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Dungeons and Dragons has long been the world’s most popular roleplaying game. Since its inception in the 1970s, D&D has ruled the market on tabletop games while stepping into other product lines. Some of these are in direct support of the tabletop game, like tools to facilitate play or miniatures to use in the game.
Others, however, are totally unrelated, simply using the game’s aesthetics or lore. These endeavors have been met with mixed levels of success, some wildly popular and others less so. Regardless, D&D’s history of branching into other fields shows no signs of slowing any time soon.
10 The Novels Tell Stories In Classic D&D Settings
Hundreds of novels have been published in various D&D settings, detailing lore and the adventures of famous characters therein. The first-ever published was Quag Keep by Andre Norton, which took place in the Greyhawk setting. It told the story of seven gamers drawn into the fantasy world. Some of the most famous D&D authors are R. A. Salvatore, Margaret Weis, and Tracy Hickman. Salvatore created the iconic drow ranger Drizzt Do’Urden, and Weis and Hickman collaborated on the Dragonlance setting.
9 Video Games Either Replicate The RPG, Or Try Something New
Similar to the novels, D&D video games often take place within a D&D setting. Some, like Baldur’s Gate, Planescape: Torment or Forgotten Realms: Demonstone, are single-player RPGs that use the D&D rules in some capacity or another. Others take a bit of a departure, like the arcade beat-em-up Shadows over Mystara or the real-time strategy game Dragonshard. There have also been several MMOs using D&D mechanics and settings, including Dungeons & Dragons Online, Neverwinter Nights, and Dark Sun Online: Crimson Sands
8 Board Games Are Similar To The RPG, But Simpler
D&D has shared a lineage with board games,since the beginning. Published in 1975, Dungeon! is in many ways a pared-down version of the original D&D and has players navigating a dungeon.
The trend of having board games function as simplified versions of the rpg continued in the 2010s with the Adventure System board games, built around a simplified version of 4th edition’s rules. The Adventure System actually outlived 4th edition, with the last installment, Ghosts of Saltmarch, published in 2021.
7 Comics Have Always Been A Part Of D&D
The first D&D comics were actually advertisements written to promote the Basic and Expert sets. They ran in Marvel comics in the early 80s, as well as in anthology magazines like Epic Illustrated and Heavy Metal.
After the launch of the Dragonlance setting, DC comics published D&D comics for a few years. Today, the D&D comics license is held by IDW Publications, and they continue to put out comics and graphic novels for adults as well as younger readers.
6 Show Off Your Geek Flag With Apparel
D&D’s parent company, Wizards of the Coast, doesn’t manufacture any merch themselves, but they partner with dozens of companies to create officially licensed D&D apparel. Whether it be logo tees, pajamas, pins, rugs, socks, hats, blankets, or anything else, there’s something out there for everyone. Some are obviously branded, while others make use of subtle inside jokes that ensure only mega-fans will recognize them.
5 Supplemental Magazines Once Were Huge, But Have Fallen By The Wayside
Another product line as old as the game itself is the supplemental magazines. The first, published back in the days when D&D was still tied closely to its wargaming roots, was The Strategic Review. It was canceled soon after it became clear that D&D had outgrown the wargames it stemmed from and was replaced a year later with The Dragon, which would eventually become Dragon Magazine.
This magazine featured new game features, comics, and columns with tips and suggestions. It was supplemented in 1986 with Dungeon Magazine, which focused on adventure modules. Both magazines have now ceased publication, replaced with modern online alternatives.
4 The Infamous Cartoon Lives On In The Collective Memory Of Fans
Anyone who spends long enough in the hobby will eventually hear about the Dungeons and Dragons cartoon. The series follows six kids as they are transported to the world of D&D. There, they are immediately ambushed by Tiamat and the wicked magician Venger. To save them, the mysterious Dungeon Master grants them each a magic item, turning them into various D&D classes. Along with their unicorn companion, Uni, they travel the world encountering all kinds of classic D&D monsters.
3 Software Can Help DMs Run Smoother
Several pieces of non-game software have been released throughout D&D’s history. Most of these are tools intended to help DMs run their game smoothly. One of the first was Dragonfire II: The Dungeonmaster’s Assistant, which allowed Dungeon Masters to input custom random encounter tables, treasure tables, or even customized characters. Other similar software systems were released through the years, but 4th edition’s character builder marked the first time the game itself was designed with digital tools in mind. The current D&D Beyond model where everything is accessible online is a continuation of this philosophy.
2 Toys Were A Christmas Morning Dream Back In The 80’s
In 1982, a line of 19 figures plus 7 creatures was put out by LJN. The line consisted mostly of various warriors and knights, along with several wizards, elves, and dwarves for good measure. Iconic monsters like Tiamat the five-headed dragon, the fearsome hooked horror, and even a rideable copper dragon were included as foes for the adventurer figures, and several bendy PVC monsters and a set of wind-up toys rounded out the line. The crown jewel of the whole collection was The Fortress of Fangs, a foot-tall playset full of traps and hidden gizmos.
1 Web Shows Exist To Help Promote New Products
Many D&D web shows were actual play broadcasts designed to promote new content as it was released. Several of these feature celebrity casts, such as 2017’s Force Grey: Lost City of Omu, a 20 episode adventure based on the Tomb of Annihilation module featuring Joe Manganiello, Deborah Ann Woll, and Dylan Sprouse, as well as returning players Utkarsh Ambudkar and Brian Posehn. During the lead-up to some of 4th edition’s supplements, D&D also produced a series of animated shorts featuring a straight-man reporter character interviewing the various monsters and characters featured in the books.
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