Blackmoor (supplement)
Dave Arneson named his campaign world Blackmoor in the first quarter of 1971. Gary Gygax and Dave Arneson decided to publish expansions of their respective campaigns following the release of the original Dungeons & Dragons rulebooks. In March 1975, Gygax told a wargaming newsletter that Arneson was working on a final draft. TSR began accepting preorders for the product and advertised it in The Strategic Review. The booklet was delivered late after going through two editors and being temporarily misplaced. The final edit was done hastily in just a few weeks. The Blackmoor expansion was published by TSR, Inc. in 1975 as a sixty-page digest-sized book. It bears the designation Supplement II with Greyhawk preceding it in the same year.
Blackmoor added two new character classes to the game: the assassin and the monk. The assassin functioned as a sub-class of the thief while the monk served as a monastic martial arts sub-class of the cleric. This monk class intended to be a hybrid of the fighter and thief classes. The Sage character appeared initially but changed to a Non-Player Character type and moved to the back of the booklet by the editor. The book also introduced a section on diseases alongside a hit location system. Each individual body part of a character or monster received its own hit points. The odds of hitting any specific body part changed depending on the character's height and weapon reach. If any individual body part reached zero hit points, the creature would be crippled or killed. The supplement introduced rules for underwater adventures including guidelines for swimming and equipment weight restrictions when fighting underwater. These rules covered the effects of underwater combat on weapons and spells. A number of these underwater monsters and magic items were creations of Steve Marsh. He added them to compensate for material Arneson left out of the final edit.
The Blackmoor supplement included the first role-playing game adventure ever published called The Temple of the Frog. This module held historical significance as the inaugural published adventure in the genre. The Temple of the Frog was revised and expanded years later and published as DA2 Temple of the Frog. Despite the name Blackmoor, the supplement includes almost no information on Arneson's version of the world. The booklet contained additional rules, monsters, treasures, and this pioneering adventure module. Reviewers noted the importance of this inclusion decades after publication. Scott Casper reviewed Dungeons & Dragons Supplement II: Blackmoor in 2006 and retrieved his notes in March 2008. The presence of this adventure marked a turning point from pure rulebooks to structured play experiences.
Tim Kask edited the supplement while also doing development work on it. Brian Blume served as one of two editors who handled the project before its release. The booklet went through both editors and was temporarily misplaced during production. The final edit was done hastily in just a few weeks. Dave Arneson wrote the original content with a foreword by Gary Gygax. The book features illustrations by David C. Sutherland III, Mike Bell, and Tracy Lesch. Steve Marsh added numerous underwater monsters and magic items to compensate for material Arneson left out of the final edit. The editor moved the Sage character to the back of the booklet and changed its classification. These editorial changes altered the original content significantly before release. TSR published the product as a sixty-page digest-sized book bearing designation TSR 2004.
The Blackmoor supplement was reproduced as a premium reprint on the 19th of November 2013. This appeared as part of a deluxe reprint of the original White Box featuring new packaging in an oaken box. The reprint includes Volume 1: Men & Magic, Volume 2: Monsters & Treasure, and Volume 3: Underworld & Wilderness Adventures plus four supplements. Supplement I: Greyhawk, Supplement II: Blackmoor, Supplement III: Eldritch Wizardry, and Supplement IV: Gods, Demi-Gods & Heroes complete the set. Each booklet comes with new cover art but otherwise reproduces the original content faithfully including original interior art. The enduring influence on the tabletop gaming industry remains evident through these reissues. Reviews like those found in Playboy Winner's Guide to Board Games document its lasting impact. The supplement continues to serve as a foundational text for understanding early role-playing game design.
Continue Browsing
Common questions
When was the Blackmoor supplement published?
The Blackmoor supplement was published by TSR, Inc. in 1975 as a sixty-page digest-sized book.
What new character classes did the Blackmoor supplement add to Dungeons & Dragons?
Blackmoor added two new character classes to the game: the assassin and the monk.
Which adventure module appeared first in the Blackmoor supplement?
The Temple of the Frog was the first role-playing game adventure ever published within the Blackmoor supplement.
Who edited the Blackmoor supplement before its release?
Tim Kask edited the supplement while Brian Blume served as one of two editors who handled the project before its release.
When was the Blackmoor supplement reproduced as a premium reprint?
The Blackmoor supplement was reproduced as a premium reprint on the 19th of November 2013.