You're making the same mistake that a lot of people do with regards to "almost all PC races." That is, you think "five out of six races is a lot! Clearly this was all about Tolkien!" That's the wrong way to look at it; the races are there, but add very little to the game (again, level limits) and seem more important than they are. So yes, modest.
Again, you don't understand what INFLUENCE means it seems. And nobody is saying it's all about Tolkien. Leave that Strawman at home, please.
That's with regards to his influence among players, which was similarly outsized because most of the other authors that Gary drew on faded from the public eye as time went on (save for a few, such as Howard and Lovecraft). With regards to their influence on Gary himself, however, not so much.
Again, you're making the mistake of thinking that prominence is influence. Likewise, no, characterizing your statement as "all about Tolkien" (with regard to PC races) is an accurate representation of your position.
Well yes. But one would think that the influence on the game would be the thing we actually care about.
Maybe, but that's not what was being discussed; the subject in question was with regards to Gygax personally (insofar as making D&D went).
Doubling down on a Strawman can't make you correct about this. Only I get to decide what an accurate representation of my position is, and your mischaracterization ain't it man.
Quibbling over semantics doesn't a strawman make. Your position was accurately represented with regards to what I said, and bickering over the exact wording doesn't change that.
It's okay to admit that Tolkien had significant influence. It doesn't reflect poorly on either D&D or Gygax.
