The Dungeons & Dragons Rules Cyclopedia is a 1991 book published by TSR, Inc., as a continuation of the basic edition of the Dungeons & Dragonsfantasyrole-playing game, which ran concurrently with Advanced Dungeons & Dragons. Its product designation was TSR 1071.
However, the book's introduction on page 5 states that it is "intended to be a reference volume for those who already play the D&D game ... this book is aimed at the experienced user ... [it] lacks many of the examples and patient explanation you'll find in the D&D box sets".[2] The same year, a revised introductory Dungeons & Dragons set was released to introduce new players to the game.[3]
This was the second revision to the D&D rules.[4] These guidelines allow a player to develop and play characters from levels 1 through 36, and includes a special section on skills.[1] The book also contained an overview of the Known World (Mystara) and Hollow Worldcampaign settings.[1] It also has rules on how to convert characters between the Dungeons & Dragons game and the Advanced Dungeons & Dragons 2nd Edition (AD&D) game.
The Rules Cyclopedia includes two optional player-character classes not found in the Basic Set: the druid (introduced in the Companion ruleset and also present in AD&D from its first edition), and the mystic (introduced in the Master ruleset and similar to the monk class found in AD&D).
Rick Swan reviewed the D&D Rules Cyclopedia for Dragon magazine #184 (August 1992).[1] He calls the book a "stunningly comprehensive volume", explaining that it "includes more detail than most GMs will ever use [...] but if you want it, you can probably find it here".[1] According to Swan, "Best of all, the material is a joy to read, thanks to the breezy style of Aaron Allston, who must've been genetically engineered to write RPG rules. This is a must for serious fans."[1]
Shannon Appelcline said that the book "was a nice compilation that was appreciated by the fans".[4]
