What Is Dungeons and Dragons?

by John Butterfield

A guide to the phenomenal fantasy game, "Dungeons and Dragons," offers tips on role-playing, developing strategies and skills, character generation, game design, and more

Genres: Dungeons and Dragons, Gaming, Role Playing Games, Fantasy

240 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1984

Reviews

[Odhran]

This book, perhaps above all others, is what is responsible for my love of games and all sorts of nerdery. I must have read this book a couple of dozen times since I first found it in my granny's house in Galway aged about eight or so. The sections describing how to play Dungeons and Dragons were fine, but it was the description of the different systems, the descriptions of worldbuilding, and, above all, the potential, that made me love this.

[Jason Fawkes]

An important book to me as a child, whetting my appetite as I saved up for my red box, explaining concepts and unclear rules. I played the tutorial mini dungeon to death with my brother.

[Andy Horton]

I flicked through this on the bookshop shelf when I was a teenage D&D player. A friend found a second hand copy and lent it to me recently. I'm quite happy now that I didn't buy this at the time. Doubtless, my pocket money went towards a David Gemmell or Michael Moorcock fantasy novel, or towards another game.
This isn't a bad book, but it is quite flat and workmanlike. Most interesting as a bit of history, a snapshot of the RPG scene in the early 80s. The writers were three Etonian schoolboys - which might explain how they had the connections to be commissioned to write this. In fairness to them, they went on to produce a genuinely impressive and atmospheric series of gamebooks based on Greek myth.

[Jonas Mustonen]

Varhainen yritys selittää auki aikansa Dungeons & Dragons -roolipeli, tavalla joka tekisi siitä helpommin lähestyttävän. Yllättävän rehellinen ja toimiva teos kansantajuistamisessa, vaikka ei kenties vieläkään kauhean helppo. Alleviivaa kuinka paljon roolipeleissä vain oletetaan tietoa poimittavan vain jostain peliä ympäröivästä kulttuurista. Ilahduttavan paljon teoksessa näkyvät myös tekijöiden John Butterfield, Philip Parker and David Honigmann omat näkemykset hyvistä käytännöistä.

[Tevel Drinkwater]

I still remember buying this in a bookstore brand new when I was a kid.

I got this before I even got the Moldvay Red Box, and it helped me always be aware of the larger hobby outside of the behemoth of Dungeons & Dragons (ironically considering the title).

It is absolutely dated, but is a nice snapshot of the hobby circa 1983/1984.

[Scott Rennie]

This book led me to the incredible world of Dungeons and Dragons and roleplaying games in the early 80s. Funny to say that it changed my life for the better but I'm pretty sure my life wouldn't have been as interesting if I hadn't read this book.

[Peter Levi]

A book that's incredibly dated now, but at the time (particularly as a child) I enjoyed it. Butterfield explains the game in an entertaining and engaging way (for D&D enthusiasts this is during the days of 1st edition, so the old Gygaxian style dominated).