D&D 5E Dwarves Could Use A Rethink

[Neonchameleon]

Yes, that is what I am asking. Were does the modern (20th century+) version of dwarves come from? Or was it a fabrication from many didn't myths, legends, and folklore?

Tolkien inspired D&D, which was subverted by Warhammer, which was ripped off by Warcraft. And World of Warcraft took over the world.
Tolkien inspired D&D, which partially inspired Final Fantasy*, the second JRPG (after Dragon Quest/Dragon Warriors)
Tolkien inspired D&D, which inspired Ultima and Wizardry, probably the two root games of Western CRPGs.

So where they came from? It all boils down to Tolkien and D&D I'm afraid.

* In Final Fantasy 1 dwarves literally lived in Mount Duergar.

 

[Thunder Brother]

Yes, that is what I am asking. Were does the modern (20th century+) version of dwarves come from? Or was it a fabrication from many didn't myths, legends, and folklore?

The portrayal of dwarves in modern fantasy comes almost exclusively from Tolkien and his derivatives* (and Snow White to a lesser extent). Tolkien was in turn inspired by Norse and Germanic folklore.

From there it's all social osmosis. Similar to how many people's understanding of the Norse gods stems from the Thor comics (and its derivatives), our modern concept of dwarves has only a loose connection with the mythological inspiration.

It's funny to me that some call dwarves "stale" despite the fact that their portrayal in modern fantasy is incredibly consistent, something about their archetype has a definitive appeal and trying to rethink them seems like change for the sake of change.


*includes D&D, Warhammer, Warcraft, and many other works of modern fantasy. Also "derivative" isn't meant to imply that these are lesser works.

 

[Ixal]

What I like about the Warhammer implementation of dwarves is their mastery of ranged combat. It makes sense, when you are slow but small targets ranged combat is ideal for you.

 

[Faolyn]

Problems with Dwarves:

• They're almost univerisally depticed as male.

It's the beards. We just have to normalize bearded female dwarfs.

 

[Vaalingrade]

It's the beards. We just have to normalize bearded female dwarfs.

In my setting, while female dwarves can grow beards, the really salacious choice is mutton chops.

"Groth! look at her. Baren' her chin to the world. 'tsa scandal it is."

Also dwarves have long, silky eyebrows too.

 

[Urriak Uruk]

It's the beards. We just have to normalize bearded female dwarfs.

 

[Vaalingrade]

Also contributing. Credit to Caitwhopaint, the artist for my project.:

 

[MGibster]

Yes, that is what I am asking. Were does the modern (20th century+) version of dwarves come from? Or was it a fabrication from many didn't myths, legends, and folklore?

I'm guessing the modern 20th century version of the dwarf comes from the same place we get elves from, J.R.R. Tolkien. And Tolkien created his dwarves by taking elements from myth and molding them into what he needed to build his own modern mythical story.

 

[Helpful NPC Thom]

Dwarves are great as-is. Don't break what's not fixable, or whatever that old saying is.

The "staleness" of dwarves is a strength for roleplaying games overall because it provides a common framework for examining and understanding the game. Dwarven stereotypes--stout, bearded miners and smiths who are fond of ale and mead--allow new players to grasp with immediacy the tropes of the game. When the GM says, "You see a dwarven blacksmith at his forge," neophytes to D&D can picture Gimli with an apron, hammer, and tongs, thereby immersing them in gameplay.

Alternadwarves create a jarring experience because it shatters this shared cultural understanding.

 

[turnip_farmer]

Dwarves are great as-is. Don't break what's not fixable, or whatever that old saying is.

The "staleness" of dwarves is a strength for roleplaying games overall because it provides a common framework for examining and understanding the game. Dwarven stereotypes--stout, bearded miners and smiths who are fond of ale and mead--allow new players to grasp with immediacy the tropes of the game. When the GM says, "You see a dwarven blacksmith at his forge," neophytes to D&D can picture Gimli with an apron, hammer, and tongs, thereby immersing them in gameplay.

Alternadwarves create a jarring experience because it shatters this shared cultural understanding.

When I'm making my fantasy worlds, I like to lean heavily into the traditional stereotypes, but I will also have populations that subvert the tropes. But they're not things you create as a PC at the beginning. They're the ones that you discover when the party has to go on some adventure forcing them to cross the Great Desert of Level-Appropriate Plot Segregation. That's where you can find your cannibal halflings and your surface-dwelling dwarf mages.

I know there's nothing new in this, but that's how I like things to work. They can always play a cannibal halfling barbarian after their original character gets eaten by a desert worm. And we don't need to waste time at the beginning explaining the world as everyone understands that the game begins in Bog Standard Medieval Fantasyland #574.