This article presents a detailed, step-by-step walkthrough of the First Edition combat process, using a sample dungeon encounter to illustrate how surprise, initiative, spellcasting, movement, and combat resolution function in play. Where appropriate, notes identify the specific rulebook sections from which each procedure is drawn.

Combat is a central feature of Advanced Dungeons & Dragons (AD&D). Although the rulebooks present combat as an orderly, segmented procedure, the texts themselves contain gaps, ambiguities, and overlapping subsystems that can lead to confusion—particularly where movement, initiative, surprise, and spellcasting intersect. As a result, the practical conduct of melee combat is often left to inference rather than explicit instruction.

Combat is a central feature of every edition of Dungeons & Dragons. In a melee round, combatants jockey for position, missiles streak toward their targets, and spells are unleashed amid the chaos. The rulebooks present this process as orderly and well-defined.

As most players know, many rules in AD&D are notoriously difficult to grasp. The causes range from unclear writing to typographical errors to poor organization. This article sheds light on some of the game’s more arcane and perplexing rules, explaining how they function and, in some cases, the rationale for their inclusion. Often, multiple sources must be consulted to uncover the official answer. To facilitate this, page numbers are cited throughout the text.

Psionics in First Edition Advanced Dungeons & Dragons (AD&D) are an optional subsystem of mental powers drawn from the minds of creatures. Their inclusion adds a rare and unconventional dimension to a campaign.

How long does ghoul paralysis last in 1st Edition Advanced Dungeons & Dragons? That depends on which book you look at.

This article takes an in-depth look at the attributes and resistances of undead in the 1st edition Advanced Dungeons & Dragons game.