The early success of D&D led to a proliferation of similar game systems. In the process, the characters earn experience points (XP) to rise in levels, and become increasingly powerful over a series of separate gaming sessions. Together they solve dilemmas, engage in battles, explore, and gather treasure and knowledge. The characters form a party and they interact with the setting's inhabitants and each other. A Dungeon Master (DM) serves as the game's referee and storyteller, while maintaining the setting in which the adventures occur, and playing the role of the inhabitants of the game world, also referred to as non-player characters (NPCs). These characters embark upon adventures within a fantasy setting. ĭ&D departs from traditional wargaming by allowing each player to create their own character to play instead of a military formation. D&D 's publication is commonly recognized as the beginning of modern role-playing games and the role-playing game industry, and also deeply influenced video games, especially the role-playing video game genre. The game was derived from miniature wargames, with a variation of the 1971 game Chainmail serving as the initial rule system.

It has been published by Wizards of the Coast (now a subsidiary of Hasbro) since 1997. The game was first published in 1974 by Tactical Studies Rules, Inc. Role-playing, improvisation, tactics, arithmeticĭungeons & Dragons (commonly abbreviated as D&D or DnD) is a fantasy tabletop role-playing game (RPG) originally designed by Gary Gygax and Dave Arneson.

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