In the Dungeons & Dragons (D&D) fantasyrole-playing game, rule books contain all the elements of playing the game: 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. Other options could be player equipment like weapons, tools, armor, and miscellaneous items that can be useful.
Several different editions of the Dungeons & Dragons (D&D) fantasy role-playing game have been produced since 1974. This list is sorted by the edition of the game that the rulebook appeared in. Each section highlights the core rulebooks of an edition along with other types of sourcebooks such as supplemental rulebooks or campaign setting rulebooks.
Dungeons & Dragons version history
1974
Dungeons & Dragons—original edition
1977
Advanced Dungeons & Dragons—1st Edition
Dungeons & Dragons Basic Set (Holmes rules)
1981
Dungeons & Dragons—BX version (Moldvay/Cook rules)
1983
Dungeons & Dragons—BECMI version (Mentzer rules)
1989
Advanced Dungeons & Dragons 2nd Edition
1991
Dungeons & Dragons Rules Cyclopedia
1995
Advanced Dungeons & Dragons—Revised 2nd Edition
2000
Dungeons & Dragons—3rd Edition
2003
Dungeons & Dragons v.3.5—Revised 3rd Edition
2008
Dungeons & Dragons—4th Edition
2010
Dungeons & Dragons Essentials (compatible with 4th Edition)
2014
Dungeons & Dragons—5th Edition, 2014 version
2024
Dungeons & Dragons—5th Edition, 2024 version
Original Dungeons & Dragons
This original version of D&D only included a few of the elements considered core to modern D&D and required the player to own several other games in order to make full use of the rules, however it is the first role-playing game and, along with its supplements, is responsible for the creation of the genre itself.
The first supplement for the original D&D game, Greyhawk focused primarily on rules and removed the game's dependence on the Chainmail rules. Despite the name, the Greyhawk supplement was not intended as a setting supplement, but rather featured rules used in Gary Gygax's Greyhawk campaign.[1]
The second supplement for the original D&D game, Blackmoor added rules, monsters, treasure and is notable for containing the first published adventure for a role-playing game - "Temple of the Frog". Like Greyhawk, its focus was more on rules than setting material, despite the name.[2]
Eldritch Wizardry was the third supplement for the original D&D game and is most notable for introducing some of its most famous monsters, such as demons and mind flayers.[3]
Gods, Demi-Gods & Heroes was the fourth supplement for the original D&D game and adapted a variety of real-world and fictional pantheons for use in the D&D game.[3]
The fifth and final supplement for the original D&D game focused on providing a new diceless set of rules for large battles between armies.[3]Gods, Demi-Gods & Heroes stated itself to be the "last supplement"[4] for D&D in its introduction, and Swords & Spells did not have the official "Supplement V" designation on the cover.
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 set. This set was the beginning of the split into two separate games, driven by disagreements on the direction the game should take. The Basic set retained the simplicity and flexibility of the original game while Gary Gygax took Advanced Dungeons & Dragons in a more structured and complicated direction.[5]
Initially it was expected that players would start using Basic edition and then graduate to Advanced Dungeons & Dragons.[6] However, in 1981 the Basic Set underwent a complete revision and not long after this the Expert Set was released for the first time. All references to a progression from the Basic Set to Advanced Dungeons & Dragons were removed from the games and supplements as TSR, Inc. made clear that the expected progression was from the Basic Set to the Expert Set. From this point the D&D dichotomy became fixed and the Basic/Expert pair were considered a completely separate game from Advanced Dungeons & Dragons.[7]
A larger, sixty-four page revision of Basic Set, again for characters at beginning levels. Also included the adventure module The Keep on the Borderlands.
The third version of rules for beginning-level characters following Basic Set and Basic Rules. Includes a sixty-four page Players Manual and a forty-eight page Dungeon Masters Rulebook.
Presents information for characters from levels 15 thought 25. Adds the druid class. Contains the books Player's Companion and Dungeon Master's Companion.
Presents information for characters from levels 26 thought 36. It introduces the mystic class (similar to the modern monk class), adds spells, adds to the available range of attack ranks that are meant for demihuman characters, and provides rules for weapons mastery. Included a 32-page Master Player's Book and a 64-page Master DM's Book.
Presents information for characters who have transcended levels, allowing them to exchange experience points for power points, similar to epic levels in later editions. Included a 52-page Player's Guide to Immortals and a 32-page DM's Guide to Immortals.
A revised Basic Set, now expanded to cover levels 1 through 5, which presents the rules using a flash card system. Includes a beginning adventure with maps and accessories
Revises Set 5: Immortals Rules to be compatible with the Rules Cyclopedia. Included a 128-page core rulebook titled Codex of the Immortals and a 96-page campaign setting titled The Immortals' Fury.
Advanced Dungeons & Dragons (AD&D) greatly expanded upon the rules and settings of the original D&D game when it was released in 1977. As such, this edition saw the publication of numerous books to assist players. The naming of the core books in this edition became the standard for all later editions.
Around 1983, all previous hardcover releases (except Fiend Folio) including Monster Manual, Players Handbook, Dungeon Masters Guide and Deities & Demigods were upgraded with new cover art and unified with orange spines as trade dress. This included only minimal text change such as removal of rape references in Dungeon Masters Guide (books are now labeled "ages 10 and up"). Monster Manual II and the rest of the series followed the same format. By the end of its first decade, Advanced Dungeons & Dragons line had expanded to a library of 14 hardcover rulebooks, including three books of monsters, and two books governing character skills in wilderness and underground settings.
Presents statistics and background information for gods, legendary heroes, and creatures taken from 12 pantheons and mythologies. In 1985 it was re-titled Legends & Lore and the Cthulhu and Melnibonean Mythos were removed.
Details how to run adventures in underground settings with specialized game rules for underground activities. Includes ecology and cultures of underground creatures and people.
In 1989, Advanced Dungeons & Dragons 2nd Edition was published. Initially, the second edition would consolidate the game, with two core hardcovers, the Player's Handbook and Dungeon Master's Guide, while monsters would be published as the Monstrous Compendium, a 3-ring binder with monsters printed on loose-leaf sheets that Dungeon Masters could sort the contents of as they wish, with additional Monstrous Compendium volumes released as additional packets of loose-leaf sheets that could be added to the binder. However, the binder format proved to be unpopular and by popular demand TSR released a hardcover Monstrous Manual in 1993. Additionally, TSR published three lines of optional supplemental rulebooks: the PHBR series for player options, the DMGR series for Dungeon Masters, and the HR series containing reference material for adapting real-world historical periods to the game.
By 1995, with power creep from optional classes and races becoming prominent, they were forced to abandon their original plan and revise the entire line.[8] New versions of the core rule books were published featuring reorganized page layouts, new art and a black-bordered trade dress accompanied by a new logo, though they had few rule changes. A new series of books featuring player options and dungeon master options were also published in hardcover books featuring the same trade dress.
A major revision of the AD&D rules was released in 2000. As the Basic game had been discontinued some years earlier, and the more straightforward title was more marketable, the word "Advanced" was dropped and the new edition was called just Dungeons & Dragons, but was still officially referred to as 3rd edition (or 3E for short).
This edition was the first to be released by Wizards of the Coast after their acquisition of the company, as well as the first to allow third-party companies to make supplemental materials by use of the Open Game License. A series of Map Folios were also produced.
In July 2003, a revised version of the 3rd edition D&D rules (termed version 3.5) was released that incorporated numerous rule changes, as well as expanding the Dungeon Master's Guide and Monster Manual.
2003 revision of the game updated the core book to this new version. Note increased page count. Also note Monster Manual II did not receive this treatment. Credited revision work by Rich Baker and Skip Williams.
Contains information about dragon physiology and psychology, along with new dragon-only feats, spells, and prestige classes. There are also additional rules regarding aerial combat and breath weapons.
A sequel to the core Monster Manual, includes statistics for an assortment of fantasy monsters, with a focus on where the monsters can be found in the Forgotten Realms and Eberron campaign settings.
Covers the ecology of undead within the D&D universe and gives statistics for 47 new monsters. Also includes undead-related feats, spells, equipment, and prestige classes.
A sequel to the core Monster Manual, includes statistics for an assortment of fantasy monsters. Each monster's description also includes probable behavior in combat and pre-prepared encounter complete with a map.
Describes devils in the D&D universe, including their physiology, subtypes, and motivations. Also describes the nine layers of Hell. Includes four new prestige classes.
A sequel to the core Monster Manual, includes statistics for an assortment of fantasy monsters. Like the previous sequel, includes discussion of monsters' lairs and combat tactics.
Shows how to build memorable villains. Presents eight ready-to-play villainous groups of various levels, each including game statistics, campaign hooks, statistics for minions, and a fully described lair.
Introduced several new mechanics relating to evil in D&D, including rules for drug use, demonic possession, torture, and ritual sacrifice. The first Dungeons & Dragons book labelled for mature audiences.
Offers new rules for good occurrences, acts, and characters in the game, and discussion of how to deal with moral issues and religion in games. As a counterpoint to the previously published Book of Vile Darkness, it was also labelled for mature audiences.
Contains spells (in some cases updated) from various previous sources (including the Complete-series, Dragon magazine, Draconomicon, Manual of the Planes and publications from the Wizards of the Coast-website, as well as new spells.
The books from the "main" product line of 4th Edition are split into Core Rules and Supplement books. Unlike third edition of Dungeons & Dragons, which had the core rulebooks released in monthly installments, the 4th editions of the Player's Handbook, Monster Manual, and Dungeon Master's Guide were all released in June 2008.
In addition, beginning in September 2010 the stand-alone Essentials product line was released, aiming at novice players.
Initially promoted in playtest materials as Dungeons & Dragons Next, the fifth edition of Dungeons & Dragons was released in a staggered fashion through the second half of 2014.[10][11] Unlike previous editions, this edition of the game was developed partly via a public open playtest.[12] An early build of the new edition debuted at the 2012 Dungeons & Dragons Experience event to about 500 fans.[13] Public playtesting began on May 24, 2012,[14] with the final playtest packet released on September 20, 2013.[15]
The 5th edition's Basic Rules, a free PDF containing complete rules for play and a subset of the player and DM content from the core rulebooks, was released on July 3, 2014.[16] The basic rules have continued to be updated since then to incorporate errata for the corresponding portions of the Player's Handbook and combine the Player's Basic Rules and Dungeon Master's Basic Rules into a single document. Public playtests continued through the Unearthed Arcana series, which was published for free online in PDF format.[17]
Core rules
As part of the 2024 Rules Revision, the three revised core rulebooks are scheduled to have a staggered release between September 2024 and February 2025.[18][19]
Mike Mearls, Jeremy Crawford, Chris Sims, Rodney Thompson, Lee Peter, Robert J. Schwalb, Matt Sernett, Steve Townshend, James Wyatt, and Wizards RPG Team
September 17, 2014
Stats of the most common monsters, animals, and generic NPCs
Matthew Mercer, Chris Lockey, James Introcaso, James Haeck, Wizards RPG Team
March 17, 2020
Describes the world of Exandria from the web series Critical Role. Includes the adventures Tide of Retribution, Dangerous Designs, Frozen Sick, and Unwelcome Spirits (levels 1-3 for each starter adventure).[34]
Describes the magical university of Strixhaven from Magic: The Gathering. Includes the adventures School is in Session, Hunt for the Mage Tower, The Magister's Masquerade, and A Reckoning in Ruins (levels 1-4 / 4-6 / 6-8 / 8-10).
Basic rules II (Expanded); the Dragon of Icespire Peak adventure module; 11 dice; a unique DM Screen; a double-sided poster map; 81 cards for magic items, sidekicks, initiative, conditions and quests; and 6 blank character sheets.
Basic rules (Rick and Morty edition), The Lost Dungeon of Rickedness: Big Rick Energy adventure module, 11 dice, a DM Screen and 5 pre-generated character sheets.
Softcover edition of Curse of Strahd, Creatures of Horror bestiary, a 54-card tarokka deck, a Tarokka Deck booklet, a DM Screen, double-sided poster map, Strahd cover sheet, tuck box for the cards and 12 postcards.[47]
Special editions of Xanathar's Guide to Everything, Tasha's Cauldron of Everything, and Mordenkainen Presents: Monsters of the Multiverse, along with a new DM Screen[23][24]
Includes a Dungeon Master's screen, a double-sided poster map and three 64-page hardcover books: Astral Adventurer’s Guide (a Dungeon Master guide), Boo's Astral Menagerie (a bestiary), and Light of Xaryxis (an adventure module).[49] A specialty cover edition will also be released.[48]
November 14, 2023 (digital release)[51] January 5, 2024 (physical release)[52]
A three-part product which includes two hardcover books, The Book of Many Things and Card Reference Guide, and a deck of 66 tarot-style cards. The digital edition includes only The Book of Many Things.[53][52]
^Gygax & Arneson (1977) p. 6. states "...experience levels that high are not discussed in this book and the reader is referred to the more complete rules in ADVANCED DUNGEONS & DRAGONS"
^ ab"Dungeons & Dragons 2021 Books Delayed". ComicBook.com. October 6, 2021. Archived from the original on 2021-10-11. Retrieved 2021-10-11. Wizards of the Coast has announced that its remaining 2021 Dungeons & Dragons books will have their release dates slightly pushed back. Fizban's Treasury of Dragons will have its release date pushed back by a week to October 26th, 2021, while Strixhaven: A Curriculum of Chaos will have its release date pushed back three weeks to December 7th, 2021. This will impact both physical and digital releases.
