became standard for all subsequent similar products industry-wide.
Why did Judges Guild go on hiatus by 1985?
Production values stagnated while the roleplaying games industry moved toward professional typesetting and full color art. The license to publish Advanced Dungeons & Dragons materials lapsed in 1982 and City-State of Tarantis received little notice from buyers.
Who inherited Judges Guild after Bob Bledsaw died in 2008?
His son Bob Bledsaw II inherited the company following his father's passing. Lost Man's Trail appeared in 2011 as the first original product in over twenty-five years.