ABriefHistoryoftheEditionWars

Postedon27January2014byadmiral.ironbombs

Awhileback,afriendofmineaskedforabriefoverviewonthedifferentD&Deditionsatthetime
(June2012),theeditionwarswereinfullswing,dominatingthemessageboardsandthecommunal
hivemindofmostD&Dplayers.Isaymostbecausetheresalotofhistory,baggage,andbilefora
newplayertowalkinto.So,IhashedoutabriefhistoryofD&Dtoshowhowweendedupatthe
editionwarsoftoday.OriginallyIstartedwith3.xandtheOpenGamingLicensesinceitwasthe
escapehatchusedtoconstructtheOSRmovementandPathfinder,andendeduptakingthehistory
backtothebeginning.

Also,sinceIwrotethis,theresbeenalotmoredevelopmentthatIhaventbotheredtonotateorkeep
trackofNextseemstohavegeneratedquiteabitofattentionatfirst,andthenquietdown
remarkably,butpartofthatisduetotheinsanelylongleadtimethedevteamhasgiventhemselves.
TheresalsobeenanoddsurgeofindieelementsandstorygamevariantsofthetraditionalD&D
style,rangingfrom13thAge(tryingtostreamlinethe3.xsystemdownamorenarrativefocus)tothe
FateFreeportCompanion/DungeonsofFate(ruleshackstorunD&DflavoredFategames)to
Monsters&Magic(afascinatingexperimentbillingitselfasOldSchoolFantasy,NewSchoolPlay,
OSRdoneviamoderngamedesign).

Giventhatthispastweekendwas,atbestestimate,the40thanniversaryofDungeons&Dragons,Ive
thoughtalotaboutthegameandwhereitsgoing.GiventhatIhadthislyingaround,Ifiguredit
wouldmakeforathematicpost.

ItriedtobeasunbiasedaspossiblewhilewritingittobehonestthereareelementsofeacheditionI
thinkareawesomeandelementsIdislikewithapassion.IfIsaidsomethingbothgoodandbadabout
yoursystemofchoice,thatsaboutwhereIwantedtobe.IllgetintomoreopinionoverNextand
thefutureofD&Dinfutureposts.

D&DThatWas
1969:AmanwiththemythicnameofE.GaryGygaxproduceshisownhomemade
game:Chainmail,medievalsimulationwargamingrules.Mostimportantly,itincludesrulesfor
individualcombataswellasthemoretraditionalwargamemasscombat.Ayearlater,oneof
Chainmailscustomers,DaveArneson,beginsusingtherulestoreplicateindividualsprogressinginto
acastlefilledwithinhumanmonsters:roleplayingisborn.ArnesonsBlackmoorvariantrulesare
introducedtoGygaxatsomepoint,thelightbulbgoesonoverhishead,andthetwobeginpooling
theirmaterialandcreativitytocreatefantasyroleplaying.Wheneverycompanyturnstheirideadown,
theyselfpublishtheirgameunderanewname.

1974:DungeonsandDragonsreleased.Afewthousandselfpublishedbookletsinspirenumerous
wargamerstotrythisnewroleplayingthingtheyencounteragamewheretheyeachplayan
individualcharacterwhosetsouttoexploredungeonsandruins,fightingofffantasticmonstersto
acquiregreattreasureandmagicalitems.Theinfluencefrompulpsciencefictionandswordsand
sorceryisclearinGygaxsdesigns,asarehistacticalwargamingroots.Atsomepoint,Arnesondrifts
awayfromGygax:whilehecameupwithmanyoftheideas,hisinterestwaslessinrunningthe
companyanddesigningongoingsupplementsandrules.

1977:1stEditionAdvancedDungeons&Dragons(AD&D)isreleased.Aneweditionofthegame,
inspiredbybutunrelatedtotheearlierversions.Therulesincreasetenfoldfromtheearliereditions,
withtighterandmorefocusedrules,yetstayinGygaxsmold:heavymedievalsimulation,afocuson
combatandtactics,pulpinspiredfantasydungeoncrawls.Thecompanymovestowardshardback
booksastheirmarketeruptsthroughthe80s,bringingD&Dtotheforefontofgamingand
entrenchingwhatwouldbecomeahouseholdname.Thelate70sandearly80sarethegoldenyears
atTSR,whosecustomersincreasefromthehundredstothetensofthousands.TSRintroducesnew
gamessimilartoD&D:MetamorphosisAlpha,whichwasdungeoncrawlingonanabandoned
generationshipthepostapocalyptic,mutantheavyGammaWorldandBootHillswestern
gunfighting.Initswakecomesimilarroleplayinggamesfromothercompanies,themostsuccessful
ofwhichisTravellerbyGDW.

1982+:ThecompanybravesstormyweatheraspubliccontroversysurroundingD&Deruptsin1982
flakfromevangelicalChristiansandconcernedparentsdoesntdiminishthegamesgrowth,butit
doesgiveitalastingstigma.GygaxgoestoHollywood,givingD&Dabroadermarketthankstothe
Dungeons&Dragonscartoonin1983andtheintroductionofBECMIandtheiconicRedBoxstarter
setthingskeepheadingup,butthathastostopeventually.ReturningtofindTSRinfinancialdistress
afterthemarketreacheditsfullpotentialandstoppedgrowingGaryGygaxbringsinLorraine
Williamstohandlethecompany,cuttingoutGygaxsearlierspendthriftpartnersandgettingTSRback
ontrack.Gygaxendsupoutmaneuvered,lockedintoalackofafutureatthecompanyGygaxleaves
TSRin1985.Inthemeantime,Williamsbeginstoexpandthecompanyagain.Whilethecartoonends
in1985,anewmarketemerges:DragonLance,aproductlinewithtieinsbetweensetting,
adventures,andnovels.TSRbeginsgrowingagain.Hopinglightningstrikestwice,Williamspicksup
theForgottenRealmssettingin1987,anexpansiveworldcreatedbygamerEdGreenwoodwith
plentyofsourcematerialandhistorytobuildfrom,itsanaturalchoiceforfurthernoveltieins.

1989:2ndEditionAD&Disreleased.Forthemostpart,itssimilarto1stEditionandkeepsmostof
itsmechanicalconceptsintact,buthasmanyrulesclarificationsandsimplificationsdesignedto
streamlinethesystem,movingitawaysawayfromearliergames.Itsfocusismoreoncharacterand
storymanyofitsadventureshaveheavymetaplots,intensivestories,andthegamelineseesan
explosionofnewanduniquesettings.DarkSuntakesD&Dintoabarrenpostapocalypticfantasy
worldwrackedbymagicRavenloftintroducesatmosphericGothichorrorBirthrightisakingdom
creationsimulatorandexcursioninplayingnobilityAlQadiminvolvesalushArabiansetting
PlanescapetakesplaceintherealmbetweenthedifferentD&Ddimensionsandplanes,withaheavy
mid90sanarchicaesthetic.Followingthelate1eboomoftieinnovels,theTSRfictiondepartment
emergeswithanexpansiveoutput.TheproblemisclearwhenthishugeoutputfragmentstheD&D
market:someoneinterestedinPlanescapewontnecessarilybuyDragonlancenovelsorBirthright
adventures.

1992:GaryGygaxreleasesanewfantasyRPG,Mythus,throughoneofTSRscontemporaries,GDW
(GamesDesignersWorkshop,makersofsciencefictionRPGsTwilight2000andthevenerable
Traveller).TSRsuesforcopyrightinfringement,despiteGygaxsbloatedsystemhavinglittleor
nothingtodowithD&D,buttoacourtandjury,itsagameofimaginationtakingplaceinafantasy
settinghasplentyofsimilarities.Intheend,thelawsuithelpsdepletethecoffersofbothTSRand
GDW,leavingTSRabarrenhuskandtheoncemightyGDWinthegrave.Gygaxsgame,which
wasntthatgreattobeginwith,isshelved,andhemovesoncautiouslythelawsuitlefthimgunshy
toworkonotherproducts(namelyLejendaryAdventures,whichasaveryruleslightsystemis
almostthecompleteoppositeofMythus).

1997:TSR,bankruptandbroken,unabletopayitsfreelancersandartists,issavedfromoblivionby
PeterAdkisonwhenhissmallcompanyWizardsoftheCoast(WotC)buysTSR.Wizards,best
knownforitscardgameMagic:TheGathering,reinvigoratesTSRwithaneededcashflowandnew
directionthenewproductsmadeinthelate90sseetheirqualityandproductionvaluesincrease.
Wizardsbeginsmovingthegametowardsanewedition,takingplayerfeedbackintoadvisement.

D&DThatIs
2000:3rdEditionD&DisreleasedbyWotCtheirparentcompany,Hasbro,doesawaywiththeTSR
brandandmergesitundertheWizardsbanner.3rdEdunifiesrulesunderoned20systeminsteadof
havingavarietyofdifferingsubrulesithasacharacterbuildingfocusthankstonewmechanics
whichgiveplayersawealthofchoicesandoptionstochoosebetween,increasestacticalcombat
options,andaddsinatrueskillssystem.Overall,itgoesoverwellwiththegamingpublicwhile
theressomecomplaintsfromfansofearlierD&Deditions,itslostinthehooplaoftheproduct
rollout.

Probablythemostimportantelementof3eisitsOpenGameLicense(OGL),whichreleasesmostof
thecored20Systemrulestothepublicforothergamerstouse.Ontopofthisisthed20license,
allowingpublisherstotietheirproductsdirectlytotheD&Dgame.Itopensuparealmofthirdparty
support,whosecustomerswillneedtobuyWizardsrulebookstousethethirdpartyd20licenserules,
asthed20licenseprohibitsacompanyfromreprintingcertainelementslikecharactercreation.(Using
thed20licenseallowspublisherssomed20/D&Dlogoandbrandusage,whileusingtheOpenGame
Licenselimitsbrandingtieinsbutallowspublisherstocomeupwithreplacementsforcoreruleslike
charactercreation.)Thed20licenseisenvisionedasawinwinforeveryoneinvolved.

Needlesstosay,themarketexplodesstartupcompaniesemergebythedozentojumponthed20
bandwagon.Existingpublishersstartswitchingtheirawardwinningbutunderperforminggamesto
thenewsystem:PinnaclemovesDeadlandstod20,AEGintroducesLegendoftheFiveRingsand7th
Seatothed20license.EcommercesiteslikeRPGNowopenupthefieldevenmoretothirdparty
publishers,whocanusetheOGLtoproducecheapandaccessiblenewmaterial.Betweenthee
commercesites,andlaterprintondemandoneslikeLulu,offergamerseasierwaystoselfpublish
theircreations.Thed20boomyearsseeaglutofnewmaterial,morethantheaveragegamercan
affordtobuy.OneofthefirstthirdpartyearlyadaptersisNecromancerGames,whoreleasesthe
firstnonWotCadventureinearly2000thecompanysmottopromisesthirdeditionrules,first
editionfeel.Whiletheirproductsaregenerallyhighquality,theydontquitecapturethefirstedition
feelthoughtheyprovetheresamarketforit.

2002:Dragonsfootcomesonline.Previously,fansofTSReraD&Dproductshadtocommunicatevia
instorepostitboards,facetoface,oronTSRswebsite.ThelaunchofDragonsfootandsimilar
onlinemessageboardschangesthat,givingtheoldschoolcrowdaplacetoshareideasandmaterial
andpromotetheearlyD&Dstyleofplay.Forthemostpart,thefocusisonpre1983D&Dmaterial,
thoughpre2000editionsbecomemoreandmoreacceptable,asarediscussionsofnewerD&Drules.
ActualoldschoollegendsGaryGygax,TimKask,andotherexTSRemployeesstartshowingup
inforcetosharewarstories.TherootsoftheOldSchoolRevival(OSR)starttogrownowthatithasa
home(orthree)ontheinternet.

2003:d20marketcrashand3.5Edition.Afteryearsofamarketboom,Wizardsmakesmanyfixes
tothegameandrereleasesitasD&D3.5whilethechangesarerelativelyminor,itsseenasacash
grab.Moretothepoint,itsawaytopurgethed20market,bloatedwithlowqualityandquestionable
products(TheBookOfEroticFantasy),andtorevitalizeWizardsdirectionsinceitsevergreen
productsweremorelikenevergreenones,sellingpoorlycomparedtosuperiorthirdpartyproducts.
Overnight,thehugemarketofOGLproductsismadeobsoleteandcollapses,leavingmanypublishers
withoutdatedmaterialtheycantsell.

Manyofthesmallercompaniesdisappear,othersstopproducinginvolume,andthebiggestones
begintomoveawayfromD&Ddependentgames:exchangingthed20licensefortheOpenGame
Licensetomakestandalonegames:Spycraftrequired3.0D&Dbooks,Spycraft2.0cutthecordand
createditsownrulesforthingslikecharactercreationandadvancement.Manyoftheselines
Spycraft2.0,True20,FantasyCraft,Mutants&Mastermindsstarttakingthegamesysteminnew
andinterestingdirectionspartofthepointofhavinganopensourceproduct.Movingawayfrom
WizardstotheirownproprietarylicenseshowsthebeginningsoftheOGLsgreatestadditionto
gaming:gamescanusetheD&Dmechanicsasafoundationorframeworkwhichisthenheavily
customized,buttheircompaniescanproducethesegameswithoutpayinglicensesorroyalties.

Alsoin2003,asmallcompanycalledGoodmanGamesformerlyknownforitsfantasy
mechaDragonMechhodgepodgeandsimilaroddnicheproductsstartsanewadventure
line:DungeonCrawlClassics.ThegamelinetakesheavyinspirationfromtheearliestdaysofD&D,
withthetaglineRememberthegoodolddays,whenadventureswereunderground,NPCswerethere
tobekilled,andthefinaleofeverydungeonwasthedragononthe20thlevel?Again,notacomplete
hitwitholdschoolgamers,butproofthattraditionalD&Dgamestylewasagrowingmarket.

2004:Castles&Crusadesreleases.OneofthefirststandaloneOGLproductswasanotherattemptto
returntothegamesrootswhileitusesthesamegamemechanicsas3.5D&D,itdoesawaywith
newerrulesadditionsasitsimplifiesthegameandtriestorecapturetheAD&Dfeelusingstripped
downnewD&Dmechanics.SupportfromGaryGygaxhelpsthesystemappealtooldschoolgamers.

2006:OSRICandfriends.SomedisillusionmentwithbothcoreD&DandCastles&Crusadesleads
asplintergrouptocreateOSRIC:theOldSchoolReferenceandIndexCompilation.Essentially,ituses
theopengamelicensetocreateruleswhicharecompatiblewiththeearliereditionsofD&D,sothat
gamerscouldcontinuetousetheiroldadventuresandsourcebookswithoutconversion.Theresa
surprisingamountofsupportforthis,andthemarketseestherapidfirereleaseofOSRICadventures
andsupplements.

2007+:TheRetrocloneWars.FollowingonOSRICsheelsarearelativehordeofwhatcometobe
calledretroclonesgamesusingthe3.xOpenGameLicensetorecreaterulessimilartothemany
oldereditionsofD&D.AshortlistofthemostsuccessfulincludesLabyrinthLord,Swords&
Wizardry,BasicFantasy,MutantFuture,andOSRIC2ndedition.Surprisingtosomegamers,these
manyretroclonesarentstruckdownbyWizardslegaldepartmentdueinparttouseoftheOGL.

2007:TheWindsOfChangeBlow.Foryears,Wizardshadlicenseditstwo
magazines,Dragon(gamerulesandvariants)andDungeon(prepackagedadventures),toasmall
thirdpartypublisherPaizoPublishing,consistingmostlyofexWizardsemployeeswhomade
themmoreviablethankstotheirsmallerbusinessmodel.Inearly2007,Wizardsallowsitsmagazine
rightstolapse,leavingPaizointhelurchinsteadoftakingadive,Paizocameoutwithitsown
subscriptionbasedproductlinebuildingoffyearsofexperience.Pathfinder,successorto
bothDragonandDungeon,combinedbothmagazineselementstocreatealinkedseriesofadventures
withextrasupplementalmaterial.Monthslater,Wizardsannounces4thEditionD&Dthousandsof
gamers,fromtheupsettotheoutragedtothepanicked,descendontheinternet.Alargegroupheadto
PaizosforumstoaskwherethecompanyistakingitsPathfinderlineaftersomedebatePaizodecides
tobuildoffthismarket,keepingitsPathfinderbookswiththeearliereditionrules.Mostoftheother
OGLgamesSpycraft2.0,True20begintofadeaway,thoughMutants&Mastermindskeeps
workingonthesidelines.

2008:TheYearEverythingChanged.TonsofattentionfallsontoD&Dbetweenitsupcomingnew
editionandasanumberofitsearlyeraRPGluminariesbegintopassaway,particularlyGary
Gygax(2008),ErickWujcik(2008),andDaveArneson(2009).Allthisaddedattentiongetsplayers
lookingbackatD&DshistorytheupsurgeinnostalgiahelpstheOldSchoolRevivalexplodeonthe
blogosphere,sotheorizingandcreativeoutputexpandsacrosstheinternet.TheOSRisprimarilyolder
gamersthosewhogotintoD&Dfromwargamesinthe70s,orthosewhogotinduringthe
early80sboomyearsseekingtorecapturetheelementsthatmadeearlierD&Deditionsmemorable,
plusageneralizedinterestinoldschoolroleplayinggamesandseeingthegamesoriginpoint.

4thEditionreleasesitsrulesaremoreofaparadigmshiftinhowthegameanditsmechanicsoperate
comparedtoearliereditions:where3rdeditionaimedtobethebesteditionofD&D,4thaimedtobe
thebesttacticalcombatRPG.ItmovedoutsidewhatwasconsideredtraditionalcoreD&Delements,
optimizingandbalancingthesquadtacticalcombatwhiletrimmingrulescontentfansofolder
editionsperceivedvariousflaws:theemphasisonminiaturesandbattlemap,alackofroleplayingand
socialelements,mumorpugerstylepowersandaesthetic,andasameyfeelfromthebalanced
classesabilities.ThisdistanceslargesegmentsoftheD&Dfanbase,asdoesWizardsstrangeand
selfdeprecatingmarketingcampaign.

PaizodecidestousetheOGLtocreateamodified3.5edition,andafterlengthybetatestingin2007
2008,Pathfinderbecomesitsowngameinsteadofasetting.Itslargelyidenticalto3.5D&Dwitha
fewminorfixes,thoughitseesimpressivesupportfromPaizosmanysubscriptionbasedservicesand
hugeoutputofsettingmaterial.Some3.5fansseeitasPaizoattemptingtosellthembooksthey
alreadyown,othersseeitasthesamewishfulfillment/powercreepas4e,andsomegroups(like
CharacterOptimization)seeacullingofwhatinterestedthemin3.5regardless,Paizomanagesto
buildahugefanbase.LiketheearliersystemvariantsitsqueaksbyundertheOpenGameLicense,and
helpsdividetheD&Dmarket.

Forthefirsttimeinhistory,twoeditionsofthesamegamearecompetingformarketshare(3.5in
Pathfindergarbvs.4thEdition)andifyouincludetheretroclones,everyeditionofD&Disvyingfor
customersattention,eachmarketingitselftodifferentbranchesoftheD&Dfanbase.TheEdition
Warshavebegun.

2008+:RetroinspiredgameslikeMutantFutureandLamentationsoftheFlamePrincessarrive.
Whileearlierretroclonesattempttorecreatetheolderrules,theretroinspiredgamesinsteadtryto
mergetheoldschoolstylewithrulesthatarentexactreplicationsofearlierD&Deditionsinother
words,theyincludenewruledesigns.TheOSRbasegrowsandexpandsthankstothisnewoutlet,
makingitevenmoremultifacetedandbroadthanitalreadywas.

2009:Foryears,WizardshadallowedecommercesitesaccesstoselloldereditionD&Dbooksin
digital.pdfformat,butoverfearofpiracyWizardspullsitsolderD&Dsupport.Itdoesntgoover
wellwiththegrowingOSRcrowdwhodbeenusingthattoaccessclassicrulesandmodules.The
movecreatedmorepiracythanitdidawaywith,consideringpiracybecamethemainwayforgamers
toreachthatmaterial.Themoveislaterreversedandtheolder.pdfsreturntothedigitalmarketplace.
2010:WizardsreleasesD&DEssentials,alineoffixes,errata,andrulesclarificationsmeantto
streamline4thEditiongames.(Someearlyproducts,suchasthefirstMonsterManualandPlayers
Handbook,hadbeenerratadtothepointwheretheprintproductsnolongerresembledtherulestheir
digitalversionscontained.)Inanoddtwist,itbeginstofracturetheexisting4emarketplace,withtwo
editionsofD&Dtoventtime,money,andopinionat.DCAdventuresisreleased,asuperherogame
basedintheDCComicsuniverserunninganewversionofMutants&Masterminds,showinghowfar
OGLgamescandriftfromtheir3rdEditionrootswhileretainingpartsoftheirrules.

2011:Pathfindersurpasses4thEditioninsalesandostensiblymarketshare.Inpartthisisbecause
4thEdproductionhassloweddownwhilePaizoshasonlyspedupandgainedground,andinpart
becausetheEssentialslinefragmentedthe4emarketratherthanconsolidateit.Theinfluencingpart
biggerthanbothofthose,ofcourse,becomesclearinJanuary,when

2012:D&DNextisannounced:afiftheditionofthegame,designedtobringthemanyEditionWar
factionsOSR,Pathfinder,and4ebacktoonetable.Wizardstable.Clueshadcomeforawhile,
suchasthe4eteamslackofproductsandtheirinterviewsandcolumnsbeingmoreintrospectiveof
D&Dshistoryanddirection.Amassivepublicbetaisannounced,muchlikePaizodidwith
PathfinderitreleasesinMaytomixedbutsomewhatoptimisticreactions.Wizardsbeginsreprinting
olderD&Drulebooks,specificallyofAD&Dand3.5corerulebooksandadventures,intryingto
catertotheOSRandPathfindermarkets.