Naja, wenn man mal die zentralen Erweiterungsbände der ersten Edition durchgeht:
Deities & Demigods (1980)
-> "Despite being "just" a supplement, Gygax saw Deities & Demigods as integral to the AD&D line. This was because he thought that GMs were alternately either neglecting deities (by never mentioning them) or abusing them (by bringing them constantly on stage). He wanted to offer a middle-ground where deities could take their proper spot in D&D campaigns as the patrons of clerics and as the exemplars of alignment." (Shannon Applecline)
War also als zentrales Buch vorgesehen. Wie nützlich es ist, hängt stark von der eigenen Kampagne ab: Wenn man mystisch-historisch spielt, ist es sehr wichtig; wenn man die Götter eh ignoriert oder Fantasygötter z.B. aus vorgefertigten Settings etc. verwendet, braucht man es nicht.
Fiend Folio (1981)
-> Zusätzliche Monster von TSR UK. Enthält einige ikonische Monster, aber keine Regelergänzungen.
Monster Manual II (1983)
-> Zusätzliche Monster von Gygax zusammengestellt: "Though Gygax prepared at least an initial version of the manuscript in September 1982, Monster Manual II wasn't published until GenCon XVI (1983)" (Applecline) Auch viele hochstufuge und extraplanare Monster.
The World of Greyhawk Fantasy World Setting (1980)
World of Greyhawk Fantasy Game Setting (1983)
-> Settingbeschreibung von Greyhawk: "When Gygax was asked to create the World of Greyhawk product, he was somewhat surprised that other GMs weren't interested in creating their own worlds. Nonetheless Gygax was game … except he didn't want to spoil his world for his own players, so he decided to move the officially published Greyhawk away from its Earthly origins. Gygax started out with a new map. He filled two large sheets of paper after learning that was the biggest map that TSR could print. (The maps were later finalized in full color by Darlene, with the result being one of the most famous and beautiful maps in gaming.) Afterward, Gygax wrote up descriptions of the countries and locales that were found on that map, drawing from his own campaign, but adjusting facts as appropriate for the new map." (Applecline)
Wenig neue Regeln, hauptsächlich Greyhawk-Götter, Begegnungstabellen für das Setting, die erwähnten Wettertabellen.
Unearthed Arcana (1985)
-> Das letzte Buch unter Gygax' Ägide: "Unfortunately, TSR didn't do well in Gygax's absence. Due to any number of financial issues, layoffs began in June 1983 and continued into 1984. Gygax rushed back to the midwest to help his ailing company. Among other proposals, Gygax suggested that TSR produce a slew of new products bearing his name. For the first of these, Gygax "instructed that [his] Dragon magazine articles be compiled". (Finally.) The result was Unearthed Arcana" (Applecline)
Enthält alles mögliche an Regelergänzungen (Außer Monster, die sind im MMII). Wie von einer schnellen Sammlung von Magazinartikeln zu erwarten ist die Qualität stark schwankend, der Band hat seine Perlen, aber auch hanebüchenen Blödsinn.
Oriental Adventures (1985)
-> Die Idee ist von Gygax, aber geschrieben haben es andere: "Gary Gygax says that he started thinking about an Asian-influenced supplement for AD&D as early as 1980, shortly after the original AD&D game (1977-1979) was completed. [...] Whatever the specifics, the book’s accepted origins are: Gygax came up with the idea; Marcela-Froideval wrote a manuscript that wasn’t published; and then Cook wrote a manuscript that was." (Applecline)
Sehr viele neue Regelelemente, die das Japan-inspirierte Setting abbilden sollen. Es sind besonders nennenswert die Regeln für Familie, Ehre, Kampfkunst sowie die Nichtwaffenfertigkeiten.
Dungeoneer's Survival Guide (1986)
Wilderness Survival Guide (1986)
-> Hier war Gygax schon raus. Zwei Bände mit sehr detaillierten Regeln zur Höhlen und Wildniserkundung. Die Nichtwaffenfertigkeiten werden ausgebaut, den Rest der Regeln werden wohl nur wenige Leute je verwendet haben.
Forgotten Realms Campaign Set (1987)
-> Tatsächlich praktisch Regelfrei.
Manual of the Planes (1987)
-> "The original goal of Manual of the Planes was to simplify and codify the scattered material on the Planes, by now written by a variety of hands at a variety times - particularly including rules on how spells worked on different planes. As Grubb wrote the Manual, however, it became more of a "guidebook for survival and adventuring", but one that still referred back to everything that had come before." (Applecline)
Systematische Auflistung aller Ebenen der D&D-Kosmologie und der Regelanpassungen für diese.
Dragonlance Adventures (1987)
-> Zum größten Teil Settingbeschreibung, aber auch neue Regeln für Ritterorden, die Tinker-Klasse, Monster wie Drakonier und andere Krynn-Spezifika.
Greyhawk Adventures (1988)
-> Das letzte Buch für die erste Edition. Tatsächlich eher wenig direktes Setting, aber viele Götter, Monster, Zauber, etc. Universell interessant sind v.a. die Regeln für Level-0-Charaktere.
(In einigen Modulen waren auch kleinere Regelergänzungen: Neben den üblichen Ergänzungen an Monstern, Zaubern und Schätzen in Lords of Darkness (1988) z.B. Schreckensregeln und in The Savage Frontier (1988) Fertigkeiten zum Arktikleben etc.)
