D&D Releases for 2000

These last weeks have been filled with the buzz of people awaiting the brand-new Dungeons and Dragons Player's Handbook. With three days to go, the anticipation is higher than ever, but we've got plenty to look forward to past August 10th. Wizards of the Coast has a plethora of releases coming up to support 3rd Edition.

In September, we will, of course, see the Dungeon Master's Guide, written by Monte Cook, author of the Dead Gods adventure and Inner Planes sourcebook for Planescape, and the epic adventure A Paladin in Hell. This 224-page book is packed to the edges with information for DM's, including old stalwarts such as magic items, rules clarification and optional rules, and new 3rd Edition much-talked-about items such as prestige classes and a chapter on converting any creature into a player character race. At the same time, the Dungeon Master's Screen will be released. This eight-panel screen will contain all sorts of useful charts, including equipment, standard saving throws and test, and more.

Also in September, we'll see the Third Edition Gazetteer by Skip Williams, author of the huge adventures Axe of the Dwarvish Lords and The Rod of Seven Parts, and the sourcebook DM's Option: High-Level Campaigns. The 32-page Gazetteer overviews the world of Oerth, the land of Greyhawk, which is the new default setting for the Third Edition Dungeons and Dragons game. This book covers the geography of Oerth, the politics and economics of the many areas and kingdoms, and highlights the personalities of Oerth.

This month begins the "Adventure Path" series of eight adventures for Third Edition that WotC delivers to take beginning Third Edition characters from 1st level through 20th. The first in the series is the 32-page The Sunless Citadel by Bruce R. Cordell, author of a multitude of adventures to include Bastion of Faith, Die Vecna Die!, and Return to the Tomb of Horrors. According to the WotC flavor text, "A once-proud fortress fell beneath the earth in an age long past. Renamed the Sunless Citadel, its broken halls are home to nefarious races and malign creatures." It sounds like these adventures will provide the Diablo-esque hack and slash that Dungeons and Dragons has long been famous for.

In October, the core line concludes with the Monster Manual by Skip Williams. This 224-page bestiary contains over 200 different creatures to test your character's meddle with. Unlike previous editions, this time the Monster Manual contains ability scores for all the monsters so they will be able to be used as player characters. In addition, the manual will include templates that can be laid on top of any monster, such as "Infernal" and "Undead" that can transform creatures into supernatural monstrosities.

In November, the "Adventure Path" continues with the 32-page The Forge of Fury by Rich Baker, author of Player's Option: Combat and Tactics, Player's Option: Spells and Magic, and the Planescape Monstrous Compendium Appendix II. In this adventure, characters will "go into the depths of an ancient Dwarven stronghold and seek a lost horde of enchanted blades crafted by a master's hand. Within these darkened halls, you will find glory and wealth worthy of song. Or perhaps only ruin."

In December, Dungeons and Dragons' brand manager Ryan Dancey presents the Hero Builder's Guidebook, co-written with Steve Schend. This tome expands upon the character creation process with 96 pages of tables, charts, and other tools to give players the widest possible range of play options available in the Third Edition D&D game.

This year promises to bring us a tremendous amount of material for the new release of Dungeons and Dragons, with 2001 slated to bring us more, including the 3rd Edition version of the Forgotten Realms.