Unearthed Arcana, released in 1985, is a sourcebook for Advanced Dungeons & Dragons 1st edition.
Content
Divided into two sections (one for players and one for Dungeon Masters), this 128-page book provides new races, character classes, magic items and spells, weapon types, deities, as well as some other expansion material.
Some of the more significant additions included the barbarian class, weapon specialization, cantrips, subraces for dwarves (hill dwarf, mountain dwarf, gray dwarf), subraces for elves (high elf, wood elf, gray elf wild elf, valley elf, dark elf), and the deep gnome as a playable gnome subrace. The book also included a visual guide to polearms.
Development
Much of the material in Unearthed Arcana had previously appeared in Dragon Magazine.
A "premium edition" reprint of Unearthed Arcana was released in 2013, incorporating later errata, and making it the "most complete version of Unearthed Arcana ever printed."[1]
Reception and influence
Reception
Some fans consider Unearthed Arcana to mark the start of an "AD&D 1.5e", along with Oriental Adventures (1e) (1985), Dungeoneer's Survival Guide (1986), and Wilderness Survival Guide (1986).[1]
The new classes and character races presented in Unearthed Arcana were left out of the Advanced Dungeons & Dragons 2nd edition Player's Handbook (2e) (1989), as they were considered unbalanced by the 2nd edition designers.[citation needed]
Influence
Some material from Unearthed Arcana was later incorporated directly into the Player's Handbook (2e) (1989) and Dungeon Master Guide (2e) (1989) for Advanced Dungeons & Dragons 2nd edition.[citation needed] Material that was not included was gradually revised and reintroduced in later 2nd edition sourcebooks.
The title Unearthed Arcana was reused for Unearthed Arcana (3e) (2004) for Dungeons & Dragons 3rd edition. Unearthed Arcana is also an ongoing series of playtest articles released by Wizards of the the Coast for Dungeons & Dragons 5th edition.
The sourcebook also inspired Monte Cook's d20 System "variant Player's Handbook", Arcana Unearthed (2003).
External links
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Unearthed Arcana (1e) (Dungeon Masters Guild). Retrieved 2020-10-24.
| Advanced Dungeons & Dragons 1st edition |
|---|
| Core rules |
| Players Handbook • Dungeon Masters Guide • Monster Manual |
| Supplements |
| Battlesystem: Fantasy Combat Supplement • The Book of Lairs • The Book of Lairs II • Deities & Demigods (Legends & Lore) • Dungeoneer's Survival Guide • Fiend Folio • Manual of the Planes • Monster Manual II • Oriental Adventures • The Rogues Gallery • Unearthed Arcana • Wilderness Survival Guide |
| Adventures |
| Desert of Desolation (Pharaoh • Oasis of the White Palm • Lost Tomb of Martek) • Queen of the Spiders (Against the Giants (Steading of the Hill Giant Chief • Glacial Rift of the Frost Giant Jarl • Hall of the Fire Giant King) • Descent Into the Depths of the Earth • Shrine of the Kuo-Toa • Vault of the Drow • Queen of the Demonweb Pits) • Realms of Horror (Tomb of Horrors • White Plume Mountain • Expedition to the Barrier Peaks • Lost Caverns of Tsojcanth) • Scourge of the Slavelords (Slave Pits of the Undercity • Secret of the Slavers Stockade • Assault on the Aerie of the Slave Lords • In the Dungeons of the Slave Lords) • The Temple of Elemental Evil (The Village of Hommlet) • Dungeonland • The Land Beyond the Magic Mirror • The Secret of Bone Hill • The Assassin's Knot • Deep Dwarven Delve • The Sinister Secret of Saltmarsh • Danger at Dunwater • The Final Enemy • Adventure Pack I • Against the Cult of the Reptile God • All That Glitters... • Baltron's Beacon • The Bane of Llywelyn • Beyond the Crystal Cave • Dark Clouds Gather • Day of Al'Akbar • Destiny of Kings • Dwellers of the Forbidden City • Egg of the Phoenix • Eye of the Serpent • The Forest Oracle • The Gauntlet • The Ghost Tower of Inverness • The Hidden Shrine of Tamoachan • The Lost Island of Castanamir • Midnight on Dagger Alley • Needle • Ravager of Time • Ravenloft • Ravenloft II: The House on Gryphon Hill • The Sentinel • The Shattered Statue • Tales of the Outer Planes • To Find a King • Tomb of the Lizard King • Treasure Hunt • When a Star Falls |
