Sources and influences on the development of Dungeons & Dragons

Sources and influences on the development of Dungeons & Dragons include fantasy fiction, mythology, and wargaming rules among others.

The immediate predecessor of "Dungeons & Dragons" was a set of medieval miniature rules written by Jeff Perren. These were expanded by Gary Gygax, whose additions included a fantasy supplement, before the game was published as Chainmail. Dave Arneson used Chainmail to run games where players controlled a single character instead of an army, an innovation that inspired D&D.cite web
last =
first =
authorlink =
coauthors =
title =Gary Gygax Interview
work =
publisher =Game Banshee
date =
url =http://www.gamebanshee.com/interviews/garygygax1.php
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accessdate = 2007-03-01 ]

Many "Dungeons & Dragons" elements also appear in hobbies of the mid- to late twentieth century (though these elements also existed previously). Character-based role playing, for example, can be seen in historical reenactment and improvisational theatre. Game-world simulations were well-developed in wargaming. Fantasy milieus specifically designed for gaming could be seen in Glorantha's board games among others. Ultimately, however, "Dungeons & Dragons" represents a unique blending of these elements.

The theme of D&D was influenced by mythology, pulp fiction, and contemporary fantasy authors of the 1960s and 1970s. The presence of halflings, elves, dwarves, half-elves, orcs, dragons and the like often draw comparisons to the work of J. R. R. Tolkien. Gygax maintained that he was influenced very little by "The Lord of the Rings" (although the owners of that work's copyright forced the name change of hobbit to halfling), stating that he included these elements as a marketing move to draw on the popularity of the work [cite journal
last =Kuntz
first =Rob
authorlink =Robert J. Kuntz
coauthors =
title = Tolkien in Dungeons & Dragons
journal = The Dragon #13
volume =Vol. II
issue =No. 7
pages =8
publisher =TSR Hobbies, Inc.
date = April 1978
url =
doi =
id =
accessdate = ] (Gygax 1985)]

Other influences include the works of Robert E. Howard, Edgar Rice Burroughs, A. Merritt, H. P. Lovecraft, Fritz Leiber, L. Sprague de Camp, Fletcher Pratt, Roger Zelazny, and Michael Moorcock. [According to the original Dungeon Masters Guide "Appendix N: Inspirational and Educational Reading" the first seven listed here are the "most immediate influences." cite book
last =Gygax
first =Gary
authorlink =
coauthors =
title =Dungeon Masters Guide
publisher =TSR, Inc.
date =1979
pages=224
isbn = 0-935696-02-4 ] Monsters, spells, and magic items used in the game have been inspired by hundreds of individual works ranging from A. E. van Vogt's "The Destroyer" (the Displacer Beast), Lewis Carroll's "Jabberwocky" (Vorpal sword) to the Book of Genesis (the clerical spell "Blade Barrier" was inspired by the "flaming sword which turned every way" at the gates of Eden). [cite web
last =DeVarque
first =Aardy R.
authorlink =
coauthors =
title =Literary Sources of D&D
work =
publisher =
date =
url =http://www.geocities.com/rgfdfaq/sources.html
format =
doi =
accessdate = 2007-02-21 ]

One of the games designers, Gary Gygax, has specifically listed influences including Jack Vance, Robert E. Howard, L. Sprague de Camp, and Fletcher Pratt, Fritz Leiber, Poul Anderson, A. Merritt, and H. P. Lovecraft. Less significant influences were Roger Zelazny, Edgar Rice Burroughs, Michael Moorcock, Philip José Farmer. ["A careful examination of the games will quickly reveal that the major influences are Robert E. Howard, L. Sprague de Camp and Fletcher Pratt, Fritz Leiber, Poul Anderson, A. Merritt, and H. P. Lovecraft. Only slightly lesser influence came from Roger Zelazny, E. R. Burroughs, Michael Moorcock, Philip Jose Farmer, and many others." (Gygax 1985)] A number of elements were drawn from the fantasy work of J. R. R. Tolkien, although Gary Gygax claims the influence is primarily superficial. ["The seeming parallels and inspirations are actually the results of a studied effort to capitalize on the then-current "craze" for Tolkien's literature. Frankly, to attract those readers - and often at the urging of persons who were playing prototypical forms of D&D games - I used certain names and attributes in a superficial manner, merely to get their attention!" (Gygax 1985)]

Classes

Assassin

The assassin appeared as a base class in 1st Edition AD&D and as a prestige class in 3rd Edition. They were loosely based on stereotypes of real-world assassins, and on the Islamic assassins that originated during the Crusades.

Barbarian

The barbarian appeared as a class in AD&D's Unearthed Arcana. The class was obviously heavily inspired by Howard's Conan the Barbarian, whom Gygax professed to being a fan of since 1950. [cite journal
last = Gygax
first = Gary
authorlink = Gary Gygax
coauthors =
title = A couple of fantastic flops
journal = Dragon #63
volume = Viii
issue = 1
pages = 72
publisher = TSR Hobbies, Inc.
location =
date = July 1982
url =
format =
issn =
accessdate = 2008-06-07 ] As Conan was often deeply suspicious of magic, this barbarian was limited in its ability to use magical items until higher levels. This class was a great leaper and an able climber, like Conan. The D&D 3.5 version retains some similarities, but eliminated the disdain for magic. A less psychotic version of a berserker's fury was incorporated as the "rage" ability (previously, berserkers had been NPCs or monsters) for barbarians. The new barbarian remains close to its archetypal founder, however, possessing a "trap sense" and "uncanny dodge" abilities similar to Conan's keen eye for trouble.

Bard

The bard made its earliest appearance in The Strategic Review #6 (February 1976), predating AD&D. It was inspired by stories of the Celtic bard, a musician and keeper of ritual lore, related to the druidic traditionFact|date=August 2007. The original bard was a dual-classed fighter/thief/druid. Later editions diverged from this inspiration, making the bard a sort of scoundrel, minstrel, and enchanter with a knowledge of legends.

Cleric

The cleric is largely inspired by folklore of the medieval cleric of Templar. ["The AD&D game models its cleric after the medieval fighter-cleric, à la Templar or Hospitlar." Citation| last = Lakofka | first = Lenard | year = 1982 | date = 1982-12 | title = Leomund's Tiny Hunt: The cloistered cleric | periodical = Dragon | publisher = TSR, Inc | publication-date = 1982-12 | volume = VII:7 | issue = 68 | pages = 30 ] Like the Templars described in White's "The Once and Future King", clerics in D&D were forbidden edged weapons by religious vows. Their spellcasting abilities parallel the miracles of saints, but bear little resemblance to the folklore of the fighting priest. AD&D 2nd edition introduced the concept of speciality priests, of which the druid is an example, who had different spell capabilities and different weapon choices. Clerics, in 3.5, are drawn to maces and staves primarily by a lack of proficiency with martial weapons, and to a lesser degree by a deity's favored weapon. The warhammer, typically presented as a small sledge, rather than the historical pick-like weapon, is another iconic cleric weapon, wielded by dwarven clerics in 3.5, with more than passing resemblances to the hammer of Thor.

Druid

Although inspired by lore of Celtic priests in pre-Roman times,Fact|date=August 2007 druids in Dungeons & Dragons bear little resemblance to their historical counterparts. A druid, in D&D, is a divine caster who reveres nature. They possess special supernatural powers, and do not wear metal armor.

Fighter

The fighter (or fighting man as he was originally called) is a very generic term used to describe all kinds of historical, mythological and fantastical warriors, mecenaries, knights and bandits.

Monk

The monk is based on the Asian martial arts tradition, particularly wuxia and appearances of kung fu, karate, and ninjitsu in the later part of the 20th century in the USFact|date=August 2007. Many of their abilities are those ascribed to sifus and Zen masters.

Paladin

The paladin, named for Charlemagne's pious champions, is inspired by legends of chivalry and piety, particularly those of the European RenaissanceFact|date=August 2007.

Ranger

Largely inspired by the character of Aragorn in "The Lord of the Rings". Notably, in 1st edition AD&D the Ranger class was exceptionally proficient with crystal balls, a trait derived from Aragorn's ancestral right to the "palantíri". Later versions of the class diverged radically from its origins, reimagining the class as a Druidic-themed warrior with a mystical connection to nature and animal empathy abilities.

Rogue

Although the daring rogue, thief or trickster character is a staple of human legends, the D&D rogue and his ancestors a special debt to Bilbo Baggins and Grey Mouser, Fritz Leiber's swashbuckling rogue.Fact|date=August 2007

orcerer

Although the sorcerer was primarily introduced as a substitute spellcaster for those that did not like the wizard magic system, the legends of magic-users born with inborn magic can be traced back to stereotypes as Merlin (except that he had demon blood, rather than dragon blood).

Wizard

Wizards memorize their spells, then forget them when cast in the fashion of magicians from Jack Vance's "Dying Earth" series of novels. ["The four cardinal types of magic are ... the relatively short spoken spell (asin Finnish mythology or as found in the superb fantasy of Jack Vance)....The basic assumption, then, was that D & D magic worked on a 'Vancian'system and if used correctly would be a highly powerful and effective force."cite journal
last = Gygax
first = Gary
authorlink =Gary Gygax
coauthors =
title = The Dungeons and Dragons Magic System
journal = The Strategic Review
volume =II
issue =2
pages =3
publisher =TSR Hobbies, Inc.
date = April 1976
url =
doi =
id =
accessdate = ]

Races

Dwarves

Dwarves come from Scandinavian and Teutonic mythology ["Dwarves, on the other hand, are well known in Teutonic and Scandinavian myths; here, the Professor and I build upon the same foundation." (Gygax 1985)] with some inspiration from "The Lord of the Rings", although modified in translation. Tolkien's dwarves were already less sorcerous and fey than their legendary Anglo-Saxon forebears. D&D dwarves derive their greed, stubbornness, and martial character essentially from the company of dwarves who hire Bilbo in "The Hobbit" to serve as an "expert treasure hunter."Fact|date=August 2007

Elves

Elves in Dungeons & Dragons derive mainly from the works of Tolkien, with their long lives, affinity for wild places, ancient magic, grace, benevolence, dreamless sleep, and humanoid appearanceFact|date=August 2007. Like Tolkien's elves, the Second Edition of Dungeons & Dragons had elves who did not die of old age, instead they migrated to another land, similar to the way Tolkien's elves all eventually felt the urge for the Undying Land. [ "Upon attaining this age, an elf does not die. Rather he feels compelled to migrate to some mysterious, other land, departing the world of men." cite book |last=Cook |first=David |authorlink=David "Zeb" Cook |editor=Mike Breault |title=Advanced Dungeons & Dragons: 2nd Edition: Player's Handbook |origdate= |origyear=1989 |publisher=TSR, Inc. |isbn=0-88038-716-5 |pages=24 |chapter= Player Character Races |quote= ] Gary Gygax claims D&D elves draw very little from Tolkien. ["Tolkien had them taller, more intelligent, more beautiful, and older than humans; in fact, he made them quite similar to the fair-folk, the fairies. The elves of the AD&D® game system borrow two names (gray and wood) from the Professor's writings, and that is nearly all. They are shorter than humans, and not generally as powerful." (Gygax 1985)] Elves in "D&D" are immune to paralysis as a holdover from a game balance adjustment in "Chainmail"."Ever wonder why elves are immune to paralysis? As far as we can figure out, that immunity came from a game-balance issue in the original Chainmail rules, which mostly covered medieval warfare (with a fantasy supplement that spawned the game we all play today). Masses of low-cost undead troops were beating up high-cost elf troops, so the 'elves are immune to paralysis' emerged as a balancing factor." (Noonan 2007, "Birth of a Rule)]

Gnomes

Gnomes come from all kinds of mythology. They were traditionally a small and plump race of jolly men who had beards and pointed caps. The early editions of D&D reflected this stereotype, but later versions began using a variant of gnome that was slightly taller and thinner, with slanted eyes and a talent for machinery.

Halflings

In earlier editions of D&D, Halfings are strongly inspired by Tolkien's hobbits (even referred to by that word frequently), being diminutive, chubby, furry-footed home-bodies with a penchant for dwelling in hollowed out hillsides and a racial talent for burglary. [ Though some sources claim that "'Hobbit' had some precendent as a folkword borrowed from legends, Tolkien personified and developed these diminutive stalwarts extensively. They, and the name, are virtually unique to his works, and the halflings of both game systems draw substantial inspiration from them." (Gygax 1985)] TSR stopped using the word "Hobbit" after the threat of a lawsuit from holders of Tolkien's intellectual rights. They were ever after referred to as "Halflings" (a word Tolkien also used for hobbits, but which is not trademarked) though they remained otherwise as described before. Upon the release of the third edition of D&D, Halflings were significantly reimagined, becoming sleek tricksters incorporated some elements of the Dragonlance series' kender and colorful stereotypes of Gypsies.

Half-Orcs

Loosely based on Tolkien's works which described a cross-breed race of Men that had orcish blood.

Half-Elves

Although half-elves in D&D are a large group, in classic mythology and in Tolkien there were only a small group of them.

Creatures

Beholder

The Beholder was conceived of by Terry Kuntz, the brother of early D&D designer Robert J. Kuntz. [http://ridureyu.tripod.com/ggygax.html]

Centaur

The centaur comes from Greek mythology.

Chimera

The chimera comes from Greek mythology. The original could spit or glance with lightning or poison. The D&D version, having a dragon head, could breath fire. The third edition version could have the head of any chromatic dragon; a blue dragon chimera would spit lightning, like a classic chimera.

Djinn

The djinn comes from Arabic folklore. In D&D it is a type of genie.

Dryad

A dryad is a demigod in Greek myth, a type of goddess or nymph associated with nature.

Efreet

The efreet, a type of genie in D&D, comes from Arabic folklore. They live in a City of Brass.

Ettin

An ettin is a species of giant in English and Irish folklore.

Golem

The word golem comes from Jewish folklore, and refers to a man of clay, named Joseph, created by a community as a protector.

Hobgoblin

In legend, a hobgoblin is a type of sprite or brownie. In D&D, it is a larger, particularly violent variety of goblin. Tolkien had used the term 'hobgoblin' for a large sort of goblin in "The Hobbit", but later realized that in folklore hobgoblins were actually the smaller sort.

Medusa

The medusa is named after a creature in Greek mythology with the same appearance and powers.

Mind Flayer

Mind flayers are original to D&D. They were inspired by the cover of Brian Lumley's novel "The Burrowers Beneath". ["The mind flayer I made up out of whole cloth using my imagination, but inspired by the cover of Brian Lumley's novel in paperback edition, The Burrowers Beneath."cite web
url = http://enworld.cyberstreet.com/showpost.php?s=2747b9e3683e019185853480151270ce&p=1991676&postcount=126
title = Gary Gygax Q&A: part VII
accessdate = 2007-02-27
date = 2005-02-1
last = Gygax (posting as "Col_Pladoh")
first = Gary
authorlink = Gary Gygax
language = English]

Minotaur

The minotaur appears as a unique creature in Greek mythology.

Nymph

Nymphs come from Greek myth, in which they exhibit their blinding beauty.

Orc

Orcs come from Tolkien's "The Lord of the Rings" ["'Orc' (from Orcus) is another term for an ogre or ogre-like creature. Being useful fodder for the ranks of bad guys, monsters similar to Tolkien's orcs are also in both games." (Gygax 1985)] where they are described as bestial, brutal, and evil humanoids. The term orc, before Tolkien, meant a monster, possibly an ogre, but usually referred to a type of sea monster.

imurgh

The simurgh is a creature of Persian mythology.

Tarrasque

The Tarasque (note different spelling) was a legendary monster in the French region of Tarascon. According to tradition, the monster was tamed by St. Martha.

Treant

Treants are based on Ents from Tolkien's work. ["'Ent' is interesting; Tolkien took the name from an old Anglo-Saxon word for 'giant,' and his treatment of them as sentient trees is inspired. This sort of creature appears in both game systems." (Gygax 1985)] They were renamed after the same lawsuit from the Tolkien estate that prompted the switch from "hobbit" to "halfling", among other changes.

Troll

Trolls come from Northern European folklore. The D&D version was inspired by a regenerating troll that appear in Poul Anderson's "Three Hearts and Three Lions". ["Trolls, however, are not identified well by the Professor; these game monsters are taken from myth, influenced somewhat by Poul Anderson." (Gygax 1985)] Additionally, the novel "Stormbringer" has been cited as an influence.Fact|date=February 2007

Vampire

Although vampires appear in ancient Greek and medieval myth, D&D vampires owe their ancestry to Hollywood renditions of DraculaFact|date=August 2007. Silver is a weakness of cinematic vampires.

Wight

The wight is a deadly undead creature inspired by the barrow-wights in "The Lord of the Rings"Fact|date=August 2007.

Wyvern

The wyvern appears as a heraldic figure.

Magic Items

Ioun Stones

Ioun stones come from the "Dying Earth" tales of Jack Vance, with little alteration. ["The idea and name for the "ioun stone" originally appeared in a series of books written by Jack Vance. Collectively, these works are referred to as the Dying Earth novels. They include: "The Dying Earth", "Eyes of the Overworld", "Cugel’s Saga", and "Rhialto the Marvelous"." Citation
last = Hargenrader
first = Matthew P.
year = 1991
date = 1991-10
title = Bazaar of the Bizarre: Ioun stones: Where do you go if you want some more?
periodical = Dragon Magazine
publisher = TSR, Inc
publication-date = 1991-10
issue = 174
pages = 90 ]

Miscellaneous

Alignment

D&D alignment draws from several sources. The Law-Chaos axis comes from the stories of Michael Moorcock, particularly his Eternal Champion stories, and is echoed in other sourcesFact|date=August 2007. Alternatively the Law-Chaos axis may be derived from the novel "Three Hearts and Three Lions" by Poul Anderson.Fact|date=February 2007

AD&D added the Good-Evil axis, emulating Christian dualistic ideasFact|date=August 2007.

Mithral

A lightweight, shiny metal inspired by Tolkien's mithrilFact|date=August 2007.

Prismatic Spray

The "prismatic spray" comes from Vance's "Mazarian the Magician", which features the Excellent Prismatic SprayFact|date=August 2007.

Cursed weapons

Character in D&D that acquire cursed weapons don't want to be rid of them. This was drawn from the "One Ring" in Tolkien's "The Lord of the Rings" novel and Stormbringer from Michael Moorcock's novels of Elric. ["The salient feature of D&D's cursed weapons, that you don't want to get rid of them even after you know about the curse, comes straight from Tolkien's One Ring and Moorcock's Stormbringer." (Noonan 2007 "Birth of a Rule")]

Notes

References

* Citation
last=Gygax
first=Gary
author-link=Gary Gygax
year=1985
date=March 1985
title=On the influence of J.R.R. Tolkien on the D&D and AD&D games
periodical=The Dragon
issue=95
pages=12–13
*cite web
url = http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/4ex/20071009a
title = Birth of a Rule
accessdate = 2007-10-09
date = 2007-10-09
last = Noonan
first = David
coauthors = David Noonan
publisher = Wizards of the Coast
language = English
archiveurl = http://www.webcitation.org/5STIwVMiT
archivedate =2007-10-09