11-02-2014, 08:51 AM
WotC has just published this article by Shannon Applecine covering the origin of various D&D Classes. Overall, the article seems to draw lines from Chainmail to D&D with very few references to the Blackmoor group: http://dnd.wizards.com/articles/feature ... -histories
Regarding the Cleric though, Applecine states:
When I interviewed Carr a few years back, his memories on the exact details of the Blackmoor campaign were hazy. But several people have confirmed Cleric type characters in the Blackmoor Campaign.
As usual, we see the gaming historians being very reluctant to give the Blackmoor Campaign much credit for anything. I can understand the reluctance to trust non written sources, but I think they should realize that by constantly questioning the sources we have on the Blackmoor group and at the same time not questioning the sources we have on early TSR/Gygax they are subtly continuing early TSR's effort to undermine Dave's involvement in the creation of D&D. This would be very unfortunate from a historian's point of view.
Otherwise it is an interesting article though, and I think it shows how much people are interested in the history of roleplaying games.
-Havard
Regarding the Cleric though, Applecine states:
Quote:As a wargame, Chainmail (1971) didn’t include any options for healing. D&D’s third core class, the cleric, thus didn’t appear until the release of OD&D (1974) itself. Mike Carr says that it may have originated in Dave Arneson’s Blackmoor campaign, where he played Bishop Carr, a vampire-fighting clergyman.
When I interviewed Carr a few years back, his memories on the exact details of the Blackmoor campaign were hazy. But several people have confirmed Cleric type characters in the Blackmoor Campaign.
As usual, we see the gaming historians being very reluctant to give the Blackmoor Campaign much credit for anything. I can understand the reluctance to trust non written sources, but I think they should realize that by constantly questioning the sources we have on the Blackmoor group and at the same time not questioning the sources we have on early TSR/Gygax they are subtly continuing early TSR's effort to undermine Dave's involvement in the creation of D&D. This would be very unfortunate from a historian's point of view.
Otherwise it is an interesting article though, and I think it shows how much people are interested in the history of roleplaying games.
-Havard
Currently Running: The Blackmoor Vales Saga
Currently Playing: Daniel S. Debelfry in the Throne of Star's Campaign
Currently Playing: Daniel S. Debelfry in the Throne of Star's Campaign