THIRD EDITION DUNGEONS & DRAGONS(R)
Pre-Release Frequently Asked Questions
Version 1.5 / July 29, 1999
FAQ Copyright (C) 1999, Wizards of the Coast, Inc.
This document has been prepared in response to questions from the
playtesters of 3rd Edition, and questions we anticipate being
asked during the lead-up to the 3E release. This document will
be updated as often as necessary to respond to player feedback
and commentary.
Our intention prior to the release of the game is to answer some
of the "what" questions, but not the "how" or "why" questions.
There are still a lot of surprises in the 3rd Edition, and we
don't want to spoil all the fun surrounding the release.
Information about adding a question to this FAQ is included in
Section IX.
-- Ryan S. Dancey
Vice President, TSR
Wizards of the Coast, Inc.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
I: THE BASICS
II: CHARACTER QUESTIONS
III: SKILLS & POWERS
IV: COMBAT & TACTICS
V: SPELLS & MAGIC
VI: THE WORLDS OF D&D
VII: WHAT'S MISSING
VIII: MORE 3rd EDITION INFO
IX: THE LEGAL STUFF
I: THE BASICS
===============
Q: Will there be a 3rd Edition of Dungeons & Dragons?
A: Yes.
Q: When will it be released?
A: The first book, the Player's Handbook, will be
released in August of the year 2000. The Dungeon
Master's Guide will be released in September of 2000,
and the Monster Manual in October of 2000.
Also in August we will release a Conversion Guide to
help ease the transition between previous editions and
3rd Edition.
Q: How much will it cost?
A: The three core rulebooks will each have a US$20
Suggested Retail Price.
We haven't set pricing yet for the Conversion Book.
Q: $20! That's a lot less than the current books! What's
going on?
A: The three core rulebooks of D&D are printed in quantities
far beyond every other tabletop RPG product. That means
that we get an incredible economy of scale for printing
in such huge volumes.
We've worked to design the 3rd Edition books to maintain
the same presentation that you've come to expect (hard
covers, color interior art, paper quality, etc.), and
allow us to keep printing costs as low as possible. Some
of those savings are being passed along to you.
We believe in getting 3rd Edition into as many hands as
possible, as fast as possible. We think our target price
will help accomplish that objective.
Q: How many books will I need to buy to play 3rd Edition?
A: Just the Player's Handbook. The PHB will contain all
the rules necessary to play the game. Players will not
need any other book to play. DMs will need both the
DMG and the Monster Manual.
Q: What's in the DMG then?
A: The DMG will contain loads of advice, special tables and
charts for the DM to aid in adventure and campaign design,
and information on how to use the new 3rd Edition
mechanics under a lot of in-game situations.
The DMG will also have many magic items not described in
the PHB, as well as other information that is not required
for play but does add flavor or additional options. Also
the rules for special types of attacks (like level draining)
are covered in the DMG. The DMG also contains the material
related to calculating and awarding experience points.
We want the 3rd Edition DMG to echo the strengths of the 1st
Edition version - lots of really cool stuff for DMs.
Q: Is this game the same as Basic DUNGEONS & DRAGONS?
A: No. This game is the third version of the rules
formerly titled "ADVANCED" DUNGEONS & DRAGONS.
Q: Why drop the ADVANCED?
A: The game system formerly marketed as DUNGEONS &
DRAGONS (no ADVANCED) is no longer in print. So
there's nothing for 3rd Edition to be "advanced" from.
There has also been a longstanding concern that the
"Advanced" keyword was causing some people to bypass
the game it implies that purchasers should have
some level of mastery of the game.
Q: Why are you doing a new version of the game?
A: It's been ten years since 2nd-edition AD&D debuted.
During that time, both D&D and RPGs in general have
evolved significantly. We felt that it was time to
upgrade the basic mechanics to reflect ten more years
of game design advances, eliminate any contradictions,
and provide our fans with the definitive RPG as we move
into the 21st Century.
Q: Isn't this just a chance for WotC to make me pay money
for books I already own?
A: We feel that the 3rd Edition will be so sufficiently
exciting that most people will look forward to the
update, rather than feeling forced to buy new product.
Q: Isn't it in WotC's interest to make a game that is
as incompatible as possible with previous material to
force people to buy a whole new game?
A: No.
In fact, it is against WotC's best interests to make a
game so incompatible that the majority of existing
players would perceive it to be a "new game". Part of
the value of DUNGEONS & DRAGONS is related to the
number of people who know how to play the game. That
community of existing players is a valuable resource
that no other RPG in the world can draw on. We want
you to be able to take your 3rd Edition character to
your local game convention, sit down at any D&D game
being played, and be able to join right in with a
modicum of disruption.
Rendering 3rd Edition totally incompatible with the
games that the existing network of players enjoy would not
support that objective.
Q: Who designed the 3rd Edition?
A: The designers of 3rd Edition are Monte Cook, Jonathan
Tweet, and Skip Williams. The core rulebooks are being
edited by Julia Martin, Kim Mohan, Jon Pickens, John
Rateliff, and Jennifer Clarke-Wilkes. Peter Adkison,
Rich Baker, Skaff Elias, Bill Slavicsek and Ed Stark
also contributed substantially to the new rules. From
time to time, Keith Strohm, David Wise, Jim Butler,
Cindi Rice and Ryan Dancey assisted with the work. The
whole Wizards of the Cost RPG R&D group has been
involved with the design for more than two years, and
many other WotC staff members have contributed to the
effort.
Q: I've heard that WotC is run by a bunch of suits
who don't game, and products are designed by marketers
who wouldn't know an orc from a bugbear. Why should
we expect this bunch to do a good job updating the
game we love?
A: It might surprise you to learn that most of the
managers at Wizards of the Coast are long time gamers.
Peter Adkison, the CEO, published a small-press
product called "The Primal Order" long before the
first trading card game was even conceived, when Wizards of
the Coast was still run out of his basement.
In fact "the Wizards of the Coast" are an active guild
of spellcasters in Peter's long running homegrown D&D
campaign (known as Chaldea), that he has been running
since the late 1970's.
The rest of the DUNGEONS & DRAGONS team have been
playing D&D for years, and many have been working on
D&D products for more than a decade.
Far from being designed by suits with no gaming
experience, 3rd Edition is being created by a team of
people who love playing DUNGEONS & DRAGONS so much
they've made a career out of working on the game!
Q: Did you playtest this game?
A: Extensively.
More than 1,000 people participated in the external
playtest over more than a year and a half of time.
Playtesters included those new to D&D as well as those
who have been playing the game since its inception.
Q: Where did these playtesters come from?
A: Many were drawn from the ranks of the RPGA. Having a
chance to playtest new D&D materials is one of the many
perks of RPGA membership.
Q: Will 3rd Edition make all my 2nd Edition books
obsolete?
A: There is no hard and fast answer to that question.
Much of the 2nd Edition material is "source". In
other words, it presents characters, places,
adventures, histories, etc. as informational content
without reference to specific game mechanics. All of
that material, obviously, will remain usable with the
3rd Edition.
Other types of products will be less usable - either
because they have been superseded by 3rd Edition
rules, or because they represent game systems we do
not intend to support further.
Finally, there will be a lot of material that is
fairly easy to convert between the two systems, and
presupposing that you're willing to do a little bit of
work, you should be able to continue to use those
products with the 3rd Edition without substantial
disruption.
Q: Great. Now I have to go out and spend thousands of
dollars to upgrade or replace my 2nd Edition library.
How fair is that?
A: If you have an extensive TSR library, chances are
most of it is campaign source material. Although some
adjustments (such as character stats) may be necessary,
most of that material remains as valuable as ever.
The good news is we don't plan to replace your library
with another one of equal size. One very important lesson
Wizards of the Coast learned from TSR: Don't saturate the
market. We don't expect to produce nearly the same number
of different items for 3rd Edition as we did for 2nd. We'd
like to see the number of basic rulebooks kept to a small
number, and we want to keep the number of books that players
will use equally manageable.
Q: Will you continue to produce new 2nd Edition books
once 3rd Edition is released?
A: No.
Starting in August of the year 2000, all new D&D
products will be 3rd Edition products, including
the material for the D&D worlds.
Q: So you're going to blow up the worlds again like
the Time of Troubles did in the FORGOTTEN REALMS
when 2nd Edition came out?
A: No.
There are a few products on the 2000 schedule that
are designed for DMs who want to wind down a 2nd
edition campaign in preparation for starting a
3rd edition one, but they are not setting-specific
and continuity in the various Worlds will not
be excessively effected by the change in systems.
Q: Will you continue to print and make available for sale
any 2nd Edition products?
A: Yes.
There are a substantial number of existing products that
will continue to be available for some time after
the 3rd Edition is released. These include (but are
not limited to), the PHBR Complete Handbooks, the
Magic Encyclopedia, the Priest and Wizard Spell
Compendia, and the basic materials for the D&D worlds.
Over time, some of these items may be replaced by new
3rd Edition products, and when that happens, the 2nd
Edition version will go out of print.
(Back to the Table of Contents)
II: CHARACTER QUESTIONS
========================
Q: Do characters still have six basic stats?
A: Yes.
Characters are defined essentially the same way they
always have been. The six basic stats, and what they
mean, are unchanged. No stats have been added. The
normal Human range for these stats is 3-18. Player
Character stats will tend to be slightly higher than
average.
Q: Do you still roll dice to determine your stats?
A: Yes, although we have standardized the mechanic for
generating the six basic Abilities.
First, you roll 4d6, and keep the best three dice, and
second, you create six totals, then assign them to the
six Abilities as you wish.
Q: Does the game still have Classes and Levels?
A: Yes.
Characters still have a class, and a level. Some
characters will have more than one class. 3rd Edition is
designed to handle PCs from 1st to 20th level.
Q: What happens after 20th level?
A: Really high level characters (and campaigns) will be
addressed in a future book.
Q: Are there demihuman level limits?
A: No.
Any character can rise to any level in any class,
regardless of race. Any character can be any class,
regardless of race.
Q: Does 3rd Edition support multiclassed or dualclassed
characters?
A: Yes.
We've worked to increase the flexibility and balance
of the multiclass system. Most class and race
combinations are possible. There will be Gnome Paladin
Wizard characters.
Q: What about alignment?
A: We've tried to do a better job of explaining how to
use it and what its effects in the game are. In the
DMG, a discussion is presented about how to use a few
different alignment options that are less strict than
the classic alignment graph.
(Back to the Table of Contents)
III: SKILLS & POWERS
=====================
Q: What about Weapon/Non Weapon Proficiencies?
A: W/NWP's have been totally replaced by a fully
integrated Skill System. The Skill System uses a
standard resolution mechanic.
Q: What is a standard resolution mechanic?
A: In 3rd Edition, die rolls to determine successes are
used the same way for making a Saving Throw, hitting
an opponent in combat, or using a Skill. In each
case, the player makes a d20 roll, where higher is
always better. Depending on the type of the roll and
the situation, the die will have various modifiers
added to, or subtracted from it. The final value of
the modified roll is compared to a target number
(called a "Difficulty Class", abbreviated to "DC"),
and if the roll is equal to or greater than the DC,
the roll was successful.
Q: How do the Thief abilities work?
A: They've been converted to the standard skill system.
Q: Can any character have any skill?
A: No.
There are many skills that are available only to
certain classes, or only to characters of certain
levels in certain classes.
However, most skills are available to most classes.
Skills not commonly associated with a given class
are harder for characters of that class to learn.
Our objective was to reinforce the class stereotypes
for players that need or want an easy path of
character development, but also allow players who
demand more flexibility to create a character to
express their creativity.
Q: What if nobody in the party has the right skill for a
given situation?
A: The rules for skill use anticipate the need to use
some of the skills without being trained in their use.
Q: If you're not going to use W/NWPs, how can I convert
my existing 2nd Edition character?
A: That is an excellent question.
There are many direct matches between Non-Weapon
Proficiencies and the new Skills. For many obscure
NWPs, it will not be difficult for you and your DM
to agree on a house rule.
The "kit system" will also be handled in a similar fashion.
The conversion book will touch extensively on both of
these topics.
Q: What is more important: My character's class or my
character's Skills?
A: In most cases, the character's class will be more
important. The Skill system is designed to allow you
to round out the basic skeleton provided by class and
race. So much of the game relies on the classes,
however, that they will always be the pre-eminent
defining aspect of your character.
(Back to the Table of Contents)
IV: COMBAT & TACTICS
=====================
Q: How does combat work?
A: Just like it always has. You roll a d20, add a bunch
of modifiers for things like Strength, magic bonuses,
etc. If your modified roll is equal to or greater
than the Armor Class of the target, you hit.
Q: Wait a minute. Armor Class goes >up<?
A: Yes.
Armor works exactly like it always has, except instead
of starting at AC10 and going down, it starts at AC10
and goes up. A character with an AC-2 in 2nd Edition
would have an AC22 in 3rd Edition.
Q: So - no more THAC0?
A: Right. You don't need to do any calculation on your
to-hit roll. You just figure out the total of the die
roll plus modifiers, and that's the AC you hit.
Q: So the DC of a to-hit roll is the AC of the target?
[grin]
A: That's exactly right!
Q: How does damage work?
A: Damage works just like it always has. Each weapon
delivers a specific range of damage.
Q: What about critical hits?
A: There are critical hits in 3rd Edition.
Q: How long is a 3rd Edition combat round?
A: Six seconds.
Q: How is initiative handled?
A: 3rd Edition initiative is not rolled from round to
round. Instead, at the beginning of combat, each
participant rolls for initiative, and that's the order
they take actions in throughout the conflict. We've
also adopted one of the most popular house rules: a
character's DEX will affect their initiative roll!
There are also standard actions a character can take
to move "up" or "down" the initiative order for tactical
advantage.
This is one of the areas of the rules that will cause
a lot of controversy. We've tested a whole lot of
options, and cyclic initiative has proven to be
the best of the lot.
Some playtesters prefer to roll every round; others
love the streamlined, roll-once system. You owe it to
yourself to try the faster system, but it's up to you
which way you play
Q: Nobody in my group will ever use this silly new
initiative system. What about those of us who
Want to roll for initiative each round?
A: The DMG will contain a fairly detailed discussion
of initiative, including some suggestions for how
to use a roll-each-round initiative system.
We honestly hope that most gamers will give the new
system a whirl and see how it really works in play.
given a fair shake, we think a lot of you will like
it.
Q: What about weapon speed factors?
A: Since a D&D combat round is an abstraction of a
variety of feints, attacks, parries, etc. there
is no correlation between the size or weight of a
weapon and how soon in the initiative order that
weapon should score a hit that inflicts damage.
Weapon speed factors have been removed from the
game in 3rd Edition.
Q: Do characters get multiple attacks?
A: Yes they do. Multiple attacks are a function of
Level and Skills. And in 3rd Edition, every class
eventually gets multiple attacks - not just
fighters!
Q: Are there still "fractional attacks", like 2 attacks
per 3 rounds?
A: No. When your character earns an additional attack,
they may take it every round.
Q: How about Saving Throws?
A: The basic concept of the Saving Throw has been
retained. Sometimes, your character has a chance to
avoid or reduce a severe negative outcome via a die
roll.
In order to make a successful save, you roll a d20.
Higher is always better. There will probably be
modifiers to the die roll based on your character's
stats, class, level and the situation. The DM will
know what the DC of the Save is, and if your modified
roll is equal to or greater than the DC, you make the
Save!
Q: What about hit points?
A: The hit point system is essentially unchanged. There
have been some modifications to the rules dealing with
character death. The "optional rule" of hovering on
death's door when your HP total is reduced below 1 has
become a standard part of the system. There are also
rules for handling unconsciousness, trauma and shock.
The rules also handle non-lethal subdual damage as
well.
Q: Hit points and armor class are so silly. Why didn't
you use a more realistic combat system?
A: For three reasons. First, we want the game to remain
strongly compatible with previous versions. Second,
we want a combat system that is fast and exciting.
Third, feedback from our customers overwhelmingly
supported leaving hit points and armor class
unchanged.
Q: But I want more realism! Plate armor doesn't make you
harder to hit!
A: First, understand that it will be far easier for you
to use a house rule for more realistic combat and
convert 3rd Edition to those rules than it would be to
put a hyper-realistic combat system in 3rd Edition and
ask the millions of gamers who don't want it to try
and convert back to the classic system.
Second, please realize that Armor Class has >never<
represented how hard it is to score a hit. AC has
always been an abstraction of how hard it is to score
a hit that >inflicts damage<. Heavy armor makes it
harder to inflict damage than light armor. All the
variables that go into an AC calculation (DEX bonus,
armor, magic effects, combat modifiers, etc.) all
eventually produce a single value that represents how
hard it will be for an opponent to hurt you, not hit
you. That's a subtle distinction, but an important
one.
Q: What about attacks that armor wouldn't block?
A: 3rd Edition has a standard rule for attacks that ignore
armor. For these types of attacks, plate armor doesn't
help at all!
(Back to the Table of Contents)
V: SPELLS & MAGIC
==================
Q: Do spells still work the same way?
A: Yes.
We kept the existing classic spell system, which
requires most spellcasters to memorize the spells they
want to cast, and lose the ability to cast a given
spell once it is cast (the so called "fire and forget"
system).
Q: Level for level, do 3rd Edition characters cast more
spells than their predecessors?
A: Overall, yes. Wizards, for example, now get bonus spells
for high Intelligence scores. Spellcasters can also prepare
basic spells (such as detect magic) without taking up a
1st-level slot.
Q: Are there separate spell lists for the
spellcasting classes?
A: Yes, but spells are presented differently than in
previous editions of the game.
In 3rd Edition, there is one unified spell chapter.
Each spell indicates what classes can cast it, and
at what level. A spell such as "Light" that can be
cast both by Wizards and by Priests appears in the
spell list once, and it works the same way for both
types of spellcasters. However, when cast by a Wizard,
the spell is considered an "arcane spell", and when
cast by a Priest, it is considered a "divine spell".
There are spells in the list that can only be cast by
one type of spellcaster, but they are the exception
rather than the rule.
There will be a "reverse index" so each class can
quickly reference what spells they can cast and at
what level.
Q: How is magic resistance handled?
A: Each spell (and spell like effect) in the game
contains a description of how it is affected by magic
resistance. This should remove substantially all the
confusion over how to adjudicate the effects of Magic
Resistance.
Also, in a return to a 1st Edition rule, the higher the
level of the spellcaster, the easier it will be for that
caster to affect creatures with magic resistance!
Q: How are illusions handled?
A: The 3rd Edition system takes special pains to codify
the type, nature, and effects of various illusions.
Under 3rd Edition, the DM and the players should have
no problem figuring out how illusions affect
characters and are perceived by opponents.
(Back to the Table of Contents)
VI: THE WORLDS OF D&D
======================
Q: Will there still be campaign settings?
A: Yes.
Q: Which settings will you continue to support with
published products?
A: The FORGOTTEN REALMS setting will continue to be
developed much as it has been for the past ten years.
DRAGONLANCE will continue to be primarily supported by
the novels and products linked to the novels.
GREYHAWK will again be recognized as the default D&D
setting.
In the short term, there will be no other published
products for the other D&D worlds. Some material for
the older worlds will appear from time to time in
DRAGON and on the D&D web site.
In the long term, new settings will be added or older
settings revived when the number of people playing D&D
has again grown large enough to accommodate them.
Q: What will happen to the FORGOTTEN REALMS?
A: The Realms is going to embrace the fact that it has
been so extensively developed, making that a feature
rather than a drawback.
A CD-ROM product featuring most of the out of print
material published for the Realms will be released in
either 2000 or 2001, depending on how fast the material can
be scanned and prepared for distribution. That product
will become the cornerstone of the setting, allowing future
designers to reference even the most obscure part of
Realmslore safe in the knowledge that locating more
detailed information is only a mouseclick away for the
DM.
The second part of this strategy is the creation of a
new hardback book that will be the standard reference
for the Realms under 3rd Edition. This hardback will
replace the current 2nd Edition FORGOTTEN REALMS boxed
set. We expect to release this book in 2001.
Q: What do you mean when you say the DRAGONLANCE products
will be linked to the novels?
A: Currently, our plans for DRAGONLANCE gaming products
are not finalized. We may do a hardback book like the
one planned for the Realms sometime after 2001. The
new DRAGONLANCE trilogy (The "War of Souls") starts in
2000, and the third book will be released in 2002. We
think the best strategy for gaming product is to work
closely with the evolving War of Souls trilogy. As
the DRAGONLANCE plan evolves, we'll continue to update
everyone as to what we're working on in terms of RPG
products.
Q: What does it mean for GREYHAWK to be the "default" D&D
setting?
A: Starting with the 1st Edition AD&D Player's Handbook,
the GREYHAWK world has been inextricably connected
with the DUNGEONS & DRAGONS game.
Even in those earliest days, the proper names
associated with many spells, such as Bigby, Tenser,
and Mordenkanien were all major NPCs in GREYHAWK. The
names of certain artifacts and magic items are
similarly connected with GREYHAWK, featuring the names
of powerful NPCs like Keoghtom, Kwalish, and Murlynd.
The basic monster lists for D&D were based on the
creatures of Oerth as featured in the GREYHAWK
adventures Dungeon Mastered by the game's co-creator
Gary Gygax.
With 3rd Edition, we are embracing that historical
connection. GREYHAWK could be defined as "the world
you adventure in when all you use is the PHB and DMG,
unless your DM tells you otherwise."
We're going to keep development of GREYHAWK materials
to a minimum. GREYHAWK is for the DM to explore,
create and define, not WotC. Those who want to share
their ideas with other players and DMs will find a
wealth of connections in the RPGA Network's planned
"Living Campaign" which will be set in GREYHAWK.
When we publish an adventure product or sourcebook
that does not carry a campaign setting logo, that
product will use GREYHAWK references as the standard,
and it will assume a basic level of GREYHAWK
information. That information will all be included
with the PHG and DMG - you won't be required to
purchase a GREYHAWK world book in order to understand
the context of that information.
That said, it will still be easy to convert anything
produced for core DUNGEONS & DRAGONS for use in any of
the basic fantasy worlds TSR has previously published,
or to homegrown campaign worlds created by DMs for
their own use.
Q: What about PLANESCAPE?
A: Unlike previous editions of DUNGEONS & DRAGONS, 3rd
Edition has no specifically defined cosmology. The
PLANESCAPE setting will become one of many possible
options for how the universe works.
Q: What about RAVENLOFT?
A: The concept of gothic horror (and other types of
horror) role playing has been with the DUNGEONS &
DRAGONS game since the publication of the original
RAVENLOFT adventure in the mid 1980's. We will
continue to produce products designed to support
horror-based campaigns, but they will be designed to
support that type of play without requiring the use of
the RAVENLOFT source material.
(Back to the Table of Contents)
VII: WHAT'S MISSING
====================
Q: Will 3rd Edition support Psionics?
A: Not in the PHB.
What we intend to do for 3rd Edition is release a
stand alone Psionics book in 2001 that will provide a
complete system for integrating psionic powers into
the core rules. That integration will include the
interaction between magic and Psionics, how to use
psionic monsters, how to deal with the effects of
clairvoyance, telepathy, teleportation, and other
powers that circumvent the normal physical limitations
of the game.
That product will be referenced by any subsequent
material produced for 3rd Edition that uses Psionics.
Such products will be fairly rare.
This strategy will allow players and DMs who want to
allow Psionics into the game to do so in a controlled
and consistent fashion, and for those who do not wish
to deviate from the standard fantasy archetypes to
ignore Psionics entirely.
This product will contain rules for psionic PCs, an
extensive list of psionic monsters, psionic empowered
items, spells that affect Psionics, and everything
else needed to use the powers of the mind effectively.
There will be a very brief treatment of Psionics in
the Dungeon Master's Guide, primarily to support the
use of psionic-enabled monsters like Mind Flayers,
Intellect Devourers and Yuan-Ti. Those monsters will
be extensively developed in the Psionics book, but
will appear in a simplified form in the 3rd Edition
Monster Manual.
Q: What happened to the Planes?
A: We decided that each DM should have the option to
create a cosmology to suit their individual tastes.
In 2001, we will release a new hardback Manual of the
Planes book. Instead of being a catalog of the
planes, the new Manual of the Planes will present
rules and techniques for DMs to create custom
cosmologies. It will also support the spells, items,
and monsters one is likely to encounter during planar
travel. We currently plan to revisit the classic
planar structure as an example in this product. We
may also cover the DRAGONLANCE cosmology, and perhaps
the DARK SUN cosmology as well.
The 3rd Edition PHB and DMG will contain a few
references to the planes. Planar travel will be
possible with the spells and items in the PHB, to a
limited degree. Those basic building blocks are
provided with an eye towards short episodes set on
planes other than the Prime Material, with the
anticipation that those DMs interested in a much more
detailed planar campaign will use the new Manual of
the Planes material in that effort.
Q: I've heard from some of the playtesters that 3rd
Edition requires miniatures - is that true?
A: No.
For a substantial portion of the playtest period, the
3rd Edition manuscript included a fairly detailed
combat system that encouraged the use of miniatures
for determining facing and relative positioning.
Those aspects have been somewhat toned down in the
final manuscript. 3rd Edition will still support
miniatures use far better than any previous version of
D&D, but by no means are miniatures required to use
the rules.
The current set of rules is complete enough to support
battles at the "skirmish level" - that is, conflicts
where the number of opponents is limited to no more
than few dozen.
For battles larger than that, a dedicated wargaming
system is going to be helpful. There are plans to
develop such a system, compatible with 3rd Edition
DUNGEONS & DRAGONS at some point in the future. As
more details are finalized, they will be made public.
Q: What about the Player's Option books?
A: They will no longer be supported after the release of
3rd Edition.
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VIII: MORE 3rd EDITION INFO
============================
Q: Where do I look for official 3rd Edition information?
A: There are two official sources for 3rd Edition updates.
www.wizards.com/3rdedition will be your primary on-line
reference. It will feature news, special announcements,
lots of interaction with the 3rd Edition team, etc.
DRAGON magazine will be your primary in-print source
For news and updated information. There will be some
3rd Edition content in DRAGON monthly up to the release
next August.
(Back to the Table of Contents)
IX: LEGAL STUFF
=================
To learn more about Wizards of the Coast and DUNGEONS & DRAGONS
in general, link your browser to www.wizards.com
Requests to add a FAQ, other questions, comments or general
feedback about this FAQ can be sent to dancey@wizards.com
Surface mail can be sent to the D&D Brand Team care of Wizards
of the Coast, PO Box 707, Redmond, WA 98057-0707.
This FAQ may be distributed freely, provided that it is not
altered, all copyright and trademark information is left
unchanged, and this section is included.
DUNGEONS & DRAGONS, ADVANCED DUNGEONS & DRAGONS, D&D, AD&D,
DUNGEON MASTER, FORGOTTEN REALMS, GREYHAWK, DRAGONLANCE,
PLANESCAPE, RAVENLOFT, DARK SUN and all related marks are
Trademarks, Registered Trademarks, or Copyrights owned by
Wizards of the Coast, Inc. All rights reserved.
(Back to the Table of Contents)
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ADVANCED DUNGEONS & DRAGONS, AD&D, GREYHAWK, WORLD OF GREYHAWK
and RPGA are registered trademarks of TSR, Inc. DUNGEON MASTER, MONSTROUS
COMPENDIUM and BATTLESYSTEM are trademarks of TSR, Inc. All TSR characters,
character names, and the distinctive likenesses thereof are trademarks owned by
TSR, Inc. TSR, Inc. is a subsidiary of Wizards of the Coast, Inc. This web site
is not authorized or endorsed by TSR, Inc. Use of the name of any product
without mention of trademark status should not be taken as a challenge to such
status.
