The AD&D Game Line

Quite a few books and other products are published for the AD&D game. As a player, you need only one of them -- this book. Every player and DM should have a copy of the Player's Handbook. Everything else is either optional or intended for the Dungeon Master.

The Dungeon Master Guide is essential for the DM and it is for the DM only. Players who are not themselves DMs have no cause to read the DMG.

The Monstrous Manual supplement is also essential to the DM. It includes the most commonly encountered monsters, mythical beasts, and legendary creatures. Additional supplements, called Monstrous Compendium® Annuals, are available for specific AD&D product lines, such as the Ravenloft® and Forgotten Realms® campaign settings. These supplements expand the variety of monsters available and are highly recommended for DMs who play in those settings.

Expanded character class books--The Complete Fighter, The Complete Thief, etc.--provide a lot more detail on these character classes than does the Player's Handbook. These books are entirely optional. They are for those players who really want a world of choice for their characters.

Adventure modules contain complete game adventures. These are especially useful for DMs who aren't sure how to create their own adventures and for DMs who need an adventure quickly and don't have time to write one of their own.

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