Dnd Can You Be Undead and Not Know It
Last month nosotros saw the release of Dungeon Control: Expletive of Undeath. Plus, as we toil through these dark days of the year (at to the lowest degree for those of u.s. in the Northern Hemisphere), nosotros wanted to take a brief wait back at the history of the undead in the game, brought to us by Grognardia's James Maliszewski!
Fear the Dead
In the earliest days of the game'southward history, there were simply 8 types of undead: skeletons, zombies, ghouls, wights, wraiths, mummies, spectres, and vampires. These were joined past the mighty liches in Supplement I: Greyhawk (1975) and by ghasts and ghosts in the Monster Transmission (1977). Shadows also appeared in Greyhawk, but their original description specifies that they "are not 'Undead' per se," whereas the Monster Manual reverses that, calling them "horrible undead creatures." Intriguingly, the rulebooks contained in the diverse Basic Sets published in 1977, 1981, and 1983 follow Supplement I; most other versions of D&D (including the present edition), however, follow the Monster Manual's lead.
With the exception of skeletons and zombies, which are essentially mindless and brought into existence through evil magic, undead were noteworthy among D&D'due south monsters for their ability to reproduce themselves. Anyone slain by most types of "higher" undead would somewhen rising equally one of the undead himself, often under the control of the creature that slew him. (This may explicate why shadows were afterwards deemed to exist undead, since, from their first appearance, they created more than of their kind by slaying victims). That'south frightening enough, but probably more frightening is how many undead formerly slew their foesby draining "life energy," which is to say, character levels.
Unlike, say, the paralyzing touch of a ghoul or the fright aura of a mummy, there was no saving throw against energy bleed, pregnant that the mere touch of an undead being like a wight or a wraith resulted in the loss of a level and all the abilities that came with it. This most convincingly made undead dangerous foes for characters, but it likewise fabricated them much hated past players, since these monsters could have abroad one of the game'due south most central rewards. Consequently, as early as OD&D's first supplement, a means to contrary the furnishings of energy drain was introduced in the course of the clerical spell restoration. Subsequent editions of Dungeons & Dragons have introduced other approaches to level drain intended to accept some of the sting out of this stiff attack grade without rendering it completely toothless.
Famous Undead
One of D&D's great strengths over the years has been its ability to inspire the creation of memorable villains from among the ranks of its menagerie of monsters. The undead accept provided more than than their fair share of such antagonists, with Gary Gygax's 1978 module, Tomb of Horrors, introducing the world to Acererakwho was, in life, "a human magic-user/cleric of surpassing evil." He afterward took "the steps necessary to preserve his life force after decease," a procedure that made him a lich. "Over centuries, the lich form decays and the evil soul roams planes unknown even to the wisest sages," condign what is known every bit a "demi-lich." Despite its name, a demi-lich is one of the most potent forms of undead and the proper name of Acererak struck fear into the hearts of players everywhere.
In 1983, Tracy and Laura Hickman gave the earth another even more memorable undead villain: Strahd von Zarovich, a vampire who appears in the module Ravenloft. In life, Strahd was the ruler of the land of Barovia, who spent his life warring on its behalf against foreign invaders. As he grew older, he came to regret his "wasted" youth and "made a pact with deatha pact of blood," a pact sealed by murdering his younger brother on his wedding twenty-four hours and precipitating the suicide of his brother's bride, a woman Strahd sought for himself. Strahd then became a vampire and perhaps the most famous undead creature in the entire history of Dungeons & Dragons, actualization in multiple adventures, novels, and inspiring an entire campaign setting for the game.
Enter the Cleric
Less well-known to the gaming world than Strahd, but perhaps just equally important, was some other vampire who appeared in Dave Arneson'south Blackmoor campaign. Known as Sir Fang, he was played by David Fant, who drew inspiration for his graphic symbol from Christopher Lee's portrayal of Dracula in the Hammer Film Productions movies. He was, therefore, an extremely stiff opponent, possessed of abilities that fabricated him hard for the heroes of Blackmoor to gainsay.
Cartoon on both the same Hammer horror movies that gave inspiration to Sir Fang and the tardily '60s Gothic soap opera, Dark Shadows (which featured a vampire as its protagonist), Dave Arneson envisioned a "monster hunter" graphic symbol class on the model of Dr. Abraham Van Helsing, played most memorably by Peter Cushing. Van Helsing employed a variety of tools to fight off the undead, including a crucifix from which vampires recoiled. Since D&D is rooted in the European Heart Ages, it was a small leap from a crucifix-wielding Victorian monster hunter to a medieval priest calling on the power of God for defense force against the powers of Hell. Thus was born the cleric. His initial role as an undead hunter would, in time, expand to include spells based on the miracles of Biblical prophets and Christian saints, just i of his central abilitiesturning undeadwould remain at the core of the grade through every edition of the game since 1974.
The inspiration for the cleric ought non exist a surprise to anyone, as D&D has a long history of looking to both books and movies equally source fabric for its monsters. Some of its earliest undead creatures, similar the wight, owe their existence almost entirely to works of popular entertainment, while others are wholly original and unique to the game. Over the years, the ranks of the undead have swollen as the game's designers take added more than and more creatures from across the grave, often reflecting the shifting trends of gimmicky civilisation. This is a testament to the power of the undead over the imagination. Going all the fashion back to Count Dracula, these shambling horrors are, for many, both frightening and attractivewhich makes them perfect foes to challenge Dungeons & Dragons characters!
Source: https://dnd.wizards.com/articles/features/undead
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