60
votes
Why isn't the druid affected by her enchanted cuffs?
During the druid and barbarian's first encounter with the gelatinous cube, the druid plunges her hand with the cuff into the cube. When she pulls her hand out, it is also pulled through the cuff, ...
- 1,486
55
votes
Accepted
What is the origin of the “clerics can create water” trope?
A lot of cleric spells in early D&D were explicit Bible references; the one that comes immediately to mind is Sticks to Snakes, which is based on Exodus 7:12 (thanks to @RossThompson for this ...
- 1,049
35
votes
Accepted
In what Disney film did a gelatinous cube appear?
According to the Disney Fandom wiki, it was in the 2020 Disney/Pixar movie Onward.
On their way to find the Phoenix Gem at Raven's Point, Ian, Barley, and their father enter a dark chamber of 1,000-...
- 7,182
33
votes
Accepted
Is the D&D 5e magic item "Ioun stone" derived from the magic of Mandor from Zelazny's "Amber"?
Ioun stones are specifically derived from the later Dying Earth stories, featuring Rhialto the Marvelous, by Jack Vance. In the first two Rhialto stories, the IOUN Stones are merely powerful items ...
- 102k
20
votes
What was the inspiration for the 'draco vulgaris'?
I'd be very surprised if D&D Pseudodragons were the initial inspiration for Draco Vulgaris. As the TV Tropes page says, small pet dragons predate them in a significant way. The tropes page guesses ...
- 10.2k
18
votes
Looking for a specific “Dungeons & Dragons” related movie
I suspect you are combining two memories. Aside from the insistence it was not animated you are describing the animated Dungeons & Dragons TV series 1983 to 1985 on CBS.
...
- 11.5k
15
votes
Accepted
Book where RPG characters are portrayed as real
Gamearth by Kevin J.Anderson. It is a trilogy and there is a (brief) Wikipedia article describing the series here.
The scratching off a river hexagon is when they players are trying to remove it from ...
- 117k
14
votes
Accepted
D&D book where water could be boiled into gunpowder
This is Guardians of the Flame (TV Tropes link) by Joel Rosenberg.
Guardians of the Flame is a fantasy series by Joel Rosenberg about a group of roleplaying college students who abruptly find ...
- 239k
14
votes
Is the D&D 5e magic item "Ioun stone" derived from the magic of Mandor from Zelazny's "Amber"?
It's highly unlikely. Ioun Stones (in D&D) date from at least as early as 1979, in the original Advanced Dungeons & Dragons Dungeon Master's Guide, while the first of the second set of Amber ...
- 143k
14
votes
Accepted
Dungeons & Dragons novel about a flying machine
You're probably thinking of the Dragonlance novel, Darkness & Light.
Darkness and Light begins in the town of Solace at the time the companions decide to pursue rumors of war and embark on ...
- 239k
14
votes
Where did the concept of single-use spell scrolls originate?
Although Vancian magic was the basis of much of the original Dungeons & Dragons magic system, I do not recall any instances of single-use scroll's in Vance's Dying Earth stories.* However, there ...
- 102k
9
votes
Accepted
To what extent were Dungeons & Dragons were-rats based on The Swords of Lankhmar?
At this point, no one seems to remember, although the connection seems very likely. However it wasn't Gygax who introduced wererats to the game or coined the term. The were-rat was first one of the ...
- 106
8
votes
Accepted
High fantasy book, possibly "Forgotten Realms", including Leviathan-like undead a necromancer creating experimental undeads
This is the Forgotten Realms novel Undead, by Richard Lee Byers, from 2008.
From the Realms Wikia article:
Meanwhile, undead kraken-like behemoths emerged from the ground behind the Council’s ...
- 102k
8
votes
Accepted
Does the Dungeons & Dragons Movie (2000) take place in any known setting?
According to e-mail correspondence between Robert Blezard "Knightfall" (a D&D fan) and movie writer David Arneson, Izmir was made up for the movie:
Specifically, Knightfall asked:
I ...
- 488
8
votes
Does the Dungeons & Dragons Movie (2000) take place in any known setting?
The Dungeons & Dragons movie was not fit into any of the then-existing campaign worlds that had been released by TSR or its successor Wizards of the Coast. There was some tentative talk of using ...
- 102k
7
votes
Is the D&D 5e magic item "Ioun stone" derived from the magic of Mandor from Zelazny's "Amber"?
Ioun Stones are likely sourced from Jack Vance's fiction
The Ioun Stone comes from Jack Vance's Dying Earth series, which is where the "fire and forget" spell casting of D&D came from ...
- 239k
6
votes
Accepted
In Critical Role campaign 1, did Keyleth ever cast Revivify?
According to the Tal'Dorei Campaign Stats page on CritRoleStats, Keyleth never cast Revivify. On that page under Rankings, there's a link to a spreadsheet of all spells cast during the campaign. Link ...
- 7,901
6
votes
Accepted
Is the origin story told in The Unbroken Circle of Zerthimon true?
The "canonical" history of the people of Gith has been gradually expanded over many years, including with some changes over time. For example, the first appearance of the races was in the Field Folio,...
- 102k
5
votes
Accepted
Can D&D werewolves actively decide whether to turn someone or not?
A werewolf (or indeed any form of lycanthrope) has zero control over whether its bite can pass along the 'curse of lycanthropy'. Once someone has sustained damage from a "bite" attack roll (indicating ...
- 718k
5
votes
Does the Dungeons & Dragons Movie (2000) take place in any known setting?
As far as I know, it is in a setting of its own, created for the movie.
Actually, the page for the film on the Italian Wikipedia states the setting was made for the movie, although it shares ...
- 5,684
5
votes
Why is Bahamut the Grand Master of Flowers in the new MTG set?
Possibly a hint towards the future?
Bahamut is known to disguise himself as a human surrounded by seven canaries in order to advance good causes. It would appear he is doing that in his card. This is ...
- 67.2k
5
votes
Accepted
Was the creature guarding the camp in the Dungeons and Dragons movie a beholder?
They're beholders. Snails identifies them thusly in a voiceover a few seconds before the scene pictured (when they climb up the grapple lines)
Snails: Ridley, look--Beholders.
Ridley: Relax, ...
- 718k
5
votes
Why does Raistlin Majere often look ill and weak?
Raistlin had a weak body from the beginning. As mentioned in the previous answer, he nearly died shortly after being born, but was nursed to life by his half-sister Kitiara.
Furthermore, during the ...
- 13k
5
votes
Accepted
Dungeons and Dragons novel where girl accidentally wishes to be strong
This could be Pool of Radiance, a Forgotten Realms story based on, iirc, an early computer game. The book was first published in 1989.
Shal Bal is the apprentice to a powerful, kindly master who is ...
- 9,364
5
votes
Accepted
Is Boo really a miniature giant space hamster?
As far as I know, no proof was provided in the Baldur's Gate games. However, in the Forgotten Realms Magic: the Gathering tie-in set, "Adventures in the Forgotten Realms", the Minsc, Beloved ...
- 239k
5
votes
Accepted
How to make any sense of religion and dead gods in Baldur's Gate 3?
From the Forgotten Realms wiki entry:
With all of his children dead, all of Bhaal's essence was freed, allowing for his resurrection. Bhaal was revived, and reclaimed the murder domain from Cyric. ...
- 239k
4
votes
What are the rules of the Guildpact?
I am currently working through the same thing as you are. For something as important and central to the world of Ravnica, the Guildpact isn't very well described. Fortunately, it seems that the story ...
4
votes
Looking for a specific “Dungeons & Dragons” related movie
The six kids part and the TV series are spot on in the other answer. I'd also like to add that there have actually been at least two "Dungeons & Dragons" live action movies:
Dungeons &...
- 1,156
3
votes
Was the illustration of the "Primordial One" in the AD&D Deities and Demigods based on the one from Barlowe's Guide to Extraterrestrials?
I can't say whether the illustration in Barlowe's Guide influenced Deities & Demigods' illustration, although it seems likely given their similarity: Barlowe's Guide has been undoubtedly a source ...
- 5,684
3
votes
Was the trident (named Wave) in the AD&D "White Plume Mountain" adventure a reference to anything specific?
I came across this 2009 interview with Lawrence Schick, in which he talks about how the module was put together.
White Plume Mountain was written as a sample document to persuade TSR to hire me as ...
- 102k
Only top scored, non community-wiki answers of a minimum length are eligible