Difference between revisions of "Editions of Dungeons and Dragons"

From RPGnet
Jump to: navigation, search
(Added fifth edition, D&D Essentials for fourth edition; removed non-existent DMG3 for 4E)
 
(2 intermediate revisions by 2 users not shown)
Line 26: Line 26:
 
! 1983
 
! 1983
 
|style="background:#ddbbff;" rowspan="2"| Core rulebooks reprinted with<br>new orange-spined covers
 
|style="background:#ddbbff;" rowspan="2"| Core rulebooks reprinted with<br>new orange-spined covers
|style="background:#ffddbb;"| '''''"BECMI" Dungeons & Dragons''''' (4th version)
+
|style="background:#ffddbb;"| '''''"BECMI" or "Red Box" Dungeons & Dragons''''' (4th version)
 
''"Mentzer" Basic Set'' (red box) (levels 1-3)<br>
 
''"Mentzer" Basic Set'' (red box) (levels 1-3)<br>
 
''"Mentzer" Expert Set'' (blue box) (levels 4-14)<br>
 
''"Mentzer" Expert Set'' (blue box) (levels 4-14)<br>
Line 36: Line 36:
 
! 1985
 
! 1985
 
|style="background:#ddbbff;"| ''Unearthed Arcana'' (a fourth "core" rulebook)<br>&nbsp;
 
|style="background:#ddbbff;"| ''Unearthed Arcana'' (a fourth "core" rulebook)<br>&nbsp;
|style="background:#ffddbb;" rowspan="2"|''Immortals Set'' (gold box)(levels 36+)
+
|style="background:#ffddbb;" rowspan="2"|''Immortals Set'' (gold box) (levels 36+)
 
|- style="background:#white; vertical-align:top;"
 
|- style="background:#white; vertical-align:top;"
 
! 1989
 
! 1989
Line 75: Line 75:
 
|- style="background:white; text-align:center;"
 
|- style="background:white; text-align:center;"
 
! 2010
 
! 2010
|style="background:#ffcccc;" colspan="2"| ''Player's Handbook 3'' • ''Monster Manual 3'' • ''Dungeon Master's Guide 3''
+
|style="background:#ffcccc;" colspan="2"| ''Player's Handbook 3'' • ''Monster Manual 3''
 +
|- style="background:white; text-align:center;"
 +
! 2010
 +
|style="background:#ffcccc;" colspan="2"| '''''Dungeons & Dragons'' 4th edition''' (''Essentials'')
 +
''Starter Set'' • ''Heroes of the Fallen Lands'' • ''Heroes of the Forgotten Kingdoms''<br/>
 +
''Rules Compendium'' • ''Dungeon Master's Kit'' • ''Monster Vault''
 +
|- style="background:white; text-align:center;"
 +
! 2014
 +
|style="background:#bbccff;" colspan="2"| '''''Dungeons & Dragons'' 5th edition''' (three ''Core'' rulebooks)
 +
''Player's Handbook'' • ''Monster Manual'' • ''Dungeon Master's Guide''
 
|- style="background:white;"
 
|- style="background:white;"
 
!
 
!
 
|-
 
|-
 
! Notes:
 
! Notes:
| colspan="2" | Titles in quotes are unofficial titles commonly used by players to distinguish between the five different versions all simply called "Dungeons & Dragons" by TSR.
+
| colspan="2" | Titles in quotes are unofficial titles commonly used by players to distinguish between the six different versions all simply called "Dungeons & Dragons" by TSR.
 
|-
 
|-
 
!
 
!
Line 96: Line 105:
 
!
 
!
 
| style="background:#bbffdd;" colspan="2" | The green group of editions is commonly known as "D&D 3.x" or "d20 D&D".<br>
 
| style="background:#bbffdd;" colspan="2" | The green group of editions is commonly known as "D&D 3.x" or "d20 D&D".<br>
Additionally, some people refer to both the green and red groups together as "WotC D&D" and all earlier groups as "TSR D&D".
+
Additionally, some people refer to the green, red and blue groups together as "WotC D&D" and all earlier groups as "TSR D&D".
 
|-
 
|-
 
!
 
!
 
| style="background:#ffcccc;" colspan="2" | The red group of editions is commonly known as "D&D 4e".
 
| style="background:#ffcccc;" colspan="2" | The red group of editions is commonly known as "D&D 4e".
 +
|-
 +
!
 +
| style="background:#bbccff;" colspan="2" | The blue group of editions is commonly known as "D&D 5e"; also known as "D&D Next" during its development.
 
|}
 
|}

Latest revision as of 09:41, 1 February 2016

YEAR GAME
1974 "Little Brown Books" or "White Box" Dungeons & Dragons (original white/brown box edition with three booklets)

Men & MagicMonsters & TreasureThe Underworld & Wilderness Adventures

1977 Advanced Dungeons & Dragons (1st Edition)

Monster Manual (December)

"Blue Box" Dungeons & Dragons (2nd version)

"Holmes" Basic Set (blue box) (levels 1–3)

1978 Players Handbook (June)
1979 Dungeon Master Guide (August)
1981 "B/X" Dungeons & Dragons (3rd version)

"Moldvay" Basic Set (magenta box) (levels 1-3)
"Cook/Marsh" Expert Set (light blue box) (levels 4–14)

1983 Core rulebooks reprinted with
new orange-spined covers
"BECMI" or "Red Box" Dungeons & Dragons (4th version)

"Mentzer" Basic Set (red box) (levels 1-3)
"Mentzer" Expert Set (blue box) (levels 4-14)
Companion Set (cyan box) (levels 15–25)

1984 Master Set (black box) (levels 26–36)
1985 Unearthed Arcana (a fourth "core" rulebook)
 
Immortals Set (gold box) (levels 36+)
1989 Advanced Dungeons & Dragons 2nd edition

Player's Handbook
Dungeon Master's Guide
Monstrous Compendium

1991 "RC" Dungeons & Dragons (5th version)

Rules Cyclopedia (levels 1–36)

1992 Wrath of the Immortals (levels 36+)
1993 Monstrous Manual
1996 Advanced Dungeons & Dragons 2nd edition revised

Player's Handbook
Dungeon Masters Guide

2000 Dungeons & Dragons 3rd edition (three Core rulebooks)

Player's HandbookDungeon Master's GuideMonster Manual

2003 Dungeons & Dragons 3rd edition revised (v3.5)

Revised editions of the core rulebooks (compatible with 3.0 via errata)

2008 Dungeons & Dragons 4th edition (three Core rulebooks)

Player's HandbookMonster ManualDungeon Master's Guide

2009 Player's Handbook 2Monster Manual 2Dungeon Master's Guide 2
2010 Player's Handbook 3Monster Manual 3
2010 Dungeons & Dragons 4th edition (Essentials)

Starter SetHeroes of the Fallen LandsHeroes of the Forgotten Kingdoms
Rules CompendiumDungeon Master's KitMonster Vault

2014 Dungeons & Dragons 5th edition (three Core rulebooks)

Player's HandbookMonster ManualDungeon Master's Guide

Notes: Titles in quotes are unofficial titles commonly used by players to distinguish between the six different versions all simply called "Dungeons & Dragons" by TSR.
The grey group of editions is commonly known as "Original D&D" or "OD&D".

However, some people use this term exclusively for the white/brown box version.

The purple group of editions is commonly known as "AD&D".
The orange group of editions is commonly known as "Classic D&D" or "Basic D&D".

However, some people use the term "Classic D&D" to apply to the orange and grey groups combined.
Additionally, some people use the term "BECMI D&D" to refer to both the 4th and 5th versions (but not the 3rd version).

The green group of editions is commonly known as "D&D 3.x" or "d20 D&D".

Additionally, some people refer to the green, red and blue groups together as "WotC D&D" and all earlier groups as "TSR D&D".

The red group of editions is commonly known as "D&D 4e".
The blue group of editions is commonly known as "D&D 5e"; also known as "D&D Next" during its development.