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The History of Original Dungeons & Dragons

DM It All・33 minutes read

Dungeons & Dragons (D&D) was born from Gary Gygax expanding on the fantasy supplement in Chainmail, introducing iconic elements like dragons and wizards. The original D&D release, known as the "white box," contained three classes, with elves and hobbits having unique abilities and limitations, reflecting Gygax's disinterest in Tolkien's work.

Insights

  • The creation of Dungeons & Dragons (D&D) was heavily influenced by the fantasy supplement in Chainmail, which introduced concepts like dragons, trolls, and the alignment system, laying the foundation for D&D's iconic elements like the Paladin class and the concept of leveling up from infantrymen to heroes and superheroes.
  • The development of D&D from its original "white box" release to later supplements like "Greyhawk" and "Blackmoor" expanded class abilities, introduced new spells, races, and classes, and added complexity to the game mechanics, showcasing a continuous evolution in response to player feedback and demand for more diverse gameplay experiences.

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Recent questions

  • What inspired the creation of Dungeons & Dragons?

    Chainmail, Tolkien, and Paul Anderson's works.

  • Who were the co-creators of Dungeons & Dragons?

    Gary Gygax and Dave Arneson.

  • What were the classes included in the original Dungeons & Dragons release?

    Fighting man, magic user, and cleric.

  • How did Dungeons & Dragons incentivize players to explore?

    Acquiring treasure for experience points.

  • What were some of the challenges faced by Dungeon Masters in early Dungeons & Dragons editions?

    Adjudicating illusionist spells and shadow magic.

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Summary

00:00

Origins of Dungeons & Dragons: A Brief History

  • Dungeons & Dragons (D&D) originated in the early 1970s with Gary Gygax and his first game, Chainmail, a miniatures war game.
  • Chainmail, created by Jeff Perren, was expanded upon by Gygax in wargaming newsletters and caught the attention of Guidon Games, an Indiana-based wargaming company.
  • The first edition of Chainmail included a supplement for fantasy settings, inspired by Tolkien and Paul Anderson's works, introducing concepts like dragons and trolls.
  • The fantasy supplement in Chainmail laid the groundwork for D&D, including the alignment system, Paladin class, and the concept of leveling up from infantrymen to heroes and superheroes.
  • The wizard unit in Chainmail introduced many iconic wizard spells that would later be incorporated into D&D, such as haste, protection from evil, polymorph, and anti-magic shell.
  • Dave Arneson, co-creator of D&D, met Gygax in 1969 and collaborated on a naval war game, leading to the development of Blackmoor, D&D's first campaign setting with sci-fi elements.
  • Arneson's Blackmoor campaign introduced the concept of players embodying single units instead of controlling entire armies, setting the stage for role-playing games.
  • Gygax and Arneson collaborated on separate campaigns, with Gygax's Greyhawk based on real-world maps, leading to the official release of D&D in 1974 by TSR.
  • The original D&D release, known as the "white box," contained three booklets with amateurish art and a combat system derived from Chainmail, requiring players to consult the Chainmail booklet for certain rules.
  • The white box included three classes: fighting man, magic user, and cleric, each with distinct abilities and limitations, with non-humans having racial abilities but restricted from reaching max levels in classes.

15:19

"D&D Evolution: Elves, Hobbits, and Gameplay"

  • Elves could dual class as fighting men and magic users, switching between the two classes between adventures and using armor as magic users.
  • Elves could reach fourth level as fighting men and eighth level as magic users, being stronger due to casting spells in armor, spotting secret doors better, having more language options, and being immune to paralysis.
  • Hobbits, on the other hand, were capped at level four as fighting men, with their only advantage being magic resistance.
  • Gary Gygax's disinterest in Tolkien's work was evident in his treatment of hobbits, leading to them being renamed halflings in D&D due to a cease and desist letter from Tolkien's estate in 1976.
  • The player-relevant booklet "Men and Magic" included iconic spells but omitted modern staples, leading to different gameplay experiences.
  • Booklet 2, "Monsters and Treasure," expanded monster variety, including mythical beasts like unicorns and Medusas, with detailed stats, abilities, and treasure types for random encounters.
  • Acquiring treasure was crucial for gaining experience in old-school D&D, incentivizing players to explore rather than engage in combat.
  • Booklet 3, "The Underworld and Wilderness Adventures," detailed combat evasion rules, morale checks for NPCs, and unbalanced random encounters to encourage smart gameplay.
  • Morale checks in D&D traced back to war games, with echoes of wargaming evident in large-scale encounters where players could face up to 300 enemies.
  • The supplements "Greyhawk" and "Blackmoor" expanded class abilities, introducing new spells, health totals, and weapon damage variations, along with new races like half-elves and classes like thieves and paladins.

30:45

Powerful Illusionists and Versatile Bards in D&D

  • Illusionists in Dungeons & Dragons had powerful spells like turning deceased characters into specters and summoning shadow reflections of monsters. Shadow magic could mimic offensive magic user abilities, becoming challenging for Dungeon Masters to adjudicate if NPCs weren't skeptical enough.
  • The Bard class, introduced through the strategic review, combined various historical bard concepts, making them versatile with the ability to equip any weapon and use chainmail armor. Bards had access to thief skills at half effectiveness, magic user spells up to level seven, and unique bard features like lore and magical effects through music.
  • The Bard class in original D&D was complex and strong, not becoming a base class in Advanced Dungeons & Dragons but added as an appendix class. Bards had access to powerful songs like confusion, fear, and minor healing, along with a charm person effect based on a percentage chance.
  • Original Dungeons & Dragons, considered first edition, was simple compared to modern systems, lacking proficiencies, feats, and skills. Combat was basic, with monsters having few special abilities. The rules were sometimes confusing due to lack of detail and organization, requiring experienced players to explain the game flow.
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