Dlsharrock
First Post
So 4e is supposed to draw new blood to D&D. I thought it would be useful to explain some of the abbreviations used on Enworld (and there are quite a few) for any newcomers to the game who would like to join in with healthy discussions about which edition is crap, why the GSL is/isn't a joke and who at WotC really should get fired.
EDIT: some added, some altered
Now in alphabetical order and full surround sound. Please don't goad or feed the abbreviations, they don't like it.
1E = First Edition Advanced Dungeons & Dragons pawsplay
2E = Second Edition Advanced Dungeons & Dragons pawsplay
3E = Third Edition Dungeons & Dragons
3.5 = 3.5 Edition Dungeons & Dragons
3.x = Third Edition Dungeons & Dragons encompassing 3.0 and 3.5 (AFAIK)
4E = Fourth Edition Dungeons & Dragons
5E = Yet to exist 5th Edition Dungeons & Dragons
AD&D = Advanced Dungeons & Dragons
AE = Arcana Evolved Aus Snow
AFM = Away from Manual Particle Man
AoW = Age of Worms Gundark
AP = Adventure Path
AU = Arcana Unearthed Aus Snow
BBEG = Big Bad Evil Guy ('end of campaign/adventure boss')
BD&D = Basic Dungeons & Dragons
BECMI = Basic, Expert, Companion, Master, Immortal (Refers to Mentzer edit of BD&D, which had a tiered rule system with a box set that corresponded to each of the indicated levels of player/character experience) jdrakeh Sometimes just BECM Psion Been seen as BXCM, BXCMI Charwoman Gene BXD&D to specifically be the Moldvay/Cook version of Basic and Expert D&D, while BECMI D&D refers specifically to Mentzer's version of that line Particle Man
BESM = Big Eyes Small Mouth (RPG) Relique du Madde
BFRPG = Basic Fantasy Role Playing Game (A homegrown OGL fantasy RPG based heavily on the Moldvay/Mentzer BD&D edits) jdrakeh
Bo9S = Book of 9 Swords (also Tome of Battle or 'ToB') Aus Snow
BoEF = Book of Erotic Fantasy Relique du Madde
BoXM = Book of eXperimental Might Aus Snow
BRP = Basic Roleplaying (Chaosium Inc's house rule system) jdrakeh
C&C = Castles & Crusades jdrakeh
CK = Castle Keeper (the DM in C&C; rarely used [here anyway]) Aus Snow
CM = Circvs Maximvs Relique du Madde
CoC = Call of Cthulhu (RPG, as published by Chaosium Inc) jdrakeh
CoC d20 = Call of Cthulhu (RPG, as published by WotC) jdrakeh
CoDzilla = [Cleric or Druid]-zilla, a reference to the fact that many people consider the Cleric and Druid classes overpowered, in D&D 3e. Aus Snow
CP2020 = Cyberpunk 2020, a near-future RPG using the Interlock [d10-based] system. Rarely, CP2013 might also be mentioned - this is an earlier version of the same game. Aus Snow
d6 = a generic RPG system, based on the humble d6 [6-sided die], famous in the form of the first commercial Star Wars RPG. Sometimes mention will be made of 'd6 fantasy' f'rex [for example] - this is that. Aus Snow
d20F = d20 Future Relique du Madde
d20M = d20 Modern Relique du Madde
d20STL = d20 license Fifth Element
D&D = Dungeons & Dragons (seems to cover most versions)
DDI = Dungeons & Dragons Insider (so-called 'interactive' D&D website) Wraith101
DDXP = Dungeons & Dragons Experience
DHTRWM = Don't Have the Rulebook With Me Particle Man
DM = Dungeon Master
DMG = Dungeon Master's Guide
DnD = Dungeons & Dragons (less popularly used)
ECS = Eberron Campaign Setting Aus Snow
FFG = Fantasy Flight Games (3rd party publisher)
FLGS = Friendly Local Gamestore
FR = Forgotten Realms (D&D setting)
FRCS = Forgotten Realms Campaign Setting Aus Snow
FTW = For The Win Belorin
GM = Gamesmaster
GNS = Gamist, Narrativist and Simulationist (RPG theory developed by Ron Edwards)
GoO = Guardians of Order (the long defunct game company that originally produced BESM) Relique du Madde
GR = Green Ronin (3rd party publisher)
GSL = Game System License (new version license for third party publishers)
GURPS = Generic Roleplaying System (RPG system by Steve Jackson Games)
IANAL = I Am Not A Lawyer (referring to the non-lawyer status of most gamers who comment on the GSL/OGL) ShadowDenizen
IBTL = In Before the Lock (referring to something posted prior to the polite request by moderators not to post threads or messages likely to illicit edition wars)
IC = In Character
IMC = In My Campaign Psion
IMXP = In My eXPerience Aus Snow
IRL = In Real Life (as opposed to 'as stated online') Aus Snow
KotS = Keep On The Shadowfell (4e Module)
LARP = Live Action Roleplay (where players don jazzy outfits and set about one another with rubber swords)
M&M = Mutants & Masterminds
MM = Monster Manual
MMORPG = Massive Multiplayer Online Roleplaying Game, usually graphical.
MtG = Magic the Gathering Relique du Madde
MUD = Multi User Domain/Dungeon/Dimension (like MMORPG but typically text based)
NPC = Non Player Character (a character played by the DM/GM)
NSFLGS = Not So Friendly Local Gamestore Dog Moon
nWoD = new World of Darkness Aus Snow
OD&D = Original first edition Dungeons & Dragons pawsplay
OGC = Open Gaming Content (stuff that is covered by the OGL, and can be reused accordingly) Aus Snow
OGL = Open Game License (game license for third party publishers)
OOC = Out of Character
OOG = Out of Game
OotS = Order of the Stick (cult D&D cartoon by Rich Burlew)
oWoD = old World of Darkness Aus Snow
PBEM = Play by Email
PBP = Play by Post
PBW = Play by Web
PC = Player Character (sometimes PirateCat, referring to a well known Enworld member Lackhand)
PHB = Player Handbook
P&P = Pen and Paper (traditional 'tabletop' roleplay) Also sometimes PnP Umbran
PrC = Prestige Class, a [3e] class characters can only take at higher levels (often around 6th), and only if they meet the prerequisites for entry. Aus Snow
PrRC = Pre-Release Rules Compilation
RAI = Rules as Intended Jack99
RAW = Rules as Written
RC = Rules Compendium
RL = Real Life (as in 'I can't play today, I have RL issues, my hamster has gangrene). Could also be Ravenloft, (e.g., your hamster has vampirism) Psion
RPG = Roleplaying Game
RP = Roleplay or short for Roleplaying Game
SBT = Scry-Buff-Teleport Aus Snow
SJG = Steve Jackson Games jdrakeh
SotC = Spirit of the Century (RPG) jdrakeh
SRD = System Resource Document
STAP = Savage tide adventure path Gundark
SW = either Savage Worlds [a generic RPG] or Star Wars. Context is key. Aus Snow
SWAT = Special Weapons and Tactics (as far as can be ascertained, referring to highly tactical method of roleplay) wedgeski/Psion
SWSE - Star Wars Saga Edition Role-Playing Game drothgery
T20 = Traveller D20 (not True 20) Psion
TLG = Troll Lord Games jdrakeh
ToC = Trail of Cthulhu (a new Cthulhu Mythos RPG) jdrakeh
TPK = Total Party Kill (the collective demise of the PCs)
TSR = Tactical Studies Rules (ie, Tactical Studies Rules Hobbies Incorporated).
T&T = Tunnels & Trolls (RPG) jdrakeh
UA = either Unearthed Arcana or Urban Arcana Aus Snow
WFRP = Warhammer Fantasy RolePlaying [or RolePlay, perhaps] Aus Snow
WotC = Wizards of the Coast
WoD = World of Darkness (RPG)
WoW = World of Warcraft (Massive Multiplayer Online 'Roleplaying' Game)
EDIT: some added, some altered
Now in alphabetical order and full surround sound. Please don't goad or feed the abbreviations, they don't like it.1E = First Edition Advanced Dungeons & Dragons pawsplay
2E = Second Edition Advanced Dungeons & Dragons pawsplay
3E = Third Edition Dungeons & Dragons
3.5 = 3.5 Edition Dungeons & Dragons
3.x = Third Edition Dungeons & Dragons encompassing 3.0 and 3.5 (AFAIK)
4E = Fourth Edition Dungeons & Dragons
5E = Yet to exist 5th Edition Dungeons & Dragons
AD&D = Advanced Dungeons & Dragons
AE = Arcana Evolved Aus Snow
AFM = Away from Manual Particle Man
AoW = Age of Worms Gundark
AP = Adventure Path
AU = Arcana Unearthed Aus Snow
BBEG = Big Bad Evil Guy ('end of campaign/adventure boss')
BD&D = Basic Dungeons & Dragons
BECMI = Basic, Expert, Companion, Master, Immortal (Refers to Mentzer edit of BD&D, which had a tiered rule system with a box set that corresponded to each of the indicated levels of player/character experience) jdrakeh Sometimes just BECM Psion Been seen as BXCM, BXCMI Charwoman Gene BXD&D to specifically be the Moldvay/Cook version of Basic and Expert D&D, while BECMI D&D refers specifically to Mentzer's version of that line Particle Man
BESM = Big Eyes Small Mouth (RPG) Relique du Madde
BFRPG = Basic Fantasy Role Playing Game (A homegrown OGL fantasy RPG based heavily on the Moldvay/Mentzer BD&D edits) jdrakeh
Bo9S = Book of 9 Swords (also Tome of Battle or 'ToB') Aus Snow
BoEF = Book of Erotic Fantasy Relique du Madde
BoXM = Book of eXperimental Might Aus Snow
BRP = Basic Roleplaying (Chaosium Inc's house rule system) jdrakeh
C&C = Castles & Crusades jdrakeh
CK = Castle Keeper (the DM in C&C; rarely used [here anyway]) Aus Snow
CM = Circvs Maximvs Relique du Madde
CoC = Call of Cthulhu (RPG, as published by Chaosium Inc) jdrakeh
CoC d20 = Call of Cthulhu (RPG, as published by WotC) jdrakeh
CoDzilla = [Cleric or Druid]-zilla, a reference to the fact that many people consider the Cleric and Druid classes overpowered, in D&D 3e. Aus Snow
CP2020 = Cyberpunk 2020, a near-future RPG using the Interlock [d10-based] system. Rarely, CP2013 might also be mentioned - this is an earlier version of the same game. Aus Snow
d6 = a generic RPG system, based on the humble d6 [6-sided die], famous in the form of the first commercial Star Wars RPG. Sometimes mention will be made of 'd6 fantasy' f'rex [for example] - this is that. Aus Snow
d20F = d20 Future Relique du Madde
d20M = d20 Modern Relique du Madde
d20STL = d20 license Fifth Element
D&D = Dungeons & Dragons (seems to cover most versions)
DDI = Dungeons & Dragons Insider (so-called 'interactive' D&D website) Wraith101
DDXP = Dungeons & Dragons Experience
DHTRWM = Don't Have the Rulebook With Me Particle Man
DM = Dungeon Master
DMG = Dungeon Master's Guide
DnD = Dungeons & Dragons (less popularly used)
ECS = Eberron Campaign Setting Aus Snow
FFG = Fantasy Flight Games (3rd party publisher)
FLGS = Friendly Local Gamestore
FR = Forgotten Realms (D&D setting)
FRCS = Forgotten Realms Campaign Setting Aus Snow
FTW = For The Win Belorin
GM = Gamesmaster
GNS = Gamist, Narrativist and Simulationist (RPG theory developed by Ron Edwards)
GoO = Guardians of Order (the long defunct game company that originally produced BESM) Relique du Madde
GR = Green Ronin (3rd party publisher)
GSL = Game System License (new version license for third party publishers)
GURPS = Generic Roleplaying System (RPG system by Steve Jackson Games)
IANAL = I Am Not A Lawyer (referring to the non-lawyer status of most gamers who comment on the GSL/OGL) ShadowDenizen
IBTL = In Before the Lock (referring to something posted prior to the polite request by moderators not to post threads or messages likely to illicit edition wars)
IC = In Character
IMC = In My Campaign Psion
IMXP = In My eXPerience Aus Snow
IRL = In Real Life (as opposed to 'as stated online') Aus Snow
KotS = Keep On The Shadowfell (4e Module)
LARP = Live Action Roleplay (where players don jazzy outfits and set about one another with rubber swords)
M&M = Mutants & Masterminds
MM = Monster Manual
MMORPG = Massive Multiplayer Online Roleplaying Game, usually graphical.
MtG = Magic the Gathering Relique du Madde
MUD = Multi User Domain/Dungeon/Dimension (like MMORPG but typically text based)
NPC = Non Player Character (a character played by the DM/GM)
NSFLGS = Not So Friendly Local Gamestore Dog Moon
nWoD = new World of Darkness Aus Snow
OD&D = Original first edition Dungeons & Dragons pawsplay
OGC = Open Gaming Content (stuff that is covered by the OGL, and can be reused accordingly) Aus Snow
OGL = Open Game License (game license for third party publishers)
OOC = Out of Character
OOG = Out of Game
OotS = Order of the Stick (cult D&D cartoon by Rich Burlew)
oWoD = old World of Darkness Aus Snow
PBEM = Play by Email
PBP = Play by Post
PBW = Play by Web
PC = Player Character (sometimes PirateCat, referring to a well known Enworld member Lackhand)
PHB = Player Handbook
P&P = Pen and Paper (traditional 'tabletop' roleplay) Also sometimes PnP Umbran
PrC = Prestige Class, a [3e] class characters can only take at higher levels (often around 6th), and only if they meet the prerequisites for entry. Aus Snow
PrRC = Pre-Release Rules Compilation
RAI = Rules as Intended Jack99
RAW = Rules as Written
RC = Rules Compendium
RL = Real Life (as in 'I can't play today, I have RL issues, my hamster has gangrene). Could also be Ravenloft, (e.g., your hamster has vampirism) Psion
RPG = Roleplaying Game
RP = Roleplay or short for Roleplaying Game
SBT = Scry-Buff-Teleport Aus Snow
SJG = Steve Jackson Games jdrakeh
SotC = Spirit of the Century (RPG) jdrakeh
SRD = System Resource Document
STAP = Savage tide adventure path Gundark
SW = either Savage Worlds [a generic RPG] or Star Wars. Context is key. Aus Snow
SWAT = Special Weapons and Tactics (as far as can be ascertained, referring to highly tactical method of roleplay) wedgeski/Psion
SWSE - Star Wars Saga Edition Role-Playing Game drothgery
T20 = Traveller D20 (not True 20) Psion
TLG = Troll Lord Games jdrakeh
ToC = Trail of Cthulhu (a new Cthulhu Mythos RPG) jdrakeh
TPK = Total Party Kill (the collective demise of the PCs)
TSR = Tactical Studies Rules (ie, Tactical Studies Rules Hobbies Incorporated).
T&T = Tunnels & Trolls (RPG) jdrakeh
UA = either Unearthed Arcana or Urban Arcana Aus Snow
WFRP = Warhammer Fantasy RolePlaying [or RolePlay, perhaps] Aus Snow
WotC = Wizards of the Coast
WoD = World of Darkness (RPG)
WoW = World of Warcraft (Massive Multiplayer Online 'Roleplaying' Game)
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