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From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

This article is about the role-playing game. For other uses, see Dungeons & Dragons
(disambiguation).
"D&D" and "DnD" redirect here. For other uses, see D&D (disambiguation) and DND.
Dungeons & Dragons
Logo used for the 5th edition

An elaborate D&D game in progress. Among the gaming aids here are
dice, a variety of miniatures, and a dungeon diorama.
Designers Gary Gygax
Dave Arneson
Publishers TSR (1974–1997), Wizards of the Coast (1997–
present)
 1974 (original)
Publication
 1977 (Basic Set 1st ver.)[1]
 1977 (Advanced D&D)
 1981 (Basic Set 2nd ver.)
 1983 (Basic Set 3rd ver.)
 1989 (AD&D 2nd Edition)
 1991 (Rules Cyclopedia)
 2000 (3rd edition)
 2003 (v3.5)
 2008 (4th edition)
 2014 (5th edition)
Years active 1974–present
Genres Fantasy
Systems Dungeons & Dragons
d20 System (3rd Edition)
Playing time Varies
Chance Dice rolling
Skills Role-playing, improvisation, tactics, arithmetic

Website dnd.wizards.com
Dungeons & Dragons (commonly abbreviated as D&D or DnD)[2] is a fantasy tabletop

role-playing game (RPG) originally created and designed by Gary Gygax and Dave
Arneson.[3][4][5] The game was first published in 1974 by Tactical Studies Rules,
Inc. (TSR).[5] It has been published by Wizards of the Coast, now a subsidiary of Hasbro,
since 1997. The game was derived from miniature wargames, with a variation of the
1971 game Chainmail serving as the initial rule system.[4][6] D&D's publication is
commonly recognized as the beginning of modern role-playing games and the role-
playing game industry,[5][7] and also deeply influenced video games, especially the role-
playing video game genre.[8][9][10]
D&D departs from traditional wargaming by allowing each player to create their
own character to play instead of a military formation. These characters embark upon
adventures within a fantasy setting. A Dungeon Master (DM) serves as referee and
storyteller for the game, while maintaining the setting in which the adventures occur,
and playing the role of the inhabitants of the game world, known as non-player
characters (NPCs). The characters form a party and they interact with the setting's
inhabitants and each other. Together they solve problems, engage in battles, explore,
and gather treasure and knowledge. In the process, player characters earn experience
points (XP) to level up, and become increasingly powerful over a series of separate
gaming sessions.[3][7][11] Players choose a class when they create their character, which
gives them special perks and abilities every few levels.
The early success of D&D led to a proliferation of similar game systems. Despite the
competition, D&D has remained the market leader in the role-playing game industry.[12]
[13]
In 1977, the game was split into two branches: the relatively rules-light game system
of basic Dungeons & Dragons, and the more structured, rules-heavy game system
of Advanced Dungeons & Dragons (abbreviated as AD&D).[14][15][16] AD&D 2nd Edition was
published in 1989. In 2000, a new system was released as D&D 3rd edition, continuing
the edition numbering from AD&D; a revised version 3.5 was released in June 2003.
These 3rd edition rules formed the basis of the d20 System, which is available under
the Open Game License (OGL) for use by other publishers. D&D 4th edition was
released in June 2008.[17] The 5th edition of D&D, the most recent, was released during
the second half of 2014.[13]
In 2004, D&D remained the best-known,[18] and best-selling,[19] role-playing game in the
US, with an estimated 20 million people having played the game and more than US$1
billion in book and equipment sales worldwide.[3] The year 2017 had "the most number of
players in its history—12 million to 15 million in North America alone".[20] D&D 5th
edition sales "were up 41 percent in 2017 from the year before, and soared another 52
percent in 2018, the game's biggest sales year yet".[13] The game has been
supplemented by many premade adventures, as well as commercial campaign
settings suitable for use by regular gaming groups.[21] D&D is known beyond the game
itself for other D&D-branded products, references in popular culture, and some of
the controversies that have surrounded it, particularly a moral panic in the 1980s, which
attempted to associate it with Satanism and suicide.[3][22][23] The game has won multiple
awards and has been translated into many languages.
Play overview[edit]
Players utilize both dice and character sheets during a game session.
A Dungeons & Dragons game session featuring a map, miniatures, dice, and character sheets
Dungeons & Dragons is a structured yet open-ended role-playing game. It is normally

played indoors with the participants seated around a tabletop. Typically, one player
takes on the role of Dungeon Master (DM) while the others each control a single
character, representing an individual in a fictional setting.[24] When working together as a
group, the player characters (PCs) are often described as a "party" of adventurers, with
each member often having their own area of specialty that contributes to the success of
the group as a whole.[25][26] During the course of play, each player directs the actions of
their character and their interactions with other characters in the game.[7] This activity is
performed through the verbal impersonation of the characters by the players, while
employing a variety of social and other useful cognitive skills, such as logic, basic
mathematics and imagination.[27] A game often continues over a series of meetings to
complete a single adventure, and longer into a series of related gaming adventures,
called a "campaign".[7][28][29]
The results of the party's choices and the overall story line for the game are determined
by the DM according to the rules of the game and the DM's interpretation of those rules.
[29][30]
The DM selects and describes the various non-player characters (NPCs) that the
party encounters, the settings in which these interactions occur, and the outcomes of
those encounters based on the players' choices and actions.[7][25] Encounters often take
the form of battles with "monsters" – a generic term used in D&D to describe potentially
hostile beings such as animals, aberrant beings, or mythical creatures.[29] In addition to
jewels and gold coins, magic items form part of the treasure that the players often seek
in a dungeon.[31] Magic items are generally found in treasure hoards, or recovered from
fallen opponents; sometimes, a powerful or important magic item is the object of a
quest.[32] The game's extensive rules – which cover diverse subjects such as social
interactions,[30] magic use,[33] combat,[30] and the effect of the environment on PCs[34] – help
the DM to make these decisions. The DM may choose to deviate from the published
rules[30] or make up new ones if they feel it is necessary.[35]
The most recent versions of the game's rules are detailed in three Fifth Edition core
rulebooks: The Player's Handbook, the Dungeon Master's Guide and the Monster
Manual.[21]
The only items required to play the game are the rulebooks, a character sheet for each
player, and a number of polyhedral dice. Many players also use miniature figures on a
grid map as a visual aid if desired, particularly during combat. Some editions of the
game presume such usage. Many optional accessories are available to enhance the
game, such as expansion rulebooks, pre-designed adventures and various campaign
settings.[21][25]
Game mechanics[edit]
Main articles: Dungeons & Dragons gameplay and Character class (Dungeons &
Dragons)
D&D uses polyhedral dice to resolve in-game events.

These are abbreviated by a 'd' followed by the number of sides. Shown from left to right
are a d20, a d12, a d%, a d10, a d8, a d6, and a d4. A d% and a d10 can be rolled
together to produce a number between 1 and 100.
Before the game begins, each player creates their player character and records the
details (described below) on a character sheet. First, a player determines their
character's ability scores, which consist of Strength, Dexterity, Constitution, Intelligence,
Wisdom, and Charisma. Each edition of the game has offered differing methods of
determining these scores.[36] The player then chooses a race (species), a character
class (such as a fighter, rogue, or wizard), an alignment (a mora

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Dungeons & Dragons

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Dungeons & Dragons

Logo used for the 5th edition

dice, a variety of miniatures, and a dungeon diorama.

Designers Gary Gygax

Publishers TSR (1974–1997), Wizards of the Coast (1997–

 1977 (Advanced D&D)

 1981 (Basic Set 2nd ver.)

 1983 (Basic Set 3rd ver.)

 1989 (AD&D 2nd Edition)

 1991 (Rules Cyclopedia)

 2000 (3rd edition)

 2014 (5th edition)

Years active 1974–present

Systems Dungeons & Dragons

d20 System (3rd Edition)

Playing time Varies

Chance Dice rolling

Skills Role-playing, improvisation, tactics, arithmetic

Dungeons & Dragons (commonly abbreviated as D&D or DnD)[2] is a fantasy tabletop

Dungeons & Dragons is a structured yet open-ended role-playing game. It is normally

D&D uses polyhedral dice to resolve in-game events.

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