The Dungeon Master Guide, No. 2100, 2nd Edition

Dungeons & Dragons

by David Zeb Cook, E. Gary Gygax

Augments and expands on the rules of play for the Dungeons & Dragons role-playing game, explaining the role of the Dungeon Master and reconciling previously discovered inaccuracies, inconsistencies, and other problems.

Genres: Role Playing Games, Fantasy, Gaming, Games, Dungeons and Dragons, Reference, Fiction

192 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1989

About the author

David "Zeb" Cook is an American game designer best known for his work at TSR, Inc., where he was employed for over fifteen years. Cook grew up on a farm in Iowa where his father worked as a farmer and a college professor. In junior high school, Cook playing wargames such as Avalon Hill's Blitzkrieg and Afrika Korps. "I was primarily a wargamer, but there wasn't any role-playing available then," although in college, he was introduced to the Dungeons & Dragons role-playing game through the University of Iowa gaming club. Cook earned his B.A. in English (with a Theater minor) in 1977. He married his high school sweetheart, Helen, with whom he had one son, Ian. Cook became a high school teacher in Milligan, Nebraska, where his students gave him his nickname of "Zeb"; the name derives from his signature, which is dominated by a stroke resembling a 'Z'.

Reviews

[David Sarkies · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not as useful as some claim it to be
18 January 2013

It looks as if a number of people agree with me with regards to this book in that the only use it has is for the magic items table. Some suggest that a DM should not leave home without it, but in a way, if you have enough imagination, you need not even leave the shop with it (having paid for it of course, because I would never condone shoplifting).

Personally, I believe that it is the Players Handbook that is the heart and soul of the Dungeons and Dragons game, and this book is really only a supplement to assist the DM running the adventure and the only useful aspect of this book are the magic items. Okay, it does have some useful information for world building and writing campaigns, but that is about it. Even then, if you have access to products such as the Forgotten Realms, or have even subscribed to Dungeon Magazine, you do not even need this book, because all of that has already been done for you.

As a book, it may be a good book to read from cover to cover, but you will probably find that when you are running the game you won't even take it out of your bag. There is a belief that players shouldn't read this, but really, there is nothing in this book that experienced players don't know anyway, and even if the players do look at this book it isn't as if they will gain some forbidden knowledge in relation to the game.

Mind you, it isn't even useful for shock value. For instance, with the Monster Manual, you can flick through it during the game, land on a page and say, 'oh, this looks nasty' and the put it back on the table (without giving away which page you were on) and then return to the game (and the players will never know you were looking at a picture of a butterfly).

[David · Rating 4 out of 5]

The don't-run-a-session-without-it DMG, at least, until you're entirely familiar with its contents. As with the PHB, I read this from cover-to-cover too. The role-playing and world-building stuff could've been much more, so the book ended up as mostly being used for the treasure tables once you're familiar with most of the rules clarifications in here. Four stars for continuing and improving on D&D, -1 star for not improving on the RP aspect.

[Sever Bronny · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is my favorite role-playing book of all-time, not because it is necessarily the best, but because it has a nostalgic factor for me personally. Even now I smile recalling reading those crudely-typed blue and white pages well into the wee hours of the morning, usually nestled in a pile of blankets, the weather cold, a cheap flashlight dying in my hands. There's just something about the dense formatting, the primitive etchings, the simplicity of the book that I'll never forget.

[Christopher Rush · Rating 3 out of 5]

I am going to say I have read this. I certainly read the entire main body of the work. The appendices of magical items, though, could be more accurately described as "skimmed," but it was a thorough sort of skimming, the kind of skimming in which I looked at every word and number in the order presented, though my assimilation mode was disengaged (I didn't want it to take another 9 months like reading all the spells in the PHB) - still, we'll call it reading. It was good to read this through, since I have desired to improve my DM skills of late, and since it has more insights and whatnot not in the Player's Handbook. I was a tad disappointed, though (hence, the three stars), since a lot of the areas in which I was hoping the DMG to give good strategies and tips on "how to be a good DM" went something like "through practice and good DM skills, you can flourish in this." So, that was a smidge frustrating, hearing "the best way to be a good DM is to be a good DM." Other than that, it was a nice read.

I was intrigued, though, considering the major Campaign World advertisements on the covers (though those may have been post-production things without the author's awareness), the already-made modules/campaign worlds were mentioned I believe a total of ONE time throughout the entire DMG. With almost two decades (well, maybe 14 years or so) of modules and Campaign Worlds and things already made, that the AD&D 2E DMG still dominates its DMing talk on DM-created campaigns and adventures was surprising and refreshing. I assumed going into it it would mostly be "see the stats in the modules from fine retailers" all over the place, but there was none of that. It did refer to the Monstrous Compendium a lot (or Companion, one of those), especially when referring to monsters' stats, but that's fine - we can all agree the Monstrous Compendium/Companion is one of the Trifecta of AD&D core books, so referring to that for stats was fine. But the sheer absence of referencing or even advertising the modules and campaign worlds surprised me, mainly because you very much get the sense not of "please buy our products" but of "use your imaginations and tell great stories and have big fun." That was a pleasing component of this book I was not expecting.

Is it necessary for DMs to read this? (or whatever version) Most likely, yes. It gives good tips on things such as time keeping, encounters, combat, and other areas I gloss over quite easily as I solo these modules, but for those playing D&D the "right" way, clearly you know already the DMG is essential to a quality experience. It may be somewhat limited even it is dozens and dozens of artifacts, weapons, and whatnot, considering how many more "official" things came out for 2E after the DMG, but this gives you quite a bit to play with and enjoy. Even non-DM Players might want to read this, since it gives good ideas on Clerics and Mages learning spells and making magical items, and Thieves and Fighters get ideas on treasure, what to do when not adventuring, and diverse things, and since it doesn't really give away a lot of "secrets" (except for a couple of secret rolls here and there no player is going to remember anyway), it might be good for all in the group to read it.

[David · Rating 2 out of 5]

Ah 2nd Edition D&D: a marginal upgrade to the previous edition, at best. Points off for failing to advance the genre in the decade since the development of 1st ed. In the meanwhile, that torch would have to be carried in the late 80s and early 90s by the rise of White Wolf, FASA, and others.

And this, the worst of the 3 primary manuals. What use there was for this book, other than the magic items section, is beyond me now.

[Judah The Omnipotent · Rating 5 out of 5]

I think this is one of the best games I've ever played, and this book is really well written. Dungeons and Dragons is the kind of game that really requires deep thought. I recommend it to anyone who has ever thought "Hey, this game is great and all, but how can I take control?".

[Nika · Rating 4 out of 5]

Look very familiar. I so gotta play again.

[Paul · Rating 5 out of 5]

Learn it. Love it. Live it.

[Will Oprisko · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love Second Edition!

[Abraham Ray · Rating 5 out of 5]

good rpg book!

[Dan Ray · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great book for a great game. It's a useful reference, though I held off on buying it for years out of pride in my home-cooked gaming system.

[Blaine · Rating 5 out of 5]

Best written rules of any edition. They are wonky, but this is the cleanest writing and editing of any edition. A lesson in how to write complicated content for comprehension.

[Marc-André · Rating 5 out of 5]

One third of Dungeons and Dragons 2nd edition's triumvirate.

Years of sweet memories.

[W.D. III · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a great tool for playing the game, but it just doesn't match up to the original. It's still good but, when I play, I use both this and the 1st Edition DMG.

[Camilo Navarrete - D-Propósito Humano · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sin ser el recurso más completo, ayudaba a los directores de juego a orientarlos sobre generalidades, exigiéndoles su propio criterio.

[Dan Bonser]

My first DMG. This is prized in my collection

[Arthur B · Rating 3 out of 5]

Comparatively lightweight guide, but useful nonetheless. Full thoughts on TSR editions of D&D: https://refereeingandreflection.wordp...

[Ville Kokko · Rating 3 out of 5]

The old AD&D rules are so weird, with things like racial level caps and the ever-confusing THAC0. The list of cursed items is also scary - reminds me of playing ADOM.

The book also shows a glimpse of a strange, nerdy world before the game designers crawled out of their cave and saw the light and created the 3rd edition. In this world, you have to understand it's unspeakably rude to ask someone's alignment (but that question would totally make sense in-universe) and that no wizard would dream of sharing spells with their friend. Also, no-one would ever, ever sell their old magic items under any circumstances - they're far too precious to give up, even though it's also acknowledged that it's obvious one wouldn't even pick up a magic item that's much weaker than their current one. Intelligent magic items are OF COURSE absolutely true to their alignment, because what else could a Neutral Evil sword be than fanatic about the balance between Law and Chaos? And it's very important to know what is and what isn't an encounter... for some reason.

[Kat · Rating 3 out of 5]

Basic Premise: Rules for GMs for D&D 2nd edition.

Being as this book was intended almost solely for DMs and not players, I didn't read this book right away as a player. It was mostly useful to me as a way to find magic items for my characters. There is a lot of useful information for DMs, especially newbie DMs, like how to build encounters and dungeons. It also gives supplemental rules for things the lowly players don't get to know about, but it isn't as well organized as it could have been. More organized than 1st edition, to be sure, but not as nicely streamlined as later editions. Certainly intimidating enough that I never ran a game session of 2nd edition because I wasn't nearly confident enough of my rules knowledge to do that. Such things didn't happen until 3rd ed.

2nd ed will always hold a place in my heart as the first RPG I ever played, with many dear high school and college memories of friends I haven't seen in years. That's where the game needs to stay.

[Gabe · Rating 3 out of 5]

Much like the trusty twenty sided die, no dungeon master should leave home without it. Beyond the Red Dragon Cover lies the heart and soul of D&D. Only the eyes of the DM are well prepared enough to handle the magic in all of its glory. If you are not a DM...... BEWARE!!!

[Cimuchowski · Rating 3 out of 5]

Could have had more info. on handling groups, organization and world design.

[Victor Merling · Rating 3 out of 5]

I actually read it from cover to cover.
I remember it being a lot more about giving a lot of cool ideas to the Dungeon Master, than actually being something you had to know in order to play AD&D.

[Malum · Rating 3 out of 5]

Some helpful charts and info, but nothing too earth shattering in here. I'm fact, when I played back in the stone age we didn't really use this at all.