#first edition dungeons and dragons

[saturneers]

fun fact: this action figure of the iconic cover from Dungeons and Dragons is actually in scale for your 28mm to 35mm type size range wargaming and rp miniatures :) Or is just damn cool on its own. Features removable Ruby Eye lol

[itsafreetrialofdeath]

cleric x monk (priest who kicks the sin out of you)

[babumakeanart]

This was the first start of the session of this DND we have now had for 4 years if I remember correctly :DD times fly wowie! The raw not even animatic is old but it is still clear, hopefully, what is happening.

The whole DnD started with a masked dwarf climbing from a chasm near Adamant Fortress and meeting a group of grey wardens. (Dwarf, we find out later on, is named Praska and belong @dreadhalla )

[mask131]

Reading-list for an “old-school D&D” fantasy

Aka, here is the list of the fantasy books that MASSIVELY influenced the original D&D and its first editions. Or, if you want to put it another way, the books that were the ingredients to create D&D/that were copied by D&D.

# J.R.R. Tolkien’s “The Lord of the Rings” (+ “The Hobbit”). The source of modern fantasy, and THE main influence and source of old-school D&D. In fact, the creation of D&D was basically the creation of “The Lord of the Rings: The Role-Playing Game”. Very famously (or unfamously), in its original edition, D&D included a LOT of elements taken from the work of Tolkien, that then had to be re-shaped due to being under the copyright of Tolkien’s work. In the first edition D&D you’ll find “hobbits”, “mithril” and “balrogs” for example - that D&D had to change to “halflings”, “mithral” and “balors” to legal reasons. The only Tolkien-specific creatures D&D could keep were the orcs. Overall a LOT of D&D comes from Tolkien: the original depictions of elves and dwarfs, the ents (sorry, treants), the wights, the symbols of the “eye of fire” and “white hand” for the gods the orcs worship... And of course, the “Ranger” class was originally just the character of Aragorn as a class.

# Poul Anderson’s “Three Hearts and Three Lions”. This book was one of the two sources for the alighnment system of D&D of “Order versus Chaos” in a fantasy world. The D&D trolls were also heavily influenced by the depiction of trolls in this novel, PLUS the “Paladin” class was influenced by the character of Holger Carlsen.

# Michael Moorcock’s “The Elric Saga”.The other main source of the “Order vs Chaos”, “Lawful vs Chaotic” alignment of D&D - but also the main inspiration behind the Drow and the D&D-shaped image of “Dark Elves” in general (in the novels, they are the Melnibonéan Empire). D&D also contains several other references to the Saga - for example “Blackrazor” is inspired by Elric’s iconic sword, “Stormbringer”.

# Robert E. Howard’s “Conan the Barbarian”. The source of heroic fantasy the same way Tolkien’s LotR was the source of epic/high fantasy - the Barbarian class of D&D (and the image of a Barbarian in fantasy in general) all comes from Conan. 

# Fritz Leiber’s “Fafhrd and the Gray Mouser”. The origin of the “Sword and Sorcery” genre (at least, as called as such), originally intended as a parody of the Conan-style heroic fantasy genre, but then promptly becoming itself a serious and admired genre-creating classic, Leiber’s works were another major inspiration for D&D (the “Thief” class was heavily inspired by the character of the Gray Mouser), and there is a good number of supplements and books in D&D entirely centered around this book series - introducing the characters of the books, the gods of Newhon, or the city of Lankhmar, into the D&D world. 

# Jack Vance’s “The Dying Earth” series. The magic system of D&D was heavily influenced by how Vance re-imagined magic and spells in this unique sci-fi feeling fantasy: some spells and items are directly taken from the books (the prismatic spray, the ioun stones) and the entire concept of needing to “re-learn” or “re-charge” a spell once it is cast is the Dying Earth magic system (called by some “Vancian Magic”). 

# H.P. Lovecraft’s work (especially anything tied to the “Cthulhu Mythos”). Lovecraft’s brand of eldritch horror and alien fantasy has also been a big influence over the creatures and deities of early D&D - to the point that the various gods of the Cthulhu Mythos were included as one of the pantheons that could be used in the early editions of D&D (alongside other pantheons such as the gods of Newhon from Fafhrd and the Gray Mouser, or the gods of the Conan world). 

# Gary Gygax, one of the creators of D&D, also listed other authors as direct influence for his game, but given I am less familiar with them I will just list them here: Fletcher Pratt (I think it might be his “Harold Shea” series, quite famous in the fantasy genre), L. Sprague de Camp, Edgar Rice Burroughs (the creator of some of the most famous American fictional characters, such as John Carter of Mars, or Tarzan) and A. Merritt. 

(Finally, not a literary work, but a series of movies that also influenced early D&D: the “Sinbad” movies of the mid-20th century. If you look through the creatures, monsters and illustrations of early editions D&D you’ll find several references to movies such as “The 7th Voyage of Sinbad“ or “The Golden Voyage of Sinbad”)

[zigmenthotep]

so how do druids work on ad&d, I know they are a sub class of cleric, but’s that it

Well, like anything in 1st edition, the answer is a simple yes, and also no.

While they are listed as a subclass of cleric, druids are essentially their own class with their own progression table, spells per day, spell lists, and unique abilities—such as a rudimentary wild shape. As well as a level cap of 14.

However, they are treated as clerics for the purpose of their attacks and saves because in ye olden days everything was covered with big-ass matrices!

So for the purpose of these tables, it makes sense to minimize the number of actual classes. So technically, there are only four classes, requiring only four entries on the attack and save matrices. But then subclasses expand that to 9 without having to expand the matrices for each new class.

And while this may seem stupid in retrospect—which I mean, fair—it's important to remember that original and basic D&D only had those four classes, with others being added as subclasses in supplements. So the entire game up to this point had been built around that four-class concept.

Although in true D&D fashion, they immediately then go against that, because the monk, originally introduced as a cleric subclass, is now a fifth top-level class and just stated to use the cleric attack matrix and thief save matrix.

However, they did evenutally figure it out, and in 2nd edition just did what 1st edition was basically already doing and put all the classes in four groups instead of grouping them under the four originals.

Then third edition realized that all thsoe matrices were stupid and just used attack and save bonuses—a thing that somehow took 25 years and a change of ownership to figure out—while also kinda losing the groups and actually having listings for all individual classes. Then simplified it even further in 3.5 by just spelling it out as good and poor saves, and good, average, and poor attack progressions.

And as long as I'm doing a long-winded thing on early D&D, it's also important to point out that bards were also a class in 1st edition, and were basically a subclass of druid that required taking 5 levels of fighter and 5 levels of thief, as well as having minimum stats of STR 15, Dex 15, Con 10, Int 11, WIS 15, CHA 15. I just like pointing out how absurdly difficult it was to be a bard in 1st edition.

[indiana-jones-palestinian-bf]

The Creation of snakes to sticks

wizard 1: my friend, my friend good news! wizard 2: what is it trusted associate? wiz 1: I've finally developed another fantastic spell, its got the ability to transmute any long thin pieces of wood into a serpent of the same or similar size! isn't it clever? wiz 2: so you mean to tell me this spell you've concocted has the power to turn some ones spear shaft or rake handle into a beast that would attack them for accosting it? wiz 1: yes, exactly! wiz 2: or you could turn a set of chair legs into a quartet of venomous vipers? wiz 1: of course! wiz 2: or simply just throw a handful of twigs and watch as the reptiles do your dirty work? wiz 1: precisely!!! wiz 2: ... wiz 1: ... wiz 2: Its like you don't even know i have ophidiophobia wiz 1: well excuuuuse me, Cragulon, but my arcane research doesn't revolve around your phobias Cragulon: well at least a little heads up before unleashing a world of snakes would have been sufficient, Balthazar! real dick move. Balthazar: yea well its done, so what are you gonna do about it?

[eddiemunson-reader-shame]

Me, a fool: I think it would be awesome for Reader to pick Druid! It’s my favorite class, and I can ask my old campaign buddies to help explain what’s happening in my insert for those readers who aren’t D&D savvy 🥰 this is going to be a great Eddie x reader!

Advanced Dungeons and Dragons (1E): *Exists*

Me, a fool and jester: … I suddenly understand why my friends didn’t have any useful advice for a 1E Druid build and spent the entire conversation arguing about which edition was better.

[scribblingsorsomething]

I've always liked the illustration of a Bugbear from the 1E AD&D Monster Manual (drawn by David Sutherland). It made them seem slightly unhinged. My Bugbear sketches are trying to tap into the same vibe.

[robthegoodfellow]

Chapters: 7/8 Fandom: Stranger Things (TV 2016) Rating: Teen And Up Audiences Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings Relationships: Billy Hargrove/Eddie Munson Characters: Billy Hargrove, Eddie Munson Additional Tags: Looney Tunes References, Billy Hargrove Lives, Eddie Munson Lives, Well Depending on Your Definition of "Lives", Certainly They Are Walking Talking Fighting Crime, In the Upside-Down Tho, On Account of Their Bods Being Toast, Might Find a Way to Reverse That, For Now I Just Want Them to Rig Vecna w/ Dynamite and Smash Him w/ Anvils from the Sky, Eddie Munson in the Upside Down, Billy Hargrove in the Upside Down Summary:

Eddie wakes up in the Upside-Down and is promptly ushered into Billy Hargrove's manhole.

@mungroveweek (day 7 finally)

[haorev]

Something in reading more of the Pathfinder 2e rules: I can see why Matt does some stuff he does, particularly regarding crafting in campaign 1 (the most still affected by Pathfinder tho I’m sure it was 1e) and when he has them role initiative and when asked if it’s combat replies with “we’re in initiative order” instead of a yes or no, implying it may or not be combat

Hell even if reading the pathfinder books, I’m finding ways to think about dnd 5e in ways I hadn’t before and it’s actually making planning stuff easier. The Gamemastery Guide with its “here’s how to make a Nation or Settlement stat block” and “here’s guides to do certain things like crafting and making up items and various NPCs” is so lovely and like the DMG does fine with what it does but I really like this.

Also: Pathfinder 2e proficiency system continues to be one of my favorite things.

[nixii-sabre]

Kidd on his way to be funniest fucker in the torture chamber:

WRONG. Harper was the funniest fucker, she waved at him while chained.

[bards-anonymous]

The Messiah

A fun little drawing for @cosmicrecluse

[disgruntledexplainer]

words cannot express how much I love 7th Sea 1e (Swashbuckling Adventures)

seriously, it’s one of the greatest campaign settings of all time. it has swashbuckling action, political intrigue, pirates, knights, sorcerers, aliens, eldritch horrors, and so much more!

ask about anything I listed in the tags, and I’ll tell you about it!

[paragonrobits]

me, an old school druid fan who hasn’t watched the new D&D movie but is going feral with the displays of how awesome Wild Shape is, chanting like a football hooligan: druid druid DRUID DRUID DRUID DRUID!!!!!

[striderstable]

[id: a set of two photographs. the first is of seven dungeons and dragons rulebooks fanned out on a wooden deck. the titles are, top from left to right: advanced dungeons and dragons unearthed arcana, first edition dungeon master's guide and player's handbook, and legends and lore; bottom left to right: greyhawk: gem of the flanaess, second edition player's handbook and dungeon master's guide. the second photograph is of a pile of more numerous dungeons and dragons materials spread out on a quilt or blanket, including some magazine clippings, the sunless citadel adventure module, book of challenges, song and silence, magic of faerun, third edition monster manual, book of vile darkness, forgotten realms campaign setting, lords of darkness, third edition dungeon master's guide and player's handbook, races of faerun, and monster compendium: monsters of faerun. /end id]

Some of my pre-5e D&D materials from back in the day.

[thegreateyeofsauron]

2023 could be the year BECMI D&D finally makes a comeback.