One of the First Dungeons and Dragons Developers Has Died

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Tim Kask, a well-known editor, teacher, and a pioneer in the world of Dungeons & Dragons, has died at the age of 76. He was famous for his work as the editor of Dragon Magazine and for being the very first employee of TSR, the company that created Dungeons & Dragons. He will be greatly missed by the tabletop role-playing game community.

The original Dungeons & Dragons game came out in 1974, published by a company called Tactical Studies Rules, which later became known as TSR. TSR was started by Gary Gygax and created not only the first version of the game, but also Advanced Dungeons & Dragons. They oversaw the development of this popular tabletop roleplaying game until 1997, when Wizards of the Coast bought the company.

Dungeons and Dragons Editor Tim Kask Dies at Age 76

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Tim Kask, a key figure in the creation of Dungeons & Dragons, has passed away. He died on December 30th at the age of 76, following a brief illness, and was surrounded by loved ones. Kask was a lifelong gamer and played a significant role in developing the popular game.

Game Rant | Source Images: TSR

Leon Kask joined TSR as its first full-time employee in 1975, starting as an editor for Dungeons & Dragons at the request of Gary Gygax. He played a key role in developing the early editions of the game, editing and contributing to many of the original supplements like Blackmoor, Eldritch Wizardry, Gods, Demi-Gods, & Heroes, and Swords & Spells. Beyond editing, Kask also hired important developers, including assistant editor Kim Mohan, and famously approved the creation of The Dungeoneer magazine, one of the first fan-created publications for D&D.

Following some letters about the wargame Chainmail, Gygax invited Kask to Gen Con. There, Kask became one of the very first people, outside of Gygax’s family, to try out Dungeons & Dragons, which was originally called “The Fantasy Game.”

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Kask is particularly remembered for his work with TSR Periodicals. He edited The Strategic Review magazine, and later developed it into two separate publications: Dragon Magazine, which focused on Dungeons & Dragons, and Little Wars, which covered miniatures and board games. He also worked on a variety of other games, including the historical board game William the Conqueror, 1066.

Tim Kask’s Departure from Dungeons and Dragons

In 1980, Tim Kask left TSR due to creative differences regarding the development of Advanced Dungeons & Dragons, the version recently made popular by the show Stranger Things. He said problems began with the publication of AD&D, specifically The Player’s Handbook. Kask wanted Dungeons & Dragons to remain a flexible game with loose rules, and this change in direction ultimately led to his decision to resign.

Game Rant | Source Images: TSR

After leaving TSR, Kask continued to work in gaming, revitalizing the Naval War card game for Avalon Hill and launching a magazine called Adventure Gaming. However, an economic downturn led him to change careers. He then worked as a freelance editor and writer, and later earned a master’s degree in education in 2002.

Fortunately, Kask remained active in the gaming world after leaving TSR. Starting in 2006, he regularly appeared at Gen Con as a celebrity auctioneer and special guest alongside Frank Mentzer. He also wrote articles for Jim Ward’s The Crusader magazine and, in 2010, co-founded Eldritch Enterprises with former TSR colleagues to continue creating tabletop role-playing game content. From 2012 to 2016, Kask contributed to Gygax Magazine, working with Gary Gygax’s sons, Ernie and Luke, until the magazine stopped publishing due to a trademark disagreement with Gary’s widow, Gail Gygax.

Even though Dungeons & Dragons has gone through several updates since Tim Kask’s involvement, his influence is still apparent in the game today. Dragon Magazine, which he helped shape, continued publication until 2014, releasing a total of 430 issues. Furthermore, Kask’s original Dungeons & Dragons character, an artificer named Kwalish, lives on in modern D&D as both the Apparatus of Kwalish – a unique submarine shaped like a crustacean – and The Lost Laboratory of Kwalish, an official mini-adventure for the 5th Edition. It’s clear that Tim Kask played a vital role in making Dungeons & Dragons what it is today.

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2026-01-01 01:04