Gary Gygax’s afterword to the Dungeon Masters Guide (p. 230) begins with the well-known quote: “IT IS THE SPIRIT OF THE GAME, NOT THE LETTER

First Edition Advanced Dungeons & Dragons (AD&D) is a wondrous game that has left an indelible mark on those who’ve played it — this author included. Yet its quirky, idiosyncratic rulebooks can be difficult to navigate, even for veteran players. Editing issues run throughout, leaving readers unsure of what the rules actually mean. Common problems include vague wording,

Dungeons & Dragons co-creator Gary Gygax enjoyed sprinkling his writings with unusual and often archaic words, a habit that gave his rulebooks and adventures a distinctively arcane flavor. Rather than relying on familiar fantasy clichés, Gygax seemed to delight in language that felt half-forgotten, lending the game an almost scholarly strangeness that players found both puzzling and enchanting.