Adventurer's Vault 2
This is a list of ''Dungeons & Dragons'' rulebooks for the ''Dungeons & Dragons'' (''D&D'') fantasy role-playing game, sorted by the edition of the game that they appeared in. This list does not include books designed for use as premade adventures. In ''Dungeons & Dragons'', rule books contain all the elements of playing the game. And they cover rules to the game, how to play, options for gameplay, stat blocks and lore of monsters, and tables the Dungeon Master or player would roll dice for to add more of a random effect to the game. Options for gameplay mostly involve player options, like race, class, archetype, and background. But other options could be player equipment like weapons, tools, armor, and miscellaneous items that can be useful. Original ''Dungeons & Dragons'' ''Basic Dungeons & Dragons'' The ''Dungeons & Dragons Basic Set'' was the successor to original ''Dungeons & Dragons'' and was released while TSR, Inc. was working on the ''Advanced Dungeons & Dragons'' ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Dungeons & Dragons
''Dungeons & Dragons'' (commonly abbreviated as ''D&D'' or ''DnD'') is a fantasy tabletop role-playing game (RPG) originally designed by Gary Gygax and Dave Arneson. The game was first published in 1974 by TSR (company)#Tactical Studies Rules, Tactical Studies Rules, Inc. (TSR). It has been published by Wizards of the Coast (now a subsidiary of Hasbro) since 1997. The game was derived from miniature wargaming, miniature wargames, with a variation of the 1971 game Chainmail (game), ''Chainmail'' serving as the initial rule system. ''D&D'' publication is commonly recognized as the beginning of modern role-playing games and the role-playing game industry, and also deeply influenced video games, especially the role-playing video game genre. ''D&D'' departs from traditional wargame, wargaming by allowing each player to create their own Player character, character to play instead of a military formation. These characters embark upon adventures within a fantasy setting. A Dungeon Mas ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Demon (Dungeons & Dragons)
In the ''Dungeons & Dragons'' fantasy role-playing game, "monsters" are generally the antagonists which players must fight and defeat to progress in the game. Since the game's first edition in 1974, a bestiary was included along other game manuals, first called ''Monsters & Treasure'' and now commonly called the ''Monster Manual''. Described as an "essential" part of ''Dungeons & Dragons'', the game's monsters have become notable in their own right, influencing fields such as video games and fiction, as well as popular culture. The term ''monster'' in ''Dungeons & Dragons'' can refer to a variety of creatures, including traditional monsters such as dragons, supernatural creatures such as ghosts, and mundane or fantastic animals—in short, "an enormous heterogeneous collection of natural and monstrous foes." While many monsters are adapted from pre-existing myths and legends, others have been invented specifically for the game, sometimes having characteristics specifically sui ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Dungeons & Dragons Master Rules
''Dungeons & Dragons Master Rules'' is an expansion boxed set for the ''Dungeons & Dragons'' (''D&D'') fantasy role-playing game. It was first published in 1985 as an expansion to the '' Basic Set''. Publication history The ''Dungeons & Dragons Basic Set'' was revised in 1983 by Frank Mentzer, this time as ''Dungeons & Dragons Set 1: Basic Rules''. Between 1983 and 1985, this system was expanded by Mentzer as a series of five boxed sets, including the ''Basic Rules'', '' Expert Rules'' (supporting character levels 4 through 14), '' Companion Rules'' (supporting levels 15 through 25), ''Master Rules'' (supporting levels 26 through 36),Gygax, Gary, Frank Mentzer. ''Dungeons & Dragons Set 4: Master Rules'' (TSR, 1985) and '' Immortal Rules'' (supporting Immortals - characters who had transcended levels). Mentzer, Frank. ''Dungeons & Dragons Set 5: Immortal Rules'' (TSR, 1986) The ''Master Rules'' set was a boxed set which included a 32-page ''Master Player's Book'' and a 64-page '' ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Dungeons & Dragons Companion Set
The ''Dungeons & Dragons Companion Set'' is an expansion boxed set for the ''Dungeons & Dragons'' (''D&D'') fantasy role-playing game. It was first published in 1984 as an expansion to the ''Dungeons & Dragons Basic Set''. Publication history The ''Dungeons & Dragons Basic Set'' was revised in 1983 by Frank Mentzer as ''Dungeons & Dragons Set 1: Basic Rules''. Between 1983 and 1985, this system was revised and expanded by Mentzer as a series of five boxed sets, including the ''Basic Rules'', '' Expert Rules'' (supporting character levels 4 through 14), ''Companion Rules'' (supporting levels 15 through 25), Mentzer, Frank. ''Dungeons & Dragons Set 3: Companion Rules'' (TSR, 1984) '' Master Rules'' (supporting levels 26 through 36), and '' Immortal Rules'' (supporting Immortals – characters who had transcended levels). Mentzer, Frank. ''Dungeons & Dragons Set 5: Immortal Rules'' (TSR, 1986) The ''Companion Rules'' set was written by Mentzer, with art by Larry Elmore and Jeff Easle ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Frank Mentzer
Jacob Franklin Mentzer III is an American fantasy author and game designer who worked on early materials for the ''Dungeons & Dragons'' (D&D) fantasy role-playing game. He was an employee of TSR, Inc. from 1980 to 1986, spending part of that time as creative advisor to the chairman of the board, Gary Gygax. He also founded the Role-Playing Games Association (RPGA) during his time with TSR. After Gygax was ousted from TSR at the end of 1985, Mentzer left TSR as well and helped him to start New Infinities Productions Inc. (NIPI). When this venture failed, Mentzer left the gaming industry, eventually becoming the manager of a bakery. In 2008, he closed down this business and, two years later, announced he was returning to the gaming industry as a founding partner of a new publishing company, Eldritch Enterprises. Early life Frank Mentzer was born in the Philadelphia suburb of Springfield, Pennsylvania, the older of two children; his sibling is Susanne Mentzer. While attending Spri ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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David Cook (game Designer)
David "Zeb" Cook is an American game designer, best known for his work at TSR, Inc., where he was employed for over fifteen years. Cook designed several games, wrote the '' Expert Set'' for ''Dungeons & Dragons'', worked as lead designer of the second edition of ''Advanced Dungeons & Dragons'', and invented the Planescape setting for ''AD&D''. He is a member of the Origins Hall of Fame. Early life Cook was born in East Lansing, Michigan, and grew up on a farm in Iowa. His father was a farmer and college professor. In junior high school, Cook played wargames such as Avalon Hill's ''Blitzkrieg'' and ''Afrika Korps'': "I was primarily a wargamer, but there wasn't any role-playing available then." In college, he was introduced to the ''Dungeons & Dragons'' role-playing game through the University of Iowa gaming club. Cook earned his B.A. in English (with a Theater minor) in 1977. He married his high school sweetheart, Helen, with whom he had one son, Ian. Cook became a high school t ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Tom Moldvay
Thomas Steven Moldvay (Nov. 5, 1948 – March 9, 2007) was an American game designer and author, best known for his work on early materials for the fantasy role-playing game ''Dungeons & Dragons'' (D&D). Career During the 1970s while a student at Kent State University in Ohio, Moldvay was a writer for the science fiction fanzine ''Infinite Dreams''. Moldvay was a ''Dungeons & Dragons'' player brought into TSR by the head of design and development, Lawrence Schick, during a time of substantial growth at TSR. After the publication of the core handbooks for ''Advanced Dungeons & Dragons'', Moldvay wrote a second edition of the ''Dungeons & Dragons Basic Set'' (1980). As an employee of TSR, Moldvay authored or co-authored landmark D&D adventure modules such as '' Castle Amber'', '' Isle of Dread'', the rewrite of '' Palace of the Silver Princess'', and ''Secret of the Slavers Stockade'', all published in 1981. Of these, X1 – ''Isle of Dread'' was one of the most widely playe ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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John Eric Holmes
John Eric Holmes (February 16, 1930 – March 20, 2010) was an American professor of neurology and writer of non-fiction, fantasy and science fiction. His writings appeared under his full name and under variants such as Eric Holmes and J. Eric Holmes and the pen name Sidney Leland. Life Holmes was the son of US Navy officer Wilfred Holmes, Wilfred "Jasper" Holmes and his wife Isabelle West Holmes. Wilfred Holmes was also a writer of adventure stories under the pen name Alec Hudson. Like his father, John Eric Holmes also served in the armed forces, as a first lieutenant in the Marine Corps. He fought for two years in Korea. He was a medical doctor and an associate professor of neurology at the University of Southern California School of Medicine. He had a son named Christopher West Holmes. Writing career Holmes was a long-time science fiction Fan (aficionado), fan, particularly of the works of Edgar Rice Burroughs and H. P. Lovecraft, and an enthusiast of Role-playing game, fan ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Dungeons & Dragons Expert Set
The ''Expert Set'' is an expansion boxed set for the ''Dungeons & Dragons'' fantasy role-playing game. It was first published in 1981 as an expansion to the '' Basic Set''. Having been told that Greyhawk was reserved for ''Advanced Dungeons & Dragons'', Schick and Moldvay decided to use their own setting of Mystara specifically around The Known World area which resembled 15th century Europe. Publication history 1981 version The ''Basic Set'' saw a major revision in 1981 by Tom Moldvay. The overarching goal of the revision was to provide subsequent expansions to the game, each describing a specific set of levels of character development. The ''Basic Set'' described character levels 1 through 3, as had its immediate predecessor, the ''Basic Set'' edited by J. Eric Holmes in 1977. The Moldvay ''Basic Set'' was immediately followed by the release of the ''Expert Set'' edited by Dave Cook and Stephen R. Marsh, supporting character levels 4 through 14. '' The Isle of Dread'' was ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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TSR, Inc
TSR, Inc. was an American game publishing company, best known as the original publisher of ''Dungeons & Dragons'' (''D&D''). Its earliest incarnation, Tactical Studies Rules, was founded in October 1973 by Gary Gygax and Don Kaye. Gygax had been unable to find a publisher for ''D&D'', a new type of game he and Dave Arneson were co-developing, so founded the new company with Kaye to self-publish their products. Needing financing to bring their new game to market, Gygax and Kaye brought in Brian Blume in December as an equal partner. ''Dungeons & Dragons'' is generally considered the first tabletop role-playing game (TTRPG), and established the genre. When Kaye died suddenly in 1975, the Tactical Studies Rules partnership restructured into TSR Hobbies, Inc. and accepted investment from Blume's father Melvin. With the popular ''D&D'' as its main product, TSR Hobbies became a major force in the games industry by the late 1970s. Melvin Blume eventually transferred his shares to his ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Dungeons & Dragons Basic Set
The ''Dungeons & Dragons Basic Set'' is a set of rulebooks for the ''Dungeons & Dragons'' (''D&D'') fantasy role-playing game. First published in 1977, it saw a handful of revisions and reprintings. The first edition was written by J. Eric Holmes based on Gary Gygax and Dave Arneson's original work. Later editions were edited by Tom Moldvay, Frank Mentzer, Troy Denning, and Doug Stewart. The ''Basic Set'' details the essential concepts of the ''D&D'' game. It gives rules for character creation and advancement for player characters at beginning levels. It also includes information on how to play adventures inside dungeons for both players and the Dungeon Master. 1977 version The original ''Dungeons & Dragons Basic Set'' was published by TSR, Inc. in 1977. TSR hired outside writer John Eric Holmes to produce the ''Basic Set'' as an introductory version of the ''D&D'' game. It incorporates concepts from the original 1974 ''D&D'' boxed set plus the '' Supplement I: Greyhawk''. T ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Swords & Spells
''Swords & Spells'' is a supplementary rulebook by Gary Gygax for the original edition of the ''Dungeons & Dragons'' fantasy role-playing game. Its product designation is TSR 2007. Contents ''Swords & Spells'' was a supplement of miniature rules, for use with the original ''D&D'' set. It provided miniature-scale battle rules more compatible with ''D&D'' than those of ''Chainmail''. ''Swords & Spells'' is a set of rules for large scale miniatures battles based on ''Dungeons & Dragons'', a very elaborate and expanded updating of the ''Chainmail'' rules. The sample game in the appendix gives a number of examples of magic. Publication history ''Swords & Spells'' was written by Gary Gygax, with art by David C. Sutherland III, and was published by TSR in 1976 as a 48-page digest-sized book. ''Swords & Spells'' was published by TSR, Inc. in 1976, the fifth and final supplement to the original ''Dungeons & Dragons'' boxed set, and is sometimes informally referred to as "Supplement V", ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |