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D&D
Donjons et Dragons
Drakoj kaj Galerioj
Dungeons and Dragons
Kevioù hag Erevent
Ludus Catacumbarum et Catobleparum
Zindanlar ve Ejderhalar
Лагуми и змајеви
מבוכים ודרקונים
سجون و تنانين
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龙与地下城
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Description Edit | History

An over-arching brand encompassing multiple editions and game systems, including half-editions and the early "advanced" and "basic" games, that have been called "Dungeons & Dragons".

Publisher blurb

The first Dungeons & Dragons game was played back when Gary Gygax and Dave Arneson chose to personalize the massive battles of their fantasy wargames with the exploits of individual heroes. This inspiration became the first fantasy roleplaying game, in which players are characters in an ongoing fantasy story. This new kind of game has become immensely popular over the years, and D&D has grown to include many new ways to vividly experience worlds of heroic fantasy.

The core of D&D is storytelling. You and your friends may tell a story together, guiding your heroes through quests for treasure, battles with deadly foes, daring rescues, courtly intrigue, and much more. You can also explore the many worlds of D&D through any of the hundreds of novels written by today's hottest fantasy authors, as well as engaging board games and immersive video games. All of these stories are part of D&D.


Microbadges: Microbadge: Dungeons & Dragons playerMicrobadge: I play with Dungeon TilesMicrobadge: Dungeons & Dragons fanMicrobadge: Dungeons & Dragons fanMicrobadge: Dungeons & Dragons fanMicrobadge: Dungeons & Dragons Cartoon fanMicrobadge: D&D Cartoon fanMicrobadge: Beauty is in the eye of the beholderMicrobadge: Open Game License fanMicrobadge: Veteran of the OGL Wars, January 2023

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Campaigns: Microbadge: Dungeons & Dragons fan - Dead in ThayMicrobadge: Dungeons & Dragons fan - Tales from the Yawning PortalMicrobadge: Dungeons & Dragons fan - The Village of HommletMicrobadge: Dungeons & Dragons fan - The Temple of Elemental EvilMicrobadge: Dungeons & Dragons fan - Tomb of HorrorsMicrobadge: Dungeons & Dragons fan - Curse of StrahdMicrobadge: Dungeons & Dragons fan - The Sunless CitadelMicrobadge: Dungeons & Dragons fan - Ghosts of SaltmarshMicrobadge: Dungeons & Dragons fan - Baldur's Gate: Descent Into AvernusMicrobadge: Dungeons & Dragons fan - Mythic Odysseys of TherosMicrobadge: Dungeons & Dragons fan - Lost Mine of PhandelverMicrobadge: Dungeons & Dragons fan - Dragon of Icespire PeakMicrobadge: Dungeons & Dragons fan - Icewind Dale: Rime of the FrostmaidenMicrobadge: Dungeons & Dragons fan - Candlekeep MysteriesMicrobadge: Waterdeep: Dungeon of the Mad MageMicrobadge: Waterdeep: Dungeon of the Mad MageMicrobadge: Dungeons & Dragons: Attack Wing fan

Settings: Microbadge: Ravenloft fanMicrobadge: Midnight fanMicrobadge: Ptolus fanMicrobadge: Ravenloft fanMicrobadge: Lankhmar fanMicrobadge: Dark Sun fanMicrobadge: Greyhawk fanMicrobadge: Birthright fanMicrobadge: Planescape fanMicrobadge: Forgotten Realms fanMicrobadge: Dragonlance fanMicrobadge: Mystara fanMicrobadge: Al-Qadim fanMicrobadge: Eberron fanMicrobadge: Thunder Rift fanMicrobadge: Mystara fanMicrobadge: Spelljammer fanMicrobadge: Blackmoor fanMicrobadge: Maztica fanMicrobadge: Kara-Tur fanMicrobadge: Ghostwalk fanMicrobadge: Oriental Adventures fan

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Related: Microbadge: Critical Role fanMicrobadge: "How do you want to do this?" —Game Master MercerMicrobadge: “I bury my shame.” —KeylethMicrobadge: “I hunter’s mark him.” — Vex'ahliaMicrobadge: "Dagger, dagger, dagger." —Vax'ildanMicrobadge: "You can call me Percy." —Percival Fredrickstein Von Musel Klossowski de Rolo IIIMicrobadge: "I only love two things: combat, women, and ale." —Grog StrongjawMicrobadge: "Hey, guys!" —PikeMicrobadge: "They call me Kingslayer." —Scanlan ShorthaltMicrobadge: "I Encourage Peace" —grave marker of Tiberius StormwindMicrobadge: "Have you ever been in nature? Yes! Violence is extremely natural." —Caduceus ClayMicrobadge: "Be the chaos you want to see in the world." —Mollymauk TealeafMicrobadge: "Brave, dead... it's semantics, really." —Caleb WidogastMicrobadge: "I have to bare my teeth at everyone! Look at these things- they're huge!" —Nott the BraveMicrobadge: "I'm a really good liar." —Jester LavorreMicrobadge: "I have recently been putting my hands where they don't belong." —FjordMicrobadge: "The trick is to not expect anything in life." —Yasha NydoorinMicrobadge: "You should know, I have no respect for authority." —Beauregard Lionett

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More Information Edit | History

Timeline of editions and releases

This timeline covers core rules releases only: please see the individual versions' RPG pages for lists of adventures, sourcebooks, accessories, and other supplements.
Year
Version
Item(s)
1974
"Original" Dungeons & Dragons
Box set with three booklets
1977
Advanced Dungeons & Dragons
Monster Manual (hardcover)
1977
"Basic" Dungeons & Dragons (second version)
Basic Set (blue box)
1978
Advanced Dungeons & Dragons
Players Handbook (hardcover)
1979
Advanced Dungeons & Dragons
Dungeon Masters Guide (hardcover)
1981
"Basic" Dungeons & Dragons (third version)
Basic Set (magenta box) and Expert Set (light-blue box)
1983
"Basic" Dungeons & Dragons (fourth version)
Basic Rules (red box) and Expert Rules (blue box)
1984
"Basic" Dungeons & Dragons (fourth version)
Companion Rules (cyan box)
1985
"Basic" Dungeons & Dragons (fourth version)
Master Rules (black box)
1986
"Basic" Dungeons & Dragons (fourth version)
Immortals Rules (gold box)
1989
Advanced Dungeons & Dragons 2nd Edition
Player's Handbook and Dungeon Master Guide (both hardcover), Monstrous Compendium Volume One (three-ring binder)
1991
"Basic" Dungeons & Dragons (fifth version)
Dungeons & Dragons Game (black box) and Rules Compendium (hardcover)
2000
Dungeons & Dragons 3rd Edition
Player's Handbook, Dungeon Master's Guide, and Monster Manual (all hardcover)
2003
Dungeons & Dragons v3.5
Player's Handbook, Dungeon Master's Guide, and Monster Manual (all hardcover)
2008
Dungeons & Dragons 4th Edition
Player's Handbook, Dungeon Master's Guide, and Monster Manual (all hardcover)
2013
Dungeons & Dragons Fifth Edition
Basic Rules (free PDF) and Starter Set (box set), plus Player's Handbook, Dungeon Master's Guide, and Monster Manual (all hardcover)

Settings

Each setting takes place in a different realm or dimension. Some races, monsters, and deities are unique to a specific setting, or they may have a unique twist/variant depending on the area. The Great Wheel cosmology (solidified by Planescape) is the default structure of the multiverse, however, some settings may use cosmologies that are very different from the "standard" one. Spelljammer is used to travel between worlds (settings) via space travel without invalidating the lore. The Forgotten Realms is the most detailed setting and generally regarded as the definitive/default setting for D&D.

Official Setting (Minor)
(1984) Pelinore (1994) Council of Wyrms (2003) Ghostwalk
(1985) Lankhmar (1997) Jakandor
(1986) Red Sonja (2000) Mahasarpa
Official Setting (Major)
Setting Genre Additional
(1980) Greyhawk
Sword and Sorcery
Blackmoor,
(1980) Forgotten Realms
Heroic Fantasy
Kara-Tur, Maztica, Al-Qadim, Arcane Age
(1981) Mystara
Hollow Earth
Hollow World, Thunder Rift, Red Steel
(1983) Ravenloft
Gothic-Horror
Masque of the Red Death,
(1984) Dragonlance
Epic Fantasy

(1989) Spelljammer
Space

(1991) Dark Sun
Post-apocalyptic

(1994) Planescape
Shenmo Fantasy

(1994) Birthright
Political Fantasy

(2004) Eberron
Arcane-punk

(2007) Nentir Vale
Fantasy

Other
Setting Genre Notes
(1999) Dragon Fist
Wuxia
Released on the WOTC website as an "AD&D variant".
(2003) Midnight
Dark Fantasy
Released under the Open Gaming License by WOTC.
(2006) Ptolus
Urban Fiction
Used in the creation of 3rd Edition.

† Setting was left incomplete. Home-brew expected.

Officially Converted or Licensed

Franchise Titles
Conan (1984) Conan Unchained
L5R (1997) Rokugan
Kingdoms of Kalamar (2000) Kingdoms of Kalamar
Diablo (2000) Diablo II
Magic: The Gathering (2018) Ravnica, (2020) Theros,
Critical Role (2020) Exandria,

Miscellany

  • Did you know that the Dungeons & Dragons uses a magic system inspired by Jack Vance's Dying Earth series?

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For more information see:

Dungeons & Dragons on VideoGameGeek.
Dungeons & Dragons on BoardGameGeek

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