D&D General What is the appeal of Tolkien fantasy races?

[Paul Farquhar]

The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe: published 1950: anthropomorphic animals, satyrs, centaurs, dwarves (but no elves).

 

[Minigiant]

Yes there’s a whole order of magnitude difference between the one or two sources people are referring to for the ‘new’ races and the dozens if not hundreds of sources that exist for elves, dwarves etc. I’m not talking just about the d&d game.

I mean come on, teeneage mutant ninja turtles as a cultural and psychological profile of Turtle-people. If you’d seen the program as I did you’d know the ridiculousness of that statement.

Im not saying that the series wouldn’t make you want to play one. I’m saying that it gives no clues how to play one. Anyone who came to my table planning on playing a pizza eating, dude quoting adolescent would get short shrift.

But D&D dwarves and elves are not anything like mythological ones.

If WOTC made Tortles based one TMNT, the turtlemen would be based on the same amount of series as dwarves: 1.

 

[Scott Christian]

The appeal of the races is directly tied to the world Tolkien built. There is logical geography that interconnects with culture. There are (for the most part) clear delineations between good and evil. There are fewer things to juggle when it comes to creatures. And there is a rich history, which many know because of the movies and books.

 

[TheSword]

But D&D dwarves and elves are not anything like mythological ones.

If WOTC made Tortles based one TMNT, the turtlemen would be based on the same amount of series as dwarves: 1.

No, sorry, you’re missing the endless repetitions and variations of this in computer games, board games and books. From the Witcher series, to Warhammer, to Terry Pratchett, to Legend, to Golden Axe ad infinitum. How many variations of turtle men have there been?

 

[Minigiant]

No, sorry, you’re missing the endless repetitions and variations of this in computer games, board games and books. From the Witcher series, to Warhammer, to Terry Pratchett, to Legend, to Golden Axe ad infinitum. How many variations of turtle men have there been?

We are talking D&D here.
D&D used Tolkien races. Other games and IP followed to make more variation of the Tolkien set.

If D&D had stated with a Greek set of races, all these IP would have stayrs, minotaurs, and centaurs as heroes. Beastmen would be Good Order in Warhammer. Tauren would be Alliance in Warcraft. Etc.

 

[TheSword]

We are talking D&D here.
D&D used Tolkien races. Other games and IP followed to make more variation of the Tolkien set.

If D&D had stated with a Greek set of races, all these IP would have stayrs, minotaurs, and centaurs as heroes. Beastmen would be Good Order in Warhammer. Tauren would be Alliance in Warcraft. Etc.

You’re saying that Terry Pratchet, Terry Brooks, Walt Disney, CS Lewis, Andrzej Sapkowski and a dozen others got their inspiration from D&D rather than Tolkein. I think not. D&D is derived from these works. It doesn’t inspire them.

 

[Minigiant]

You’re saying that Terry Pratchet, Terry Brooks, Walt Disney, CS Lewis, Andrzej Sapkowski and a dozen others got their inspiration from D&D rather than Tolkein. I think not. D&D is derived from these works. It doesn’t inspire them.

That is not what I'm saying.

I'm saying the popularity of elves, dwarves, and halflings come from Tolkien not mythology.

If elf and dwarf popularity came from mythology, there were many more popular mythological races and creatures at the time and the time after that would have easily taken the place of elves and dwarves.

If Tolkien didn't exist, Aesir, Minotaur, and Catfolk would be core races in D&D.

 

[Crimson Longinus]

That is not what I'm saying.

I'm saying the popularity of elves, dwarves, and halflings come from Tolkien not mythology.

If elf and dwarf popularity came from mythology, there were many more popular mythological races and creatures at the time and the time after that would have easily taken the place of elves and dwarves.

If Tolkien didn't exist, Aesir, Minotaur, and Catfolk would be core races in D&D.

Without Tolkien D&D most likely wouldn't exist at all.

 

[Minigiant]

Without Tolkien D&D most likely wouldn't exist at all.

nope

D&D was born out of roleplaying the special units of a wargame.
It would have still happened without Tolkien. D&D would just look very different.

 

[Blue Orange]

Familiarity, I'd guess; everyone knows what an elven mage looks like and can do, if tell people you're an aarakocra it's a little less obvious.