How Many Editions of D&D Has There Really Been?

grodog · Jan 22, 2012

The "flavor" of play is usually what makes folks distinguish x.5 editions, and I tend to agree with those distinctions. To me there's a big difference between various editions as new printings (with errata incorporated, new illustrations, or just simple reprints) vs. new editions (with substantive new content). So, FWIW, here's my chronological list:

OD&D
OD&D + Greyhawk
OD&D + Greyhawk + Other Supplements
Holmes Basic
AD&D 1.0 (MM through FF)
AD&D 1.5 (UA+)
AD&D 2.0
AD&D 2.5 (Skills & Powers)
D&D 3.0
D&D 3.5
D&D 4.0
D&D 5.0

So, by my reckoning, 5.0 would be the 12th edition, unless of course the April AD&D reprints count as a new edition (and I don't think they should). And I don't count Chainmail as D&D---it's Chainmail, and useful if you're running OD&D, but on its own it's not D&D.

rogueattorney · Jan 23, 2012

I would say there have been as few as 6 editions and as many as 11 editions, making 5e somewhere between the 7th and 12th edition of D&D.

The candidates:

OD&D
BD&D (Holmes ed.)
1e AD&D
B/X D&D (Moldvay/Cook & Marsh ed.)
BECMI D&D
2e AD&D
"Black box Basic" D&D/Rules Cyclopedia
3e
3.5e
4e
4e Essentials

All 11 of those listed except the Holmes ed. of Basic were complete sets of rules that were modified in some way from its predecessor.

Kaodi · Jan 23, 2012

I really do not think .5 revisions ought to count as new editions, for the most part. Part of how you tell an edition from another is whether it forms part of a "publishing cycle" that includes certain book indicators beyond the PHB, DMG, and the MM.

Essentials was always meant to be an outgrowth of 4E, played as the same game. So 4E and Essentials were, for our purposes, one edition.

You could make a better argument for v3.5 being an actual edition, but I think the fact that v3.5 does not reprint important book topics such as the Manual of the Planes and Deities & Demigods means that, at heart, it is still the same product line.

2nd Editions Skills & Powers falls outside my personal experience, but do the points I made for Essentials and v3.5 not both apply to it? If such is the case, it is clearly part of 2nd Edition.

1st Edition is also different from 2nd Edition in that each has their own set of the " iconic supplements " , correct?

As I have said before, I think the only real ambiguity here is the treatment of the " Basic Spectrum " .

Mark CMG · Jan 23, 2012

Kaodi said:
I really do not think .5 revisions ought to count as new editions, for the most part. Part of how you tell an edition from another is whether it forms part of a "publishing cycle" that includes certain book indicators beyond the PHB, DMG, and the MM.

Essentials was always meant to be an outgrowth of 4E, played as the same game. So 4E and Essentials were, for our purposes, one edition.

You could make a better argument for v3.5 being an actual edition, but I think the fact that v3.5 does not reprint important book topics such as the Manual of the Planes and Deities & Demigods means that, at heart, it is still the same product line.

2nd Editions Skills & Powers falls outside my personal experience, but do the points I made for Essentials and v3.5 not both apply to it? If such is the case, it is clearly part of 2nd Edition.

1st Edition is also different from 2nd Edition in that each has their own set of the " iconic supplements " , correct?

As I have said before, I think the only real ambiguity here is the treatment of the " Basic Spectrum " .

I think you are beginning to convince me through your logic. Are you then saying that there is (O)D&D, (probably) BD&D, AD&D 1E, AD&D 2E, 3.XE, 4.XE and soon to be 5E, thus soon to be seven by your logic? It's a compelling argument you put forth.

Kaodi · Jan 24, 2012

Mark CMG said:
Are you then saying that there is (O)D&D, (probably) BD&D, AD&D 1E, AD&D 2E, 3.XE, 4.XE and soon to be 5E, thus soon to be seven by your logic?

Yes, that is what I am saying.

delericho · Jan 24, 2012

Hmmm. Maybe they should call the next iteration "D&D 2012" (or 2013, or whatever the year of publication is). Or call it "Unity Edition" or "Phoenix Edition", or some other code-name. Though whatever they call it, they're probably stuck with 5e and/or "5th Edition".

My own numbering of the editions:

- OD&D
- Holmes Basic
- B/X
- BECMI (later re-done as the "Black Box" and "Rules Cyclopedia", but these had almost no rule changes... probably not even a .5 edition)
- AD&D 1st Edition (with post-UA being, effectively, 1.5e)
- AD&D 2nd Edition (with post-"Player's Option" being, effectively, 2.5e)
- 3e (and, later, 3.5e)
- 4e (with Essentials being, effectively, 4.5e)

Which would give eight 'full' editions. Obviously, within each of these editions there is an enormous level of variation - the differences between "Core Rules Only 3e" and "Anything-goes 3.5e" are probably wider than the differences between anything prior to 3e.

How Many Editions of D&D Has There Really Been?

grodog

Hero

rogueattorney

Adventurer

Kaodi

Hero

Mark CMG

Creative Mountain Games

Kaodi

Hero

delericho

Legend

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