In the Dungeons & Dragons (D&D) fantasy role-playing game, rule books contain all the elements of playing the game: rules to the game, how to play, options for gameplay, stat blocks and lore of monsters, and tables the Dungeon Master or player would roll dice for to add more of a random effect to the game. Options for gameplay mostly involve player options, like race, class, archetype, and background. Other options could be player equipment like weapons, tools, armor, and miscellaneous items that can be useful.
This list is sorted by the edition of the game that they appeared in and excludes books designed for use as premade adventures.
Original Dungeons & Dragons
Basic Dungeons & Dragons
The Dungeons & Dragons Basic Set was the successor to original Dungeons & Dragons and was released while TSR, Inc. was working on the Advanced Dungeons & Dragons set. This set was the beginning of the split into two separate games, driven by disagreements on the direction the game should take. The Basic set retained the simplicity and flexibility of the original game while Gary Gygax took Advanced Dungeons & Dragons in a more structured and complicated direction.
Initially it was expected that players would start using Basic edition and then graduate to Advanced Dungeons & Dragons. However, in 1981 the Basic Set underwent a complete revision and not long after this the Expert Set was released for the first time. All references to a progression from the Basic Set to Advanced Dungeons & Dragons were removed from the games and supplements as TSR, Inc. made clear that the expected progression was from the Basic Set to the Expert Set. From this point the D&D dichotomy became fixed and the Basic/Expert pair were considered a completely separate game from Advanced Dungeons & Dragons.
Core products
Campaign settings
Supplemental rules
Other products
Starter sets
Advanced Dungeons & Dragons
Advanced Dungeons & Dragons (AD&D) greatly expanded upon the rules and settings of the original D&D game when it was released in 1977. As such, this edition saw the publication of numerous books to assist players. The naming of the core books in this edition became the standard for all later editions.
Around 1983, all previous hardcover releases (except Fiend Folio) including Monster Manual, Players Handbook, Dungeon Masters Guide and Deities & Demigods were upgraded with new cover art and unified with orange spines as trade dress. This included only minimal text change such as removal of rape references in Dungeon Masters Guide (books are now labeled "ages 10 and up"). Monster Manual II and the rest of the series followed the same format. By the end of its first decade, Advanced Dungeons & Dragons line had expanded to a library of 14 hardcover rulebooks, including three books of monsters, and two books governing character skills in wilderness and underground settings.
Core rules
Supplemental rules
Monsters and NPC
Campaign settings
Advanced Dungeons & Dragons 2nd edition
In 1989, Advanced Dungeons & Dragons 2nd edition was published. Initially, the second edition would consolidate the game, with two essential hardcovers and a 3-ring monster document binder that Dungeon Masters can sort contents as they wish. Periodically, TSR published 3 lines of optional rulebooks (PHBR/DMGR/HR) and additional monster compendium to enhance game play.
However, by popular demand TSR released a hardcover monster book in 1993. Also by 1995, with power creep from optional classes and races becoming prominent, they were forced to abandon their original plan and revise the entire line. Core rules were rewritten, reorganized and accompanied with new logo, new art and black bordered cover style but had only a few meaningful rule changes. Optional rules were also revised and reorganized in hardcover books in the same look.