The History of Dungeons and Dragons

In 1974 Gary Gygax published Dungeons & Dragons. Now in 2021, we sit here with the fifth edition of Dungeons & Dragons. What happened in between? Let me tell you…

In 1973 Gary Gygax and Don Kaye (Gary’s childhood friend) founded TSR Inc. to publish the fantasy RPG Dungeons and Dragons, a game that Gary and Dave Arneson (who Gary met in 1969) had co-created. TSR’s budget was only 2,000 dollars, and so they only printed 1,000 copies of D&D.

In D&D, each player creates a character to roleplay as. These characters explore the worlds that the Dungeon Masters (DMs) control while giving the characters freedom to do what they want. The DMs also roleplay the non-player characters (NPCs) in the world. Throughout the adventure, characters will earn “experience points” to level up and become more powerful.

Back in 1974, there were only three classes (magic-users, clerics, and fighting-men). Now, there are thirteen classes (Artificer, Barbarian, Bard, Cleric, Druid, Fighter, Monk, Paladin, Ranger, Rogue, Sorcerer, Warlock, and Wizard). There were also only four races (human, dwarf, elf, hobbit), whereas now there are over 40.

In 1977, TSR released Advanced Dungeons & Dragons (AD&D), which catered toward more experienced players and people who like more organized and complex gameplay. AD&D also added the assassin, bard, druid, illusionist, monk, paladin, ranger, and thief as new playable classes.

Two decades later, after the release of Advanced Dungeons & Dragons 2nd edition, TSR found itself in bankruptcy. The company then was bought by Wizards of the Coast (WotC), which had recently become popular off of their collectable card game Magic: The Gathering. In 2000, Dungeons & Dragons 3rd edition was released.

The 3rd edition of D&D made many significant changes, including the introduction of the d20 system, which allowed most of the game to be played with only a single 20-sided die. The sorcerer was added as a new playable class, and the thief was renamed the rogue. Then in 2003, Dungeons & Dragons v.3.5 was published. This version only made minor changes players wanted, so it wasn’t considered a completely new edition.

After that, Dungeons & Dragons 4th edition was released in 2008. This added the warlock and warlord as new playable classes.

Finally, in 2014 Dungeons & Dragons 5th edition, which is the current edition, was released. So far, over 30 books have been released for D&D 5th edition, with more on the way. As I mentioned earlier, there are 13 classes and over 40 playable races in 5th edition D&D.

Did you know there’s a Dungeons & Dragons club here at City? It’s true! We meet in room 225 (Mr. Ramthun’s art room) on Wednesdays from 2:45-4:00. Players of all experiences and ages can join!

Bibliography

LUKE FANN

Editor-in-Chief at The City Voice | fann-l@students.grps.org

Editor-in-Chief Luke Fann is a junior at City and freelances for Rapid Growth Media's Voices of Youth program. He also attends Michigan State University's MIPA Summer Journalism Workshop, receiving the Sparty Award in Journalistic Storytelling and the Art of Storytelling. Additionally, he recieved an Award of Excellence in the Level Up: Leadership for Media program in 2025 and earned an honorable mention for his piece on AI and LLMs at the 2024 MIPA Spring Awards.

Luke began writing in 7th grade and became an editor by the following year. By his sophomore year, he was Managing Editor and then Editor-in-Chief. As for writing, he focuses on business and technology news, taking a deeper dive into topics rather than focusing solely on breaking news. He also covers personal interests, and his weekly editorials offer unique takes on timely issues.

If you're interested in writing for The City Voice, especially as a middle schooler or Underclassman, reach out to Luke or attend a meeting. Journalism is a great way to express your passions. No matter your background, The City Voice wants to hear your voice.