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ANUS
{{otheruses1|the role-playing game}}
{{Redirect|D&D}}
{{infobox RPG
|title=Dungeons & Dragons
|image=[[Image:Newdndlogo.jpg|150px]] <!-- FAIR USE of WotC Dungeons & Dragons.jpg: see image description page at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:WotC Dungeons & Dragons.jpg for rationale -->
|caption=The 4th Edition ''Dungeons & Dragons'' logo
|designer=[[Gary Gygax]] and [[Dave Arneson]]; 4th Edition by [[Rob Heinsoo]], [[Andy Collins]], [[James Wyatt (game designer)|James Wyatt]] and [[Mike Mearls]]
|publisher=[[TSR, Inc.|Tactical Studies Rules]]<br />[[Wizards of the Coast]]
|date=1974 (D&D Original)<br />1977 (D&D 1st Revision — Basic Set)<br />1977–79 (AD&D 1st Edition)<br>1981 (D&D 2nd Revision — Basic, Expert Sets)<br />1983-1986 (D&D 3rd Revision — Basic, Expert, Companion, Master, Immortal Sets)<br>1989 (AD&D 2nd Edition)<br />1991 (D&D 4th Revision — Rules Cyclopedia)<br />2000 (D&D 3rd Edition)<br>2003 (D&D v.3.5) <br />2008 (D&D 4th Edition)
|genre=[[Fantasy]]
|system=Chainmail or Grayhawk system<br>[[d20 system]]: 3rd & 4th Editions
}}
'''''Dungeons & Dragons''''' (abbreviated as '''''D&D''''' or '''''DnD''''') is a [[fantasy]] [[role-playing game]] (RPG) originally designed by [[Gary Gygax|E. Gary Gygax]] and [[Dave Arneson]], and first published in 1974 by [[TSR, Inc.|Tactical Studies Rules, Inc.]] (TSR). The game is currently published by [[Wizards of the Coast]], a subsidiary of [[Hasbro]]. It was derived from [[Miniature wargaming|miniature wargames]] with a variation of the ''[[chainmail (game)|Chainmail]]'' game serving as the initial rule system.<ref name="Banshee_Gygax" /> ''D&D'''s publication is widely regarded as the beginning of modern role-playing games and, by extension, the entire role-playing game industry.<ref name="culture">{{cite book | author=Williams, J. P.; Hendricks, S. Q.; Winkler, W. K.
| year=2006
| chapter=Introduction: Fantasy Games, Gaming Cultures, and Social Life
| title=Gaming as Culture, Essays on Reality, Identity and Experience in Fantasy Games
| publisher=Oxford University Press
| location=McFarland & Company
| id=ISBN 0-7864-2436-2 }}</ref>
Players of ''D&D'' create [[Player character|characters]] that embark upon imaginary adventures within a fantasy [[setting (literature)|setting]]. A [[Dungeon Master]] (abbreviated as DM, also known as a Game Master or GM) serves as the game's referee and storyteller, while also maintaining the setting in which the adventures occur. During each game session, the players listen to descriptions of their character's surroundings, as well as additional information and potential choices from the DM, then describe their actions in response. The characters form a party that interacts with the setting's inhabitants (and each other). Together they solve dilemmas, engage in battles and gather treasure and knowledge.<ref name="culture" /> In the process the characters earn [[experience points]] to become increasingly powerful over a series of sessions. ''D&D'' departs from traditional wargaming and assigns each player a specific [[fictional character|character]] to play instead of a [[military formation]]. Miniature figures or markers, placed on a grid, are sometimes used to represent these characters.


HEY
The early success of ''Dungeons & Dragons'' led to a proliferation of similar game systems, such as ''[[Tunnels and Trolls]]'',<ref name="hist2" /> ''[[Traveller (role-playing game)|Traveller]]'' and ''[[RuneQuest]]''.<ref name="hist_schick">[[#Reference-Schick-1991|(Schick 1991:17–34)]]</ref> Despite this competition, ''D&D'' dominates the role-playing game industry, enjoying a nearly unassailable market position.<ref>[[Monte Cook]], former D&D designer and an independent publisher, describes the extent of D&D's lead in these extreme terms: “Frankly, the difference in sales between Wizards and all other producers of roleplaying games is so staggering that even saying there is an ‘RPG industry’ at all may be generous.”
{{cite web
| last =Cook
| first =Monte
| authorlink =Monte Cook
| title = The Open Game License as I See It, Part II
| url = http://www.montecook.com/cgi-bin/page.cgi?mc_los_155
| publisher = montecook.com
| accessdate = 2007-03-15 }}
</ref> In 1977, the game was split into two versions: the simpler ''Dungeons & Dragons'' and the more complex ''[[Editions of Dungeons & Dragons#Advanced Dungeons .26 Dragons|Advanced Dungeons & Dragons]]'' (abbreviated as ''AD&D'' or ''ADnD'').<ref>{{cite journal
| last = Gygax
| first = Gary
| authorlink =Gary Gygax
| title = From the Sorcerer’s Scroll: D&D®, AD&D® and Gaming
| journal = [[Dragon (magazine)|The Dragon]] #26
| volume =Vol. III
| issue =No. 12
| pages =28–30
| publisher =[[TSR, Inc.|TSR Hobbies]]
| year =1979
| month =June
}}
</ref> AD&D 2nd Edition was published in 1989. In 2000, the simpler version of the game was discontinued and the complex version was renamed simply ''Dungeons & Dragons'' with the release of its 3rd Edition.<ref name="WTNI">[[Peter Adkison|Adkison, Peter]] “What to Name it?” in ''Third Edition'' chapter of Jonhson et al. (2004:253)</ref> Dungeons and Dragons v. 3.5 was released in June 2003. The current version of the game, Dungeons and Dragons Fourth Edition, or D&D4e, was released June 6, 2008.<ref name="excitingnews" />


HEY
As of 2006, ''Dungeons & Dragons'' remains the best-known<ref>According to a 1999 survey in the [[United States]], 6% of 12- to 35-year-olds have played role-playing games. Of those who play regularly, two thirds play D&D. {{cite paper
| author =Ryan S. Dancey
| title =Adventure Game Industry Market Research Summary (RPGs)
| version =V1.0
| publisher =Wizards of the Coast
| date =February 7, 2000
| url =http://www.rpg.net/news+reviews/wotcdemo.html
| accessdate = 2007-02-23 }}</ref> and best-selling<ref>Products branded ''Dungeons & Dragons'' made up over fifty percent of the RPG products sold in 2005. {{cite web
| last = Hite
| first = Kenneth
| title = State of the Industry 2005: Another Such Victory Will Destroy Us
| publisher = GamingReport.com
| date = March 30, 2006
| url = http://www.gamingreport.com/modules.php?op=modload&name=Sections&file=index&req=printpage&artid=186
| accessdate = 2007-02-21 }}
</ref> role-playing game, with an estimated 20 million people having played the game and more than [[United States dollar|US$]]1 billion in book and equipment sales.<ref>{{cite news
| last = Waters
| first = Darren
| title = What happened to Dungeons and Dragons?
| publisher = BBC News Online
| date = April 26, 2004
| url = http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/magazine/3655627.stm
| accessdate = 2007-02-21 }}
</ref> Dungeons & Dragons is known beyond the game for other [[Dungeons & Dragons related products|D&D-branded products]], references in popular culture and some of the [[Dungeons & Dragons controversies|controversies]] that have surrounded it, particularly a [[moral panic]] in the 1980s falsely linking it to [[Satanism]] and [[suicide]].<ref name="Moral Panic" />

== Play overview ==
[[Image:Dungeons and Dragons game.jpg|right|thumb|200px|A D&D game session in progress]]
''Dungeons & Dragons'' is a structured yet open-ended role-playing game. It is normally played indoors with the participants seated around a table-top. Typically, each player controls only a single character.<ref>Sometimes, if there are not enough players, one may control multiple characters. The ''[[Dungeons & Dragons Basic Game|Basic Game]]'' suggests, “If there are characters left over, some players may play more than one (but they don't have to)”. (Tweet 2004) Read This First sheet.</ref> As a group, these [[player characters]] (PCs) are often described as a ‘party’ of adventurers, with each member often having his or her own areas of specialty.<ref>[[#Reference-Slavicsek-Baker-2005|(Slavicsek & Baker 2005:268)]] Chapter 21:Roleplaying and Working Together</ref> During the course of play, each player directs the actions of his or her character and its interactions with the other characters in the game.<ref>[[#Reference-Tweet-2003|(Tweet 2003:5)]]</ref><ref name="waskul">{{cite book
| last=Waskul | first=Dennis D.
| editor=Williams, J. P.; Hendricks, S. Q.; Winkler, W. K.
| year=2006
| chapter=The Role-Playing Game and the Game of Role-Playing
| title=Gaming as Culture, Essays on Reality, Identity and Experience in Fantasy Games
| publisher=Oxford University Press
| location=McFarland & Company
| id=ISBN 0-7864-2436-2 }}</ref> A game often continues over a series of meetings to complete a single [[Adventure (Dungeons & Dragons)|adventure]], and longer into a series of related gaming adventures, called a ‘[[Campaign (role-playing games)|campaign]]’.<ref>“Encounters are to adventures what adventures are to campaigns” [[#Reference-Cook-2003|(Cook 2003:129)]] Introduction of Chapter Five: Campaigns</ref>

The results of the party's choices and the overall storyline for the game are determined by the [[Dungeon Master]] (DM) according to the rules of the game and the DM's interpretation of those rules.<ref>[[#Reference-Cook-2003|(Cook 2003:4)]] The Dungeon Master</ref> The DM selects and describes the various [[non-player character]]s (NPCs) the party encounters, the settings in which these interactions occur, and the outcomes of those encounters based on the players' choices and actions.<ref>[[#Reference-Slavicsek-Baker-2005|(Slavicsek & Baker 2005:293)]] Chapter 23: Running the Game </ref><ref name="waskul" /> Encounters often take the form of battles with '[[monster]]s'—a generic term used in ''D&D'' to describe potentially hostile beings such as animals or mythical creatures. The game's extensive rules—which cover diverse subjects such as social interactions,<ref>[[#Reference-Cook-2003|(Cook 2003:98)]] Urban Adventures</ref> [[Spells of Dungeons & Dragons|magic use]],<ref>(Gygax 1979:114) Magical Research</ref> [[combat]],<ref>[[#Reference-Tweet-2003|(Tweet 2003:114)]] Combat</ref> and the effect of [[environment (biophysical)|the environment]] on PCs<ref>{{cite book
| last =Mohan
| first =Kim
| title =Wilderness Survival Guide
| publisher =TSR
| year=1986
| isbn =088038-291-0 }}</ref>—help the DM to make these decisions. The Dungeon Master may choose to deviate from the published rules<ref>[[#Reference-Cook-2003|(Cook 2003:4)]] The purpose of sidebars</ref> or make up new ones as he or she feels necessary.<ref>(Tweet 2004:32) Make It Up</ref>

[[Image:Dnd v3 5 rulesbooks.png|thumb|200px|Release 3.5 of the three core rulebooks]]
The most recent versions of the game's rules are detailed in three [[Dungeons & Dragons manuals|core rulebooks]]: The ''[[Player's Handbook]]'', the ''[[Dungeon Master's Guide]]'' and the ''[[Monster Manual]]''.<ref>The v.3.5. versions of these three books, [[#Reference-Tweet-2003|Tweet (2003)]], Cook (2003) and Williams (2003), are also available together in a slipcase as ''Dungeons & Dragons Core Rulebook Gift Set'' ISBN 0-78693-410-7 </ref> A ''[[Dungeons & Dragons Basic Game|Basic Game]]'' boxed set contains abbreviated rules to help beginners learn the game.<ref>As of 2007 there have been two version of the basic game. Both contained a cut down, introductory version of the D&D v.3.5 rules, [[miniature figures|miniatures]], [[Dice#Standard variations|dice]] and dungeon map tiles with a 1[[Inch|"]] grid (Tweet 2004) and (Slavicsek & Sernett 2006).</ref>

The only items required to play the game are the rulebooks, a character sheet for each player and a number of [[dice#non-cubical dice|polyhedral dice]]. The current editions also assume, but do not require, the use of [[Miniature figure (gaming)|miniature figures]] or markers on a gridded surface, items that were optional in earlier editions.<ref>{{cite web
| title = What Is D&D?
| publisher = [[Wizards of the Coast]]
| url = http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/whatisdnd
| accessdate = 2007-02-21 }}
</ref> Many optional accessories are available to enhance the game, such as expansion rulebooks, pre-designed [[Adventure (Dungeons & Dragons)|adventures]] and various [[Dungeons & Dragons campaign settings|campaign settings]].<ref>[[#Reference-Slavicsek-Baker-2005|(Slavicsek & Baker 2005:363)]] Chapter 30: The Ten Best Dungeon Master Resources</ref>

=== Game mechanics ===
{{main|Game mechanics (Dungeons & Dragons)}}
{{main|Character class (Dungeons & Dragons)}}
[[Image:DnD Dice Set.jpg|thumb|250px|right|D&D uses [[Polyhedron|polyhedral]] [[dice]] to resolve random events. From left, d4, d6, d8, d12, d20 and two d10, the last of which are used together as a d100, d%, or percentile die.]]

Before the game begins, each player [[character creation|creates]] his or her player character and records the details (described below) on a [[character sheet]]. First, a player determines his or her character's [[Game mechanics (Dungeons & Dragons)#ability scores|ability scores]],<ref>While the original game used 3d6 (Gygax & Arneson 1974) and this continued as the standard version with some version, though variants have been included (Gygax 1979:11), the standard for 3rd edition is "rolling four six-sided dice, ignoring the lowest die, and totaling the other three" (Tweet 2000:4).</ref> which consist of Strength, Constitution, Dexterity, Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma. Each edition of the game has offered differing methods of determining these statistics; as of 4th Edition, players generally assign their ability scores from a list or use points to "buy" them.<ref>Given is the current standard order for ability scores, with the three physical scores before the three mental scores. Before 2nd edition (AD&D) they were always ordered: Strength, Intelligence, Wisdom, Dexterity, Constitution, and Charisma.</ref> The player then chooses a [[Race (fantasy)|race]] (species) such as Human or Elf, a [[Character class (Dungeons & Dragons)|character class]] (occupation) such as Fighter or Wizard, an [[Alignment (Dungeons & Dragons)|alignment]] (a moral and ethical outlook which may have a Good or Evil component, a Lawful or Chaotic component, or something in between), and a number of powers, skills and feats to enhance the character's basic abilities.<ref>(Heinsoo, Collins, Wyatt 2008:4) Character Creation Basics</ref> Additional [[back-story|background history]], not covered by specific rules, is often also used to further develop the character.<ref>(Gygax 1978:34) Establishing the Character</ref>

During the game, players describe their PC's intended actions, such as punching an opponent or picking a lock, and converse with the DM [[in character]]—who then describes the result or response.<ref>(Tweet 2004:24) Exploring</ref> Trivial actions, such as picking up a letter or opening an unlocked door, are usually automatically successful. The outcomes of more complex or risky actions are determined by rolling dice.<ref name="waskul" /> Factors contributing to the outcome include the character's ability scores, skills and the difficulty of the task.<ref>[[#Reference-Tweet-2003|(Tweet 2003:62)]] Using Skills</ref> In circumstances where a character does not have control of an event, such as when a trap or magical effect is triggered or a spell is cast, a [[saving throw]] can be used to determine whether the resulting damage is reduced or avoided.<ref>“Generally, when you are subject to an unusual or magical attack, you get a saving throw to avoid or reduce the effect.” There is identical language in sections titled ‘Saving Throws’ in [[#Reference-Tweet-2003|(Tweet 2003:136)]] and (Tweet 2000:119).</ref> In this case the odds of success are influenced by the character's class, levels and (with the 3rd edition) ability scores.<ref>Sections entitled ‘Saving Throws’ in [[#Reference-Tweet-2003|(Tweet 2003:136)]] and (Tweet 2000:119–120).</ref>

As the game is played, each PC grows and changes over time as they gain experience. Characters gain (or sometimes lose) experience, skills<ref>[[#Reference-Cook-2003|(Cook 2003:197)]] How PCs Improve</ref> and wealth, and may even change alignment<ref>Early editions did not allow or had severe penalties for changing alignment (Gygax 1979a:24) but more recent versions are more allowing of change. [[#Reference-Cook-2003|(Cook 2003:134)]]</ref> or add additional character classes.<ref>[[#Reference-Tweet-2003|(Tweet 2003:59)]] Multiclass Characters</ref> The key way characters progress is by earning [[experience points]] (XP/EXP), which happens when they defeat an enemy or accomplish a difficult task.<ref>(Gygax 1979:84) Experience</ref> Acquiring enough XP allows a PC to advance a [[Experience point#Level-based progression|level]], which grants the character improved class features, abilities and skills.<ref>[[#Reference-Tweet-2003|(Tweet 2003:58)]] Experience and Levels</ref> XP can also be lost in some circumstances, such as encounters with creatures that drain life energy, or by use of certain magical powers that require payment of an XP cost.<ref>[[#Reference-Cook-2003|(Cook 2003:46)]] Experience Penalties</ref>

[[Hit point]]s (HP) are a measure of a character's vitality and health and are determined by the class, level and constitution of each character. They can be temporarily lost when a character sustains wounds in combat or otherwise comes to harm, and loss of HP is the most common way for a character to die in the game.<ref>[[#Reference-Tweet-2003|(Tweet 2003:145)]] Injury and Death</ref> Death can also result from the loss of key ability scores<ref>[[#Reference-Cook-2003|(Cook 2003:289)]] Ability Score Loss</ref> or character levels.<ref>[[#Reference-Cook-2003|(Cook 2003:296)]] Level Loss</ref> When a PC dies, it is often possible for the dead character to be resurrected through magic, although some penalties may be imposed as a result. If resurrection is not possible or not desired, the player may instead create a new PC to resume playing the game.<ref>[[#Reference-Cook-2003|(Cook 2003:41)]] Character Death</ref>

=== Adventures, campaigns and modules ===
<!-- [[Image:S3ModuleCover.jpg|thumb|175px|''[[Expedition to the Barrier Peaks|S3: Expedition to the Barrier Peaks]]'' was one of the few D&D adventures released by [[TSR, Inc.]] to include [[science fiction]] elements.]] -->
<!-- FAIR USE of S3ModuleCover.jpg: see image description page at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:S3ModuleCover.jpg for rationale => Objection to fair use criteria per FAC -->
{{main|Adventure (Dungeons & Dragons)}}

A typical ''Dungeons & Dragons'' game consists of an 'adventure', which is roughly equivalent to a single story.<ref>[[#Reference-Cook-2003|(Cook 2003:43)]] Chapter Three: Adventures</ref> The DM can either design an adventure on his or her own, or follow one of the many additional [[Adventure (Dungeons & Dragons)|pre-made adventures]] (previously known as "modules") that have been published throughout the history of ''Dungeons & Dragons''. Published adventures typically include a background story, illustrations, maps and goals for PCs to achieve. Some also include location descriptions and handouts. Although a small adventure entitled '[[Temple of the Frog]]' was included in the ''[[Blackmoor (supplement)|Blackmoor]]'' rules supplement in 1975,<ref>{{cite book
| first=Dave | last=Arneson | authorlink=Dave Arneson
| date=January 1, 1975
| title=Dungeons & Dragons Supplement II: Blackmoor
| pages=60 p | publisher=TSR Games
| location=Lake Geneva, Wisconsin
| url=http://www.jovianclouds.com/blackmoor/D&D%20-%20Supplement%202%20-%20Blackmoor%20(TSR2004).pdf | format = PDF
| accessdate=2007-08-02
| isbn=0007302800 }}</ref> the first stand-alone D&D module published by TSR was 1978’s ''[[Steading of the Hill Giant Chief]]'', written by Gygax.<ref>{{cite web
| last=Rausch | first=Allen | date=August 16, 2004
| url=http://au.pc.gamespy.com/articles/538/538820p3.html
| title=Gary Gygax Interview—Part 2
| publisher=GameSpy | accessdate=2007-08-02 }}—''[[Steading of the Hill Giant Chief]]'' was the first module of the three-part ‘Against the Giants’ series.</ref>

A linked series of adventures is commonly referred to as a '[[Campaign (role-playing games)|campaign]]'.<ref>“A D&D campaign is an organized framework ... to provide a realistic setting for a series of fantastic adventures.” (Schend et al. 1991:256)</ref> The locations where these adventures occur, such as a city, country, planet or an entire [[fictional universe]], are also sometimes called 'campaigns' but are more correctly referred to as 'worlds' or '[[campaign setting]]s'.<ref>“It is important to distinguish between a campaign and a world, since the terms often seem to be used interchangeably ... A world is a fictional place in which a campaign is set. It's also often called a campaign setting.” [[#Reference-Cook-2003|(Cook 2003:129)]]</ref> ''D&D'' settings are based in various [[fantasy subgenres]] and feature varying levels of magic and technology.<ref>(Williams 1995:45) Properties of Worlds</ref> Popular commercially published [[Dungeons & Dragons campaign settings|campaign settings for ''Dungeons & Dragons'']] include [[Greyhawk]], [[Dragonlance]], [[Forgotten Realms]], [[Mystara]], [[Spelljammer]], [[Ravenloft]], [[Dark Sun]], [[Planescape]], [[Birthright (campaign setting)|Birthright]] and [[Eberron]].<ref>Greyhawk, Dragonlance, Forgotten Realms, Mystara, Spelljammer, Ravenloft, Dark Sun and Planescape are the campaign settings given their own chapter in Johnson et al. (2004). Eberron was only released in 2004 and, as of 2007, is one of two campaign settings, the other being Forgotten Realms, still actively supported with new releases by Wizards of the Coast.</ref> Alternatively, DMs may develop their own fictional worlds to use as campaign settings.

=== Miniature figures ===

[[Image:Dungeons & Dragons Miniatures 2.jpg|thumb|left|300px|Several ''Dungeons & Dragons'' miniature figures]] <!-- Photograph is under a free license. Figures pictured are FAIR USE as they specifically illustrate the topic under question: D&D miniatures intended for use with D&D -->

The [[wargaming|wargames]] from which ''Dungeons & Dragons'' evolved used [[Miniature figure (gaming)|miniature figure]]s to represent combatants. ''D&D'' initially continued the use of miniatures in a fashion similar to its direct precursors. The original ''D&D'' set of 1974 required the use of the ''Chainmail'' miniatures game for combat resolution.<ref>(Johnson et al. 2004:23)</ref> By the publication of the 1977 game editions, combat was mostly resolved verbally. Thus miniatures were no longer required for game play, although some players continued to use them as a visual reference.<ref>The first Dungeon Masters Guide gave only a quarter of a page out of a total 240 pages to discussing the option use of miniatures (Gygax 1979:10) Use of Miniature Figures with the Game.</ref>

In the 1970s, numerous companies began to sell miniature figures specifically for ''Dungeons & Dragons'' and similar games. In 1977, the British manufacturer [[Minifigs|Miniature Figurines Limited]] became the first company to partner with [[TSR, Inc.|TSR]] and release miniatures under the official Dungeons and Dragons label.<ref>{{cite web
| last = Beattie
| first = Robert
| title = A Timeline of the Historical Miniatures Wargaming Hobby
| publisher = ''[[The Courier (magazine)|The Courier Magazine]]'' <!-- Who is this? This web page was originally authored as part of a web site for a now defunct print magazine. Magazine’s site linking to it: http://web.archive.org/web/20040828001501/http://www.thecouriermagazine.com/ . Magazine going defunct: http://web.archive.org/web/20050204145011/http://thecouriermagazine.com/index.html -->
| url = http://www-personal.umich.edu/~beattie/timeline2.html
| accessdate = 2006-06-08 }}
</ref> Other licensed [[Miniature figure#Manufacturers|miniature manufacturers]] who produced official figures include [[Grenadier Miniatures]] (1980–1983),<ref>{{cite web
| last =Pope
| first =Thomas
| title = Grenadier Models, Advanced Dungeons and Dragons
| publisher =The Stuff of Legends
| date =March 25, 2004
| url = http://www.cs.cmu.edu/~tpope/sol/grenadier/advanced_dnd.html
| accessdate = 2007-02-21 }}
</ref> [[Citadel Miniatures]] (1984–1986),<ref>{{cite web
| last = Scott
| first = Richard
| title = Otherworld, The Citadel AD&D Miniatures Range
| publisher = Otherworld Miniatures
| url = http://otherworld.me.uk/
| accessdate = 2007-02-21 }}
</ref> [[Ral Partha]],<ref>{{cite web
| last =Pope
| first =Thomas
| title = Ral Partha
| publisher =The Stuff of Legends
| date =February 27, 2000
| url = http://www.cs.cmu.edu/~tpope/sol/ral-partha/index.html
| accessdate = 2007-02-28 }}
</ref> and TSR itself.<ref>{{cite web
| last =Pope
| first =Thomas
| title = TSR—AD&D
| publisher =The Stuff of Legends
| date =November 5, 1999
| url = http://www.cs.cmu.edu/~tpope/sol/tsr/adnd.html
| accessdate = 2007-02-28 }}
</ref> Most of these miniatures used the 25&nbsp;[[Millimetre|mm]] scale, with the exception of Ral Partha’s 15&nbsp;mm scale miniatures for the 1st edition Battlesystem.<ref>For a list the 15&nbsp;mm Ral Partha Battlesystem figures see
{{cite web
| last =Moore
| first =Jeff
| title =15mm Scale Fantasy Figures
| publisher =Humberside Wargames Society
| url =http://www.barr.karoo.net/hws/dbx/fantfigs.htm
| accessdate = 2007-03-17 }}
</ref><ref>For a photographic example of a 15&nbsp;mm Ral Partha Battlesystem figure see {{cite web
| last =McCuen
| first =Mike
| title =15mm BATTLESYSTEM PALADIN 1994
| publisher =Small Obsessions
| year=2002
| url =http://games.necrosys.com/gal_paladin.shtml
| accessdate = 2007-03-17 }}</ref>

Periodically, ''Dungeons & Dragons'' has returned to its wargaming roots with supplementary rules systems for miniatures-based wargaming. Supplements such as ''[[Battlesystem]]'' (1985 & 1989)<ref>{{cite book
| last =Niles
| first =Douglas
| authorlink =Douglas Niles
| title =Battlesystem: Fantasy Combat Supplement
| publisher =TSR
| year=1985
| format=boxed set
| isbn =0880383437 }}
</ref><ref>{{cite book
| last =Niles
| first =Douglas
| title =Battlesystem
| publisher =TSR
| year=1989
| isbn = 0-88038-770-X }}
</ref> and a new edition of ''[[Chainmail (game)|Chainmail]]'' (2001)<ref>{{cite book
| last =Tweet
| first =Jonathan
| authorlink =Jonathan Tweet
| coauthors =Chris Pramas, Mike McVey
| title =Rulebook: Dungeons & Dragons Chainmail Game
| publisher =[[Wizards of the Coast]]
| year=2001
}}
</ref><ref>{{cite web
| author=Staff
| year=2001
| url=http://www.originsgames.com/awards/2001
| title=List of Winners
| publisher=Academy of Adventure Gaming Arts & Design
| accessdate=2007-09-01
}}</ref> provided rule systems to handle battles between armies by using miniatures.

''Dungeons and Dragons 3rd Edition'' (2000) assumes the use of [[miniature figure|miniatures]] to represent combat situations in play, an aspect of the game that was further emphasized in the v3.5 revision. The ''[[Dungeons & Dragons Miniatures Game]]'' (2003) is sold as sets of plastic, randomly assorted, pre-painted miniatures, and can be used as either part of a standard ''Dungeons & Dragons'' game or as a stand-alone [[collectible miniatures game]].<ref>{{cite web
| last =Tweet
| first =Jonathan
| authorlink =Jonathan Tweet
| title =What Are D&D Miniatures?
| publisher =[[Wizards of the Coast]]
| date =May 20, 2004
| url =http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/mi/20040520b
| accessdate =2007-02-28 }}
</ref>

== Game history ==

[[Image:Chainmail 3rd edition.jpg|thumb|175px|right|''[[Chainmail (game)|Chainmail]]'', a ''Dungeons & Dragons'' predecessor.]]
<!-- FAIR USE of Chainmail 3rd edition.jpg: see image description page at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Chainmail 3rd edition.jpg for rationale -->

=== Sources and influences ===
{{main|Sources and influences on the development of Dungeons & Dragons}}

The immediate predecessor of ''Dungeons & Dragons'' was a set of medieval miniature rules written by Jeff Perren. These were expanded by [[Gary Gygax]], whose additions included a fantasy supplement, before the game was published as ''[[Chainmail (game)|Chainmail]]''. [[Dave Arneson]] used ''Chainmail'' to run games where players controlled a single character instead of an army, an innovation that inspired ''D&D''.<ref name="Banshee_Gygax">{{cite web
| last =Birnbaum
| first =Jon
| title =Gary Gygax Interview
| publisher =Game Banshee
| url =http://www.gamebanshee.com/interviews/garygygax1.php
| accessdate = 2007-03-01 }}
</ref>

Many ''Dungeons & Dragons'' elements also appear in hobbies of the mid- to late twentieth century (though these elements also existed previously). Character-based role playing, for example, can be seen in [[historical reenactment]]<ref>{{cite news
| first=Scott | last=Berg | title=Battlefield of Dreams
| publisher=The Washington Post | date=October 19, 2001
| url=http://www.washingtonpost.com/ac2/wp-dyn?pagename=article&node=&contentId=A15367-2001Oct18
| accessdate=2007-08-12 }}—by way of example.</ref> and [[improvisational theatre]].<ref>{{cite conference
| first=Robert | last=Grigg
| title=Albert Goes Narrative Contracting
| booktitle=DiGRA 2005 Papers
| publisher=Simon Fraser University
| date=June 16–20, 2005
| location=Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| url=http://hdl.handle.net/1892/1547
| accessdate=2007-08-12 }}</ref> Game-world simulations were well-developed in [[wargaming]]. Fantasy milieus specifically designed for gaming could be seen in [[Glorantha]]’s board games among others.<ref name="hist_schick" /> Ultimately, however, ''Dungeons & Dragons'' represents a unique blending of these elements.

The theme of D&D was influenced by [[mythology]], [[pulp magazine|pulp fiction]], and contemporary fantasy authors of the 1960s and 1970s. The presence of [[halflings]], [[Elf (Dungeons & Dragons)|elves]], [[Dwarf (Dungeons & Dragons)|dwarves]], [[half-elf|half-elves]], [[Orc (Dungeons & Dragons)|orcs]], [[Dragon (Dungeons & Dragons)|dragons]], and the like, often draw comparisons to the work of [[Tolkien|J.R.R. Tolkien]]. Gygax maintains that he was influenced very little by ''[[The Lord of the Rings]]'' (although the owners of that work’s copyright forced the name changes of hobbit to 'halfling', ent to 'treant', and balrog to 'Type VI demon [balor]'), stating that he included these elements as a marketing move to draw on the popularity of the work.<ref>{{cite journal
| last =Kuntz
| first =Rob
| authorlink =Robert J. Kuntz
| title = Tolkien in Dungeons & Dragons
| journal = [[Dragon (magazine)|The Dragon]] #13
| volume =Vol. II
| issue =No. 7
| pages =8
| publisher =TSR Hobbies, Inc.
|month=April | year=1978}}</ref><ref name="Dragon95">{{cite journal
| last =Gygax
| first =Gary
| authorlink =Gary Gygax
| title = On the influence of J.R.R. Tolkien on the D&D and AD&D games
| journal = [[Dragon (magazine)|Dragon]] #95
| volume =Vol. IX
| issue =No. 10
| pages =12–13
| publisher =TSR Hobbies, Inc.
| month = March | year = 1985
| issn = 0279-6848}}
</ref>

The magic system, in which wizards memorize spells that are used up once cast (and must be re-memorized the next day), was heavily influenced by the ''[[Dying Earth series|Dying Earth]]'' stories and novels of [[Jack Vance]].<ref>{{cite journal
| last = Gygax
| first = Gary
| authorlink =Gary Gygax
| title = The Dungeons and Dragons Magic System
| journal = The Strategic Review
| volume =Vol. II
| issue =No. 2
| pages =3
| publisher =TSR Hobbies, Inc.
|month=April | year=1976}}
</ref> The original alignment system (which grouped all players and creatures into ‘Law’, ‘Neutrality’ and ‘Chaos’) was derived from the novel ''[[Three Hearts and Three Lions]]'' by [[Poul Anderson]].<ref name="lit_source" /> A troll described in this work also influenced the D&D definition of that monster.<ref name="Dragon95" />

Other influences include the works of [[Robert E. Howard]], [[Edgar Rice Burroughs]], [[A. Merritt]], [[H. P. Lovecraft]], [[Fritz Leiber]], [[L. Sprague de Camp]], [[Fletcher Pratt]], [[Roger Zelazny]], and [[Michael Moorcock]].<ref>The first seven listed here are the “most immediate influences”. (Gygax 1979a:224) Appendix N: Inspirational and Educational Reading</ref> Monsters, spells, and magic items used in the game have been inspired by hundreds of individual works ranging from [[Van vogt|A. E. van Vogt’s]] “The Destroyer” (the [[Displacer Beast]]), [[Lewis Carroll]]’s “[[Jabberwocky]]” ([[vorpal]] sword) to the [[Book of Genesis]] (the clerical spell ‘Blade Barrier’ was inspired by the “flaming sword which turned every way” at the gates of [[Garden of Eden|Eden]]).<ref name="lit_source">{{cite web
| last =DeVarque
| first =Aardy R.
| title =Literary Sources of D&D
| publisher = Rec.games.frp.dnd FAQs
| url =http://www.geocities.com/rgfdfaq/sources.html
| accessdate = 2007-02-21 }}
</ref>

=== Edition history ===
{{Duplication}}
{{main|Editions of Dungeons & Dragons}}
''Dungeons & Dragons'' has gone through several revisions. Parallel versions and inconsistent naming practices can make it difficult to distinguish between the different editions.
[[Image:D&d Box1st.jpg|thumb|left|175px|The original ''Dungeons & Dragons'' set.]]
<!-- FAIR USE of D&d_Box1st.jpg: see image description page at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:D&d_Box1st.jpg for rationale -->
The [[Dungeons & Dragons (1974)|original ''Dungeons and Dragons'']] (now referred to as OD&D) was a small box set of three booklets published in 1974.<ref>(Gygax & Arneson 1974)</ref> Amateurish in production and written from a perspective which assumed the reader had familiarity with wargaming, it nevertheless exploded in popularity, first among wargamers and then expanding to a more general audience of [[college]] and [[high school]] students. This first set went through many printings and was supplemented with several official additions (such as the original [[Greyhawk (supplement)|Greyhawk]] and [[Blackmoor (supplement)|Blackmoor]] supplements, both 1975<ref>[[#Reference-Schick-1991|(Schick 1991:132–153)]]</ref>) and magazine articles, both in TSR’s official publications and countless [[fanzine]]s.

In 1977, TSR created the first element of a two-pronged strategy that would divide the D&D game for over two decades. A ''[[Dungeons & Dragons Basic Set|Basic Dungeons & Dragons]]'' boxed set was introduced<ref name="tsr_history" /> to clean up the presentation of the essential rules, make the system understandable to people who had never played wargames before, and put it all in a package allowing the game to be stocked on common retail shelves. In 1978 ''Advanced Dungeons & Dragons'' (AD&D) was published,<ref name="tsr_history" /> an attempt to bring together all the rules, options and corrections spread across the various D&D publications and expand them into a single unified and definitive game. The original plan was that the ‘basic’ game would be targeted to toy stores and the general public, while the ‘advanced’ game would be marketed to existing hobbyist gamers. Players who exhausted the possibilities of the basic game were directed in that set to switch to the advanced game. However, this plan went awry nearly from inception, as the basic game included many rules and concepts which contradicted comparable ones in the advanced game. The cause of this seems to have been a difference of design philosophy; Gygax, who wrote the advanced game, wanted an expansive game with rulings on any conceivable situation which might come up during play, a document which could be used to arbitrate disputes at tournaments. J. Eric Holmes, the editor of the basic game, preferred a lighter tone with more room for personal improvisation. Confusing matters further, the original crude D&D boxed set continued to be printed and sold well into 1979, since it remained a healthy seller for TSR. Thus three different versions of the game were being published concurrently.<ref name="hist_schick" />

In 1981 ''Basic Dungeons & Dragons'' was revised by Tom Moldvay. However, for reasons that are debated to this day, the game was not brought in line with AD&D but instead was made even more different. Thus the Dungeons & Dragons game (sometimes called ''Basic D&D'' to distinguish it from ''AD&D'', though TSR never referred to the entire system as such) became a separate and distinct product from TSR’s flagship game AD&D. Discrete sets of increasing power levels were introduced as expansions for the basic game.<ref>{{cite journal
| last =Gygax
| first =Gary
| authorlink =Gary Gygax
| title =Dungeons & Dragons: What Is It and Where Is It Going?
| journal =[[Dragon (magazine)|The Dragon]] #21
| volume =Vol. III
| issue =No. 8
| pages =29–30
| publisher =[[TSR, Inc.|TSR]]
| year =1978
| month = December
| issn = 1062-2101 }}
</ref>This game was promoted as a continuation of the tone of original D&D whereas AD&D was an advancement of the mechanics.<ref name="dragon26" /> Although simpler overall than the ‘Advanced’ game, it included rules for some situations not covered in ''AD&D''. There were five sets: ''Basic'' (1977, revised in 1981 and again in 1983),<ref>(Gygax & Arneson 1977, 1981a & 1983a)</ref> ''Expert'' (1981, revised in 1983),<ref>(Gygax & Arneson 1981b & 1983b)</ref> ''Companion'' (1983),<ref>(Mentzer 1985)</ref> ''Master'' (1985),<ref>(Gygax & Mentzer 1985)</ref> and ''Immortals'' (1986, 1991)<ref>(Mentzer 1986) & [[#Reference-Allston-1992|(Allston 1992)]],</ref> each covering game play for more powerful characters than the previous. The first four sets were later compiled as a single hardcover book, the ''Dungeons & Dragons Rules Cyclopedia'' (1991).<ref>(Schend et al. 1991)</ref>

'''''Advanced Dungeons & Dragons''''' (or ''AD&D'') was a more complex version of the game. It was designed to create a tighter, more structured game system than the loose framework of the original game.<ref name="dragon26">{{cite journal
| last =Gygax
| first =Gary
| authorlink =Gary Gygax
| title =D&D, AD&D and Gaming
| journal =[[Dragon (magazine)|The Dragon]] #26
| volume =Vol. III
| issue =No. 12
| pages =29–30
| publisher =[[TSR, Inc.|TSR]]
| year =1979
| month = June
| issn = 1062-2101 }}
</ref> While seen by many as a revision of D&D,<ref name="WTNI" /> AD&D was at time declared to be “neither an expansion nor a revision of the old game, it is a new game”.<ref name="dragon26" /> The ''AD&D'' game was not intended to be directly compatible with ''D&D'' and requires some conversion to play between the rule sets.<ref>(Schend et al. 1991:291) Appendix 2: AD&D Game Conversions</ref> The term ''Advanced'' describes the more complex rules and does not imply “for higher-level gaming abilities”. Between 1977 and 1979, three hardcover rulebooks, commonly referred to as the ‘core rulebooks’, were released: The ''[[Player's Handbook|Player’s Handbook]]'' (PHB),<ref>(Gygax 1978)</ref> the ''[[Dungeon Master's Guide|Dungeon Master’s Guide]]'' (DMG),<ref>(Gygax 1979a)</ref> and the ''[[Monster Manual]]'' (MM).<ref>(Gygax 1977)</ref> Several additional books published throughout the 1980s, notably ''[[Unearthed Arcana]]'' (1985),<ref>(Gygax 1985)</ref> included a large number of new rules.<ref name="tsr_history" />

[[Image:DungeonMasterGuide4Cover.jpg|thumbnail|right|200px|First edition ''Advanced Dungeons & Dragons Dungeon Masters Guide''.]]
<!-- FAIR USE of DungeonMasterGuide4Cover.jpg: see image description page at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:DungeonMasterGuide4Cover.jpg for rationale -->

'''''Advanced Dungeons & Dragons 2nd Edition''''' (sometimes referred to as ''AD&D2'' or ''2nd Ed'') was published in 1989,<ref name="tsr_history" /> once again as three core rulebooks. 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 an effort to remove aspects of the game which had attracted negative publicity. This edition removed references to demons and devils, sexually suggestive artwork, and playable, evil-aligned character types (such as assassins and half-orcs).<ref name="Dragon 154" /> The edition moved from an underlying basis of 1960's and 1970's "sword and sorcery" fantasy fiction to that of a more medieval historical and mythological view.<ref>(Cook 1989b:25-41)</ref> Aside from these revisions the rules underwent a number of minor changes including the addition of non-weapon proficiencies (which are skill-like abilities that originally appeared in 1st Edition supplements) and the division of magic spells into schools and spheres.<ref> {{cite web
| last =Hahn
| first =Joel A
| coauthors =Lawrence ‘DMGorgon’ Mead, Ian Malcomson, Wizards of the Coast Staff
| title =Dungeons & Dragons FAQ
| publisher =[[Wizards of the Coast]]
| year=2003
| url =http://www.wizards.com/dnd/dnddefinitivefaq.asp
| accessdate = 2007-04-03 }}
</ref> Another major difference in this edition was the promotion of a variety of game settings beyond that of traditional fantasy. This included blending fantasy with other genres such as horror (Ravenloft), science fiction (Spelljammer), and apocalyptic (Dark Sun), as well as using alternative historical and non-European mythological settings. <ref>(Pryor 1993)</ref> In 1995, the core rulebooks were slightly revised and a series of ''Player’s Option'' manuals were released as optional core rulebooks.<ref name="tsr_history"><!-- Archived copy in case the one below dies or changes: http://www.webcitation.org/5R5rHK9Zy -->{{cite web
| author=Staff | year=2003
| url=http://www.wizards.com/dnd/DnDArchives_History.asp
| title=The History of TSR
| publisher=Wizards of the Coast
| accessdate=2007-08-14 }}</ref> Although still referred to by TSR as the 2nd Edition,<ref>“This is not ''AD&D'' 3rd edition” Winter, Steven (1995-02-06) 'Foreword' in {{cite book
| first = David
| last = Cook
| year = 1995
| month =
| origdate = 1989b
| title = [[Player's Handbook|Player’s Handbook]]
| edition = Revised Edition
| publisher = TSR
| isbn = 0-7869-0329-5
| url = }}
</ref> this revision is seen by some fans as a distinct edition of the game and is sometimes referred to as ''AD&D 2.5''.<ref>{{cite web
| title =AD&D Player’s Handbook 2.5 PDF
| work =Store
| publisher =[[Paizo Publishing]]
| date =
| url =http://paizo.com/store/downloads/wizardsOfTheCoast/aDAndD2/rulebooks/playersHandbooks/v5748btpy7mre&source=rss
| accessdate =2007-04-03 }}
</ref><ref>For example: {{cite web
| last =Hiryu | title =2E vs. Revised | work =Store
| publisher =[[Wizards of the Coast]]
| date =December 7, 2003
| url =http://boards1.wizards.com/showthread.php?t=139725
| format =web board | accessdate =2007-04-03 }}
</ref>

'''''Dungeons & Dragons 3rd Edition''''' (also referred to as ''D&D3'' or ''3E'' and not to be confused with the 1983 edition of the basic ''D&D'' game) was released in 2000 following three years of development which began when a near-bankrupt TSR was bought by [[Wizards of the Coast]] in 1997.<ref>Adkison, Peter ''Third Edition'' chapter in Johnson et al. (2004:250) “After ... the idea of acquiring TSR began to swim in my mind it took me maybe thirty seconds to decide, We’ve got to do a third edition of Dungeons & Dragons.”</ref> The new release folded the Basic and Advanced lines back into a single unified game. It was the largest revision of the ''D&D'' rules to date, and also served as the basis for a broader role-playing system designed around 20-sided dice, called the [[d20 System]].<ref>Adkison, Peter ''Third Edition'' chapter in Johnson et al. (2004:273) D20 and the Open Gaming License</ref> The 3rd Edition rules were designed with the intention of making them 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.<ref>Adkison, Peter ''Third Edition'' chapter in Johnson et al. (2004:255–263) Design Philosophy</ref> Skills and feats were introduced into the core rules to encourage players to further customize their characters.<ref>{{cite journal
| title =Countdown to 3rd Edition: Feats and Fighters
| journal =[[Dragon (magazine)|Dragon]] #270
| volume =Vol. XXIV
| issue =No. 11
| pages =30–31
| publisher =[[Wizards of the Coast]]
| year =2000
| month = April
| issn = 1062-2101 }}
</ref> The new rules also standardized the mechanics of action resolution and combat.<ref>[[#Reference-Tweet-2003|(Tweet 2003:4)]] What Characters Can Do</ref>

'''''Dungeons & Dragons v.3.5''''' (also known as Revised 3rd Edition or ''D&D3.5'') in 2003 is a revision of the 3rd Edition rules. This release incorporated hundreds of rule changes, mostly minor, and expanded the core rulebooks.<ref>[[#Reference-Tweet-2003|(Tweet 2003:4)]] Why the Revision?</ref>

'''''Dungeons & Dragons 4th Edition''''', announced at [[Gen Con]] in August 2007. The initial core three books were released June 6, 2008.<ref name="excitingnews">"June 6: 4th Edition ''Player's Handbook'', ''Dungeon Master's'' Guide, and ''Monster Manual''." {{cite web
| url = http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/dramp/20071019
| title = Ampersand: Exciting News!
| accessdate = 2007-10-22
| date = 2007-10-19
| last = Slavicsek
| first = Bill
| publisher = Wizards of the Coast
}}</ref> 4th Edition brought many fundamental rules changes, including restructuring many character abilities into 'Powers'. This especially altered the spell-using classes by adding abilities that could be used at will or per encounter as well as per day (while in previous versions they were limited to a certain number of spells per day), and provided parallel sets of options for nonmagical classes (that had previously had very limited options). In other respects, 4th Edition streamlined the game into a much more simplified form. In addition to printing the books, Wizards of the Coast is also releasing other supplementals virtually through the Wizards website.<ref name="4-ward at Gen Con">{{cite news
| title=Dungeons & Dragons Flashes 4-ward at Gen Con
| publisher=Wizards of the Coast | date=August 16, 2007
| url=http://www.wizards.com/company/downloads/WotC_4E_Announcement.pdf
| format=PDF | accessdate=2007-08-19 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web
| author=Anonymous | date=August 16, 2007
| url=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gJ3J8t2-RVs
| format=Flash | title=Dungeons & Dragons 4th Edition: Part 1
| publisher=YouTube
| accessdate=2007-08-18 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web
| author=Staff | year=2007
| url=http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=welcome/conventions/gencon07
| title=Wizards of the Coast at Gen Con!
| publisher=Wizards of the Coast
| accessdate=2007-08-18 }}</ref>

=== Acclaim ===

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.<ref>{{cite web
| author=Staff
| year=2006
| url = http://www.originsgames.com/aagad/awards/archive
| title = Archive of List of Origins Award Winners
| accessdate = 2007-02-22
| publisher = Academy of Adventure Gaming Arts and Design
}}—select year on right of page.</ref> Both ''Dungeons & Dragons'' and ''Advanced Dungeons & Dragons'' are [[Origins Award|Origins Hall of Fame Games]] inductees as they were deemed sufficiently distinct to merit separate inclusion on different occasions.<ref>{{cite web
| author=Staff | year=2006
| url=http://www.originsgames.com/aagad/awards/hall-of-fame
| title=Hall of Fame
| publisher=Academy of Adventure Gaming Arts and Design
| accessdate=2007-07-06 }}</ref> The independent ''[[Games (magazine)|Games]]'' magazine placed ''Dungeons & Dragons'' on their ''Games 100'' list from 1980 through 1983, then entered the game into the magazine’s Hall of Fame in 1984.<ref>[[#Reference-Schick-1991|(Schick 1991:414–418)]]</ref><ref>{{cite web
| author=Staff | year=2007
| url=http://gamesmagazine-online.com/gameslinks/hallofame.html
| title=Hall of Fame | publisher=Games Magazine Online
| accessdate= 2007-08-13 }}</ref>

=== Influence ===

''Dungeons & Dragons'' was the first modern role-playing game and it established many of the conventions that have dominated the genre.<ref name="hist9">“Although we have come a long way since D&D, the essential concept is still the same, and is one that will endure.”{{cite journal
| last = Darlington
| first = Steve
| title = A History of Role-Playing Part IX: The End and The Beginning
| journal = Places to Go, People to Be
| publisher = Places to Go, People to Be
| issue = Issue 9
| year = 1999
| month = August
| url = http://ptgptb.org/0009/hist9.html
| accessdate = 2007-04-03 }}</ref> Particularly notable are the use of [[dice]] as a [[game mechanic]], [[Character sheet|character record sheets]], use of [[Statistic (role-playing games)|numerical attributes]] and gamemaster-centered group dynamics.<ref>{{cite web
| last =Rilstone
| first =Andrew
| title =Role-Playing Games: An Overview
| publisher =The Oracle
| year=1994
| url =http://www.rpg.net/oracle/essays/rpgoverview.html
| accessdate = 2007-04-04 }}
</ref>
Within months of ''Dungeons & Dragons''’s release, new role-playing game writers and publishers began releasing their own role-playing games, with most of these being in the fantasy genre. Some of the earliest other role-playing games inspired by D&D include ''[[Tunnels and Trolls]]'' (1975),<ref name="hist2">[[#Reference-Schick-1991|(Schick 1991:223–224)]]</ref> ''[[Tékumel|Empire of the Petal Throne]]'' (1975) and ''[[Chivalry and Sorcery]]'' (1976).<ref>{{cite book
| first=Gary Alan | last=Fine | year=2002
| title=Shared Fantasy: Role Playing Games as Social Worlds
| pages=pp. 16–19 | publisher=University of Chicago Press
| location=New York | id=ISBN 0226249441 }}</ref> The role-playing movement initiated by D&D would lead to release of the science fiction game ''[[Traveller (roleplaying game)|Traveller]]'' (1977) and fantasy game ''[[RuneQuest]]'' (1978), and subsequent game systems such as [[Chaosium]]’s ''[[Call of Cthulhu (role-playing game)|Call of Cthulhu]]'' (1981), ''[[Champions (roleplaying game)|Champions]]'' (1982), ''[[GURPS]]'' (1986)<ref name="hist5">{{cite journal
| last = Darlington
| first = Steven
| title = A History of Role-Playing Part V: The Power and the Glory
| journal = Places to Go, People to Be
| publisher = Places to Go, People to Be
| issue = Issue 5
| month = November | year = 1998
| url = http://ptgptb.org/0005/hist5.html
| accessdate = 2007-02-28 }}
</ref> and ''[[Vampire: The Masquerade]]'' (1992).<ref name="hist8">{{cite journal
| last = Darlington
| first = Steven
| title = A History of Role-Playing Part VIII: Dark Times
| journal = Places to Go, People to Be
| publisher = Places to Go, People to Be
| issue = Issue 8
| month = June | year = 1999
| url = http://ptgptb.org/0008/hist8.html
| accessdate = 2007-02-28 }}
</ref><ref name="hist_schick" /> ''Dungeons & Dragons'' and the games it influenced also fed back into the genre’s origin—miniatures wargames—with combat strategy games like ''[[Warhammer Fantasy Battles]]''.<ref>{{cite web
| last =Grady
| first =RJ
| title =In Genre: THE DUNGEON
| publisher =[[RPGnet]]
| date =August 4, 2004
| url =http://www.rpg.net/news+reviews/columns/ingenre04aug04.html
| accessdate =2007-04-05 }}
</ref> D&D also had a large impact on modern [[video games]].<ref>{{cite web
| author=Staff
| title =How Dungeon & Dragons shaped the modern videogame
| work =[[PC Gamer]]
| publisher = [[Future Publishing]] Limited
| date =February 8, 2007
| url =http://www.computerandvideogames.com/article.php?id=157343&site=pcg
| accessdate =2007-04-03 }}
</ref>

With the launch of ''Dungeons & Dragons''’s [[Editions of Dungeons & Dragons|3rd Edition]], Wizards of the Coast made the [[d20 System]] available under the [[Open Gaming License]] (OGL) and [[D20 System#Trademark License|d20 Trademark License]]. Under these licenses, authors are free to use the d20 System when writing games and game supplements.<ref name="d20">{{cite web
| title =The d20 System
| work =
| publisher =[[Wizards of the Coast]]
| date =
| url =http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=d20/welcome
| accessdate =2007-04-03 }}
</ref> The OGL and d20 Trademark License also made possible new games, some based on licensed products like ''[[Star Wars Roleplaying Game (Wizards of the Coast)|Star Wars]]'', and also new versions of older games, such as ''[[Call of Cthulhu (role-playing game)#d20 Call of Cthulhu|Call of Cthulhu]]''.

During the 2000s, there has been a trend towards recreating older editions of [[D&D]]. [[Necromancer Games]], with its slogan “Third Edition Rules, First Edition Feel”<ref>{{cite web
| author=Staff | year=2007
| url=http://www.necromancergames.com/
| title=D20 Products with 3rd Edition Rules, 1st Edition Feel
| publisher=Necromancer Games | accessdate=2007-08-21 }}</ref> and Goodman Games ‘Dungeon Crawl Classics’ range<ref>{{cite web
| last =
| first =
| authorlink =
| coauthors =
| title =Dungeon Crawl Classics
| work =
| publisher =Goodman Games
| date =
| url =http://www.goodmangames.com/DCCpreview.php
| format =
| doi =
| accessdate = 2007-03-20 }}</ref> are both examples of this in material for d20 System. Other companies have created complete game systems based on earlier editions of D&D. An example is ''[[HackMaster]]'' (2001) by [[Kenzer and Company]], a licensed, non-OGL, semi-satirical follow-on to 1st and 2nd Edition.<ref>{{cite web
| last =Thorn
| first =Mike
| authorlink =
| coauthors =
| title =Review of Hackmaster 4th Edition
| work =
| publisher =[[RPGnet]]
| date =June 9, 2006
| url =http://www.rpg.net/reviews/archive/12/12222.phtml
| format =
| doi =
| accessdate = 2007-03-19 }}</ref> ''[[Castles & Crusades]]'' (2005), by Troll Lord Games, is a reimagining of early editions by streamlining rules from OGL<ref>“Castles & Crusades is a fantasy RPG, clearly based upon the first edition of AD&D but with streamlined d20-like rules.”{{cite web
| last =Mythmere
| first =
| authorlink =
| coauthors =
| title =Castles & Crusades Players Handbook (4.6 stars)
| work =
| publisher =Mythmere’s Wondrous Resource
| date =
| url =http://mythmere.tripod.com/reviewph.html
| format =
| doi =
| accessdate = 2007-03-19 }}</ref> that was supported by [[Gary Gygax]] prior to his death.<ref>Gary Gygax was writing an entire line of Castle Zagyg products for Castles & Crusades.{{cite web
| last =
| first =
| authorlink =
| coauthors =
| title =Castle Zagyg Product Page
| work =
| publisher =Troll Lord Games
| date =
| url =http://www.trolllord.com/newsite/zagyg/index.html
| format =
| doi =
| accessdate = 2007-03-19 }}</ref>

Director [[Jon Favreau]] credits ''Dungeons & Dragons'' with giving him "...a really strong background in imagination, storytelling, understanding how to create tone and a sense of balance." <ref>{{cite web | url = http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/la-et-favreau5-2008may05,0,6653890,full.story | title = Jon Favreau is the action figure behind 'Iron Man' | accessdate = 2008-05-17 | date = 2008-05-05 | last = Boucher | first = Geoff | work = [[Los Angeles Times]] | publisher = [[Los Angeles Times]] | language = English | archiveurl = http://www.webcitation.org/query?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.latimes.com%2Fentertainment%2Fla-et-favreau5-2008may05%2C0%2C6653890%2Cfull.story&date=2008-05-17 | archivedate = 2008-05-17}}</ref>

=== Controversy and notoriety ===
{{main|Dungeons & Dragons controversies}}

At various times in its history, ''Dungeons & Dragons'' has received negative publicity, in particular from some [[Christian]] groups, for alleged promotion of such practices as [[Satanism#Devil worship|devil worship]], [[witchcraft]], [[suicide]], and [[murder]], and for naked [[breast]]s in drawings of female humanoids in the original AD&D manuals (mainly monsters such as [[Harpy|Harpies]], [[Succubus (Dungeons & Dragons)|Succubi]], etc.).<ref name="Moral Panic">{{cite journal
| last = Waldron | first = David
| title = Role-Playing Games and the Christian Right: Community Formation in Response to a Moral Panic
| journal = The Journal of Religion and Popular Culture
| volume = Vol. IX
| publisher =Department of Religious Studies and Anthropology, [[University of Saskatchewan|The University of Saskatchewan]]
| date = Spring 2005
| url = http://www.usask.ca/relst/jrpc/art9-roleplaying.html
| accessdate = 2007-02-27 }}
</ref><ref name="attacks">{{cite journal
| author=Paul Cardwell, Jr
| title=The Attacks on Role-Playing Games
| journal=Skeptical Inquirer
| year=1994 | volume=18 | issue=2 | pages=157–165
| url=http://www.rpgstudies.net/cardwell/attacks.html
| accessdate=2007-08-04 }}</ref> These controversies led TSR to remove many potentially controversial references and artwork when releasing the 2nd Edition of ''AD&D''.<ref name="Dragon 154">{{cite journal
| last =Ward | first =James M
| authorlink =Jim Ward (game designer)
| title =The Games Wizards: Angry Mothers From Heck (And what we do about them)
| journal =[[Dragon (magazine)|Dragon Magazine]] #154
| volume =Vol. XIV | issue =No. 9 | pages =9
| month =February | year =1990 | issn = 0279-6848 }} ISBN 0-88038-865-X
</ref> Many of these references, including the use of the names ‘devils’ and ‘demons’, were reintroduced in the 3rd edition.<ref>(Williams 2000:41,47)</ref> The [[moral panic]] over the game also led to problems for fans of D&D who faced further social ostracism, unfair treatment and false association with the occult and [[Satanism]], regardless of an individual fan’s actual religious affiliation and beliefs.<ref>{{cite web
| last=Gagne | first=Kenneth A. | date=April 27, 2001
| url=http://www.gamebits.net/other/mqp/#23
| title=Moral Panics Over Youth Culture and Video Games
| publisher=Worcester Polytechnic Institute
| accessdate=2007-08-27 }}</ref>

''Dungeons & Dragons'' has also been the subject of unsubstantiated rumors regarding players having difficulty separating fantasy and reality, even leading to [[psychotic]] episodes.<ref>{{cite journal
| last = Darlington | first = Steve
| title = A History of Role-Playing Part IV: Part Four: Hell and High Finance
| journal = Places to Go, People to Be
| issue = Issue 4 | year = 1998 | month = August
| url =http://ptgptb.org/0004/hist4.html
| accessdate = 2007-04-03 }}
</ref> The most notable of these was the saga of [[Steam tunnel incident|James Dallas Egbert III]],<ref>{{cite journal
| last = Hately | first = Shaun
| title = The Disappearance of James Dallas Egbert III (Part I)
| journal = Places to Go, People to Be
| issue = Issue 6 | year =1999 | month =February
| url = http://ptgptb.org/0006/egbert.html
| accessdate = 2007-02-21 }}
</ref> which was fictionalized in the novel ''[[Mazes and Monsters (novel)|Mazes and Monsters]]'' and later made into a [[Mazes and Monsters|TV movie]].<ref>{{cite news
| first=John | last=O'Connor | date=December 28, 1982
| title=TV: 'Mazes and Monsters,' Fantasy
| publisher=New York Times
| url=http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9E01EEDA1438F93BA15751C1A964948260
| accessdate=2007-08-04 }}</ref><ref name="attacks" /> The game was also blamed for some of the actions of [[Chris Pritchard]], who was convicted in 1990 of murdering his stepfather.

The game’s commercial success was a factor that led to [[lawsuits]] regarding distribution of [[royalties]] between original creators Gygax and Arneson.<ref>{{cite journal
| author=Staff | title =Interview with Dave Arneson
| journal =Pegasus | issue =Issue 1
| publisher =[[Judges Guild]] | year =1981 | month = April/May
| url =http://www.judgesguild.net/guildhall/pegasus/pegasus_01/interview.shtml
| accessdate =2007-02-23}}
</ref><ref>{{cite web
| last =Rausch | first =Allen
| title =Dave Arneson Interview
| publisher =[[GameSpy]]
| date =August 19, 2004
| url = http://pc.gamespy.com/articles/540/540395p1.html
| accessdate = 2007-02-23}}
</ref> Gygax later became embroiled in a political struggle for control of TSR which culminated in a court battle and Gygax’s decision to sell his ownership interest in the company in 1985.<ref name="Gygax-GygaxFAQ">{{cite web
| last =Gygax | first =Gary
| url=http://www.gygax.com/gygaxfaq.html#What%20Happened%20to%20Gygax%20-%20TSR?
| title=Gygax FAQ | publisher=The Creative World of Gary Gygax <!-- Gygax’s personal site as of the time this link was taken. Now domain squatted. http://web.archive.org/web/19990125095757/www.gygax.com/ -->
| accessdate=2006-07-04
| archiveurl=http://web.archive.org/web/19990128161605/http://www.gygax.com/gygaxfaq.html#What%20Happened%20to%20Gygax%20-%20TSR?
| archivedate=1999-01-28 }}</ref>

Early in the game’s history, TSR took no action against small publishers' production of ''D&D'' compatible material. This attitude changed in the mid 1980s when TSR revoked these rights (even from publishers they had earlier officially licensed, such as [[Judges Guild]]),<ref>{{cite journal
| last = Bob | first = Bledsaw
| title = From the Sorcerer’s Scroll: What has Judges Guild done for Dungeons and Dragons®
| journal = The Dragon #27
| volume =Vol. IV | issue =No. 1 | pages =10–11
| publisher =TSR Hobbies, Inc. |month=July | year=1979}}
</ref> and took legal action to prevent others from publishing compatible material. This angered many fans and led to resentment by the other gaming companies.<ref name="hist_schick" /> TSR itself also ran afoul of intellectual property law in several cases.<ref>Copyright conflicts with the [[Tolkien Estate]] lead to removal of references to [[Hobbit]]s, [[Ent]]s and others. {{cite book
| author=Hallford, N.; Hallford, J. | year=2001
| title=Swords & Circuitry: A Designer’s Guide to Computer Role Playing Games
| publisher=Thomson Course Technology PTR
| edition=First edition | pages=p. 39
| id=ISBN 0761532994 }}</ref><ref>Disputes over licenses led to an agreement for Chaosium to use the ''[[Thieves' World]]'' license in exchange for allowing TSR to legally publish the [[Cthulhu Mythos|Cthulhu]] and [[Melniboné]] mythoi in [[Deities & Demigods]]. See: {{cite web
| last=Appelcline | first=Shannon | year=2006
| url=http://www.rpg.net/columns/briefhistory/briefhistory3.phtml
| title=Chaosium: 1975-Present | work=A Brief History of Game
| publisher=RPGnet | accessdate=2007-08-13 }}</ref>

After publishing the 3rd Edition, the then-license holders reversed the stance on 3rd party material with the introduction of the [[Open Gaming License]], which allows compatible material (though technically not ''Dungeons & Dragons'' material) to be produced.<ref>{{cite web
| url = http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=d20/welcome
| title = The d20 System
| accessdate = 2007-08-14
| author = Staff
| publisher = [[Wizards of the Coast]]
}}<!-- Link go bad? Try http://www.webcitation.org/5RrMcGey5 as a backup made 2007-08-14 --> </ref>

With the release of the fourth edition, Wizards of the Coast has introduced its [[Game System License]], which represents a significant restriction compared with the very open policies embodied by the OGL. In part as a response to this, some publishers (such as [[Paizo Publishing]], with its [[Pathfinder RPG]]) who previously produced materials in support of Wizards of the Coast D&D books have made the decision to pursue a directly competitive path instead.

=== International editions ===
{{Refimprovesect|date=October 2008}}
The ''Dungeons & Dragons'' franchise was translated and published in many languages around the world.

One particular challenge was the word [[dungeon]], which in standard English means a single prison cell or [[oubliette]] originally located under a [[keep]]. Some languages directly translated this meaning, e.g. Spanish ''Calabozos y Dragones'' (Dungeons and Dragons) or ''Dragones y Mazmorras'' (Dragons and Dungeons).

In gaming jargon, however, a dungeon is not a single holding cell but rather a [[dungeon crawl|network of underground passages]] or [[Subterranea (geography)|subterranea]] to be explored, such as a [[cave]], [[ruins]] or [[catacombs]]. Some translations conveyed this meaning well, e.g. Chinese ''龙与地下城'' (Dragons and Underground Castles, or Dragons and Underground Cities).

Some translations used a [[false friend]] of "dungeon", even if it changed the meaning of the title, such as the French ''Donjons et dragons'' (Keeps and Dragons). Other languages adopted a more liberal translation to keep the [[alliteration]], e.g. Swedish ''Dunder och Drakar'' (Thunder and Dragons). [http://sv.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dunder_och_Drakar]

And many languages, including Finnish and Italian, left the English title untranslated.

== Related products ==
{{main|Dungeons & Dragons related products}}
[[Image:D&D Game 1.jpg|thumb|right|250px|An elaborate example of a ''D&D'' game in progress. Among the gaming aids shown are dice, a variety of miniatures and some miniature scenery.]]

''D&D''’s commercial success has led to many other related products, including [[Dragon (magazine)|''Dragon'' Magazine]], [[Dungeon (magazine)|''Dungeon'' Magazine]], an [[Dungeons & Dragons (TV series)|animated television series]], a [[Dungeons & Dragons (film)|film series]], an [[Dungeons and Dragons (album)|official role-playing soundtrack]] and [[List of Dungeons & Dragons computer and video games|computer games]] such as the [[MMORPG]] ''[[Dungeons & Dragons Online: Stormreach]]''. Hobby and toy stores sell [[Dice#non-cubical dice|dice]], [[Miniature figure (gaming)|miniatures]], [[Adventure (Dungeons & Dragons)|adventures]] and other game aids related to ''D&D'' and its game offspring.

== References in popular culture ==
{{main|Dungeons & Dragons in popular culture}}
<!-- ATTENTION: PLEASE DO ''NOT'' LIST SPECIFIC POP CULTURE REFERENCES TO D&D IN THIS ARTICLE. THERE ARE ALREADY SUFFICIENT EXAMPLES IN THE NOTES SECTION TO SUPPORT THE TEXT. -->

As the popularity of ''D&D'' grew throughout the late 1970s and 1980s, the game was referenced more and more in popular culture. Numerous games, films and cultural references based on ''D&D'' or ''D&D''-like fantasies, characters or adventures have been ubiquitous since the end of the 1970s. Typically, though by no means exclusively, ''D&D'' players are portrayed derogatively as the epitome of [[geek]]dom.<ref>{{cite news
| last =Currell
| first =Latasha
| coauthors =
| title =Dungeons and Dragons—30 Years and Going Strong
| work =The Golden Gate [X]Press Online
| pages =
| language =
| publisher =The Journalism Department @ [[San Francisco State University]]
| date =September 1, 2004
| url =http://xpress.sfsu.edu/archives/arts/001575.html
| accessdate =2007-04-03 }}
</ref> References to the game are used as shorthand to establish characterization or provide the punch line of a joke.<ref>Examples include {{cite journal
| last =
| first =
| authorlink =
| coauthors =
| title =Bill Gates Grants Self 18 Dexterity, 20 Charisma
| journal =[[The Onion]]
| volume =
| issue =Issue 31·21
| pages =
| publisher = Onion, Inc
| date =June 18, 1997
| url =http://www.theonion.com/content/node/29743
| accessdate = 2007-04-03 }} and {{cite video
| people = [[David X. Cohen|Cohen, David X.]]; [[Ken Keeler]], [[Eric Rogers]] (writers)
| title =[[Futurama]] Episode [[Anthology of Interest I#Act 3|Anthology of Interest I]]
| medium =TV Show
| publisher =[[20th Century Fox Television]]
| location =
| date =May 5, 2000 }}
</ref> Many players, irritated with this stereotype,<ref>{{cite news
| last =Roberts
| first =Tara
| coauthors =
| title =‘D&D’ players defy stereotypes
| work =The Argonaut
| pages =
| language =
| publisher =[[University of Idaho]]
| date =September 13, 2005
| url =http://www.uiargonaut.com/content/view/360/38/
| accessdate =2007-04-03 }}
</ref> embrace the fact that professional basketball player [[Tim Duncan]], comedian [[Stephen Colbert]], musician [[Moby]], and actors [[Vin Diesel]], [[Matthew Lillard]], [[Mike Myers (actor)|Mike Myers]], [[Patton Oswalt]], [[Wil Wheaton]] and [[Robin Williams]] have made their ''D&D'' hobbies public.<ref>Briggs, Jerry, "Duncan's unusual hobby and more unusual request", San Antonio Express-News (Texas), 30 November 1997.</ref><ref>Diesel contributed the introduction, and both Colbert and Wheaton page long personal reflections to Johnson ''et al.'' (2004)</ref><ref>Diesel, Williams, Moby, Lillard, Colbert: {{cite journal
| last = Shanafelt | first = Steve
| title=The growing chic of geek: How turning 30 made Dungeons & Dragons feel young again
| journal=Mountain Xpress
| date=November 2, 2005 | volume=12 | issue=14
| url=http://www.mountainx.com/features/2005/1102dandd.php
| accessdate=2007-08-04 }}</ref><ref>Diesel, Colbert, Lillard: {{cite web
| last = Tonjes | first = Wayne | date =October 19, 2005
| url=http://www.gamingreport.com/modules.php?op=modload&name=Sections&file=index&req=printpage&artid=166
| title=Interview with Charles Ryan on the 2005 Worldwide Dungeons & Dragons Game Day
| publisher=Gaming Report | accessdate = 2007-08-04 }}</ref><ref>Oswalt: {{Citation
| last = Leckart
| first = Steven
| year = 2007
| date = June 26, 2007
| title = Ratatouille Star Patton Oswalt on Geeks vs. Nerds
| periodical = Wired
| volume = 15
| issue = 07
| url = http://www.wired.com/entertainment/hollywood/magazine/15-07/pl_screen
}}</ref><ref>Myers: {{cite episode
| title = Mike Myers
| episodelink =
| series = Inside the Actors' Studio
| serieslink =
| airdate = 2001-02-04
| season = 7
| number = 9 }}</ref>

== See also ==

* {{selfref|[[:Category:Dungeons & Dragons creatures|''Dungeons & Dragons'' creature lists]]|}}

* [[Spells of Dungeons & Dragons|''Dungeons & Dragons'' spells]]

* [[D&D Championship Series]]

* ''[[OSRIC]]'' (Old School Reference & Index Compilation), an attempt to re-issue the rules for First Edition AD&D while complying with the [[Open Gaming License]].

== Notes ==
<!-- See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Footnotes for an explanation of how to generate footnotes using the<ref> and </ref> tags and the tag below -->
{{Reflist|2}}

== References ==
<div class="references-small">
* {{cite book
| last =Allston | first =Aaron | authorlink =Aaron Allston
| title =Wrath of the Immortals
| publisher =[[TSR, Inc.|TSR]] | year=1992
| isbn =1560764120 | ref=Reference-Allston-1992 }}
* {{cite book
| first = David | last = Cook | year = 1989a
| title = [[Dungeon Master's Guide|Dungeon Master’s Guide]]
| publisher = TSR | isbn = 0-88038-729-7
| ref=Reference-Cook-1989a }}
* {{cite book
| first = David | last = Cook | year = 1989b
| title = [[Player's Handbook|Player’s Handbook]]
| publisher = TSR | isbn = 0-88038-716-5 }}
* {{cite book
| last =Heinsoo | first =Rob | authorlink =Rob Heinsoo
| coauthors =[[Andy Collins]], [[James Wyatt (game designer)|James Wyatt]]
| title =[[Player's Handbook]]
| publisher =[[Wizards of the Coast]]
| year=2008
| isbn = 978-0-7869-4867-3 | ref=Reference-Heinsoo-2008 }}
* {{cite book
| last =Cook | first =Monte | authorlink =Monte Cook
| coauthors =[[Skip Williams]], [[Jonathan Tweet]]
| title =[[Dungeon Master's Guide|Dungeon Master’s Guide]]
| publisher =[[Wizards of the Coast]]
| year=2000
| isbn = 0-7869-1551-X | ref=Reference-Cook-2003 }}
* {{cite book
| last =Cook | first =Monte
| coauthors =Skip Williams, Jonathan Tweet
| others = revised by David Noonan, Rich Redman
| title =[[Dungeon Master's Guide|Dungeon Master’s Guide v.3.5]]
| publisher =[[Wizards of the Coast]]
| origdate = 2000 | year=2003
| isbn = 0-7869-2889-1 }}
* {{cite book
| last =Gygax | first =Gary | authorlink =Gary Gygax
| coauthors =[[Dave Arneson]]
| title =Dungeons & Dragons (3-Volume Set)
| publisher =TSR | year=1974
| isbn = }}
* {{cite book
| last =Gygax | first =Gary
| coauthors =Dave Arneson
| others = edited by J. Eric Holmes
| title =Dungeons & Dragons (Basic Set)
| publisher =TSR | origdate = 1974 | year=1977
| isbn =0394511115 }}
* {{cite book
| last =Gygax | first =Gary
| coauthors =Dave Arneson
| others = edited by [[Tom Moldvay]]
| title =Dungeons & Dragons (Basic Set)
| publisher =TSR | origdate = 1974 | date =1981a
| isbn =0394518349 }}
* {{cite book
| last =Gygax | first =Gary | coauthors =Dave Arneson
| others = edited by [[David "Zeb" Cook|Dave ‘Zeb’ Cook]]
| title =Dungeons & Dragons (Expert Set)
| publisher =TSR | origdate = 1974 | date =1981b
| isbn =0394521986 }}
* {{cite book
| last =Gygax | first =Gary
| coauthors =Dave Arneson
| others = edited by [[Frank Mentzer]]
| title =Dungeons & Dragons (Basic Rules Set 1)
| publisher =TSR | origdate = 1974 | date =1983a
| isbn =0394534212 }}
* {{cite book
| last =Gygax | first =Gary | coauthors =Dave Arneson
| others = edited by Frank Mentzer
| title =Dungeons & Dragons (Expert Rules Set 2)
| publisher =TSR | origdate = 1974 | date =1983b
| isbn =0880383399 }}
* {{cite book
| last =Gygax | first =Gary
| title =[[Monster Manual]]
| publisher =TSR | year=1977
| isbn = 0-935696-00-8 }}
* {{cite book
| last =Gygax | first =Gary
| title =[[Player's Handbook|Player’s Handbook]]
| publisher =TSR | year=1978
| isbn = 0-935696-01-6 }}
* {{cite book
| last =Gygax | first =Gary
| title =Dungeon Masters Guide
| publisher =TSR | year=1979
| isbn = 0-935696-02-4 }}
* {{cite book
| last =Gygax | first =Gary
| title =[[Unearthed Arcana]]
| publisher =TSR | year=1985
| isbn = 0-88038-084-5 }}
* {{cite book
| last =Gygax | first =Gary | coauthors =Frank Mentzer
| title =Dungeons & Dragons (Set 4: Master Rules)
| publisher =TSR | year=1985
| isbn =0880383429 }}
* {{cite book
| last =Johnson | first =Harold
| authorlink =
| coauthors =Steve Winter, [[Peter Adkison]], Ed Stark, Peter Archer
| title =[[30 Years of Adventure: A Celebration of Dungeons & Dragons]]
| publisher =Wizards of the Coast | year=2004
| isbn =0-7869-3498-0}} Softcover edition 2006 ISBN 0-7869-4078-6
* {{cite book
| last =Mentzer | first =Frank | authorlink =Frank Mentzer
| title =Dungeons & Dragons (Set 3: Companion Rules)
| publisher =TSR | year=1984
| isbn =0880383402 }}
* {{cite book
| last =Mentzer | first =Frank
| title =Dungeons & Dragons (Set 5: Immortal Rules)
| publisher =TSR | year=1986
| isbn =0880383410 }}
*{{cite book
| author=Pryor, Tony; Herring, Tony; Tweet, Jonathan; Richie, Norm
| year=1993 | title=Creative Campaigning
| publisher=TSR | isbn=1560765615 }}
* {{cite journal
| last =Pulsipher | first =Lew
| title =Introduction to Dungeons & Dragons, Parts I-V
| journal =The Best of [[White Dwarf (magazine)|White Dwarf]]
| issue =Articles Volume II | pages =10–18
| publisher =[[Games Workshop]] | year=1983 }}
* {{cite book
| last =Schend | first =Steven E.
| coauthors =Jon Pickens, Dori Warty (Editors)
| title =Rules Cyclopedia | publisher =TSR
| year=1991
| isbn = 1-56076-085-0 }}
* {{cite book
| last=Schick | first=Lawrence | year=1991
| title=Heroic Worlds: A History and Guide to Role-Playing Games
| publisher=Prometheus Books
| location=Amherst, New York
| id=ISBN 0-87975-653-3 | ref=Reference-Schick-1991 }}
* {{cite book
| last =Slavicsek | first =Bill
| authorlink =Bill Slavicsek
| coauthors =[[Richard Baker (game designer)|Richard Baker]]
| title =Dungeons & Dragons [[...for Dummies|for Dummies]]
| publisher =[[John Wiley & Sons|Wiley Publishing]]
| year=2005
| isbn =0-7645-8459-6
| ref=Reference-Slavicsek-Baker-2005 }}
* {{cite book
| last =Slavicsek | first =Bill | coauthors =Richard Baker
| title =Dungeon Master For Dummies
| publisher =Wiley Publishing | year=2006
| isbn =0-471-78330-7 }}
* {{cite book
| last =Slavicsek | first =Bill | coauthors =Mathew Sernett
| title =[[Dungeons & Dragons Basic Game]]
| format = boxed set | year=2006
| publisher =Wizards of the Coast
| isbn = 0-1869-3944-3 }}
* {{cite book
| last =Tweet | first =Jonathan
| coauthors =Monte Cook, Skip Williams
| title =[[Player's Handbook|Player’s Handbook]]
| publisher =Wizards of the Coast | year=2000
| isbn = 0-7869-1550-1 }}
* {{cite book
| last =Tweet | first =Jonathan
| coauthors =Monte Cook, Skip Williams
| others = revised by [[Andy Collins]]
| title =[[Player's Handbook|Player’s Handbook v.3.5]]
| publisher =Wizards of the Coast | origdate = 2000
| year=2003
| isbn = 0-7869-2886-7 | ref=Reference-Tweet-2003 }}
* {{cite book
| last =Tweet | first =Jonathan
| title =[[Dungeons & Dragons Basic Game]]
| format = boxed set | publisher =Wizards of the Coast
| year=2004
| isbn = 0-7869-3409-3 }}
* {{cite book
| last =Williams | first =Skip
| title =Dungeon Master Option: High Level Campaigns
| publisher =TSR | year=1995
| isbn = 0-7869-0168-3 }}
* {{cite book
| last =Williams | first =Skip
| coauthors =Jonathan Tweet, Monte Cook
| title =[[Monster Manual]] | publisher =Wizards of the Coast
| year=2000
| isbn = 0-7869-1552-8 }}
* {{cite book
| last =Williams | first =Skip
| coauthors =Jonathan Tweet, Monte Cook
| others = revised by [[Richard Baker (game designer)|Rich Baker]], Skip Williams
| title =[[Monster Manual|Monster Manual v.3.5]]
| publisher =Wizards of the Coast
| origdate = 2000 | year=2003
| isbn = 0-7869-2893-X }}
</div>

== Further reading ==
<div class="references-small">
* {{cite news
| last =Bebergal
| first =Peter
| coauthors =
| title =How 'Dungeons' Changed the World
| work =[[The Boston Globe]]
| publisher =The New York Times Company
| date =November 15, 2004
| url =http://www.boston.com/news/globe/editorial_opinion/oped/articles/2004/11/15/dungeons_and_dragons_we_love_you/
| accessdate = }}
* {{cite web
| last =Edwards
| first =Ron
| title =A Hard Look at Dungeons and Dragons
| publisher =[[Indie role-playing game#The Forge|The Forge]]
| url =http://www.indie-rpgs.com/articles/20/
| accessdate =2007-02-23}}—an essay on the early history of the D&D hobby.
* Fannon, Sean Patrick. ''The Fantasy Roleplaying Gamer’s Bible, 2nd Edition''. Obsidian Studios, 1999. ISBN 0-9674429-0-7
* Gygax, Gary. ''Roleplaying Mastery''. New York, NY: Perigee, 1987. ISBN 0-399-51293-4
* Gygax, Gary. ''Master of the Game''. New York, NY: Perigee, 1989. ISBN 0-399-51533-X
* Miller, John J. [http://article.nationalreview.com/?q=ZmYzZDFmNWI5MTg1N2FmY2E4MTdlMWU5YzBjZjI1ODM= “I Was a Teenage Half-Orc”], National Review Online, October 15, 2004.
* Miller, John J. [http://online.wsj.com/public/article/SB121487030020517745.html?mod=2_1578_middlebox "Dungeons & Dragons In a Digital World], Wall Street Journal, July 1, 2008.
* Schick, Lawrence. ''Heroic Worlds: A History and Guide to Role Playing Games''. Amherst, NY: Prometheus Books, 1991. ISBN 0-87975-653-5
* {{cite news
| last =Wagner
| first =James
| title =Opening the dungeon
| publisher =[[Salon.com|Salon]]
| date =March 29, 2000
| url =http://archive.salon.com/tech/feature/2000/03/29/open_dungeon/index.html
| accessdate = }}—an article about the conflict over the proprietary or open-source nature of ''Dungeons & Dragons''
* [http://www.rpgstudies.net/ Studies about fantasy roleplaying games]—a list of academic articles about RPGs
* [http://pc.gamespy.com/articles/538/538848p1.html?fromint=1 Gamespy’s 30th Anniversary of ''Dungeons & Dragons'' special]
</div>

== External links ==
* [http://www.wizards.com/dnd Dungeons & Dragons official site]
* {{dmoz|Games/Roleplaying/Genres/Fantasy/Dungeons_&_Dragons}}
* [http://www.d20srd.org/ The Hypertext d20 SRD]: D&D rules online.
* [http://www.dandwiki.com/ D&D Wiki]
* [http://home.flash.net/~brenfrow/ TSR Archive]: Product catalogue for TSR and others.
* [http://www.acaeum.com/ The Acaeum]: Site with detailed information on all 1st edition Dungeons & Dragons items produced by TSR up through roughly 1989.

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[[it:Dungeons & Dragons]]
[[he:מבוכים ודרקונים]]
[[la:Ludus Catacumbarum et Catobleparum]]
[[hu:Dungeons and Dragons]]
[[nl:Dungeons & Dragons (RPG)]]
[[ja:ダンジョンズ&ドラゴンズ]]
[[no:Dungeons & Dragons]]
[[nn:Dungeons & Dragons]]
[[pl:Dungeons & Dragons]]
[[pt:Dungeons & Dragons]]
[[ru:Dungeons & Dragons]]
[[sco:Dunnys & Dragons]]
[[simple:Dungeons & Dragons]]
[[sr:Лагуми и змајеви]]
[[fi:Dungeons & Dragons]]
[[sv:Dungeons & Dragons]]
[[tr:Zindanlar ve Ejderhalar]]
[[zh:龙与地下城]]

Revision as of 20:44, 9 October 2008

ANUS

HEY

HEY

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