Changes

Dice of various types are used to determine outcomes.  As players' characters accomplish more, they gain experience points (XP) which allow their characters to gain levels, which in turn make them more powerful and have more abilities. The DM may use a commercially-produced adventure, or may create one of his own.

Dice of various types are used to determine outcomes.  As players' characters accomplish more, they gain experience points (XP) which allow their characters to gain levels, which in turn make them more powerful and have more abilities. The DM may use a commercially-produced adventure, or may create one of his own.

The game allows players to play characters who follow one of nine different alignments; lawful good, neutral good, chaotic good, lawful neutral, true neutral, chaotic neutral, lawful evil, neutral evil, or chaotic evil. The character's alignment gives a guideline for how he or she would react in some situations. Paladins, for example, are required to be of the lawful good alignment.  Some DMs forbid evil characters as they are often disruptive to the game, though the rules do not suggest doing this.  In fact, an entire "mature" supplement (though there is no age retriction on who may buy it), known as the Book of Vile Darkness<ref>Book of [http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=products/dndacc/881610000 "Book of Vile Darkness"]</ref> was produced to introduce more overtly evil concepts into the game.

The game allows players to play characters who follow one of nine different alignments; lawful good, neutral good, chaotic good, lawful neutral, true neutral, chaotic neutral, lawful evil, neutral evil, or chaotic evil. The character's alignment gives a guideline for how he or she would react in some situations. Paladins, for example, are required to be of the lawful good alignment.  Some DMs forbid evil characters as they are often disruptive to the game, though the rules do not suggest doing this.  In fact, an entire "mature" supplement (though there is no age restriction on who may buy it), known as the Book of Vile Darkness<ref>Book of [http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=products/dndacc/881610000 "Book of Vile Darkness"]</ref> was produced to introduce more overtly evil concepts into the game.

The game may include [[occult]] elements like [[magic]], [[ghost]]s, [[spirit]]s, [[demon]]s and [[devil]]s which the characters may fight, use or aid as they see fit.  Although the game is open-ended and allows players the freedom to choose their own actions, players are typically more likely to fight creatures they encounter than ally with them, especially if these are evil creatures.

The game may include [[occult]] elements like [[magic]], [[ghost]]s, [[spirit]]s, [[demon]]s and [[devil]]s which the characters may fight, use or aid as they see fit.  Although the game is open-ended and allows players the freedom to choose their own actions, players are typically more likely to fight creatures they encounter than ally with them, especially if these are evil creatures.

The players are also alloewed to choose a variety of different "races" for theor characters, including elves, gnomes, halflings, dwarfs and humans.  Many supplements have added still more such "races" to the game from which players may choose, including overtly monstrous races, although these races are not considered to be standard or "core."  It has also been confirmed that in the upcoming 4th edition of the game humanoid creatures spawned from demoons and devils, called "tieflings," will be included as a "core" race<ref>Tieflings as [http://www.wizarduniverse.com/magazine/inquest/005672645.cfm "Core"]</ref> that players may select, placing them among the primary personas players will adopt in the game.

The players are also allowed to choose a variety of different "races" for their characters, including elves, gnomes, halflings, dwarfs and humans.  Many supplements have added still more such "races" to the game from which players may choose, including overtly monstrous races, although these races are not considered to be standard or "core."  It has also been confirmed that in the upcoming 4th edition of the game humanoid creatures spawned from demons and devils, called "tieflings," will be included as a "core" race<ref>Tieflings as [http://www.wizarduniverse.com/magazine/inquest/005672645.cfm "Core"]</ref> that players may select, placing them among the primary personas players will adopt in the game.

The game settings manufactured by [[Wizards of the Coast]] (''Greyhawk'', ''Faerun'', ''Eberron'', etc.) also expressly adopt a polytheistic [[pantheon]] of fictional deities and reject real-world [[religion]]s as a part of the game.  That being said, there is nothing to stop a DM from coming up with a monotheistic world in which to run his adventures. In fact, there is an unofficial published setting, ''[http://www.greenronin.com/catalog/grr1019 Testament]'', that is about roleplaying in the Biblical Era. Most characters in the game worship fictional deities both as lay persons and as "clerics", a profession than any character may choose to undertake assuming their alignment matches or is close to a match with their chosen god.  Clerics of these deities are granted magical powers by their chosen deity by means of which they can defeat their enemies, or heal their party members.

The game settings manufactured by [[Wizards of the Coast]] (''Greyhawk'', ''Faerun'', ''Eberron'', etc.) also expressly adopt a polytheistic [[pantheon]] of fictional deities and reject real-world [[religion]]s as a part of the game.  That being said, there is nothing to stop a DM from coming up with a monotheistic world in which to run his adventures. In fact, there is an unofficial published setting, ''[http://www.greenronin.com/catalog/grr1019 Testament]'', that is about roleplaying in the Biblical Era. Most characters in the game worship fictional deities both as lay persons and as "clerics", a profession than any character may choose to undertake assuming their alignment matches or is close to a match with their chosen god.  Clerics of these deities are granted magical powers by their chosen deity by means of which they can defeat their enemies, or heal their party members.