Dungeons & Dragons

Editions

Editions in the D&D gaming world are often referred to as the edition number with a small e afterwords. Example: D&D 3.5 edition would be said to be "3.5e". Information on changes between editions has been taken from Wikipedia, as there were no other sources. I apologize.

D&D Original (1974)

D&D 1st Revision - Basic Set (1977)

AD&D 1st Edition (1979)

• The game rules were reorganized across three hardcover rulebooks (the Player's Handbook, Dungeon Master's Guide, and Monster Manual) rather than one boxed set (of three books, Men & Magic, Monsters & Treasure, and The Underworld and Wilderness Adventures), and a series of supplemental booklets, Greyhawk, Blackmoor, Eldrich Wizardry, Gods, Demigods, and Heroes, and Swords & Spells.
• Supplemental rules retained included the Druid, Monk, Paladin and Thief classes, variable weapon damage by weapon type, weapon to hit modifiers vs armor and psionics.
• Supplemental rules cut included hit locations.
• The Chainmail based combat system was completely abandoned.
• Many details in class abilities were altered and clarified.
• Character classes (Bard, Illusionist and Ranger) that had only appeared in magazine publication were added to the game.
• Alignment was broken down into two polarities, "ethics" being Lawful, Neutral or Chaotic, and "morals" being Evil, Good, or Neutral, so there were now nine alignments: Lawful Good, Neutral Good, Chaotic Good, Lawful Neutral, Neutral, Chaotic Neutral, Lawful Evil, Neutral Evil and Chaotic Evil.
• The Assassin class is added.
• Fighting Men were renamed to Fighters.

D&D 2nd Revision (1981)

D&D 3rd Revision (1983-1986)

AD&D 2nd Edition (1989)

• Half-orcs were removed from the Player's Handbook, although they would be again made a playable race in supplements such as the Complete Book of Humanoids.
• Character classes were grouped into one of four groups: Warrior (Fighter, Paladin, Ranger), Wizard (Mage, Specialist Wizard), Priest (Cleric, Druid), and Rogue (Thief, Bard).
• Assassins and Monks (from Players Handbook) and Barbarians, Thief-Acrobats, and Cavaliers (from Unearthed Arcana), were removed from the game as character classes. Later supplements would introduce "kits" bearing the names of these classes and/or optional classes from sources such as Complete Book of Barbarians.
• "Magic-users" were renamed "mages".
• Illusionists were made into a subtype of the Wizard class, along with new classes specializing in the other seven schools of magic (which were first introduced in Dragonlance Adventures).
• Bards were made a normal character class, rather than the multiple-classed character that they had been, although they still possessed elements of fighters, thieves, and mages.
• Proficiencies were officially supported in the Player's Handbook and many supplements, rather than being the optional add-on found in a handful of 1st Edition supplements.
• Attack matrices were exchanged for "THAC0" (To Hit Armor Class 0) and the table printed only once in the Dungeon Master's Guide was reprinted in the second edition Player's Handbook and Dungeon Master's Guide.
• References to "segments" (individual units of time representing one phase of initiative, or 6 seconds of game-time [simulated time]) were removed from the game; instead, actions were given an "Initiative Modifier". "Melee rounds" were unchanged, representing one minute of game-time, with a "turn" representing ten rounds (ten minutes). An optional alternative where one "melee round" represents 12-15 seconds of "game-time" was presented in the "Player's Option: Combat and Tactics" book, first of the so-called 2.5 Edition.
• Other changes to combat including the function of weapon speed, initiative, and surprise rules.
• Priest and Druid spells were organized into themed "spheres" that were similar to the wizard spell schools that had been introduced in Dragonlance Adventures, with access to spheres being determined by the priest's class and deity.
• Descriptions of artifacts (unique magic items) were removed from the Dungeon Master's Guide.
• Many utilities, including tables for random generation of dungeons, were removed from the Dungeon Master's Guide.
• The weight of coins was changed from 1/10 lb. each to 1/50 lb. each, making the carrying of large numbers of coins out of an adventure site much less of an impediment.
• Exchange rates for the low-valued coins were doubled; it now took only 100 copper pieces or 10 silver pieces to make one gold piece.
• The hardcover Monster Manual was initially replaced by the looseleaf binder-format Monstrous Compendium; the Monstrous Compendium would eventually be replaced by the hardcover Monstrous Manual.
• Dragons were increased in strength and power to make the title monsters of the game a more serious challenge to players.
• Fiendish and angelic creatures (demons, devils, daemons, devas, solars, etc.) were removed from the game, as were spells that allowed such creatures to be summoned or controlled. These creatures would later be renamed and modified in the Monstrous Compendium supplement on the Outer Planes.
• Changes made in how experience points were calculated and awarded.
• Changes of varying magnitudes to various classes.
• Psionics were no longer included in the Players Handbook, though they later appeared in their own supplement.
• Maximum level was standardized at 20 rather than varying by class.

D&D 3rd Edition (2000)

• The game system converted to the d20 System, in which task resolution is normalized into a roll of a 20-sided die and adding or subtracting modifiers to beat a Difficulty Class (DC) for the check.
• THAC0, which many gamers found hard to understand, was replaced with a simple attack bonus. Armor Class now goes up (instead of down) as defensive capabilities increase. (3rd Edition Armor Class = 20 - 2nd Edition Armor Class; 3rd Edition "Base Attack Bonus" = 20 - THAC0.)
• Ability scores follow a single table and give standardized bonuses (modifier = (ability score - 10 ) / 2). Ability scores are no longer capped at 25.
• Saving throws are reduced from five categories (based on forms of attack) to three (based on type of defense): Fortitude (Constitution-based), Reflex (Dexterity-based), and Will (Wisdom-based), and also go up instead of down.
• "Non-weapon proficiencies" were replaced by skills, and became a fundamental part of the game rather than an optional one, with class abilities such as thieving skills being translated directly into skills. All characters are given a pool of points to spend on a wide range of specific skills to further define a character.
• Special abilities known as "feats" allow greater customization of characters. Fighters are no longer differentiated simply by weapons, roleplay and equipment selection.
• Magic item creation is simplified, requiring a prerequisite feat, spells, and monetary and experience costs, replacing the obscure rules of earlier editions.
• Barbarians, monks, and half-orcs return to the Player's Handbook as basic character types.
• "Mage" renamed to "wizard," and "thief" to "rogue."
• The thief's backstab ability became "sneak attack," which has a wider range of use.
• The sorcerer class was added to the game as an arcane caster that uses magic naturally, instead of through study.
• All character classes use the same experience table.
• Characters receive maximum hit points at first level (a very common house rule in previous editions).
• Multi-classing and dual-classing as per previous editions was removed. In the new multiclassing system, multi-classing functioned similar to dual-classing had previously, except that a character could gain a level of any character class upon gaining a level instead of only gaining levels in the second class. Multi-classing was made available to all races, although easier for humans, and characters with multiple classes of differing levels would be penalized.
• Prestige classes are added, representing special training or membership in an organization outside the generic scope of core classes. Entry into prestige classes requires characters to meet certain prerequisites. Assassins would make their return here, as well as blackguards (fallen paladins) and several others.
• Any combination of race and class is now permitted, with the exception of some prestige classes. (Previously, characters of some fantasy races/species were not allowed to belong to some character classes.)
• Spells that belonged to multiple schools of magic now belong to one, and some had their effects altered.
• The use of "memorization" was replaced with "preparation," removing the connotations of wizards forgetting spells after casting them.
• Many spells were given descriptors such as "Fire" or "Evil" that could determine how the spells interact with certain creatures and effects.
• Priest spell spheres were removed from the game; each spellcasting class now had its own specific spell list (although wizard and sorcerer shared a list). Instead, clerics gain domains that allow them to use bonus spells and abilities based on their deity's area of influence, as well as the ability to swap out prepared spells for curative spells.
• Creatures that were flatly immune to weapons below a specific level of enchantment (for example, +2 weapons) instead had damage reduction: damage dealt by a weapon not of that type would be reduced by a fixed amount instead of being completely negated.
• Percentage-based magic resistance was replaced by spell resistance, which functions in a manner similar to armor class.
• Class groups, warrior, priest, rogue, wizard were removed.
• "Priests of a specific mythos", also known as specialist priest classes, except druid, were eliminated.
• Each race gains a "favored class" for which they may multi-class with no penalties.
• Initiative was changed to a cyclic system where the order of resolving actions is determined once per encounter and then repeated, and actions are resolved on the players turn. Previously the order was redetermined each round and many actions did not resolve on the players turn but at the end of the round.
• Diagonal movement and range are simplified. Each square of diagonal distance is equivalent to 1.5 squares of orthogonal distance, rounded down.

D&D v.3.5 (2003)

D&D 4th Edition (2004)

Changes

• 8 Core Classes instead of 11; The Barbarian, Bard, Druid, Monk and Sorcerer classes have been removed from the Core Class list; They are to be included in supplement books. The Warlock class has been added to the core class list, as has the new Warlord class.
• Overhaul of the previous grappling rules.
• Overhaul of the multiclassing system.
• Increased importance of weapon damage in combat. In previous editions a weapon's damage dice were overshadowed by other damage bonuses for high level characters. Many abilities now deal damage using multiple weapon dice, causing larger weapons to deal significantly more damage even at high levels.
• Change in per-encounter resourcing with all classes (both spellcaster and noncaster) having an equal number of per-day, per-encounter and unlimited-use abilities. Spellcasters will get an improved version of the "reserve feats" introduced in Complete Mage.^[11] Some Fighter-class powers receive bonuses for certain types of weapons. Attack powers are divided into at-will, encounter and daily powers, each of which uses a separate set of slots, while utility powers are divided into encounter and daily powers, both of which share a single pool of slots.
• Casters no longer prepare their spells at the start of the day, except that Wizards learn extra daily and utility spells and choose which to have available in a give day.
• Revision of saving throws and defense values. Fortitude, Reflex and Will are now static defense values which the attacker rolls against like Armor Class. Saving throws are now rolls made at the end of one's turn in order to end certain ongoing detrimental effects, saving throw rolls generally have no bonus and a target number of 10.
• Standardized level-based bonus increases. Attack rolls, skill checks and defense values all get a bonus equal to 1/2 level, rounded down, rather than increasing at different rates depending on class or skill point investment. This bonus also applies to ability-score checks (such as Strength rolls).
• Elimination of skill points. Each skill is either trained or untrained. Being trained in a skill provides a fixed bonus on skill checks, and some skills can only be used in certain ways with training.
• Revision of the healing system. In addition to the healing powers available to some classes, each character has a number of daily healing surges based on their class and Constitution score. Spending a healing surge generally heals a character for 1/4 of a character's maximum hit points. Generally, characters can only spend one healing surge per encounter, however certain powers allow additional surges to be spent, and characters can spend any number of their healing surges outside of combat.
• Non-combat spells (such as Knock, Raise Dead, Tenser's Floating Disc and Water Breathing) have been replaced by rituals. All rituals have a financial cost in the form of material components, such as herbs and alchemical reagents. The Enchant Magic Item and Brew Potion rituals have replaced item creation feats.
• Rules for varying power sources (Arcane, Divine, Martial, etc.).
• Extending core rules to level 30 rather than level 20
• Racial abilities that improve with level.
• Elimination of racial level adjustment.
• Magic items have been redesigned, sharply reducing their power and limiting many effects to daily use plus limiting the number of daily-item powers characters can activate.
• Elimination of Challenge Ratings.
• Monster Manuals officially support leveling monsters down and up to allow for easier encounter design and flexibility. Many monsters have their mechanics redesigned to help differentiate them from others (Gnolls fighting like hyenas and hobgoblins marching like legions). Monsters are also designed to work well in groups fights instead of a solo monster versus players' party.^[12][13]
• Revision of the critical hit system. Confirmation roll to critical hits has been done away with;^[14] a natural 20 is an automatic hit, and critical providing that the roll is high enough to overcome the target's armor class. Critical hits deal the maximum damage for a weapon.^[15]
• Tieflings and Dragonborn have become core races. Halflings are given a river-dwelling background (much like how dwarves are mountain dwellers, and elves come from the forest). Gnomes have been removed from the core race selection, but have been included as a playable race in the Monster Manual, much like goblins in the previous edition. Half-Orcs have also been removed as a core race. ^[16] Elves are split into three races. Eladrin are more civilized, while regular "elves" are forest dwellers rather than city builders and the evil subterranean Drow are largely unchanged. All three elven races are considered Fey.^[17]
• The default cosmology has been revised. The planes now consist of the Astral Sea, the Elemental Chaos, the Feywild, the Shadowfell, "the world" (similar to the Material Plane) and the Far Realm. The Great Wheel has been eliminated, with many outer planes converted into astral dominions, although the Abyss is now part of the Elemental Chaos. The Elemental Chaos also incorporates aspects of the Inner Planes of Air, Earth, Fire, and Water with the outer plane of Limbo. Some aspects of the Negative Energy Plane and the Plane of Shadow have been merged into the Shadowfell.
• Alignments are now limited to Lawful Good, Good, Evil, Chaotic Evil, and Unaligned. The impact of alignment on actual game mechanics has been essentially eliminated.^{[original research?]}
• Demons and Devils are restructured with devils being twisted angels organized in a hierarchal society and demons being unorganized beings of destruction.^[18]
• XP budget system for encounter design introduced.
• In addition to level, each monster has a power tier. Minions are the weakest tier, considered equivalent to roughly 1/4 of a standard monster of the same level, and are designed to be simple to run in large numbers, minions die in one hit, have fixed damage and have few if any special abilities. Elite monsters are considered roughly equivalent to 2 standard monsters of the same level, while Solo monsters are considered roughly equivalent to 5 standard monsters of the same level. Elite and solo monsters generally have more hit points, higher defenses and more powerful and numerous attacks and special abilities than standard monsters of the same level. They also generally have action points and a bonus to saving throws.
• Characters (and some monsters) gain "action points", which can be spent to take an extra action in combat, or to perform some other special tasks granted by certain classes or feats.
• Diagonal movement and range are simplified. Each square of diagonal distance counts as one square of orthogonal distance.
• Text size in the core rulebooks has been significantly increased.

Campaign Settings

Eberron

Forgotten Realms

Spin-offs

Acclaim

Ridicule

Players of Dungeons & Dragons have received a large amount of ridicule from mainstream society, which often center around claims that D&D players are friendless, have no lives, and are "nerdy", despite the fact that D&D is a game played with friends and many D&D players are often successful adults or students, and there are more D&D players who are not "nerdy" in the traditional sense.

Controversy

Wizards of the Coast has had to deal with powerful religious backlash and controversy regarding its books allowing players to create evil characters, use magic, serve imaginary gods, etc. Religious outrage has for the most part claimed that D&D teaches it's players, who are usually teenagers or young adults, to become Satanists.