Dinosaur (Dungeons & Dragons)

Dinosaur

Characteristics
Alignment	N
Type	Animal
Image	Wizards.com image
Stats	Open Game License stats
Publication history
Based on	historical

For actual-life group of extinct reptiles, see Dinosaur.

In numerous campaign settings of the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game, dinosaurs, based upon the actual-life extinct reptiles of prehistoric ages, are present. Some of the dinosaurs used in D&D, such as Triceratops, Tyrannosaurus rex, and Ankylosaurus, are real ones which used to exist on earth. Others, such as the Bloodstriker, Fleshraker and Swindlespitter from the Monster Manual III, though labeled as dinosaurs, are made up, and as such are likely better regarded as monsters. Most D&D settings have a location where dinosaurs are known to dwell, and seeing as they coexist with intelligent races, they are sometimes depicted as tamed, with such things as armored T. rexes being used in battle and Velociraptors used as mounts.

Publication history in Dungeons & Dragons

Dinosaurs have existed in each edition of the Monster manual,^[1][2][3][4] and have played a significant role in Dungeons and Dragons since nearly the very beginning. In the 1981 dinosaurs were a major antagonist in the module the Isle of Dread (which was exceptionally widely distributed as it was included with the Dungeons & Dragons Expert Set).^[5] Also in the The Bane of Llywelyn, an early first edition Dungeons and Dragon's module featured amazons on Pterosaur-like dinosaurs.

In 1990, the Hollow World Campaign Set for the Hollow World campaign setting was introduced. It "... takes all the best elements of the fantastic adventure fiction of the '30s and '40s (dinosaurs, savage men, lost empires) and marries them to the tropes of Dungeons & Dragons (elves, dwarves, Vance-style magic)".^[6]

Dinosaurs continue to play a major role in a number of more recent published adventures and campaign settings. In the 2002 Eberron campaign setting dinosaurs play a major role, ^[7] and are the primary food source, work animal and mount of the Talenta Halflings.^[8]

In 2006, the first part of the Savage Tide Adventure Path was published. These adventures return to the "dinosaur-ridden" Isle of Dread.^[9]

In the fourth edition of Dungeons & Dragons dinosaurs are referred to as behemoths and given alternate names.

References

1. ^ Gygax, Gary (1977). Monster Manual. TSR, Inc.. ISBN 0-935696-00-8. 
2. ^ Easley, Jeff (1994). Monstrous Compendium Annual (Advanced Dungeons and Dragons 2nd Edition). Renton, Wash: Wizards of the Coast. ISBN 1-56076-838-X. 
3. ^ Tweet, Jonathan; Skip Williams; Monte Cook (2000). Dungeons & Dragons Monster Manual: Core Rulebook III. Renton, Wash: Wizards of the Coast. ISBN 0-7869-1552-8. 
4. ^ Tweet, Jonathan; Skip Williams; Monte Cook; Rich Baker (July 2003). Dungeons & Dragons Monster Manual: core rulebook III (v.3.5 ed.). Renton, Wash: Wizards of the Coast. ISBN 0-7869-1552-8. 
5. ^ "D&D Clones". White Dwarf 24. April/May 1981. 
6. ^ "Hollow World at Wayne's World of books". http://www.waynesbooks.com/HollowWorld.html. Retrieved 2008-01-22. 
7. ^ Sivils, Dan. "GenCon2003: The New D&D Campaign Setting is…". http://www.gamingreport.com/article.php?sid=9464. Retrieved 2008-01-28. 
8. ^ Baker, Keith Michael. Shadows of the Last War (Eberron Campaign Setting (D&D): Adventures). Renton, Wash: Wizards of the Coast. ISBN 0-7869-3276-7). 
9. ^ "The Savage Tide Adventure Path". http://www.pandius.com/stideint.html. Retrieved 2008-01-22.