Dungeons & Dragons Adventure Game
The Dungeons & Dragons Adventure Game is the name of two companion accessories to the second and third editions of the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game. Designed as simpler, stand-alone versions of Dungeons & Dragons, they feature a simplified ruleset, but with character progression that parallels the standard game. However, for 3rd-level characters and higher, the standard Player's Handbook is still required.[1] The first version was published in 1999 for the second edition of Advanced Dungeons & Dragons, while the second version was published in 2000 for the third edition of Dungeons & Dragons.
 1999 AD&D second edition version | |
| Genre | Role-playing games |
|---|---|
| Publisher | TSR |
Publication date | 1999, 2000 |
Advanced Dungeons & Dragons 2nd edition
This version is intended as an introduction to Advanced Dungeons & Dragons. It consists of six dice, a dice bag, a GM screen, a rule book, a premade characters book and an adventures book. The rules are streamlined from Advanced Dungeons & Dragons rules. For example, saving throws are grouped into one roll instead of individual rolls and the Strength score only goes up to 18 instead of including percentile rolls.[2]
This version of Dungeons & Dragons Adventure Game was written by Bill Slavicsek.[2]
It was reviewed by the online version of Pyramid on May 21, 1999.The reviewer commented that this was both a cheaper and "lite" version of the rules, and that with TSR's recent efforts, like Wrath of the Minotaur and Eye of the Wyvern, this boxed set "continues to show how things should be done". The reviewer also commented that in most cases, "the rules are enough to get the game started", but found one confusing area involving a reference stating that a character dies when the character's wounds exceed his or her hit point total, but another area says that the optional -10 hit point rule from AD&D standard is enforced.[2]
Dungeons & Dragons 3rd edition
The Dungeons & Dragons Adventure Game for the third edition of Dungeons & Dragons is a boxed set with one 32-page Rule Book, one 48-page Adventure Book, 32 pages of Reference, 1 map, 2 pages of counters and 1 "Read This First" sheet.[3]
This version of Dungeons & Dragons Adventure Game was written by Jonathan Tweet, Jason Carl, Andy Collins and David Noonan.[3]
It was reviewed by the online version of Pyramid on August 18, 2000. The reviewer commented that the Dungeons & Dragons Adventure Game "isn't a game that inspires me to heights of giddy delight, or sparks a raging inferno within me. No, it just is." The reviewer added: "The game itself is high quality. The character sheets are full color (though you'll need to cut the double-page spreads apart yourself); the counters are in color and double-sided (though not made of the sturdiest stock); and the dice, while not the ultra-snazzy glitter/marble/speckled sorts, are a grand evolution from the dice made of Pez with crayon kits included with the early "Basic" sets. The booklets, while black and white, are well-formatted and easy to read."[3]