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[[Image:D&d_Box1st.jpg|thumb|175px|The original ''Dungeons & Dragons'' set]]
 
[[Image:D&d_Box1st.jpg|thumb|175px|The original ''Dungeons & Dragons'' set]]
'''''Dungeons & Dragons''''' (abbreviated as '''D&D''' or '''DnD''') is a [[fantasy]] [[role-playing game]] (RPG) published by [[Gary Gygax]] and [[David Arneson]] in [[January]] [[1974]]. It was first published by Gygax's company, [[TSR, Inc.|Tactical Studies Rules]] (TSR), and subsequently spawned the RPG industry.  D&D is by far the best-known and best selling RPG, with an estimated 20 million players, many translations and over [[United States dollar|US$]]1 billion in book and equipment sales (as of [[2004]]).
 
  
After TSR foundered in [[1996]], [[Wizards of the Coast]] acquired the company in [[1997]], including all rights to D&D. Two years later, Wizards was purchased by [[Hasbro]]. Owing partially to heavy marketing, products branded ''Dungeons & Dragons'' made up over fifty percent of the RPG products sold in [[2002]].
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'''''Dungeons & Dragons''''' (abbreviated as '''''D&D''''' or '''''DnD''''') is a [[fantasy]] [[role-playing game]] (RPG) published by [[Wizards of the Coast]]. The current version of the game is ''Dungeons & Dragons v.3.5'' (also known as the Revised 3rd Edition or ''D&D3.5''). Previous versions of the game include '''''Advanced Dungeons & Dragons''''' (abbreviated as '''''AD&D'''''). Outside of the gaming community, ''D&D'' has become a [[genericized trademark]] used to refer to RPGs in general. The game also achieved notoriety, particularly in the [[1980s]], due to its alleged promotion of [[devil worship]], [[witchcraft]], [[suicide]], and [[murder]].
  
==Overview and history==
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The original ''Dungeons & Dragons'', designed by [[Gary Gygax]] and [[David Arneson|Dave Arneseon]], was first published in [[January]] [[1974]] by Gygax's company, [[TSR, Inc.|Tactical Studies Rules]] (TSR). Originally derived from tabletop wargames, this publication is generally regarded as the beginning of modern role-playing games and, by extension, the role-playing game industry.
[[Image:Chainmail 3rd edition.jpg|thumb|175px|right|The cover to the game ''[[Chainmail (game)|Chainmail]]'', a ''Dungeons & Dragons'' predecessor.]]
 
The fantasy game ''Dungeons & Dragons,'' designed by Gary Gygax and Arneson, evolved in the early [[1970s]] from the ''[[Chainmail (game)|Chainmail]]'' system of [[wargaming]] rules by Gary Gygax and Jeff Perren. The game was influenced by popular [[Greek mythology|Greek]] and [[Norse mythology]], the [[pulp magazine|pulp fiction]] stories of [[Robert E. Howard]], [[Edgar Rice Burroughs]], and many of the more contemporary fantasy authors of the [[1960s]] and 1970s, such as [[Jack Vance]], [[Fritz Leiber]], [[L. Sprague de Camp]] and [[Michael Moorcock]].
 
 
 
The presence of halflings (called [[hobbit]]s in [[J. R. R. Tolkien's]] works), [[elf|elves]], [[dwarf|dwarves]], [[half-elf|half-elves]], [[orc]]s, [[dragon]]s and the like give it a character far closer to Tolkien than to Howard or Burroughs. However, Gygax claims he was influenced very little by J. R. R. Tolkien's ''[[The Lord of the Rings]]'', stating that he included these elements as a marketing move to draw on the then-popularity of the work. Nevertheless, Tolkien, Vance (whose ''[[Dying Earth]]'' stories were a major influence on the [[Magic (gaming)|magic]] system) and perhaps Leiber should probably be regarded as the major influences.
 
 
 
The game developed the RPG concept of a referee, the [[Dungeon Master]] (the same role often being called Game Master in other similar games) who creates the fictional setting of the game, plays [[antagonist]]s and supporting characters, and moderates the action of the adventures. Dungeons & Dragons departed from traditional wargaming by giving each player the part of one figure, or character. The players embarked upon imaginary adventures in which they would battle many kinds of fictional monsters from [[goblin]]s to ten foot [[gelatinous cube]]s, while gathering treasure and [[experience points]] as the game progressed.
 
 
 
The original D&D game allowed players to play [[List of character classes|characters in three classes]]: [[fighter (D&D)|fighter]]s, [[magic (games)|magic]]-users ([[wizard]]s), and [[cleric]]s (priests). Players could choose to have their characters be [[halfling|Halflings]], Dwarves, or Elves; later versions termed these three "[[race (fantasy)|races]]" as "demi-humans". Players could then have a class (fighter, wizard, etc.) or choose one of the demi-humans, which came with their own sets of abilities that resembled either a fighter (dwarf), a fighter/magic-user (elves) or a fighter/thief (halflings).
 
  
[[Image:D&d_original.jpg|thumb|175px|right|The cover of the ''D&D Basic Set'', 2nd printing, showcases some of the rather amateurish artwork the game featured in its early years.]]
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Players of ''D&D'' embark upon imaginary adventures in which they battle many kinds of fictional monsters, gather treasure, and earn [[experience points]] as the game progresses. The game departed from traditional wargaming by giving each player the part of a specific character to play. It also developed the concept of a [[Dungeon Master]] (or [[Gamemaster]]), a referee responsible for creating the fictional setting of the game, playing [[antagonist]]s and supporting characters, and moderating the actions of the players' characters.
D&D took the world of wargaming by storm, creating its own niche and giving birth to a multitude of role-playing games, based on every genre imaginable. [[Science fiction]], [[horror fiction|horror]], [[superhero]]es, [[cartoon]]s, [[western movie|westerns]], [[espionage|spies and espionage]], and many other fictional settings were adapted to role-playing games, with several of these games also being published by TSR. However, "fantasy role-playing" loosely based on the world of D&D continues to dominate the field of role-playing games as of [[2005]].
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In [[1977]] the game was split into two slightly different versions: The simpler ''Dungeons & Dragons'' and the more complex ''Advanced Dungeons & Dragons''. In [[2000]], the simpler version of the game was discontinued and the 3rd Edition of ''Dungeons & Dragons'' was released as a continuation of the ''AD&D'' game line. The v.3.5 revision of the game was released in July [[2003]].
  
===Edition history===
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''Dungeons & Dragons'' remains the best-known and best-selling RPG, with an estimated 20 million players worldwide and over [[United States dollar|US$]]1 billion in book and equipment sales (as of [[2004]] according to a BBC news report). Products branded ''Dungeons & Dragons'' made up over fifty percent of the RPG products sold in [[2002]].
:''Main article: [[Differences between editions of Dungeons & Dragons]].''
 
D&D has gone through several revisions. The first edition (1974) featured just a few character classes and monsters. Supplements published in the next two years (''Greyhawk'', ''Blackmoor'', ''Eldritch Wizardry'' and ''Gods, Demi-Gods and Heroes'') greatly expanded the character classes, monsters and spells. This was replaced in [[1977]]-[[1980]] with ''Basic'', ''Expert'', ''Companion'', ''Master'' and ''Immortals'' D&D, which was mostly summarized in the late 1980s in the D&D ''Rules Cyclopedia''. Simultaneously, ''Advanced Dungeons & Dragons'' (AD&D) was published between 1977 and [[1979]], collecting rules from the original version and the supplements into three volumes, and extensively revising the system. The ''Dungeons & Dragons'' name was used for the simplified version of the game that followed from the ''Basic'' D&D rules and was incompatible with the more mainstream AD&D.
 
 
 
[[Image:DandDExpertSetBoxCover.jpg|thumb|175px|The ''D&D Expert Set'' was designed to take characters past 3rd level, and included more spells and monsters.]]
 
[[Image:DandDBasicSetBoxCover.jpg|thumb|175px|The ''D&D Basic Set'' features cover artwork by [[Erol Otus]], showcasing his distinctive style.  The painting features many elements of the [[fantasy]] game, including a magic-user, a fighter, a [[dragon]]-like [[monster]] and a [[dungeon]] underground expanding into the gloom.]]
 
In [[1989]], ''Advanced Dungeons & Dragons Second Edition'' was published, which streamlined the original rules.  By the end of its first decade, Advanced Dungeons & Dragons had expanded to several rulebooks, including three monster manuals, and two books governing character skills in wilderness and underground settings.  Initially, the second edition would consolidate the game, with three essential books to govern Dungeon Masters and players alike.  Periodically, TSR published optional rulebooks for character classes and races to enhance game play.
 
 
 
Overall, the combat system was simplified to a mathematical formula, known as [[THAC0]], with actions based around real-life distances ([[foot (unit of length)|feet]]) rather than miniatures-board distances ([[inches]]).
 
Demi-human races were given higher level maximums to increase their long-term playability, though they were still restricted in terms of character class flexibility.
 
Critical hit rules were made optional for players less concerned with combat details.  Moreover, the game editors made an effort to remove some objectional aspects of the game, which had begun to attract some negative publicity, due (in part) to a small segment of players obsessed with the game's darker, more violent aspects.  Shedding the moral ambiguity of First Edition Advanced Dungeons & Dragons, the TSR staff eliminated character classes like the murderous assassin, while stressing the importance of heroic roleplaying and player teamwork.  For the first few years, Second Edition Dungeons & Dragons proved every bit as popular as its predecessor. 
 
 
 
After this auspicious start, the owners of TSR (Gygax and Arneson had left earlier) angered many fans with several extreme practices intended to make up for declining sales, such as inflating prices, excessive split pricing of individual game products, and relentless copyright infringement lawsuits.  They also repeated the same mistake of publishing sourcebooks and handbooks to the point of making the game too cumbersome.  Fantasy had begun its decline in popularity during the late 1980s, replaced by science fiction and horror themes.  Furthermore, collectible card games, like [[Magic: The Gathering]], offered a simpler means of wargaming.  Coupled with the rise in popularity of [[White Wolf, Inc.]]'s Vampire and Werewolf systems, this led to a gradual decline in popularity into the [[1990s]], resulting in TSR filing for [[bankruptcy]] in [[1998]]; TSR never emerged from bankruptcy, and was in the end purchased by former competitor [[Wizards of the Coast]], creators of Magic: The Gathering.
 
 
 
In [[2000]], a third revision, called ''Dungeons & Dragons Third Edition'' (or ''3E'' for short), was published by Wizards of the Coast. It is the basis of a broader role-playing system designed around 20-sided dice, called the [[d20 system]].  The edition removed previous editions' arbitrary restrictions on class and race combinations and on the level advancement of non-human characters.  Skills and the new system of "feats" were introduced into the core rules to encourage players to further customize their characters. The d20 system is far more internally consistent than previous editions of Dungeons and Dragons, although it must be said that D&D has been a late adopter when it comes to a "unified play mechanic".  The new rules also rationalized movement and combat, though some thought these latter changes complicated matters by adding rigorous rules regarding "attacks of opportunity" and standardizing all movement onto a square grid.  Magic-using classes were split from "Wizards" to Wizards, Sorcerers, and in later books such as the [[Complete Arcane]] to further classes such as Warmage. "Thieves" were renamed Rogues, although Second Edition had already classified Thieves under this broad category. Third Edition also introduced the concepts of "Prestige Classes", high-level classes which characters can only enter upon meeting certain character-design prerequisites or fulfilling certain in-game goals, and expanded the idea of high-level campaigns with the "Epic Level" campaign options included in the core rules set. In July [[2003]], a revised version of the 3rd edition D&D rules (termed version 3.5) was released that incorporated numerous minor rule changes, as well as expanding the ''Dungeon Master's Guide'' and ''Monster Manual''.
 
 
 
The introduction of the d20 system made it possible for authors to write new games and game supplements without the need to develop a unique rules system and, more importantly, without the need for approval from Wizards of the Coast.  The d20 system is an [[open source]] version of the D&D core rules that was made available under the [[Open Gaming License]].  This makes it easier to market D&D-compatible content under a broadly recognizable commercial license. Many other companies have produced content for the d20 system, such as [[White Wolf, Inc.|White Wolf]] (under the Sword & Sorcery Studios label), AEG, and Malhavoc Press.
 
 
 
Many [[purist]] fans of the previous editions of the game did not like changes made to the game by Wizards of the Coast in these major revisions of the game.  Some have subsequently engaged in boycotts of any attempt to play the game using these rules. Some fans object to the excessively violent critical system, while others deplore a return to the darker aspects and themes of First Edition.  However, many fans of 1st edition AD&D who never adopted 2nd edition have migrated to 3rd edition, and (in the absence of any concrete sales or market research data from the 1980s) it seems to be the case that more people are playing some form of D&D now than at any point in its history.
 
 
 
The various editions of Dungeons & Dragons have won many [[Origins Award]]s, including ''All Time Best Roleplaying Rules of 1977'', ''Best Roleplaying Rules of 1989'' and ''Best Roleplaying Game of 2000'' for the three flagship editions of the game.
 
 
 
===Legacy===
 
The publication of the first ''Dungeons & Dragons'' game in 1974 marked the dawn of modern role-playing games, and was the first dice-based system, establishing many of the conventions that have dominated the genre: character record sheets, progressive character development, combat-centred game mechanics, and game-master-centered story development.  While many of the ingredients of D&D were in the air at that time (character-based role-play ([[historical reenactment]] and [[improvisational theatre]]), game world simulations ([[wargaming]]), and for-gaming fantasy milieus ([[Glorantha]]'s board games, and to a lesser extent [[Tekumel]])), the subsequent development of dice-based roleplaying underlines the debt owed to the original creation of [[Gary Gygax|Gygax]] and [[Dave Arneson|Arneson]].  Other game developers expanded on and improved aspects of the ''Dungeons & Dragons'' game.  A staggering number of mainstream and independent RPGs offer alternatives to D&D. 
 
 
 
Through the 1970s, '80s, and [[1990s|'90s]], new RPG writers and publishers released new role-playing games.  The first arrivals to achieve lasting influence were the [[Glorantha]]n [[RuneQuest]], released by [[Chaosium]] in 1976, and the science fiction role-playing game [[Traveller (role-playing game)|Traveller]], released by [[Game Designers Workshop]] in 1978. Some of the later systems include [[Chaosium]]'s ''[[Call of Cthulhu (role-playing game)|Call of Cthulhu]]'', ''[[Champions (role-playing game)|Champions]]'' by [[Hero Games]], ''[[GURPS]]'' by [[Steve Jackson Games]] and ''[[Vampire: The Masquerade]]'' by [[White Wolf Game Studio]].  These games also fed back into the genre's origin, miniatures wargames, with combat strategy games like ''[[Battletech]]'' and ''[[Warhammer 40,000]]''.  On some level, [[collectible card games]] (CCGs) like ''Magic: The Gathering'' owe a respectful nod to the original D&D.
 
 
 
In fact, the founder and president of [[Wizards of the Coast]] (the publishers of Magic: the Gathering) was such a fan of D&D that he bought the company. Through corporate mismanagement, TSR had fallen on hard times, and by the end of 1996 had ceased publishing new products. In 1997, Wizards of the Coast acquired TSR and gained ownership of Dungeons & Dragons. Most of the creative and professional staff of TSR relocated from Wisconsin to the [[Renton, Washington]] area, and Wizards re-hired many game designers who had been laid off during the troubled last years of TSR. D&D products continued to carry the TSR logo until 2000, after Hasbro's acquisition of the company.
 
 
 
With the launch of D&D's Third Edition, Wizards made available the [[d20 System]] under the [[Open Gaming License]] (OGL).  Under this license, authors are free to use the d20 System when writing their own games and game supplements.  A strong fanbase loyal to the d20 System has encouraged the growth and rejuvenation of the pencil and paper role-playing game industry.  The OGL is also responsible for creating new versions of games like ''Call of Cthulhu'' using the new system.
 
  
 
==Play overview==
 
==Play overview==
  
 
[[Image:Charsheet.jpg|thumb|175px|A 3.5 Edition character sheet]]
 
[[Image:Charsheet.jpg|thumb|175px|A 3.5 Edition character sheet]]
Dungeons and Dragons can be thought of as a "make-believe" game, but where the player's options and the consequences of their choices are rigidly controlled and measured according to rules. There are quite a lot of rules, governing everything from combat to social interaction; at least three distinct volumes are needed to play the game properly.  Thus, beginners face a steep learning curve.
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:'''''Note:''' The description below is based on the latest edition of the ''D&D'' ruleset (v.3.5).''
 
 
The game is presented by a [[Dungeon Master]] (DM) to a group of (typically) three to five players.  The DM acts as narrator, and arbitrates the actions of the players.  Most games are built around adventures narrated by the DM.  The plots can be very diverse, from hunting dragons in remote dungeons to solving mysteries in urban settings.  The DM chooses the setting, controls events that occur outside the players' control and the actions of the many non-player characters involved in the story.  The DM may describe a crisis that requires the attention of the heroes ("An evil dragon has kidnapped the princess!"), and suggest some possible goals ("Slay the dragon and rescue the princess!"), but because the players can freely choose their own course of action ("Let's ally with the dragon and take over the kingdom instead!"), there are no true criteria for "winning", aside from what the players set for themselves.  A single "game" typically spans multiple sessions and "adventures", and may run for months or even years.
 
 
 
At the start of a game, each player (other than the DM) creates his or her character. The player chooses his character's gender, [[Race (fantasy)|race]] ([[elf]], [[dwarf]], [[gnome]], [[half-elf]], [[human]], [[halfling]], [[half-orc]], and many others), his [[List of character classes|class]] ([[paladin]], [[cleric]], [[Druid (D&D) |druid]], [[rogue]], [[barbarian]], [[bard]], [[ranger]], [[Fighter (D&D)|fighter]], [[monk]], [[wizard]] or [[sorcerer]], and many others) and generates basic qualities ([[strength]], [[dexterity]], [[constitution]], [[wisdom]], [[intelligence]], and [[charisma]], referred to in the game as "ability scores"). These choices determine what the character can do, how well, and how his character will evolve with experience. An example character: "A brilliant but absent-minded gnome wizard who adventures in order to seek out esoteric magical lore."
 
 
 
Perhaps as important as race and profession, a D&D character's [[alignment]] determines whether they are heroic, villainous, or merely mercenary.  Players choose between good, neutrality, or evil, with ethical bents toward lawful or chaotic behaviour.   
 
 
 
Many actions that a character can perform are determined by a dice roll.  These dice, coupled with the character's various skills, determine whether or not he succeeds at a particular action (e.g. hitting an opponent with a weapon or picking a lock), and/or how well he has done it (e.g. how severe an injury he inflicted).  Most binary success/failure actions are determined with the roll of a twenty-sided die (d20): the player rolls the die and adds certain "modifiers" to the result; these modifiers are determined by, among other things, his skill in that type of action, the quality of his tools or whatever magical enchantments he is blessed or cursed with. If the sum is higher or equal than the given Difficulty Class value of the action (e.g. how tough the opponent's armor is, or how complex the lock is), then he has successfully performed the action.  By carefully choosing what class to play, what skills to develop and what tools to carry, a player can significantly improve his chances of success in particular areas of expertise, cementing his role in the group.  The system encourages a well-balanced group of specialised characters.
 
  
When a character defeats an enemy or accomplishes a difficult task, an appropriate number of experience points (xp) are awarded to him by the DM. When a character accumulates enough experience points, he is considered to have advanced to the next level of proficiency, and so his abilities increase.  Some of these improvements are predetermined according to the class he has chosen (e.g. all fighters will see a significant improvement in their general weapon skills), while others can be chosen by the player, allowing a certain degree of customization (such as developing particular skill with a longbow). The modification of the player's character sheet due to a change in level are referred to as "levelling up".
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''Dungeons & Dragons'' is an open-ended "make-believe" game in which players choose which actions their characters will take and the results of those actions are determined using the rules of the game, which govern everything from combat to social interaction. The rules of the game are described in three core rulebooks: The ''Player's Handbook'', the ''Dungeon Master's Guide'', and the ''Monster Manual''. Additional rulebooks contain optional rules which can also be used. Abbreviated versions of the rules are available to help beginners learn the game.
  
===Game manuals===
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Items required for play:
:''Main article: '''[[Dungeons & Dragons manuals]]'''''
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* [[Dungeons & Dragons manuals|Game Manuals]] (rulebooks)
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* [[dice#Non-cubical_dice|Polyhedral Dice]]
  
Several [[book|manuals]] are required for D&D. The first edition of ''Advanced Dungeons & Dragons'' required three core rulebooks: the ''[[Players Handbook]]'', the ''[[Dungeon Masters Guide]]'', and the ''[[Monster Manual]]''. The popularity of these first three rulebooks encouraged TSR to publish more and more books; by the time the second edition of the game was released, there were over a dozen hardbound sourcebooks.
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Optional items:
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* Adventures
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* Campaign Settings
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* Miniature Figures
  
The second edition expanded the number of books, most notably with the "Complete Handbook" or "Complete Book of" series, which featured handbooks for almost every race and class; gnomes and halflings shared one handbook, and the only specialist wizard to receive his own handbook was the necromancerSeveral other archetypes, such as the barbarian, and campaign-specific concepts, such as the gladiator of Dark Sun, were also given their own handbooks.
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Before the game begins each player creates his or her character. Players typically use the same character repeatedly. The player rolls dice to determine his character's ability scores ([[strength]], [[dexterity]], [[constitution]], [[wisdom]], [[intelligence]], and [[charisma]]). The player then chooses a [[Race (fantasy)|race]] and a  [[Character class|class]].  Races include [[elf|elves]], [[dwarf|dwarves]], [[gnome]]s, [[half-elf]]s, [[human]]s, [[halfling]]s, and [[half-orc]]s, among others.  Some of the many classes include [[paladin]]s, [[cleric]]s, [[Druid (D&D)|druid]]s, [[rogue]]s, [[barbarian]]s, [[Bard (Dungeons & Dragons)|bard]]s, [[Ranger (character class)|ranger]]s, [[Warrior (character class)#Fighters in Dungeons & Dragons|fighter]]s, [[monk]]s, [[wizard]]s and [[sorcerer]]s. Depending on the class chosen for the character, players will decide which skills and feats the character knows. They will also select an [[Alignment (role-playing games)|alignment]] to describe the character's moral and ethical outlook. These choices determine what the character can do, how well they can perform different actions, and how the character will evolve with experience.
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The game is presented by a [[Dungeon Master]] (DM) to a group of players. The DM does not have a single character, like the other players, but acts as a narrator, choosing and describing the other characters, settings, and situations the players' characters encounter. The DM also arbitrates the actions of the characters in the game by using and interpreting the rules of the game.
  
The handbooks introduced the concept of "kits", which were essentially specialized versions of character classesMany of these, such as the Bladesinger (an elven fighter/wizard who could fight and cast spells at the same time), were considered to be grossly unbalanced, both in comparison to other kits and in particular to characters who did not use kits.
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For example, the DM may describe a crisis that requires the attention of the heroes ("An evil wizard is raising an undead army!"), and suggest some possible goals ("Find the wizard's lair and slay him!")Because the players can freely choose their own course of action ("Let's ally with the wizard and take over the kingdom instead!"), there is no true criteria for "winning", aside from what the players set for themselves.  A single "adventure" typically spans multiple sessions, and characters may be reused in further adventures, if the players so choose.
  
Several sourcebooks, such as the ''Book of Artifacts'', ''Legends and Lore'', and the ''Planescape Monstrous Compendium'', provided new versions of rules, items, spells, or creatures that had been present in previous editions of the game but had been removed, for whatever reason, from the second edition of the game. While some of these conversions were direct adaptations of existing statistics into the slightly modified second edition rules, others, like the optional psionics system, were completely reinvented from the ground up and had little in common with their previous incarnations.
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When a player chooses to have his character attempt an action (such as punching an opponent or picking a lock), the outcome will be determined by a character's abilities, a random die roll, or by a combination of the two. Different characters will be skilled at accomplishing different things, and the system encourages a well-balanced team of specialised characters.
  
The ''Player's Option'' series of rulebooks in the mid-1990s were interpreted by many players as an intended "third edition" of ''Advanced Dungeons & Dragons''The ''Player's Option'' rulebooks introduced many optional rules into the game: combat and warfare rules in ''Player's Option: Combat & Tactics''; a controversial and, according to many, highly unbalanced character customization system in ''Player's Option: Skills & Powers''; new spells and spellcasting rules in ''Player's Option: Spells and Magic''; and rules for advancement to epic character levels in ''Dungeon Master's Option: High Level Campaigns''.
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When a character defeats an enemy or accomplishes a difficult task, an appropriate number of [[experience point]]s (xp) are awarded to him by the DM. When a character accumulates enough experience points they advance a "level", allowing their player to improve their existing abilities or choose new abilities for them.
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===Adventures===
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[[Image:S3ModuleCover.jpg|thumb|175px|''[[Expedition to the Barrier Peaks|S3: Expedition to the Barrier Peaks]]'' was one of the few adventures released by [[TSR, Inc.|TSR]] to include [[science-fiction]] elements, such as [[ray gun]]s and [[robot]]s.]]
  
The third edition of ''Dungeons & Dragons'' greatly clarified and streamlined the rules, and clearly labeled the ''Player's Handbook'', ''Dungeon Master's Guide'' and ''Monster Manual'' as the three core rulebooks. These editions provided constant and consistent rules for different monster types, effects such as invisibility and fatigue, and spells whose effects have always been the subject of lively debate amongst players.  More significant was the release of most of these rules as [[open source]], in the form of a System Reference Document that could be used by third party game companies to create their own products compatible with Dungeons & Dragons.
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A typical ''D&D'' game consists of an "adventure", which is roughly equivalent to a single story. After completing one adventure, players will usually start a new adventure while continuing to play the same characters.
  
The revisions made by the game's 3.5 edition made a number of previous rulebooks obsolete, several of which, beginning with the ''Expanded Psionics Handbook'', were replaced by slightly different rulebooks. For example, the third edition had five softcover rulebooks focusing on character classes: ''Sword and Fist'' (fighter and monk), ''Tome and Blood'' (sorcerer and wizard), ''Defenders of the Faith'' (cleric and paladin), ''Masters of the Wild'' (barbarian, druid, and ranger), and ''Song and Silence'' (bard and rogue). These books were updated into four revised and expanded hardcover rulebooks for 3.5 edition: ''Complete Warrior'' (barbarian, fighter, ranger), ''Complete Divine'' (cleric, druid, paladin), ''Complete Arcane'' (sorcerer, wizard), and ''Complete Adventurer'' (bard, rogue).
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Adventures are usually designed by the DM, but throughout the history of ''Dungeons & Dragons'', numerous pre-made "adventures" or "modules" have been published. These modules allow a DM to run a game without the effort of creating their own adventures, and typically include a backstory, maps, and one or more objectives for players' characters to achieve. Other modules include illustrations or hand-outs to supplement the basic gaming experience.
  
The first and second editions of the books, though no longer official, are highly prized by collectors. Examples in good condition (which is rare since these books got a lot of use from players) can fetch prices many times their cover value.
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During the early history of ''D&D'', TSR's modules were usually denoted with a code consisting of a letter and a number. Modules within a letter set were usually somehow related. For example, the modules G1, G2, and G3 all had the adventurers fighting a similar enemy (giants). Though related, most modules were stand-alone and could be played without playing any of the other related modules.
  
The pen-and-ink illustrations within these volumes, especially the ''Monster Manual'', is uneven — some artwork is amateurish (as was all D&D art in the early days), while some show skillful use of lines and media. Despite their uneven quality, some fans regard these illustrations as the best in the series.
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Adventure modules typically have a suggested character level, which is usually indicated on the cover. For example, [[Expedition to the Barrier Peaks]] (module S3) was designed for levels 8 - 12, while [[Keep on the Borderlands]] (module B2) was for beginning characters of level 1 - 3. Typically as the number of the module increased so did the difficulty level.
  
===Expansion modules===
 
[[Image:S3ModuleCover.jpg|thumb|175px|''S3: Expedition to the Barrier Peaks'' was one of the few adventures released by [[TSR, Inc.|TSR]] to include [[science-fiction]] elements, such as [[ray gun]]s and [[robot]]s.]]
 
 
:''See [[List of Dungeons & Dragons modules]]''
 
:''See [[List of Dungeons & Dragons modules]]''
  
Throughout the early history of Dungeons & Dragons, [[TSR, Inc.|TSR]] released numerous "modules" for users to play. These modules were pre-made adventures for users to play and use. They contained a backstory, maps and one or more objectives for the players to achieve. Some included numerous illustrations, a [[Dungeon Master]] could purchase these pre-made adventures and use it or parts of it for a gaming session.
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===Campaign settings===
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A series of adventures played through by a common group of characters is commonly referred to as a "campaign". As a result, the fantasy settings in which ''D&D'' games take place are often known as "campaign settings".
  
These modules allowed players to experience adventures without the effort of creating and testing adventure content.  
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Dungeon Masters are free to create their own fantasy settings. But, in a fashion similar to adventure modules, there are many official [[fantasy realm]] [[campaign setting]]s which can be purchased, many with an expansive series of supplemental rulebooks. These worlds range from magic-rich to magic-poor, from traditional western settings to exotic oriental fantasies, from sword and sorcery to swashbuckling adventure.
Most of these modules were denoted with a code consisting of a letter and a number. Modules within a letter set were usually somehow related. For example, Z1 may be a prologue to Z2. Z1, Z2 and Z3 may have the adventurers fighting a similar enemy such as [[beholder]]s. Though related, most modules were stand-alone and could be played without playing any of the other related modules.
 
  
These adventure modules had a suggested character level indicated on the cover. For example, [[Expedition to the Barrier Peaks|module S3]] is for characters 8 - 12 and [[Keep on the Borderlands|module B2]] was for beginning characters level 1 - 3. Typically as the number of the module increased so did the difficulty level.
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[[As of 2005]], only ''Forgotten Realms'' and ''Eberron'' are being supported by new products from Wizards of the Coast. Some campaign settings previously published by TSR or Wizards of the Coast, such as ''[[Dragonlance]]'' and ''[[Ravenloft]]'', have now been licenced to [[third party]] publishers.
  
Many modules were play-tested at gaming conventions such as [[Gen Con]] prior to publishing, so were fairly refined and balanced. Many of the modules went through several printings, and are now out of print. As such, most fetch a high price at auctions for D&D paraphernalia.
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Dave Arneson's ''[[Blackmoor]]'' was the first campaign setting for ''D&D'', while Gary Gygax's ''[[Greyhawk]]'' was the first to be published. Both settings have been republished in many different forms over the years.
  
"Official" modules were also released by "[[The Judges Guild]]" and in [[White_Dwarf_Magazine|White Dwarf]] (UK) and [[Dragon (magazine)|Dragon]] (UK and US) magazines.  Unoffical modules were released in many hundreds of "fanzines" such as "the Beholder", however additional unofficial modules were generally not coded.
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The ''[[Forgotten Realms]]'' setting was created by [[Ed Greenwood]] as his own personal campaign.  This setting became most popular with ''D&D'' gamers in the [[1990s]] and is the setting of a large number of ''D&D'' novels and computer games.
  
===Campaign settings===
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''[[Eberron]]'' is the newest official ''D&D'' setting, notable because magic is used like technology. Originally created by Keith Baker, the world was the winner of a contest sponsred by Wizards of the Coast.
  
The flexibility of the Dungeons and Dragons rules means that Dungeon Masters are free to create their own fantasy settings in which the adventures of the player characters can take place. However, TSR, and more recently Wizards of the Coast, have created many [[fantasy realm]]s called [[campaign setting]]s in which D&D games can be based and for which supplement rulebooks and material were released. Product development has now ceased for most of them. These worlds range from magic-rich to magic-poor, from old-fashioned sword and sorcery to the wildly exotic, some incorporating psychic ('psionic') powers or taking on certain flavours, including Oriental and swashbuckling themes. These official campaign settings include:
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[[Living Campaigns]] are campaigns that involve thousands of role-players from around the world, sharing a single campaign setting. Dungeon Masters can obtain adventures in a vibrant, active campaign setting. Players can build characters, advance them in experience and forge relationships with fellow gamers from around the world.  The largest of the [http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=rpga/play/campaigns Living Campaigns] is [http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=lg/welcome Living Greyhawk].
  
*''[[Blackmoor]]'': Dave Arneson's original campaign, expanded into an official game supplement and further detailed in several adventures.  It was later made part of ''[[Mystara]]''.
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:''See [[Dungeons & Dragons campaign settings]]''
*''[[Greyhawk]]'': Gary Gygax's original campaign, expanded into an official game supplement and greatly expanded upon; along with Dave Arneson's ''[[Blackmoor]],'' it is probably the oldest D&D setting.  Greyhawk is the "default" setting for the 3rd Edition ruleset (that is, the rulebooks are written assuming the players are campaigning in the Greyhawk setting.)
 
*''[[Forgotten Realms]]'': created by author and game designer [[Ed Greenwood]] as his own personal campaign and detailed in a long series of articles in ''[[Dragon Magazine|Dragon]]'', this campaign became the setting most popular with D&D gamers in the [[1990s]]. It is also the setting of a large number of novels, featuring among others the popular character [[Drizzt Do'Urden]].
 
*''[[Dragonlance]]'': the first fictional world to be intentionally produced and marketed as an RPG supplement, with product tie-ins (novels, role-playing modules, figurines, etc.) prepared and manufactured when it was first released.  The success of the ''Dragonlance'' series encouraged role-playing game producers to invent and market additional fictional game worlds.  Often attributed to [[Tracy Hickman]] and [[Margaret Weis]], the writers of the original novels, but actually created by Tracy Hickman and his wife.
 
*''[[Dark Sun]]'': a setting based on the harsh desert world of Athas, which was once a life-teeming ocean blue planet, but which has since been stripped of its fertility by uncontrolled use of defiling magic, although a small offshoot of magicians called preservers tends to maintain life and ultimately restore the primeval lushness.  The world is dominated by psionic powers rather than magic, giving it a unique flavour among campaign settings.
 
*''[[Al-Qadim]]'': A fantasy Arabian setting, with genies, elemental wizards, holy assassins, and a land unified by belief in the power of Fate. The land, named Zakhara, is located bordering the Forgotten Realms.
 
*''[[Ravenloft]]'': A gothic horror setting originally created for an adventure module, ''Ravenloft,'' then expanded into an entire series and full campaign setting. This campaign world is currently being developed by [[White Wolf Game Studio]] under its [[Sword & Sorcery]] label.
 
*''[[Birthright (campaign setting)|Birthright]]:'' A setting in which the players took on the powers of the divinely-empowered rulers of nations, with emphasis on tactical gameplay.
 
*''[[Council of Wyrms]]'' allowed players to play dragons as characters.
 
*''[[Mystara]]'': A campaign setting that evolved from the B and X series modules. Unlike other settings, "The Known World" had ascended immortal beings instead of gods. The ''[[Blackmoor]]'' setting existed in Mystara's distant past.  Mystara was the "default" setting for the 1st and 2nd Edition rulesets.
 
*''[[Red Steel]]''/''[[Savage Coast]]'':  A swashbuckling-themed spinoff of the Mystara setting that revolved around a magical curse that afflicted all characters. ''Red Steel'' was originally released in a boxed set, but was later revised and released online for free as the ''Savage Coast''. The setting was not played on a large scale, and the products that were printed sold poorly.
 
*''[[Lankhmar]]'': TSR released a setting based on the ''[[Fafhrd and the Gray Mouser]]'' stories by [[Fritz Leiber]]. The corrupt city of Lankhmar on the planet Nehwon, is supposed to be the starting place of grand adventures filled with mystery and deceit.
 
*''[[Planescape]]'': A setting that crosses the numerous "[[plane (Dungeons & Dragons)|planes of existence]]", as originally developed in the ''Manual of the Planes.''  The setting crossed [[Victorian era]] trappings with a pseudo-[[steampunk]] design and attitude.
 
*''[[Spelljammer]]'': A setting based in "wildspace", a fantasy version of [[outer space]] in which special sailing ships fly through a space based on classical notions of the universe.
 
*''[[Kara-Tur]]'': An oriental setting based loosely on mythical and medieval Japan and China, introduced in the original ''Oriental Adventures'' rulebook. The setting was eventually placed on [[Toril]], the world of the Forgotten Realms.
 
*''[[Kingdoms of Kalamar]]'':  A campaign setting designed and produced by Kenzer & Company through the only license given to produce actual D&D material since the creation of the Open Gaming License and the D20 System.  The Kalamar setting is heavily-researched and is intended for long campaign play instead of a series of one-shot games or other non-continuous roleplaying. 
 
*''[[Eberron]]'': The newest official D&D setting.  Wizards of the Coast decided that they needed a new setting to set novels in and issue game products for, much like Dragonlance and Forgotten Realms in the past.  A massive contest was held to reward the most creative entry with its own campaign setting.  Eberron was the winner, created largely by Keith Baker.  The setting introduces new races such as the warforged and the new class of artificer, and takes place in a world where the inhabitants can make use of magic as technology.
 
  
''Dark Sun'' is often cited as having directly borrowed many thematic elements from [[Frank Herbert]]'s ''[[Dune (novel)|Dune]]''. ''Ravenloft'' is sometimes erroneously claimed to have been an attempt by TSR to cash in on the success of White Wolf's [[World of Darkness]] line of horror games despite the fact that the ''Ravenloft'' campaign setting predates ''[[Vampire: The Masquerade]]'' by over a year.
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===Miniature figures===
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The wargames from which ''Dungeons & Dragons'' evolved used [[miniature figure]]s to represent combatants. ''D&D'' continued the use of miniatures in a fashion similar to its direct precursor, ''Chainmail'', with each figure representing a specific character or monster. While the original rules of ''D&D'' required the use of miniatures to resolve combat situations, the rules quickly evolved to a point where combat could be resolved verbally and miniatures were no longer required for gameplay.
  
[[As of 2005]], only ''Forgotten Realms'' and ''Eberron'' are being supported by new products from Wizards of the Coast.  New ''Dragonlance'' and ''Ravenloft'' material is being produced by other companies via [[outsourcing]].
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Although no longer essential, miniatures remained popular with players and continued to serve as a useful visual reference. In the early days of ''D&D'', they were often placed on [[acetate]]-covered graph paper with walls and other references drawn with grease pencils. As the adventurers moved from one area to another, the grease pencil markings could be wiped off and a new area drawn.
  
[[Living Campaigns]] are campaigns that involve thousands of role-players from around the world, sharing a single campaign setting. Dungeon Masters can obtain adventures in a vibrant, active campaign setting. Players can build characters, advance them in experience and forge relationships with fellow gamers from around the world.
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In the [[1980s]] numerous [[Miniature figure#Manufacturers|companies]] began to sell miniature figures specifically for ''D&D'' and similar games. TSR partnered with [[Grenadier Miniatures]], who released their figures under the ''D&D'' brand, while other miniature manufacturers (such as [[Ral Partha]] and [[Citadel Miniatures]]) simply release generic, fantasy-themed figures.
  
The [http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=rpga/welcome RPGA Network] sponsors numerous living campaigns. The RPGA runs living campaign games at conventions, game days and other gatherings around the world.  
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Professional products were also released to serve as grid-references for miniature play. Some players would build entire floor-and-wall sets from wood or cardboard and would invest in large inventories of trees and other model objects to create more realistic environments for their miniatures. Professionally-built sets were later released, as well.
  
As of 2005, the largest of the [http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=rpga/play/campaigns Living Campaigns] is [http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=lg/welcome Living Greyhawk].
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Periodically, ''Dungeons & Dragons'' returned to its wargaming roots with supplementary rules systems for miniatures-based wargaming.  Supplements such as ''[[Battlesystem]]'' (1985 & 1989) and a new edition of ''Chainmail'' (2001) provided rule systems to depict battles between armies. The ''[[Dungeons & Dragons Miniatures Game]]'' (2003) is sold as sets of plastic, randomly assorted, prepainted miniatures that can be used as either part of a standard ''D&D'' game or as a stand-alone [[collectable miniatures game]].
  
<!-- These are also listed at [[:Category:Campaign settings (Dungeons & Dragons)]] -->
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==Game History==
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[[Image:Chainmail 3rd edition.jpg|thumb|175px|right|The cover to the game ''[[Chainmail (game)|Chainmail]]'', a ''Dungeons & Dragons'' predecessor.]]
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===Influences===
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The fantasy game ''Dungeons & Dragons,'' designed by Gary Gygax and Dave Arneson, evolved in the early [[1970s]] from the ''[[Chainmail (game)|Chainmail]]'' system of [[wargaming]] rules by Gary Gygax and Jeff Perren. The game was influenced by [[mythology]], [[pulp magazine|pulp fiction]], and contemporary fantasy authors of the 1960s and 1970s.
  
===Polyhedral dice===
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The presence of [[halflings]], [[elf|elves]], [[dwarf|dwarves]], [[half-elf|half-elves]], [[orc]]s, [[Dragon (Dungeons & Dragons)|dragons]] and the like often draw comparisons to the work of [[Tolkien|J.R.R. Tolkien]], although Gygax claims he was influenced very little by [[The Lord of the Rings]], stating that he included these elements as a marketing move to draw on the then-popularity of the work. Other influences, according to the 1977 edition of the ''Dungeon Master's Guide'', include the works of [[Robert E. Howard]], [[Edgar Rice Burroughs]], [[A. Merritt]], [[H.P. Lovecraft]], [[Jack Vance]], [[Fritz Leiber]], [[L. Sprague de Camp]], [[Michael Moorcock]], and [[Poul Anderson]].
[[Image:BluePlatonicDice.jpg|thumb|500px|center|The use of [[polyhedral dice]], like this set of dice (in order d4, d6, d8, d12, d20), is an integral part of the D&D experience]]
 
  
''Dungeons & Dragons'' is noted for introducing the use of polyhedral dice to resolve in-game events and character actions. While the game uses traditional six-sided [[dice]] from time to time, many other types of dice are used more frequently.  D&D's popularity prompted its competitors to adopt the use of many-sided dice, though this trend has been reversed with the introduction of "third generation" role playing games.
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===Edition history===
[[Image:10-sided_dice_250.jpg|thumb|125px|right|The 10-sided die is the only one of the basic dice that is not a [[regular polyhedron]].]][[Image:20-sided dice 250.jpg|thumb|125px|right|This 20-sided die is an important part of the new [[d20 system]].]]
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''D&D'' has gone through several revisions. Parallel versions and inconsistent naming practices can make it difficult to distinguish between the different editions.
The dice used, and what they are typically used for, are:
 
  
'''d2''' &ndash; generally a [[coin]] flipped for small amounts of damage (e.g. [[shuriken]]). Alternatively a regular die may be rolled, as the resulting number will be even or odd with a 50% probability.
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The original '''''Dungeons and Dragons''''' (1974) was published as a boxed set and featured just a few character classes and monsters, and only three alignments. Four supplements (''Greyhawk'', ''Blackmoor'', ''Eldritch Wizardry'', and ''Gods, Demi-Gods and Heroes'') were published over the next two years, expanding the character classes, monsters, and spells. Official rule supplements were also published in the magazines [[Strategic Review]] and its successor, [[Dragon Magazine]].
  
'''d3''' &ndash; generally printed on a cube with two sets of numbers (two 1s, two 2s, two 3s), its results can also be generated by rolling a d6 and dividing the result by two (rounding up) or by counting 4-6 as 1-3 respectively. Used for small amounts of damage (e.g. [[dagger]]s, unarmed damage and very small [[creature]]s&rsquo; natural weapons).
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[[Image:D&d_original.jpg|thumb|175px|right|The cover of the ''D&D Basic Set'', 2nd printing, showcases some of the rather primitive artwork the game featured in its early years.]]
  
[[4-sided_dice|'''d4''']] &ndash; The [[tetrahedron]] is 4-sided. Used for [[weapon]] damage and the [[hit point]]s of a weak creature, this is the average health of a level 1 [[Wizard]] or [[Sorcerer]] with average constitution, or the damage caused by a medium-sized [[dagger]], [[dart]] or hand [[crossbow]].
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In [[1977]], TSR released two new versions of the game: ''Advanced Dungeons & Dragons'' and ''Dungeons & Dragons''.
  
'''d6''' &ndash; The [[hexahedron]] or [[cube]] is 6-sided. A d6 is a standard [[dice|die]] found in many [[board game]]s, and is what most non-roleplaying gamers think of when they think of dice. Used like a d4, this is the average health of a level 1 [[Rogue]] or [[Bard]] with average constitution, or the damage caused by a short [[sword]], [[quarterstaff]] or short [[bow (weapon)|bow]]. [[Spell]] damage is often measured in d6, e.g. a level 10 [[fireball]] is 10d6.
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'''''Dungeons & Dragons''''' was a simpler, sometimes "introductory", version of the game. In 1977 the ''Dungeons & Dragons Basic Set'', also referred to as the Second Edition, was published as a boxed set. This edition was revised in [[1981]], which also coincided with the release of an ''Expert Set'' to accompany the ''Basic Set''. Between [[1983]] and [[1985]] the Third Edition was released in a series of five boxed sets, including the ''Basic Rules'', ''Expert Rules'', ''Companion Rules'', ''Master Rules'', and ''Immortal Rules''.
  
'''d8''' &ndash; The [[octahedron]] is 8-sided. Used like a d4, this is the average health of a level 1 [[Cleric]], [[Druid]], [[Monk]] or [[Ranger]] with average constitution, and the damage caused by a [[long-sword]], [[lance]] or [[longbow]].
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The ''Dungeons & Dragons'' game was revised again in [[1991]]. Typically referred to as the Fourth Edition, this edition included the ''Dungeons & Dragons Game'' (an introductory boxed set) and the ''Dungeons & Dragons Rules Cyclopedia'' (a hardback manual which included the material from the Basic, Expert, Companion, and Master sets). In [[1994]] the introductory boxed set was renamed the ''Classic Dungeons & Dragons Game''. In [[1999]] the introductory box set was revised and released as the ''Dungeons & Dragons Adventure Game''.
  
[[10-sided_dice|'''d10''']] &ndash; is 10-sided, with a unique [[top]]-like shape. Used like a d4, this is the average health of a level 1 [[Fighter (D&D)|Fighter]] or [[Paladin]] with average constitution, and the damage caused by a [[halberd]], dwarven waraxe or heavy [[crossbow]].
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'''''Advanced Dungeons & Dragons''''' (or ''AD&D'') was a more complicated version of the game, designed to collect, revise, and expand on the rules from the original version and its supplements. Between 1977 and [[1979]], three hardcover rulebooks, commonly referred to as the "core rulebooks", were released: The ''Player's Handbook'' (PHB), the ''Dungeon Master's Guide'' (DMG), and the ''Monster Manual'' (MM).
  
'''d12''' &ndash; The [[dodecahedron]] is 12-sided. Used rarely as a hit or [[damage die]] in newer rule sets, but used as the health die for the [[Barbarian]] class and associated Prestige Classes.
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In [[1989]], ''AD&D'' was revised for a 2nd Edition (sometimes referred to as ''AD&D2''). The game was once again published as three core rulebooks, incorporating the expansions and revisions which had been published in various supplements over the previous decade. The ''Monster Manual'' was replaced by the ''[[Monstrous Compendium]]'', a loose leaf-binder which was later replaced by the hardcover ''[[Monstrous Manual]]'' in [[1993]].
  
'''d20''' &ndash; The [[icosahedron]] is 20-sided. The most-used die, is used for most checks of ability, (e.g. trying to open a stuck door, attack rolls, or attempting to barter for a low price). These are the most common rolls in the d20 System, hence its name.
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The release of ''AD&D2'' also corresponded with a change in editorial policy at TSR. An effort was made to remove aspects of the game which some considered objectionable and which had attracted negative publicity. Character classes such as the murderous assassin were eliminated, heroic roleplaying and player teamwork were stressed, and demons and devils were removed from the game. The target age of the game was also dropped from college students to teenagers, prompting a change of content which notably included the removal of the minor nudity which had previously appeared in some of the game's illustrations.
  
'''d100''' &ndash; is 100-sided or two 10-sided (one d10 for tens and another for units). Usually referred to as a "[[Percentile die]]", 00 is generally read as 100% but in some cases is 0%. Primarily used for [[random]] generation from large charts and to check percentage chances (e.g. wearing light armour gives a 5% chance of failure when casting a spell).
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In [[1995]], the core rulebooks were slightly revised and a series of ''Player's Option'' manuals were released as "optional core rulebooks". Although still referred to by TSR as the 2nd Edition, this revision is seen by some fans as a distinct edition of the game and is sometimes referred to as ''AD&D 2.5''.
  
In addition to the above dice, certain companies produce d5, d7, d16, d24, d30, and d50 dice, but they are so rarely used that their presence in a collection is often merely for the sake of completeness. Many campaigns have created tables that use both d24 and d30 dice. Ebay occasionally features booklets of tables for use with d30 dice. While d24 and d30 dice were rarely used in the past due to their unavailablity, they are now coming into more common usage.
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[[Image:DandDBasicSetBoxCover.jpg|thumb|175px|The ''D&D Basic Set'' features cover artwork by [[Erol Otus]], showcasing his distinctive style.  The painting features many elements of the [[fantasy]] game, including a magic-user, a fighter, a [[Dragon (Dungeons & Dragons)|dragon]]-like [[monster]] and a [[dungeon]] underground expanding into the gloom.]]
  
The new [[d20 System]] bases most rolls around a 20-sided die, which allows for more nuances than a six-sided die, though some systems (notably, the [[White Wolf]] d10 system, and the [[Shadowrun]] d6 system) find ways to generate rich results with other dice. Roleplayers often debate which system is "best", as different systems have varying degrees of simplicity, realism, game balance, and randomness.
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In [[1997]], a near-bankrupt TSR was bought by [[Wizards of the Coast]]. The new company almost immediately began designing a new version of the game, which would be released in [[2000]] as '''''Dungeons & Dragons 3rd Edition''''' (also referred to as ''D&D3'' or ''3E''). 3rd Edition, although the largest revision of the ''D&D'' rules to date, was designed to follow the 2nd Edition of ''AD&D'', while the previously independent line of ''Dungeon & Dragons'' games were eliminated. 3rd Edition also served as the basis for a broader role-playing system designed around 20-sided dice, called the [[d20 system]].
  
Some role-playing gamers also use [[top]]s to augment dice in generating randomized results.
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The ''D&D3'' rules were more internally consistent and significantly less restrictive than previous editions of the game, allowing players much more flexibility in creating the characters they wanted to play. Skills and feats were introduced into the core rules to encourage players to further customize their characters. The new rules also standardized the mechanics of action resolution and combat. 3rd Edition also introduced the concepts of "Prestige Classes" (high-level classes which characters can only enter upon meeting certain character-design prerequisites or fulfilling certain in-game goals) and expanded the idea of high-level campaigns with the ''Epic Level Handbook'' (a supplementary core rulebook).
Other random generation systems are used, for variety, but for effectiveness either dice or electronic solutions are standard.
 
  
Another easy substitute: Deck of cards without Jack, Queen or King, reds low, blacks high, is an instant d20.
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In [[2003]], the Third Edition rules were revised as ''Dungeons & Dragons v.3.5'' (also known as Revised 3rd Edition or ''D&D3.5''). This release incorporated numerous minor rule changes and expanded the ''Dungeon Master's Guide'' and ''Monster Manual''.
  
===Miniature figures=== <!-- Stuff that applies to miniature figures generally, rather than D&D in particular, should be added to the "Miniature figure" article. -->
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A wide variety of optional supplements have been published for every edition of ''D&D''. These supplements commonly include new rules, items, spells, and creatures. Other supplements include new adventures or detail entire fantasy worlds.
''Dungeons & Dragons'' continued the use of [[miniature figure]]s in much the same way they were used in its direct precursor, ''Chainmail'', and other miniature-based wargame systems. These miniature figures represent characters&mdash;fighters, mages, dwarves, and so on&mdash;and monsters, adding to the immersiveness of the game.
 
  
In the [[1980s]], numerous [[Miniature figure#Manufacturers|companies]] sprung up offering miniature figures for D&D and related role-playing games. Some of the most respected were [[Ral Partha]] and [[Citadel Miniatures|Citadel]], noted for their high-quality and attention to detail. TSR even partnered itself with one miniature manufacturer, [[Grenadier Miniatures|Grenadier]], and released their figures under the D&D brand. Despite this clever marketing partnership, Grenadier figures were usually derided for poor quality and unrealistic proportions.
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The various editions of ''Dungeons & Dragons'' have won many [[Origins Award]]s, including ''All Time Best Roleplaying Rules of 1977'', ''Best Roleplaying Rules of 1989'' and ''Best Roleplaying Game of 2000'' for the three flagship editions of the game.
  
Miniatures were used in a variety of ways. Often they were placed on [[acetate]]-covered graph paper with walls and other entities drawn with grease pencils. As the adventurers advanced, the grease pencil markings could be wiped off and a new area drawn. Some players would build entire floor tiles and walls sets from wood or cardboard and would invest in large inventories of trees and other location objects to make the gaming even more immersive.
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:''See: [[Differences between editions of Dungeons & Dragons]].''
  
As with dice, many players became attached to certain figures in their collection. Many players spent hours carefully painting their figures with exacting detail. This attachment still exists today and, even though pre-painted figures are now readily available, the [[hobby]] of [[Miniature figure#Painting|miniature figure painting]] is still very popular.
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===Legacy===
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''Dungeons & Dragons'' was the first modern role-playing game, establishing many of the conventions which have dominated the genre. Particularly notable are the use of dice as a resolution mechanic, character record sheets, progressive character development, and game-master-centered group dynamics.
  
Over time, ''Dungeons & Dragons'' (and other role-playing games) evolved beyond the need for miniatures as an aid to [[line of sight (gaming)|line-of-sight]] resolution and combat.  Challenges within the game began to require interaction, association, and problem solving.  Gameplay became rather more portable as players and referees discovered that miniatures weren't essential, though they are still heavily used and heavily promoted even in the 3.5 edition.  
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The elements which made up ''D&D'' can be seen in many hobbies of the time. Character-based roleplaying, for example, can be seen in [[historical reenactment]] and [[improvisational theatre]]. Game world simulations had been well-developed in [[wargaming]]. Fantasy milieus specifically designed for gaming could be seen in [[Glorantha]]'s board games and M.A.R. Barker's [[Tekumel]], among others. Ultimately, however, ''D&D'' represented a unique blending of these elements, creating its own niche and leading to the development of a multitude of role-playing games. [[Science fiction]], [[horror fiction|horror]], [[superhero]]es, [[cartoon]]s, [[western movie|westerns]], [[espionage|spies and espionage]], and many other fictional settings were adapted to role-playing games.
  
Eventually, ''Dungeons & Dragons'' returned to its wargaming roots with the development of rules systems for miniatures-based wargaming.  Supplements such as ''Swords and Spells'' and ''Battle System'' provided rules systems to depict battles between armies of men, goblins, elves, perhaps one or more dragons and giants, etc. Individual figures would (once again) represent 10 or 20 man-sized combatants, though one dragon miniature would represent one dragon.
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Other game developers expanded on and improved aspects of the ''Dungeons & Dragons'' game.  Through the [[1970s]], [[1980s|'80s]], and [[1990s|'90s]], new RPG writers and publishers released new role-playing games.  The first arrivals to achieve lasting influence were the [[Glorantha]]n [[RuneQuest]], released by [[Chaosium]] in 1976, and the science fiction role-playing game [[Traveller (role-playing game)|Traveller]], released by [[Game Designers Workshop]] in 1978. Some of the later systems include [[Chaosium]]'s ''[[Call of Cthulhu (role-playing game)|Call of Cthulhu]]'', ''[[Champions (role-playing game)|Champions]]'' by [[Hero Games]], ''[[GURPS]]'' by [[Steve Jackson Games]] and ''[[Vampire: The Masquerade]]'' by [[White Wolf Game Studio]].  These games also fed back into the genre's origin, miniatures wargames, with combat strategy games like ''[[Battletech]]'' and ''[[Warhammer 40,000]]''. [[Collectable card games]], like [[Magic: The Gathering]], were also heavily influenced by ''D&D'' and its legacy.
  
[[As of 2003]], however, [[Wizards of the Coast]] created the [[Dungeons and Dragons Miniatures Game]], which involved [[plastic]], randomly assorted, prepainted figurines, which could be used with either the role-playing game or the new [[miniatures]] game. As of April [[2005]], six different 'sets' for the game are available (Harbinger, Dragoneye, Archfiends, Giants of Legend, Aberrations and Deathknell) with at least two more planned (Anglefire and Underdark). In the miniatures game, there is a one miniature: one character ratio.
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With the launch of ''D&D'''s 3rd Edition, Wizards made available the [[d20 System]] under the [[Open Gaming License]] (OGL) and [[d20 Trademark License]].  Under these licenses, authors are free to use the d20 System when writing their own games and game supplements. The OGL and d20 Trademark License are also responsible for making possible new versions of older games, such as ''Call of Cthulhu'', using the new system.
  
 
==Related products==
 
==Related products==
===Films and animations===
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===Films and TV===
A popular ''[[Dungeons & Dragons (TV series)|Dungeons & Dragons]]'' [[animated series]] was produced in [[1983]]. [[CBS]] cancelled it after 27 episodes[http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0085011/].  The series has its  share of fans, but most role-players during the 1980s did not consider it representative of the game.  Produced by [[Toei Animation]], the style bore more resemblance to [[anime]] than traditional fantasy. 
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A popular ''[[Dungeons & Dragons (TV series)|Dungeons & Dragons]]'' [[animated series]] was produced in [[1983]].
  
The [[board game]] ''[[DragonStrike (board game)|DragonStrike]]'', which used a simplified form of D&D, included an instructional [[video tape]] in which costumed actors, combined with [[computer-generated imagery]], played the characters and monsters from the board game.
+
A ''[[Dungeons & Dragons (movie)|Dungeons & Dragons]]'' movie was released in 2000.
  
A [[film|movie]], ''[[Dungeons & Dragons (movie)|Dungeons & Dragons]]'', very loosely based on the gaming conventions, was released in [[2000]]. It was a [[List of movies generating losses|box office bomb]]. Despite this, filming was completed in [[2004]] for a sequel, ''[[Dungeons & Dragons 2: The Elemental Might]]''.
+
In 2003, a computer animated motion picture entitled ''[[Scourge of Worlds]]'' was produced for [[DVD]], featuring iconic characters created for the Third Edition. This is an interactive movie that asks viewers to decide what actions the heroes should take at crucial points in the story, allowing hundreds of different story-telling combinations.
  
In 2003, a computer animated motion picture entitled ''[[Scourge of Worlds]]'' was produced for [[DVD]], featuring iconic characters created for the Third Edition. In keeping with the spirit of the game, this is an interactive movie that asks viewers to decide what actions the heroes should take at crucial points in the story, allowing hundreds of different story-telling combinations.
+
===Computer and video games===
 +
Fifty-three computer games and sixteen video games (ten for consoles, four for handheld devices, and two arcade games) had been released and sold under the ''D&D'' license [[as of 2004|as of October 2004]]. Almost half of these games were developed by [[Strategic Simulations, Inc.]] (SSI). Most, but not all, are [[computer role-playing games]] that use rules derived from some version of the ''D&D'' rules. Notable titles include
  
While not actually a D&D product, the [[anime]] ''[[Record of the Lodoss War]]'' is strongly influenced by the game.
+
* ''Advanced Dungeons & Dragons Cartridge'', designed for the [[Intellivision]], was the first computer console game based on the ''D&D'' license.
 +
* ''[[Pool of Radiance]]'' ([[1988]]) was the first ''D&D'' computer game. Designed by SSI, the same game engine would be used to develop ten more ''D&D'' games.
 +
* ''[[Baldur's Gate series|Baldur's Gate]]'' ([[1998]]) was the first ''D&D'' computer game developed by [[BioWare]]. It met with critical success and was followed by several more ''D&D'' games, including a sequel (''Baldur's Gate 2''), ''[[Icewind Dale]]'', ''[[Icewind Dale II]]'' and ''[[Planescape: Torment]]''.
 +
* ''[[Neverwinter Nights]]'' ([[2002]]), also developed by BioWare, was the first faithful implementation of the Third Edition rules in a CRPG. The game included sophisticated design tools which allowed Dungeon Masters to design unique scenarios, much as they would for the tabletop game itself.
 +
* ''[[Dungeons & Dragons Online]]'' is an [[MMORPG]] based on the [[Eberron]] campaign setting. It is currently being developed by [[Turbine Inc|Turbine]].
 +
 +
For a full list of licensed ''D&D'' computer and video games, see [[List of Dungeons & Dragons computer and video games]]. Many other CRPGs, such as the numerous [[Roguelike]] games, are directly or indirectly based on the ''D&D'' game.
  
In the film ''[[E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial|ET]]'', a scene near the beginning shows boys playing D&D in the kitchen. The game is not mentioned by name, because TSR refused to allow mention of the trademark when the movie was made.
+
===Board games===
 +
Seven [[board games]] have been sold under the ''D&D'' license.  
  
The characters of ''[[Buffy the Vampire Slayer]]'' play a game of D&D in the series finale, which also contains a reference to Trogdor the Burninator from [[Homestar Runner]].
+
The ''[[Dungeons & Dragons Computer Labyrinth Game]]'' ([[1980]]) was the first computer/board game hybrid and the first ''D&D'' licensed game that contained digital electronics.
  
===Satire===
+
''[[DragonStrike (board game)|DragonStrike]]'' (1993) used a simplified form of ''D&D'' and included an instructional [[video tape]] in which costumed actors, combined with [[computer-generated imagery]], played the characters and monsters from the board game.
The best known parody of the game is called [[Summoner Geeks]]. Writer Dan Harmon and animator Tim Borrelli created the animated short using characters from the "Summoner" and "Red Faction" PC games. The audio that accompanies the animation is from the [[Dead Alewives]], a Wisconsin-based comedy troupe. An audio sequel to the original piece exists, but has not been animated.
 
  
Another parody of the game is "[[8-bit D&D]]"[http://www.flashplayer.com/animation/8bitdnd.html], a [[Macromedia Flash|Flash]] animated movie loosely based off the [[8-bit Theater]] web comicThis movie also has the aforementioned Dead Alewives audio. Numerous other web comics exist which cover D&D and role-playing in general (generally in a satirical fashion); among them are "[[Dork Tower]]", "[[Nodwick]]"[http://archive.gamespy.com/comics/nodwick/] and "[[Order of the Stick]]"[http://giantitp.com/cgi-bin/GiantITP/ootscript].
+
===Magazines===
 +
Many magazines have been partially or fully devoted to supporting ''Dungeons & Dragons''The two official publications are ''[[Dungeon Magazine]]'' and ''[[Dragon Magazine]]''.
  
The Seattle-based Dead Gentleman comedy troupe produced ''[[The Gamers (movie)|The Gamers]]'', a film which cut between real-life gamers at the table and their fantasy counterparts. A sequel, ''The Gamers: Second Edition'', is in the works.
+
===Novels===
 +
Several hundred [[novel]]s have been published based upon ''Dungeons & Dragons''.
  
Comic singer Stephen Lynch also has a song called "D&D" on one of his albums which pokes lighthearted fun at the game.
+
* Fantasy Grand Master [[Andre Norton]]'s novel ''Quag Keep'', published in 1978, was set in Greyhawk, making it the first novel to use a ''D&D'' campaign setting.
 +
* Throughout the early 1980s, TSR printed several series of "[[Choose Your Own Adventure]]"-style novels under the following tradmarks: [[1 on 1 Adventure Gamebooks]], [[Endless Quest]], [[Heart Quest Books]], and [[Super Endless Quest]]. Most of these books were based on ''D&D'', although some were based on other TSR role-playing games.
 +
* The [[Dragonlance|Dragonlance Chronicles]] trilogy by [[Margaret Weis]] and [[Tracy Hickman]], published in 1984, were the first major novels published by TSR.
 +
* ''D&D'' creator Gary Gygax's series of [[Gord the Rogue]] novels, published from 1985 to 1988, was set in his Greyhawk campaign setting.
 +
* Author [[R. A. Salvatore]] wrote a number of books based in the [[Forgotten Realms]] campaign setting, including 17 that feature his famed character [[Drizzt Do'Urden]].
 +
* From 2002 to 2004, a series of novels based upon the iconic characters of Third Edition were published.
  
===Computer and video games===
+
==References in popular culture==
:''For a full list of licensed D&D computer and video games, see [[List of Dungeons & Dragons computer and video games]].''
+
In the film ''[[E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial|E.T.]]'', a scene near the beginning shows boys playing ''D&D'' in the kitchen. The game is not mentioned by name, because TSR refused to allow mention of the trademark when the movie was made.
 +
 
 +
The characters of ''[[Buffy the Vampire Slayer]]'' play a game of ''D&D'' in the series finale.
  
A number of D&D and AD&D licensed [[computer and video games]] have been released.  Most, but not all, are [[computer role-playing game]]s that use rules derived from some version of the D&D rules. D&D-based games released for [[video game console]]s tend to focus directly on action rather than on the development of a character's statistics or personality. Most traditional [[console role-playing game]]s are based on structured, linear plots involving pre-generated protagonists, and are typically lighter on statistics than the average D&D game.
+
The [[Rona Jaffe]] novel ''[[Mazes and Monsters]]'' was inspired by the news stories about ''D&D'' players. The novel was later adapted into a film for television. (See Criticism and controversies below.)
  
Fifty-three computer RPGs, ten console video games and two arcade games had been released and sold under the D&D license [[as of 2004|as of October 2004]]; almost half of these games were developed by [[Strategic Simulations, Inc.|SSI]], many of which were released under the "[[Gold Box]]" product line. Most use licensed ''D&D'' rules, while a few others use the more recent open-source [[d20 system]] for game mechanics as well as [[trademarks]] which are licensed from [[Wizards of the Coast]]/[[Hasbro]].
+
In the film ''[[SLC Punk]]'' the two main characters are preparing to play D&D in a flashback at the end of the film.
  
In D&D [[computer game]]s, the rules are usually modified to enhance [[personal computer|PC]]-based gameplay. Some players go so far as to say that computerized versions are so different from pen-and-paper games that they really are different experiences, and shouldn't be lumped together. ''[[Neverwinter Nights]]'' was developed such that the ruleset can be faithfully implemented, while providing computer users the convenience to convene over a network with a digitally-enhanced visualization of the exploration areas.  
+
In an episode of [[Christina Applegate]]'s series ''[[Jesse (TV series)|Jesse]]'', she thinks she meets the perfect guy until he introduces her to his ''D&D'' group.
  
Recently, [[Turbine Inc|Turbine]] has secured the rights to produce a [[MMORPG]], ''[[Dungeons & Dragons Online]]'', based in the [[Eberron]] campaign world. It is scheduled for release in [[2005]].
+
In the movie ''[[Airheads]]'' one of the characters mentions Dungeons & Dragons when addressing the crowd at the end.
  
While the game is not officially licensed, the popular [[1980s]] [[arcade game]] ''[[Gauntlet (game)|Gauntlet]]'' is also seen as being influenced by the D&D game.  Many other CRPGs, such as the numerous [[Roguelike]] games, are directly or indirectly based on the D&D game.
+
[[United States|American]] [[actor]] [[Vin Diesel]] stated a number of times that he plays ''D&D'' and wrote the forward to the book ''[[30 Years of Adventure: A Celebration of D&D]]'' .
  
Handheld digital media, such as the [[Game Boy]], have also seen a share of the ''D&D'' digitial games. Four games as of 2004 can be found on handheld devices. A version of ''[[Neverwinter Nights]]'' ([[2002]]) was ported to a wireless handheld communications device, or [[mobile phone]]. This ported game was affectionately named ''Neverwinter Nights: Mobile'' and was released in 2004.
+
A [[Weezer]] song, "In the Garage", mentions the ''Dungeon Master's Guide''.
  
===Board games===
+
Rock group [[Marcy Playground]] has a song called "Cloak of Elvenkind", which refers to a magic item described in the game.
Seven [[board games]] were also sold under the ''D&D'' license. One of them, ''[[Dungeons & Dragons Computer Labyrinth Game]]'' in [[1980]] was the original board game which was a computer/board game hybrid and the first ''D&D'' licensed game that contained digital electronics.
 
  
===Magazines===
+
A [[Tribe Called Quest]] song, "Scenario" features [[Bustah Rhymes]] delivering the line:, "Rarr Rarr like a dungeon dragon".
Magazines devoted to supporting ''Dungeons & Dragons'' include ''[[Dungeon Magazine]]'' and ''[[Dragon Magazine]]''.
 
  
===Novels===
+
Singer/Comedian [[Steven Lynch]] has a song called "12-Sided Die" which mentions ''Dungeons & Dragons'' by name and insinuates that ''D&D'' players are virgins for life.
A great many original [[novel]]s&mdash;more than a few hundred&mdash;have been published based upon the many worlds of ''Dungeons and Dragons'' and its spin-offs such as ''[[Forgotten Realms]]'' and ''[[Dragonlance]]''. In [[2002]]-[[2004]] a series of novels based upon the iconic characters created for the Third Edition was published.
 
  
==Criticism and controversies==
+
A ''[[Saturday Night Live]]'' sketch entitled "Geek, Dweeb, or Spaz" where high school kids had to guess how geeky their classmates were featured guest host [[Emilio Estevez]]. At first his character seemed impossibly cool to be ruled a geek, until the game show host revealed he had been treasurer of the ''Dungeons & Dragons'' club at his old high school.
The game's commercial success led to lawsuits between Arneson and Gygax starting in [[1979]], over issues of royalties, particularly for AD&D for which Arneson was not given credit by TSR.  Those suits were settled out of court by [[1981]].
 
  
Beyond lawsuits, greater controversies have surrounded D&D due to allegations of its connections to [[devil worship]], as well as claims that RPGs in general lead to [[suicide]].  These allegations were popularized in a novel called ''[[Mazes and Monsters]]'' by [[Rona Jaffe]].  The book was turned into a [[TV movie]] featuring a young [[Tom Hanks]] in the key role of a mentally unstable collegian who experiences psychotic episodes and loses himself in the game world.  It should be noted that the allegations in the book and film were based on faulty interpretation of [[William Dear]]'s 1979 investigation.  Dear, a private investigator, searched for a wealthy college student, [[James Dallas Egbert III]].  While the search proved successful, the brilliant and depressed boy committed suicide after a quarrel with his wealthy, domineering father.  Dear later wrote ''The Dungeon Master: The Disappearance of James Dallas Egbert III'' [http://www.everything2.com/index.pl?node_id=1669998] written from case notes.  The author described his own experiences learning D&D, as a key to understanding Egbert's withdrawal from reality.  Dear also makes it implicitly clear that Egbert's suicide had more to with family troubles than with roleplaying games. [http://ptgptb.org/0006/egbert.html] 
+
An episode of the [[cartoon series]] ''[[Dexter's Laboratory]]'' entitled "D&DD" features the characters playing ''D&D'' in which also Dexter claims to have a character named Gygax, the game's creator.
  
One of the big names in the anti-D&D movement was [[Patricia Pulling]].  Pulling founded [[Bothered About Dungeons and Dragons]] (BADD), a one-person organization, after her son (Irving "Bink" Pulling) committed suicide which she believed was from playing the famous RPG Dungeons & Dragons.  Pulling wrote ''Interviewing Techniques For Adolescents'' (1988), a primer for police officers who are dealing with crimes that involve role-playing games. [[Michael Stackpole|Michael A. Stackpole]] wrote ''The Pulling Report'' [http://www.rpg.net/sites/252/quellen/stackpole/pulling_report.html] in 1990 debunking Pulling's claims.
+
Dungeons & Dragons creator Gary Gygax appears in the ''[[Futurama (TV series)|Futurama]]'' episode "Anthology of Interest 1".
  
[[Chick Publications]] produced a comic book [[tract]] called "Dark Dungeons"[http://www.chick.com/reading/tracts/0046/0046_01.asp] about a girl who got involved in [[witchcraft]] through a role-playing game, and cast a spell on her father to make him buy her books and miniatures.
+
===Parody===
 +
''Dungeons & Dragons'' has been parodied often.  Parodies of the game exist in nearly all media, including film [http://www.deadgentlemen.com/], television [http://snltranscripts.jt.org/89/89jlothar.phtml], [http://starbulletin.com/2005/07/10/features/story2.html], and [[Order of the Stick|cartoons]], among others.  Much of the potential for parody in ''Dungeons & Dragons'' may exist because, with its heroic millieu and imagination-based gameplay, it exaggerates the visibility of the gap between the actuality of the players' self-image and the personas they adopt when interacting with others [http://caliber.ucpress.net/doi/abs/10.1525%2Fsi.2004.27.3.333?cookieSet=1].
  
Such negative portrayals of role-players, ironically, may have originated from an initial inability of some outside observers to properly differentiate between reality and the immersive role-playing aspects of game play.  Misperception has been the major prejudice that role-players have had to face over the years. Some [[religious]] individuals consider roleplaying games immoral or irreligious for multiple reasons, most commonly due to game uses of magic, spells, the worship of pagan gods, the glorification of violence, and the use of supernatural powers (whose game uses are not always distinguished from reality by observers).  Such accusations continued well beyond the [[1980s]] and into the [[1990s]]. There have been numerous studies exploring this allegation that have generally concluded that not only does D&D not seem to encourage suicide, but players of this kind of game are in fact less prone to take their own lives.  For example, studies conducted by [[Michael Stackpole]] show that the suicide rate is actually lower among gamers than non-gamers.
+
The infamous "Dungeons and Dragons" by the Dead Alewives Society from a [[Doctor Demento]] album includes the infamous "I attack the darkness" joke, as well as references to [[Mountain Dew]] and other classic lines. Several fan-made videos have been made using the audio of this piece.
  
Often this connection is pointed out when young people are indicted for crimes, such as a [[2001]] murder of [[Robert M. Schwartz]], a prominent scientist in [[Loudoun County, Virginia]].  The connection was also made during the investigation of the [[Stephanie Crowe]] murder in [[San Diego, California|San Diego]], where Stephanie's teenage brother and two friends were accused of the killing because prosecutors said that the killing reflected a brother's hatred of his sister and the three boys' interest in role-playing fantasy gamesThe three youths maintain they are innocent and a transient named Richard Tuite was later arrested, charged, and convicted of manslaughter. [http://www.courttv.com/trials/tuite/]
+
==Criticism and controversies==
 +
The game's commercial success led to lawsuits between Arneson and Gygax starting in [[1979]], over issues of royalties, particularly for ''AD&D'' for which Arneson was not given credit by TSRThose suits were settled out of court by [[1981]].
  
The [[Swedish National Board for Youth Affairs]] has published a report on "Roleplaying as a Hobby." The report describes roleplaying as a stimulating hobby that promotes creativity. [http://www.ungdomsstyrelsen.se/art/0,2072,5423,00.html]
+
The game also achieved notoriety, particularly in the [[1980s]], due to its alleged promotion of [[devil worship]], [[witchcraft]], [[suicide]], and [[murder]]. Many of these critisms, though mentioning "Dungeons & Dragons" specifically, were actually aimed at [[Role-playing game|RPG's]] or the [[fantasy]] genre in general and are covered in the [[Role-playing_game#Controversy|Role-playing game article.]]
  
The controversy involving occult influences on ''Dungeons & Dragons'' led TSR to remove lengthy references to [[demon]]s, [[devil]]s, and other supernatural monsters commonly associated with "sorcery" in the Second Edition of the game.  This included certain arcane and divine spells, such as "Cacodaemon," that pressed such fiends into service in exchange for human sacrifice.  For a time, the focus returned to heroic roleplaying, but these supernatural aspects were returned to the core rules of the game with the release of the Third Edition. A few Third Edition products have gone into even further detail on the activities of demons and demon worshippers than those of previous editions, such as the ''Book of Vile Darkness'', which bears a "For Mature Audiences Only" label.
+
The controversy involving occult influences led TSR to remove lengthy references to [[demon]]s, [[devil]]s, and other supernatural monsters commonly associated with "sorcery" in the 2nd Edition AD&D. Many of these aspects were returned to the game with the release of the 3rd Edition. A few products have gone into even further detail on the activities of demons and demon worshippers than those of previous editions, the more extreme like the ''[[Book of Vile Darkness]]'' bear a "For Mature Audiences Only" label.
  
 
==See also==
 
==See also==
* [[Brom]], artist responsible for almost all of [[Dark Sun]] material.
+
* [[Role-playing games]]
* [[Jeff Dee]] and [[Erol Otus]], early D&D artists
 
* [[List of character classes|Character classes]]
 
* [[List of deities of Dungeons & Dragons|Dungeons & Dragons deities]]
 
* [[Spells of Dungeons & Dragons|Dungeons & Dragons spells]]
 
* [[Race (fantasy)|Fantasy races]]
 
* [[List of species in fantasy fiction|Fantasy species]]
 
 
* [[Live action role-playing game]]
 
* [[Live action role-playing game]]
* [[Miniature figure]]
+
* [[Computer role-playing games]]
* [[PCGen]]
+
** [[MUD]] &ndash; Multi-User Dungeons, many of which are based on D&amp;D
* [[MUD]] - Multi-User Dungeons, many of which are based on D&amp;D
+
** [[MMORPG]] &ndash; The modern successor to MUDs
 +
* [[Jeff Dee]] and [[Erol Otus]], early ''D&D'' artists
 +
* [[Spells of Dungeons & Dragons|''Dungeons & Dragons'' spells]]
 +
* [[List of deities of Dungeons & Dragons|''Dungeons & Dragons'' deities]]
 +
 
 +
==References==
 +
* Fannon, Sean Patrick. ''The Fantasy Role-Playing Gamer's Bible, 2nd Edition''. Obsidian Studios, 2000.
 +
* Gygax, Gary. ''Roleplaying Mastery''. New York, NY: Perigee, 1987.
 +
* Gygax, Gary. ''Master of the Game''. New York, NY: Perigee, 1989.
 +
* Gygax, Gary. "Editorial." Dragon Magazine 95: 12. (on influence from Tolkien)
 +
* Jaffe, Rona. ''Mazes and Monsters''. New York, NY: Delacorte Press, 1981.
 +
* Schick, Lawrence. ''Heroic Worlds: A History and Guide to Roleplaying Games''. Amherst, NY: Prometheus Books, 1991.
 +
* [http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/magazine/3655627.stm BBC article on the history of ''Dungeons & Dragons'']
 +
* [http://pc.gamespy.com/articles/538/538848p1.html?fromint=1 Gamespy's 30th Anniversary of ''Dungeons & Dragons'' special]
 +
* [http://www.acaeum.com/ The Acaeum] &ndash; detailed information on pre-AD&D2 editions of the game
 +
* [http://www.rpg.net/news+reviews/wotcdemo.html Adventure Game Industry Market Research Summary V1.0]
 +
* [http://archive.salon.com/tech/feature/2000/03/29/open_dungeon/index.html Opening the Dungeon] &ndash; an article about the conflict over the proprietary or open-source nature of ''Dungeons & Dragons''
 +
* [http://www.classicgaming.com/gotcha/ssi.htm Classic Gaming Feature on SSI]
  
 
==External links==
 
==External links==
===Official sites===
+
* [http://www.wizards.com/ Hasbro's Wizards of the Coast] &ndash; owner and publisher of
* [http://www.wizards.com/dnd/ Hasbro's Wizards of the Coast D&D site]
+
**[http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/welcome Dungeons & Dragons core game]  
 
+
**[http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/fr/welcome Forgotten Realms Campaign ]
===Articles===
+
**[http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/eberron Eberron Campaign ]
* [http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/magazine/3655627.stm BBC article on ''Whatever happened to Dungeons and Dragons?'']
+
**[http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/minis D&D Minatures Game ]
* [http://pc.gamespy.com/articles/538/538848p1.html?fromint=1 Gamespy's 30th Anniversary of Dungeons and Dragons special]
+
* [http://home.flash.net/~brenfrow/index.htm TSR Archive] &ndash; a catalogue of (almost) everything D&D produced by TSR, with cover pictures, back cover blurb and publishing info.
* [http://archive.salon.com/tech/feature/2000/03/29/open_dungeon/index.html Opening the Dungeon, an article about the conflict over the proprietary or open-source nature of Dungeons and Dragons]
+
* [http://dmoz.org/Games/Roleplaying/Genres/Fantasy/Dungeons_%26_Dragons/ DMOZ open directory listing for ''D&D'']
 
+
* [http://www.enworld.org/ EN World] &ndash; ''D&D''/d20 System news and reviews website
===Fan sites===
+
* [http://www.rpgstudies.net/ Studies about fantasy role-playing games] - a list of academic articles about RPGs
* [http://www.acaeum.com/ The Acaeum] &ndash; website with voluminous information on classic D&D related paraphernalia
+
* [http://www.faqs.org/faqs/games/roleplay/dnd/part1/ Rec.Games.Frp.Dnd Frequently Asked Questions] is a [[FAQ]] mostly about D&D in general rather than just the [[newsgroup]].
* [http://home.comcast.net/~wajohnsen/dnd/ Dominus Dracon Digitalis Delectare] Information on Dungeons and Dragons digital media (games, movies, utilities)
+
* [http://users.rcn.com/aardy/rate/index.html Rating of D&D products] based on user survey.
* [http://www.livingcity.net/ Living City] &ndash; devoted to reaching out to gamers in the US and getting them to play more D&D.
+
* [http://www.rpggateway.com/tsrlist/docfiles.html Complete List of TSR Products] arranged in 30 [[Microsoft Word]] files.
* [http://www.sorcerers.net/ Sorcerer's Place] &ndash; extensive coverage of modern D&D CRPGs
 
* [http://dnd.wikicities.com/ Polaqu] &ndash; [[Wikicities|Wikicity]] devoted to building a 3.5e campaign setting from scratch.
 
 
 
===Television series===
 
* [http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0085011/ IMDB] - credits, cast, dates
 
* [http://povonline.com/cols/COL145.htm POV Online] - interview with a writer, Phil Mendez
 
* [http://www.mindspring.com/~michaelreaves/D&Dpreface.html Michael Reaves' site] - regarding the 'final episode'
 
 
 
===Related sites===
 
* [http://dmoz.org/Games/Roleplaying/Genres/Fantasy/Dungeons_%26_Dragons/ DMOZ open directory listing for D&D]
 
* [http://www.opengamingfoundation.org/ The d20 system at the Open Gaming Foundation]
 
* [http://www.d20srd.org/ System Reference Document containing rules to version 3.5]
 
* [http://www.enworld.org/ EN World] &ndash; D&D/d20 System news and reviews website
 
* [http://www.openroleplaying.org/tools/dieroller/ Openroleplaying.org's automated Die Roller] (uses standard D&D 'Dice Equations')
 
* [http://www.rpgstudies.net/ Studies about fantasy role-playing games] - links to articles & studies about RPGs
 
  
 
[[Category:Role-playing games]]
 
[[Category:Role-playing games]]
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Latest revision as of 05:39, 5 October 2005

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File:D&d Box1st.jpg
The original Dungeons & Dragons set

Dungeons & Dragons (abbreviated as D&D or DnD) is a fantasy role-playing game (RPG) published by Wizards of the Coast. The current version of the game is Dungeons & Dragons v.3.5 (also known as the Revised 3rd Edition or D&D3.5). Previous versions of the game include Advanced Dungeons & Dragons (abbreviated as AD&D). Outside of the gaming community, D&D has become a genericized trademark used to refer to RPGs in general. The game also achieved notoriety, particularly in the 1980s, due to its alleged promotion of devil worship, witchcraft, suicide, and murder.

The original Dungeons & Dragons, designed by Gary Gygax and Dave Arneseon, was first published in January 1974 by Gygax's company, Tactical Studies Rules (TSR). Originally derived from tabletop wargames, this publication is generally regarded as the beginning of modern role-playing games and, by extension, the role-playing game industry.

Players of D&D embark upon imaginary adventures in which they battle many kinds of fictional monsters, gather treasure, and earn experience points as the game progresses. The game departed from traditional wargaming by giving each player the part of a specific character to play. It also developed the concept of a Dungeon Master (or Gamemaster), a referee responsible for creating the fictional setting of the game, playing antagonists and supporting characters, and moderating the actions of the players' characters.

In 1977 the game was split into two slightly different versions: The simpler Dungeons & Dragons and the more complex Advanced Dungeons & Dragons. In 2000, the simpler version of the game was discontinued and the 3rd Edition of Dungeons & Dragons was released as a continuation of the AD&D game line. The v.3.5 revision of the game was released in July 2003.

Dungeons & Dragons remains the best-known and best-selling RPG, with an estimated 20 million players worldwide and over US$1 billion in book and equipment sales (as of 2004 according to a BBC news report). Products branded Dungeons & Dragons made up over fifty percent of the RPG products sold in 2002.

Play overview

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A 3.5 Edition character sheet
Note: The description below is based on the latest edition of the D&D ruleset (v.3.5).

Dungeons & Dragons is an open-ended "make-believe" game in which players choose which actions their characters will take and the results of those actions are determined using the rules of the game, which govern everything from combat to social interaction. The rules of the game are described in three core rulebooks: The Player's Handbook, the Dungeon Master's Guide, and the Monster Manual. Additional rulebooks contain optional rules which can also be used. Abbreviated versions of the rules are available to help beginners learn the game.

Items required for play:

Optional items:

  • Adventures
  • Campaign Settings
  • Miniature Figures

Before the game begins each player creates his or her character. Players typically use the same character repeatedly. The player rolls dice to determine his character's ability scores (strength, dexterity, constitution, wisdom, intelligence, and charisma). The player then chooses a race and a class. Races include elves, dwarves, gnomes, half-elfs, humans, halflings, and half-orcs, among others. Some of the many classes include paladins, clerics, druids, rogues, barbarians, bards, rangers, fighters, monks, wizards and sorcerers. Depending on the class chosen for the character, players will decide which skills and feats the character knows. They will also select an alignment to describe the character's moral and ethical outlook. These choices determine what the character can do, how well they can perform different actions, and how the character will evolve with experience.

The game is presented by a Dungeon Master (DM) to a group of players. The DM does not have a single character, like the other players, but acts as a narrator, choosing and describing the other characters, settings, and situations the players' characters encounter. The DM also arbitrates the actions of the characters in the game by using and interpreting the rules of the game.

For example, the DM may describe a crisis that requires the attention of the heroes ("An evil wizard is raising an undead army!"), and suggest some possible goals ("Find the wizard's lair and slay him!"). Because the players can freely choose their own course of action ("Let's ally with the wizard and take over the kingdom instead!"), there is no true criteria for "winning", aside from what the players set for themselves. A single "adventure" typically spans multiple sessions, and characters may be reused in further adventures, if the players so choose.

When a player chooses to have his character attempt an action (such as punching an opponent or picking a lock), the outcome will be determined by a character's abilities, a random die roll, or by a combination of the two. Different characters will be skilled at accomplishing different things, and the system encourages a well-balanced team of specialised characters.

When a character defeats an enemy or accomplishes a difficult task, an appropriate number of experience points (xp) are awarded to him by the DM. When a character accumulates enough experience points they advance a "level", allowing their player to improve their existing abilities or choose new abilities for them.

Adventures

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S3: Expedition to the Barrier Peaks was one of the few adventures released by TSR to include science-fiction elements, such as ray guns and robots.

A typical D&D game consists of an "adventure", which is roughly equivalent to a single story. After completing one adventure, players will usually start a new adventure while continuing to play the same characters.

Adventures are usually designed by the DM, but throughout the history of Dungeons & Dragons, numerous pre-made "adventures" or "modules" have been published. These modules allow a DM to run a game without the effort of creating their own adventures, and typically include a backstory, maps, and one or more objectives for players' characters to achieve. Other modules include illustrations or hand-outs to supplement the basic gaming experience.

During the early history of D&D, TSR's modules were usually denoted with a code consisting of a letter and a number. Modules within a letter set were usually somehow related. For example, the modules G1, G2, and G3 all had the adventurers fighting a similar enemy (giants). Though related, most modules were stand-alone and could be played without playing any of the other related modules.

Adventure modules typically have a suggested character level, which is usually indicated on the cover. For example, Expedition to the Barrier Peaks (module S3) was designed for levels 8 - 12, while Keep on the Borderlands (module B2) was for beginning characters of level 1 - 3. Typically as the number of the module increased so did the difficulty level.

See List of Dungeons & Dragons modules

Campaign settings

A series of adventures played through by a common group of characters is commonly referred to as a "campaign". As a result, the fantasy settings in which D&D games take place are often known as "campaign settings".

Dungeon Masters are free to create their own fantasy settings. But, in a fashion similar to adventure modules, there are many official fantasy realm campaign settings which can be purchased, many with an expansive series of supplemental rulebooks. These worlds range from magic-rich to magic-poor, from traditional western settings to exotic oriental fantasies, from sword and sorcery to swashbuckling adventure.

As of 2005, only Forgotten Realms and Eberron are being supported by new products from Wizards of the Coast. Some campaign settings previously published by TSR or Wizards of the Coast, such as Dragonlance and Ravenloft, have now been licenced to third party publishers.

Dave Arneson's Blackmoor was the first campaign setting for D&D, while Gary Gygax's Greyhawk was the first to be published. Both settings have been republished in many different forms over the years.

The Forgotten Realms setting was created by Ed Greenwood as his own personal campaign. This setting became most popular with D&D gamers in the 1990s and is the setting of a large number of D&D novels and computer games.

Eberron is the newest official D&D setting, notable because magic is used like technology. Originally created by Keith Baker, the world was the winner of a contest sponsred by Wizards of the Coast.

Living Campaigns are campaigns that involve thousands of role-players from around the world, sharing a single campaign setting. Dungeon Masters can obtain adventures in a vibrant, active campaign setting. Players can build characters, advance them in experience and forge relationships with fellow gamers from around the world. The largest of the Living Campaigns is Living Greyhawk.

See Dungeons & Dragons campaign settings

Miniature figures

The wargames from which Dungeons & Dragons evolved used miniature figures to represent combatants. D&D continued the use of miniatures in a fashion similar to its direct precursor, Chainmail, with each figure representing a specific character or monster. While the original rules of D&D required the use of miniatures to resolve combat situations, the rules quickly evolved to a point where combat could be resolved verbally and miniatures were no longer required for gameplay.

Although no longer essential, miniatures remained popular with players and continued to serve as a useful visual reference. In the early days of D&D, they were often placed on acetate-covered graph paper with walls and other references drawn with grease pencils. As the adventurers moved from one area to another, the grease pencil markings could be wiped off and a new area drawn.

In the 1980s numerous companies began to sell miniature figures specifically for D&D and similar games. TSR partnered with Grenadier Miniatures, who released their figures under the D&D brand, while other miniature manufacturers (such as Ral Partha and Citadel Miniatures) simply release generic, fantasy-themed figures.

Professional products were also released to serve as grid-references for miniature play. Some players would build entire floor-and-wall sets from wood or cardboard and would invest in large inventories of trees and other model objects to create more realistic environments for their miniatures. Professionally-built sets were later released, as well.

Periodically, Dungeons & Dragons returned to its wargaming roots with supplementary rules systems for miniatures-based wargaming. Supplements such as Battlesystem (1985 & 1989) and a new edition of Chainmail (2001) provided rule systems to depict battles between armies. The Dungeons & Dragons Miniatures Game (2003) is sold as sets of plastic, randomly assorted, prepainted miniatures that can be used as either part of a standard D&D game or as a stand-alone collectable miniatures game.

Game History

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The cover to the game Chainmail, a Dungeons & Dragons predecessor.

Influences

The fantasy game Dungeons & Dragons, designed by Gary Gygax and Dave Arneson, evolved in the early 1970s from the Chainmail system of wargaming rules by Gary Gygax and Jeff Perren. The game was influenced by mythology, pulp fiction, and contemporary fantasy authors of the 1960s and 1970s.

The presence of halflings, elves, dwarves, half-elves, orcs, dragons and the like often draw comparisons to the work of J.R.R. Tolkien, although Gygax claims he was influenced very little by The Lord of the Rings, stating that he included these elements as a marketing move to draw on the then-popularity of the work. Other influences, according to the 1977 edition of the Dungeon Master's Guide, include the works of Robert E. Howard, Edgar Rice Burroughs, A. Merritt, H.P. Lovecraft, Jack Vance, Fritz Leiber, L. Sprague de Camp, Michael Moorcock, and Poul Anderson.

Edition history

D&D has gone through several revisions. Parallel versions and inconsistent naming practices can make it difficult to distinguish between the different editions.

The original Dungeons and Dragons (1974) was published as a boxed set and featured just a few character classes and monsters, and only three alignments. Four supplements (Greyhawk, Blackmoor, Eldritch Wizardry, and Gods, Demi-Gods and Heroes) were published over the next two years, expanding the character classes, monsters, and spells. Official rule supplements were also published in the magazines Strategic Review and its successor, Dragon Magazine.

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The cover of the D&D Basic Set, 2nd printing, showcases some of the rather primitive artwork the game featured in its early years.

In 1977, TSR released two new versions of the game: Advanced Dungeons & Dragons and Dungeons & Dragons.

Dungeons & Dragons was a simpler, sometimes "introductory", version of the game. In 1977 the Dungeons & Dragons Basic Set, also referred to as the Second Edition, was published as a boxed set. This edition was revised in 1981, which also coincided with the release of an Expert Set to accompany the Basic Set. Between 1983 and 1985 the Third Edition was released in a series of five boxed sets, including the Basic Rules, Expert Rules, Companion Rules, Master Rules, and Immortal Rules.

The Dungeons & Dragons game was revised again in 1991. Typically referred to as the Fourth Edition, this edition included the Dungeons & Dragons Game (an introductory boxed set) and the Dungeons & Dragons Rules Cyclopedia (a hardback manual which included the material from the Basic, Expert, Companion, and Master sets). In 1994 the introductory boxed set was renamed the Classic Dungeons & Dragons Game. In 1999 the introductory box set was revised and released as the Dungeons & Dragons Adventure Game.

Advanced Dungeons & Dragons (or AD&D) was a more complicated version of the game, designed to collect, revise, and expand on the rules from the original version and its supplements. Between 1977 and 1979, three hardcover rulebooks, commonly referred to as the "core rulebooks", were released: The Player's Handbook (PHB), the Dungeon Master's Guide (DMG), and the Monster Manual (MM).

In 1989, AD&D was revised for a 2nd Edition (sometimes referred to as AD&D2). The game was once again published as three core rulebooks, incorporating the expansions and revisions which had been published in various supplements over the previous decade. The Monster Manual was replaced by the Monstrous Compendium, a loose leaf-binder which was later replaced by the hardcover Monstrous Manual in 1993.

The release of AD&D2 also corresponded with a change in editorial policy at TSR. An effort was made to remove aspects of the game which some considered objectionable and which had attracted negative publicity. Character classes such as the murderous assassin were eliminated, heroic roleplaying and player teamwork were stressed, and demons and devils were removed from the game. The target age of the game was also dropped from college students to teenagers, prompting a change of content which notably included the removal of the minor nudity which had previously appeared in some of the game's illustrations.

In 1995, the core rulebooks were slightly revised and a series of Player's Option manuals were released as "optional core rulebooks". Although still referred to by TSR as the 2nd Edition, this revision is seen by some fans as a distinct edition of the game and is sometimes referred to as AD&D 2.5.

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The D&D Basic Set features cover artwork by Erol Otus, showcasing his distinctive style. The painting features many elements of the fantasy game, including a magic-user, a fighter, a dragon-like monster and a dungeon underground expanding into the gloom.

In 1997, a near-bankrupt TSR was bought by Wizards of the Coast. The new company almost immediately began designing a new version of the game, which would be released in 2000 as Dungeons & Dragons 3rd Edition (also referred to as D&D3 or 3E). 3rd Edition, although the largest revision of the D&D rules to date, was designed to follow the 2nd Edition of AD&D, while the previously independent line of Dungeon & Dragons games were eliminated. 3rd Edition also served as the basis for a broader role-playing system designed around 20-sided dice, called the d20 system.

The D&D3 rules were more internally consistent and significantly less restrictive than previous editions of the game, allowing players much more flexibility in creating the characters they wanted to play. Skills and feats were introduced into the core rules to encourage players to further customize their characters. The new rules also standardized the mechanics of action resolution and combat. 3rd Edition also introduced the concepts of "Prestige Classes" (high-level classes which characters can only enter upon meeting certain character-design prerequisites or fulfilling certain in-game goals) and expanded the idea of high-level campaigns with the Epic Level Handbook (a supplementary core rulebook).

In 2003, the Third Edition rules were revised as Dungeons & Dragons v.3.5 (also known as Revised 3rd Edition or D&D3.5). This release incorporated numerous minor rule changes and expanded the Dungeon Master's Guide and Monster Manual.

A wide variety of optional supplements have been published for every edition of D&D. These supplements commonly include new rules, items, spells, and creatures. Other supplements include new adventures or detail entire fantasy worlds.

The various editions of Dungeons & Dragons have won many Origins Awards, including All Time Best Roleplaying Rules of 1977, Best Roleplaying Rules of 1989 and Best Roleplaying Game of 2000 for the three flagship editions of the game.

See: Differences between editions of Dungeons & Dragons.

Legacy

Dungeons & Dragons was the first modern role-playing game, establishing many of the conventions which have dominated the genre. Particularly notable are the use of dice as a resolution mechanic, character record sheets, progressive character development, and game-master-centered group dynamics.

The elements which made up D&D can be seen in many hobbies of the time. Character-based roleplaying, for example, can be seen in historical reenactment and improvisational theatre. Game world simulations had been well-developed in wargaming. Fantasy milieus specifically designed for gaming could be seen in Glorantha's board games and M.A.R. Barker's Tekumel, among others. Ultimately, however, D&D represented a unique blending of these elements, creating its own niche and leading to the development of a multitude of role-playing games. Science fiction, horror, superheroes, cartoons, westerns, spies and espionage, and many other fictional settings were adapted to role-playing games.

Other game developers expanded on and improved aspects of the Dungeons & Dragons game. Through the 1970s, '80s, and '90s, new RPG writers and publishers released new role-playing games. The first arrivals to achieve lasting influence were the Gloranthan RuneQuest, released by Chaosium in 1976, and the science fiction role-playing game Traveller, released by Game Designers Workshop in 1978. Some of the later systems include Chaosium's Call of Cthulhu, Champions by Hero Games, GURPS by Steve Jackson Games and Vampire: The Masquerade by White Wolf Game Studio. These games also fed back into the genre's origin, miniatures wargames, with combat strategy games like Battletech and Warhammer 40,000. Collectable card games, like Magic: The Gathering, were also heavily influenced by D&D and its legacy.

With the launch of D&D's 3rd Edition, Wizards made available the d20 System under the Open Gaming License (OGL) and d20 Trademark License. Under these licenses, authors are free to use the d20 System when writing their own games and game supplements. The OGL and d20 Trademark License are also responsible for making possible new versions of older games, such as Call of Cthulhu, using the new system.

Related products

Films and TV

A popular Dungeons & Dragons animated series was produced in 1983.

A Dungeons & Dragons movie was released in 2000.

In 2003, a computer animated motion picture entitled Scourge of Worlds was produced for DVD, featuring iconic characters created for the Third Edition. This is an interactive movie that asks viewers to decide what actions the heroes should take at crucial points in the story, allowing hundreds of different story-telling combinations.

Computer and video games

Fifty-three computer games and sixteen video games (ten for consoles, four for handheld devices, and two arcade games) had been released and sold under the D&D license as of October 2004. Almost half of these games were developed by Strategic Simulations, Inc. (SSI). Most, but not all, are computer role-playing games that use rules derived from some version of the D&D rules. Notable titles include

  • Advanced Dungeons & Dragons Cartridge, designed for the Intellivision, was the first computer console game based on the D&D license.
  • Pool of Radiance (1988) was the first D&D computer game. Designed by SSI, the same game engine would be used to develop ten more D&D games.
  • Baldur's Gate (1998) was the first D&D computer game developed by BioWare. It met with critical success and was followed by several more D&D games, including a sequel (Baldur's Gate 2), Icewind Dale, Icewind Dale II and Planescape: Torment.
  • Neverwinter Nights (2002), also developed by BioWare, was the first faithful implementation of the Third Edition rules in a CRPG. The game included sophisticated design tools which allowed Dungeon Masters to design unique scenarios, much as they would for the tabletop game itself.
  • Dungeons & Dragons Online is an MMORPG based on the Eberron campaign setting. It is currently being developed by Turbine.

For a full list of licensed D&D computer and video games, see List of Dungeons & Dragons computer and video games. Many other CRPGs, such as the numerous Roguelike games, are directly or indirectly based on the D&D game.

Board games

Seven board games have been sold under the D&D license.

The Dungeons & Dragons Computer Labyrinth Game (1980) was the first computer/board game hybrid and the first D&D licensed game that contained digital electronics.

DragonStrike (1993) used a simplified form of D&D and included an instructional video tape in which costumed actors, combined with computer-generated imagery, played the characters and monsters from the board game.

Magazines

Many magazines have been partially or fully devoted to supporting Dungeons & Dragons. The two official publications are Dungeon Magazine and Dragon Magazine.

Novels

Several hundred novels have been published based upon Dungeons & Dragons.

References in popular culture

In the film E.T., a scene near the beginning shows boys playing D&D in the kitchen. The game is not mentioned by name, because TSR refused to allow mention of the trademark when the movie was made.

The characters of Buffy the Vampire Slayer play a game of D&D in the series finale.

The Rona Jaffe novel Mazes and Monsters was inspired by the news stories about D&D players. The novel was later adapted into a film for television. (See Criticism and controversies below.)

In the film SLC Punk the two main characters are preparing to play D&D in a flashback at the end of the film.

In an episode of Christina Applegate's series Jesse, she thinks she meets the perfect guy until he introduces her to his D&D group.

In the movie Airheads one of the characters mentions Dungeons & Dragons when addressing the crowd at the end.

American actor Vin Diesel stated a number of times that he plays D&D and wrote the forward to the book 30 Years of Adventure: A Celebration of D&D .

A Weezer song, "In the Garage", mentions the Dungeon Master's Guide.

Rock group Marcy Playground has a song called "Cloak of Elvenkind", which refers to a magic item described in the game.

A Tribe Called Quest song, "Scenario" features Bustah Rhymes delivering the line:, "Rarr Rarr like a dungeon dragon".

Singer/Comedian Steven Lynch has a song called "12-Sided Die" which mentions Dungeons & Dragons by name and insinuates that D&D players are virgins for life.

A Saturday Night Live sketch entitled "Geek, Dweeb, or Spaz" where high school kids had to guess how geeky their classmates were featured guest host Emilio Estevez. At first his character seemed impossibly cool to be ruled a geek, until the game show host revealed he had been treasurer of the Dungeons & Dragons club at his old high school.

An episode of the cartoon series Dexter's Laboratory entitled "D&DD" features the characters playing D&D in which also Dexter claims to have a character named Gygax, the game's creator.

Dungeons & Dragons creator Gary Gygax appears in the Futurama episode "Anthology of Interest 1".

Parody

Dungeons & Dragons has been parodied often. Parodies of the game exist in nearly all media, including film [1], television [2], [3], and cartoons, among others. Much of the potential for parody in Dungeons & Dragons may exist because, with its heroic millieu and imagination-based gameplay, it exaggerates the visibility of the gap between the actuality of the players' self-image and the personas they adopt when interacting with others [4].

The infamous "Dungeons and Dragons" by the Dead Alewives Society from a Doctor Demento album includes the infamous "I attack the darkness" joke, as well as references to Mountain Dew and other classic lines. Several fan-made videos have been made using the audio of this piece.

Criticism and controversies

The game's commercial success led to lawsuits between Arneson and Gygax starting in 1979, over issues of royalties, particularly for AD&D for which Arneson was not given credit by TSR. Those suits were settled out of court by 1981.

The game also achieved notoriety, particularly in the 1980s, due to its alleged promotion of devil worship, witchcraft, suicide, and murder. Many of these critisms, though mentioning "Dungeons & Dragons" specifically, were actually aimed at RPG's or the fantasy genre in general and are covered in the Role-playing game article.

The controversy involving occult influences led TSR to remove lengthy references to demons, devils, and other supernatural monsters commonly associated with "sorcery" in the 2nd Edition AD&D. Many of these aspects were returned to the game with the release of the 3rd Edition. A few products have gone into even further detail on the activities of demons and demon worshippers than those of previous editions, the more extreme like the Book of Vile Darkness bear a "For Mature Audiences Only" label.

See also

References

External links

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