Can someone list all versions of D&D and explain their differences to me?

[EricNoah]

What was the version that came in a large black box (a similar size box to most board games) with a big red dragon on the front? That's what I started with. Then I got the Rules Cyclopedia shortly thereafter...

Ah, I think that black box you're referring to (mid-late 1980s?) was a kind of "intro to AD&D" set and I believe it was for 2nd edition. Kind of the same relationship between 3E and the D&D Adventure Game.

The Rules Cyclopedia was also around that time, and I think that was just about the end of the Basic D&D line. I never got to experience the book but have heard from many that it was quite good -- really covered just about everything in one big hardcover book.

 

[johnsemlak]

I'm waiting desparately for that Rules Cyclopedia to be released as an ESD; I lost my basic/expert/...Masters sets.

 

[jmucchiello]

So it appears that elves have always been for powergaming twinks then

No, their experience point chart sucked. They needed 4,000 XP to get to 2nd level where the fighter only needed 2,000. It took forever to level up an elf.

 

[ColonelHardisson]

Ah, I think that black box you're referring to (mid-late 1980s?) was a kind of "intro to AD&D" set and I believe it was for 2nd edition. Kind of the same relationship between 3E and the D&D Adventure Game.

The Rules Cyclopedia was also around that time, and I think that was just about the end of the Basic D&D line. I never got to experience the book but have heard from many that it was quite good -- really covered just about everything in one big hardcover book.

I have that book. It's actually pretty nice, except I've always disliked the Race=Class thing, and the lack of Good and Evil alignments. They really should take the mass combat system - "War Machine" - and update it for 3e, just to provide such a system for those who want it. It's rather abstract, but good for those who don't want to goof around with minis much.

 

[diaglo]

The Rules Cyclopedia was also around that time, and I think that was just about the end of the Basic D&D line. I never got to experience the book but have heard from many that it was quite good -- really covered just about everything in one big hardcover book.

yes. it combined and revised the rules for the 5 boxed sets.

Basic, Expert, Companion, Masters, and some of the Immortals.

 

[Griswold]

Ah, I think that black box you're referring to (mid-late 1980s?) was a kind of "intro to AD&D" set and I believe it was for 2nd edition. Kind of the same relationship between 3E and the D&D Adventure Game.

The Rules Cyclopedia was also around that time, and I think that was just about the end of the Basic D&D line. I never got to experience the book but have heard from many that it was quite good -- really covered just about everything in one big hardcover book.

The Rules Cyclopedia is very nice if you play "Basic D&D". The only thing that was not included was the detailed immortal stuff.


G.

 

[MeepoTheMighty]

Ah, I think that black box you're referring to (mid-late 1980s?) was a kind of "intro to AD&D" set and I believe it was for 2nd edition. Kind of the same relationship between 3E and the D&D Adventure Game.

It wasn't AD&D though, I know for a fact that it had elves as their own class. But yeah, it was definitely an intro product, and that would be around the right time frame. I think I got it in 87 or 88, shortly before 2nd edition came out.

 

[EricNoah]

It wasn't AD&D though, I know for a fact that it had elves as their own class. But yeah, it was definitely an intro product, and that would be around the right time frame. I think I got it in 87 or 88, shortly before 2nd edition came out.

Well that just makes the whole thing weirder! Seriously, I wonder what product it was supposed to be an intro to?

 

[Tiefling]

try here

http://www.acaeum.com/.

Too... many... printings... variations... revisions... editions...

I can't take it!

 

[Bryan Vining]

A clarification

Actually, OD&D (the 1974, pre-Basic version) did NOT feature races as classes. Halflings were limited to being fighters, so the effect was the same. Elves, OTOH, could be fighters, magic-users, or fighter/magic-users, whereas in Basic they are always fighter/magic-users. Dwarves, IIRC, were also limited to fighters, again making the distinction academic. The blue book version of D&D instituted the race=class business.