by Bill Slavicsek and Richard Baker Foreword by Mike Mearls Lead Game Developer for the DUNGEONS & DRAGONS game Dungeons & Dragons ® 4th Edition FOR DUMmIES ‰ 01_292907 ffirs.qxp 6/9/08 2:49 PM Page iii Dungeons & Dragons ® 4th Edition For Dummies ® Published by Wiley Publishing, Inc. 111 River Street Hoboken, NJ 07030-5774 www.wiley.com Copyright © 2008 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Indianapolis, Indiana Published by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Indianapolis, Indiana Published simultaneously in Canada No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, scanning or otherwise, except as permitted under Sections 107 or 108 of the 1976 United States Copyright Act, without either the prior written permis- sion of the Publisher, or authorization through payment of the appropriate per-copy fee to the Copyright Clearance Center, 222 Rosewood Drive, Danvers, MA 01923, (978) 750-8400, fax (978) 646-8600. Requests to the Publisher for permission should be addressed to the Legal Department, Wiley Publishing, Inc., 10475 Crosspoint Blvd., Indianapolis, IN 46256, (317) 572-3447, fax (317) 572-4355, or online at http://www. wiley.com/go/permissions. Trademarks: Wiley, the Wiley Publishing logo, For Dummies, the Dummies Man logo, A Reference for the Rest of Us!, The Dummies Way, Dummies Daily, The Fun and Easy Way, Dummies.com, and related trade dress are trademarks or registered trademarks of John Wiley & Sons, Inc. and/or its affiliates in the United States and other countries, and may not be used without written permission. Dungeons & Dragons is a registered trademark of Wizards of the Coast, Inc. All other trademarks are the property of their respec- tive owners. Wiley Publishing, Inc., is not associated with any product or vendor mentioned in this book. LIMIT OF LIABILITY/DISCLAIMER OF W ARRANTY: THE PUBLISHER AND THE AUTHOR MAKE NO REP- RESENTATIONS OR WARRANTIES WITH RESPECT TO THE ACCURACY OR COMPLETENESS OF THE CONTENTS OF THIS WORK AND SPECIFICALLY DISCLAIM ALL WARRANTIES, INCLUDING WITHOUT LIMITATION WARRANTIES OF FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. NO WARRANTY MAY BE CRE- ATED OR EXTENDED BY SALES OR PROMOTIONAL MATERIALS. THE ADVICE AND STRATEGIES CON- TAINED HEREIN MAY NOT BE SUITABLE FOR EVERY SITUATION. THIS WORK IS SOLD WITH THE UNDERSTANDING THAT THE PUBLISHER IS NOT ENGAGED IN RENDERING LEGAL, ACCOUNTING, OR OTHER PROFESSIONAL SERVICES. IF PROFESSIONAL ASSISTANCE IS REQUIRED, THE SERVICES OF A COMPETENT PROFESSIONAL PERSON SHOULD BE SOUGHT. NEITHER THE PUBLISHER NOR THE AUTHOR SHALL BE LIABLE FOR DAMAGES ARISING HEREFROM. THE FACT THAT AN ORGANIZATION OR WEBSITE IS REFERRED TO IN THIS WORK AS A CITATION AND/OR A POTENTIAL SOURCE OF FUR- THER INFORMATION DOES NOT MEAN THAT THE AUTHOR OR THE PUBLISHER ENDORSES THE INFORMATION THE ORGANIZATION OR WEBSITE MAY PROVIDE OR RECOMMENDATIONS IT MAY MAKE. FURTHER, READERS SHOULD BE AWARE THAT INTERNET WEBSITES LISTED IN THIS WORK MAY HAVE CHANGED OR DISAPPEARED BETWEEN WHEN THIS WORK WAS WRITTEN AND WHEN IT IS READ. FULFILLMENT OF EACH COUPON OFFER IS THE SOLE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE OFFEROR. For general information on our other products and services, please contact our Customer Care Department within the U.S. at 800-762-2974, outside the U.S. at 317-572-3993, or fax 317-572-4002. For technical support, please visit www.wiley.com/techsupport. Wiley also publishes its books in a variety of electronic formats. Some content that appears in print may not be available in electronic books. Library of Congress Control Number: ISBN: 978-0-470-29290-7 Manufactured in the United States of America 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 01_292907 ffirs.qxp 6/9/08 2:49 PM Page iv Dungeons & Dragons ® 4th Edition FOR DUMmIES ‰ 01_292907 ffirs.qxp 6/9/08 2:49 PM Page i 01_292907 ffirs.qxp 6/9/08 2:49 PM Page ii by Bill Slavicsek and Richard Baker Foreword by Mike Mearls Lead Game Developer for the DUNGEONS & DRAGONS game Dungeons & Dragons ® 4th Edition FOR DUMmIES ‰ 01_292907 ffirs.qxp 6/9/08 2:49 PM Page iii Dungeons & Dragons ® 4th Edition For Dummies ® Published by Wiley Publishing, Inc. 111 River Street Hoboken, NJ 07030-5774 www.wiley.com Copyright © 2008 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Indianapolis, Indiana Published by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Indianapolis, Indiana Published simultaneously in Canada No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, scanning or otherwise, except as permitted under Sections 107 or 108 of the 1976 United States Copyright Act, without either the prior written permis- sion of the Publisher, or authorization through payment of the appropriate per-copy fee to the Copyright Clearance Center, 222 Rosewood Drive, Danvers, MA 01923, (978) 750-8400, fax (978) 646-8600. Requests to the Publisher for permission should be addressed to the Legal Department, Wiley Publishing, Inc., 10475 Crosspoint Blvd., Indianapolis, IN 46256, (317) 572-3447, fax (317) 572-4355, or online at http://www. wiley.com/go/permissions. Trademarks: Wiley, the Wiley Publishing logo, For Dummies, the Dummies Man logo, A Reference for the Rest of Us!, The Dummies Way, Dummies Daily, The Fun and Easy Way, Dummies.com, and related trade dress are trademarks or registered trademarks of John Wiley & Sons, Inc. and/or its affiliates in the United States and other countries, and may not be used without written permission. Dungeons & Dragons is a registered trademark of Wizards of the Coast, Inc. All other trademarks are the property of their respec- tive owners. Wiley Publishing, Inc., is not associated with any product or vendor mentioned in this book. LIMIT OF LIABILITY/DISCLAIMER OF W ARRANTY: THE PUBLISHER AND THE AUTHOR MAKE NO REP- RESENTATIONS OR WARRANTIES WITH RESPECT TO THE ACCURACY OR COMPLETENESS OF THE CONTENTS OF THIS WORK AND SPECIFICALLY DISCLAIM ALL WARRANTIES, INCLUDING WITHOUT LIMITATION WARRANTIES OF FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. NO WARRANTY MAY BE CRE- ATED OR EXTENDED BY SALES OR PROMOTIONAL MATERIALS. THE ADVICE AND STRATEGIES CON- TAINED HEREIN MAY NOT BE SUITABLE FOR EVERY SITUATION. THIS WORK IS SOLD WITH THE UNDERSTANDING THAT THE PUBLISHER IS NOT ENGAGED IN RENDERING LEGAL, ACCOUNTING, OR OTHER PROFESSIONAL SERVICES. IF PROFESSIONAL ASSISTANCE IS REQUIRED, THE SERVICES OF A COMPETENT PROFESSIONAL PERSON SHOULD BE SOUGHT. NEITHER THE PUBLISHER NOR THE AUTHOR SHALL BE LIABLE FOR DAMAGES ARISING HEREFROM. THE FACT THAT AN ORGANIZATION OR WEBSITE IS REFERRED TO IN THIS WORK AS A CITATION AND/OR A POTENTIAL SOURCE OF FUR- THER INFORMATION DOES NOT MEAN THAT THE AUTHOR OR THE PUBLISHER ENDORSES THE INFORMATION THE ORGANIZATION OR WEBSITE MAY PROVIDE OR RECOMMENDATIONS IT MAY MAKE. FURTHER, READERS SHOULD BE AWARE THAT INTERNET WEBSITES LISTED IN THIS WORK MAY HAVE CHANGED OR DISAPPEARED BETWEEN WHEN THIS WORK WAS WRITTEN AND WHEN IT IS READ. FULFILLMENT OF EACH COUPON OFFER IS THE SOLE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE OFFEROR. For general information on our other products and services, please contact our Customer Care Department within the U.S. at 800-762-2974, outside the U.S. at 317-572-3993, or fax 317-572-4002. For technical support, please visit www.wiley.com/techsupport. Wiley also publishes its books in a variety of electronic formats. Some content that appears in print may not be available in electronic books. Library of Congress Control Number: ISBN: 978-0-470-29290-7 Manufactured in the United States of America 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 01_292907 ffirs.qxp 6/9/08 2:49 PM Page iv About the Authors Bill Slavicsek began playing the DUNGEONS & DRAGONS roleplaying game with his friends during his formative teenage years in New York City. This was in 1977, the same year that Star Wars and Terry Brooks’s The Sword of Shannara debuted. This trilogy of epic fantasy combined with comic books and horror novels to forever influence Bill’s outlook on life and entertainment. In 1986, Bill’s hobby became his career when he joined the staff of West End Games. There, as an editor and game designer, Bill worked on a number of board games and roleplaying games, including Ghostbusters, Paranoia, Star Wars: The Roleplaying Game, and Torg: Roleplaying the Possibility Wars. Later, Bill went on to use his vast knowledge of the Star Wars films and associated extensions to write two editions of A Guide to the Star Wars Universe for Lucasfilm, Ltd. (published by Del Rey Books). 1n 1993, Bill joined the staff of TSR, Inc., then publishers of the D UNGEONS & D RAGONS game lines, as a game designer and editor. His design credits for the company include the Alternity Science Fiction Game (which he co-designed with Richard Baker), the d20 Modern Roleplaying Game, the d20 Star Wars Roleplaying Game, the Star Wars Miniatures Game, Urban Arcana, Council of Wyrms, and the E BERRON Campaign Setting. Since 1997, Bill has been the R&D Director for Roleplaying Games, Book Publishing, and D&D Games for Wizards of the Coast, Inc., the company that now publishes all D UNGEONS & DRAGONS novels and game products. He oversaw the creation of the d20 Roleplaying Game System and the newest edition of the D UNGEONS & DRAGONS game. Bill leads a talented staff of game designers, developers, and editors who produce award-winning game products for D UNGEONS & DRAGONS and other d20 System game lines, including roleplaying game supplements and accessories, adventures and campaign books, and prepainted plastic miniatures. He lives with his wife Michele, their cat Pooh, and more comics, toys, and books than he knows what to do with — and that’s okay by him. Richard Baker is an award-winning game designer and a best-selling author. He’s worked on the D UNGEONS & DRAGONS game lines since 1991. Rich traces his D&D experience back to 1979, when he began playing the D UNGEONS & DRAGONS game as a 7th-grader. He spent a significant amount of his high school and college years playing D&D at every opportunity, and after serving as a sur- face warfare officer in the United States Navy, Rich decided to take a shot at working on the game he grew up playing — and so he joined the staff of TSR, Inc. and became a game designer. Rich’s list of D&D design credits numbers over 60 game products, including the Origins Award–winning Birthright Campaign Setting, the Alternity Science Fiction Roleplaying Game (which he co-designed with Bill Slavicsek), and the 01_292907 ffirs.qxp 6/9/08 2:49 PM Page v 3rd Edition DUNGEONS & DRAGONS game. He has also served as creative director for the Alternity and F ORGOTTEN REALMS game lines. As an author, Rich has published ten fantasy and science fiction novels, including Swordmage, the Last Mythal trilogy, and the New York Times bestseller Condemnation. Rich is currently employed as a senior game designer at Wizards of the Coast, Inc. and works every day on new products for the D UNGEONS & DRAGONS game. He married his college sweetheart Kim in 1991; they have two daughters, Alex and Hannah. When he’s not writing (a rare occurrence), Rich likes to hike in the Cascades, play wargames, and root for the Philadelphia Phillies — because somebody has to. Dedication Bill Slavicsek: To everyone who ever imagined an amazing adventure, I offer this key to D&D. When I first found the game, it helped focus and expand my imagination and creativity. And it was a lot of fun. Today, I still have fun play- ing the game, and my gaming group meets every Thursday evening to brave whatever new challenges I dream up for them. I hope you’ll find the same outlet for imagination and fun as I’ve enjoyed for more than 30 years. Richard Baker: To Kim, Alex, and Hannah for being patient with me through nigh-constant work in evenings and on weekends for many months now. I promise that I’m going to take my computer for a drive deep into the woods sometime soon and leave it there so it can’t ever find its way home again. Author’s Acknowledgments Bill Slavicsek: The newest edition of the DUNGEONS & DRAGONS game owes its existence to a lot of talented people. The work that Rich and I have done on this For Dummies book would not have been possible if not for the original effort of a formidable team of creatives and business people. Thank you to my creative team on the massive redesign project, which included Rob Heinsoo, Andy Collins, James Wyatt, Mike Mearls, Chris Perkins, Kim Mohan, Michele Carter, and Jeremy Crawford. Also thank you to the brand team, who help bring D&D products to market, which includes Liz Schuh, Scott Rouse, Kieren Chase, Sarah Girard, Linae Foster, and Martin Durham. I have to also acknowledge the efforts of the rest of my game design staff. This amazing collection of designers, developers, and editors work every day to push the envelope and expand the horizons of our products, and as much as 01_292907 ffirs.qxp 6/9/08 2:49 PM Page vi I lead them, they influence the way I think about and approach game design and D&D. Every part of this For Dummies book owes at least a little to the ideas and work of Richard Baker, Greg Bilsland, Logan Bonner, Bart Carrol, Bruce Cordell, Peter Lee, Stephen Radney-MacFarland, Julia Martin, David Noonan, Peter Schaefer, Stephen Schubert, Chris Sims, Rodney Thompson, Rob Watkins, Jennifer Clarke Wilkes, Steve Winter, and Chris Youngs. Finally, thanks to everyone at Wiley Publishing who worked with us on this book, including Amy Fandrei, Jean Nelson, and Virginia Sanders, and to every- one at Wizards of the Coast, Inc. who help us make great games and other great products on a regular basis. Richard Baker: Many people of exceptional creativity have worked on the D&D game over the years. Without the work of game designers, editors, and artists such as Gary Gygax, Dave Arneson, Jim Ward, Kim Mohan, Zeb Cook, Jeff Grubb, Steve Winter, Bruce Nesmith, Tim Brown, Troy Denning, Roger Moore, Ed Greenwood, Mike Carr, Harold Johnson, Andrea Hayday, Jon Pickens, Lawrence Schick, Skip Williams, Dave Sutherland, Jeff Easley, Larry Elmore, and countless others, D&D would not have grown into the beloved hobby of millions of fans across the world. Countless other authors, artists, developers, and editors have contributed over the years; we’re sorry that we can’t thank them all. A special acknowledgment is in order for Peter Atkinson, Ryan Dancey, and other folks who were instrumental in bringing the D&D game and many of its designers to Wizards of the Coast, Inc. Through their efforts, they reinvented and reinvigorated the game at a difficult and crucial time in its life cycle. I’d like to add a special thank you to good friends and colleagues who have shared in my own D&D games over the years, including Ed Stark, John Rateliff, David Eckelberry, Shaun and Miranda Horner, David Wise, Thomas Reid, David Noonan, James Wyatt, Warren Wyman, Duane Maxwell, Andy Weedon, and Dale Donovan. I’ve had a lot of fun saving the world with you guys! 01_292907 ffirs.qxp 6/9/08 2:49 PM Page vii Publisher’s Acknowledgments We’re proud of this book; please send us your comments through our online registration form located at www.dummies.com/register/. Some of the people who helped bring this book to market include the following: Acquisitions and Editorial Project Editor: Jean Nelson Acquisitions Editor: Amy Fandrei Copy Editor: Virginia Sanders Technical Editor: Christopher Perkins Editorial Manager: Kevin Kirschner Editorial Assistant: Amanda Foxworth Sr. Editorial Assistant: Cherie Case Cartoons: Rich Tennant (www.the5thwave.com) Composition Services Project Coordinator: Erin Smith Layout and Graphics: Reuben W. Davis, Alissa D. Ellet, Joyce Haughey, Tobin Wilkerson, Christine Williams Proofreader: Mary Lagu Indexer: Potomac Indexing, LLC Art Credits: William O’Connor, David Griffith, Wayne Reynolds, Lars Grand-West, Wayne England, Adam Gillespie, Thomas M. Baxa, Jim Nelson, Steve Prescott, Eva Widermann, Anne Stokes, Fred Hooper, James Zhang, Lee Moyer, Stephen Crowe Publishing and Editorial for Technology Dummies Richard Swadley, Vice President and Executive Group Publisher Andy Cummings, Vice President and Publisher Mary Bednarek, Executive Acquisitions Director Mary C. Corder, Editorial Director Publishing for Consumer Dummies Diane Graves Steele, Vice President and Publisher Joyce Pepple, Acquisitions Director Composition Services Gerry Fahey, Vice President of Production Services Debbie Stailey, Director of Composition Services 01_292907 ffirs.qxp 6/9/08 2:49 PM Page viii [...]... However, D&D provides form and structure, making game play more satisfying and robust for kids and adults alike This book makes the mysterious and often arcane world of fantasy roleplaying games — specifically the DUNGEONS & DRAGONS Roleplaying Game, 4th Edition — easier to understand and faster to get into Get ready to expand your imagination, roll some dice, and battle dragons and other magical monsters... ways they know for spending their leisure time Explore those details with us, and we think you’ll come to the same conclusion 5 6 Dungeons & Dragons 4th Edition For Dummies Part I D&D Crash Course I In this part n this part of the book, we assume that you’re a brandnew player to DUNGEONS &DRAGONS 4th Edition We start out with a bit of background about the D&D game, and then we dive in and show you... of character creation and go behind the scenes to discuss character advancement After all, where your character ends up might be more important than where 3 4 Dungeons & Dragons 4th Edition For Dummies he or she started This part of the book is for the player who wants to become more invested in the D&D game We help you navigate the Player’s Handbook so that you can make solid, informed decisions about... including Keep on the Shadowfell, Thunderspire Labyrinth, and Pyramid of Shadows Introduction Y ou crave action and adventure You revel in the fantastic You want to play DUNGEONS & DRAGONS The DUNGEONS & DRAGONS game has been around for more than 30 years, and it stands as the pinnacle of fantasyadventure games (also known as roleplaying games) The concepts and play patterns of D&D (as it is affectionately... Inc.) and published DUNGEONS & DRAGONS himself In 1977, the rules were totally rewritten, and the original DUNGEONS & DRAGONS Basic Set was released Sales rose rapidly, and the game became a phenomenon A year later, a new version of the game, Advanced DUNGEONS & DRAGONS (AD&D), was introduced, published in a series of high-quality hardcover books The 1980s continued to see remarkable growth for the... gaming group for years, our mission is to measurably increase the fun you have playing D&D and your proficiency with the game Moreover, Wizards of the Coast, Inc just released the 4th Edition of the DUNGEONS & DRAGONS game, and with a new edition comes a whole new series of opportunities to get in on the fun But there are also changes to help you navigate through, new concepts to explain, and new challenges... overcome We figured the best time to update Dungeons & Dragons For Dummies was in conjunction with the new edition of the game As a new player, you discover the basics of the game You end up with a character to play and enough understanding to confidently take your place at any gaming table Read this book today, grab a copy of the D&D Player’s Handbook, and you can play tomorrow without worry or confusion... You Need This Book Novices need Dungeons & Dragons 4th Edition For Dummies because it’s written by D&D experts to serve as the most comprehensive introduction to the D&D game In this book, you can find out things about D&D and fantasy roleplaying that many seasoned gamers still haven’t discovered Do you know the ins and outs of opportunity attacks? What the best class and race combos are? How to make... changed hands Wizards of the Coast, makers of the phenomenal trading card game MAGIC: THE GATHERING, purchased the company and moved most of the creative staff to its offices in Washington State In 2000, the 3rd edition of the DUNGEONS & DRAGONS game was released In 2008, D&D 4th Edition hit the shelves The newest edition concentrates on making a great game even better, ratcheting up the fun and speed... the interactive and unlimited adventure of the D&D experience From the days of telling stories around a campfire about trolls and dragons and knights in shining armor to the high-tech equivalent that involves computers and high-speed Internet connections, make-believe has advanced along with society Today, one of the purest expressions of the game is DUNGEONS & DRAGONS No other outlet for the adventures . by Bill Slavicsek and Richard Baker Foreword by Mike Mearls Lead Game Developer for the DUNGEONS & DRAGONS game Dungeons & Dragons ® 4th Edition FOR DUMmIES ‰ 01_292907 ffirs.qxp. Page ii by Bill Slavicsek and Richard Baker Foreword by Mike Mearls Lead Game Developer for the DUNGEONS & DRAGONS game Dungeons & Dragons ® 4th Edition FOR DUMmIES ‰ 01_292907 ffirs.qxp. Number: ISBN: 97 8-0 -4 7 0-2 929 0-7 Manufactured in the United States of America 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 01_292907 ffirs.qxp 6/9/08 2:49 PM Page iv Dungeons & Dragons ® 4th Edition FOR DUMmIES ‰ 01_292907