Legendary Dungeons & Dragons Artist David Trampier Has Died

Today the sad news broke that the original Dungeons & Dragons artist David Trampier has passed away at the age of 59.

The Southern Illinoisan posted a short obituary stating that Trampier died on March 24. Trampier created all the original artwork for the early versions of the iconic table-top role-playing game Advanced Dungeons & Dragons, including the first edition.

He quit working as an artist in 1988 for unknown reasons and drove a taxicab in Carbondale, IL. He had been in ill health in recent years, suffering a stroke in 2013.

[Sources: Tor, The Southern Illinoisan]

Our Take:
While its a pen-and-paper game, you could argue that Dungeons & Dragons has had as much influence as any actual video game on the game industry. From character progression to turn-based battle systems, the fingerprints of D&D are all over video games to this day. Trampier's work as an artist helped define D&D to generations of gamers, and also influenced the general look and feel of high fantasy and video game art for years to come. Rest in peace.