The ''Arms and Equipment Guide'' is the name of two supplementary rule books for the ''

Dungeons & Dragons ''Dungeons & Dragons'' (commonly abbreviated as ''D&D'' or ''DnD'') is a fantasy tabletop role-playing game (RPG) originally designed by Gary Gygax and Dave Arneson. The game was first published in 1974 by Tactical Studies Rules, Inc. (T ...

'' fantasy

role-playing game A role-playing game (sometimes spelled roleplaying game, RPG) is a game in which players assume the roles of player character, characters in a fictional Setting (narrative), setting. Players take responsibility for acting out these roles within ...

. Each describes various equipment that can be used in a

campaign Campaign or The Campaign may refer to: Types of campaigns * Campaign, in agriculture, the period during which sugar beets are harvested and processed * Advertising campaign, a series of advertisement messages that share a single idea and theme * B ...

2nd edition

The original ''Arms and Equipment Guide'' explored and expanded the second edition ''Advanced Dungeons & Dragons'' ''

Player's Handbook The ''Player's Handbook'' (spelled ''Players Handbook'' in first edition '' Advanced Dungeons & Dragons'' (''AD&D'')) is a book of rules for the fantasy role-playing game ''Dungeons & Dragons'' (''D&D''). It does not contain the complete set of r ...

'' equipment lists in detail.

Publication history

The original ''Arms and Equipment Guide'' was designed by Grant Boucher, Troy Christensen,

Jon Pickens Jon Pickens is an American game designer and editor who has worked on numerous products for the '' Dungeons & Dragons'' fantasy role-playing game from TSR and later Wizards of the Coast. Early life and education Jon Pickens was born in Misha ...

John Terra Johnny Henri Terwingen (born 21 June 1951 in Maasmechelen), better known as John Terra, is a Belgian singer and crooner mainly in Flemish Flemish (''Vlaams'') is a Low Franconian dialect cluster of the Dutch language. It is sometimes r ...

, and Scott Davis. It was intended for the 2nd edition of ''Advanced Dungeons & Dragons'', and was published in 1991. The book was edited by

Anne Brown Anne Brown (August 9, 1912March 13, 2009) was an American soprano for whom George Gershwin rewrote the part of "Bess" into a leading role in the original production of his opera ''Porgy and Bess'' in 1935. She was also a radio and concert sing ...

and Jon Pickens. Interior artists included Daniel Horne,

Erik Olson Erik Artur Olson (Ohlson, Olsson) (Halmstad 9 May 1901 – 1986) was a Swedish painter, illustrator, graphic artist, sculptor, theater decorator, and member of Halmstadgruppen. He was the brother of artist Axel Olson, and in 1929 married So ...

Keith Parkinson Keith A. Parkinson (October 22, 1958 – October 26, 2005) was an American fantasy artist and illustrator known for book covers and artwork for games such as ''EverQuest'', '' Guardians'', '' Magic: The Gathering'', and '' Vanguard: Saga of Her ...

, Michael Weaver,

Kelly Freas Frank Kelly Freas (August 27, 1922 – January 2, 2005) was an American science fiction and fantasy artist with a career spanning more than 50 years. He was known as the "Dean of Science Fiction Artists" and he was the second artist inducted b ...

, Laura Freas, Mark Nelson, Karl Waller,

Valerie Valusek Valerie A. Valusek is an artist whose work has appeared in role-playing games. She is the sister of Jay E. Valusek, author of Museum of Voices: An Autobiographical Miscellany, where she is mentioned briefly. Works Valerie Valusek has produced in ...

, Stephen D. Sullivan, Ken Frank, and

Ned Dameron Ned Dameron is a science fiction and fantasy artist. Influences His mother had a gallery in New Orleans, where she mainly dealt with contemporary European paintings originating from a fantastic school, which decisively influenced him to turn in ...

Reception

Rick Swan Rick Swan is a game designer and author who worked for TSR. His work for TSR, mostly for Advanced Dungeons & Dragons, appeared from 1989 to 1995. Swan also wrote ''The Complete Guide to Role-Playing Games'' (1990), published by St. Martin's Pr ...

reviewed ''Arms and Equipment Guide'' for '' Dragon'' magazine #192 (April 1993). He suggested this book "has the answers" for "''AD&D'' game players baffled by the differences between chain mail and brigandine armor, and who don't know a bardiche from a barbell". He said that the designers "probe the mysteries of the ''Player's Handbook'' equipment lists in lavish detail. Practical applications complement the colorful descriptions, making this particularly useful for players who want to know exactly how weaponblack or stirrups affect the game". He complained of too many unlabeled illustrations and the absence of an index, saying that they "mar this otherwise first-rate reference". ''

DieHard GameFan ''GameFan'' (originally known as ''Diehard GameFan'') was a publication started by Tim Lindquist, Greg Off, George Weising. and Dave Halverson in September 1992 that provided coverage of domestic and import video games. It was notable for its ex ...

'' said that "I can't think of any circumstances where I would not recommend this book. It succinctly and authoritatively describes so many fantasy objects taken from medieval eras that, unless you already know all of this stuff and more, would simply be necessary if you even want to know what you are talking about when discussing armor, weapons, and equipment."

Reviews

* ''

Casus Belli A (; ) is an act or an event that either provokes or is used to justify a war. A ''casus belli'' involves direct offenses or threats against the nation declaring the war, whereas a ' involves offenses or threats against its ally—usually one ...

'' #84 (Dec 1994)

3rd edition

The d20 system, 3rd edition version of the ''Arms and Equipment Guide'' was printed in 2003 and was designed by

Eric Cagle The given name Eric, Erich, Erikk, Erik, Erick, or Eirik is derived from the Old Norse name ''Eiríkr'' (or ''Eríkr'' in Old East Norse due to monophthongization). The first element, ''ei-'' may be derived from the older Proto-Norse ''* ain ...

Jesse Decker Jesse Decker is an author, designer, and editor of roleplaying game material. Biography Decker began playing '' Dungeons & Dragons'' in 1983 during recess at his elementary school. During the summer of 1996, he began doing "temp work" for Wiza ...

, Jeff Quick, and

James Wyatt James Wyatt (3 August 1746 – 4 September 1813) was an English architect, a rival of Robert Adam in the neoclassical and neo-Gothic styles. He was elected to the Royal Academy in 1785 and was its president from 1805 to 1806. Early life W ...

. Cover art was by

Eric Peterson Eric Neal Peterson (born October 2, 1946) is a Canadian stage, television, and film actor, known for his roles in three major Canadian series – '' Street Legal'' (1987–1994), '' Corner Gas'' (2004–2009), and '' This is Wonderland'' ...

, with interior art by Dennis Cramer, David Day,

David Martin David or Dave Martin may refer to: Entertainment *David Martin (artist) (1737–1797), Scottish painter and engraver *David Stone Martin (1913–1992), American artist *David Martin (poet) (1915–1997), Hungarian-Australian poet and novelist *Dav ...

, Scott Roller, and

Sam Wood Samuel Grosvenor Wood (July 10, 1883 – September 22, 1949) was an American film director and producer who is best known for having directed such Hollywood hits as ''A Night at the Opera (film), A Night at the Opera'', ''A Day at the Races (fi ...

. This book has an introduction, six chapters, and an appendix containing random treasure tables. Chapters are "Weapons and Armor", "Adventuring Gear", "Vehicles", "Hirelings and Creatures", "Magical Items", and "Special Magical Items".

"Weapons and Armor"

The first section of the book is concerned with mundane weapons and armor. It introduces many new weapons, such as the Gyrspike, a

sword A sword is an edged, bladed weapon intended for manual cutting or thrusting. Its blade, longer than a knife or dagger, is attached to a hilt and can be straight or curved. A thrusting sword tends to have a straighter blade with a pointed t ...

with a spiked ball attached to the hilt by a chain. As well, the section lists the different weapons used throughout the different cultures and time periods, and the names they were known by. It describes several different materials for use in creating weapons or armor, such as bronze and

coral Corals are marine invertebrates within the class Anthozoa of the phylum Cnidaria. They typically form compact colonies of many identical individual polyps. Coral species include the important reef builders that inhabit tropical oceans and secre ...

"Adventuring Gear"

This second lists the details and price of clothing, candles, alchemical items, and other adventuring necessities; the section consists of approximately 145 items. Also included is a discussion on economic systems in the fantasy world.

"Vehicles"

A wide range of vehicles are discussed in this section, from nautical wind-powered ships and horse-drawn carriages, to

zeppelins A Zeppelin is a type of rigid airship named after the German inventor Count Ferdinand von Zeppelin () who pioneered rigid airship development at the beginning of the 20th century. Zeppelin's notions were first formulated in 1874Eckener 1938, pp ...

and

triceratops ''Triceratops'' ( ; ) is a genus of herbivorous chasmosaurine ceratopsid dinosaur that first appeared during the late Maastrichtian stage of the Late Cretaceous period, about 68 million years ago in what is now North America. It is ...

. Rules are given on how to control mounts, and what happens when two vehicles crash. Several magical items are given for the use in vehicles, such as the Wind-Favored Sails.

"Hirelings and Creatures"

Prices are given for hirelings of various skill levels. Statistics are also given for cheap to expensive mercenaries, including some fantasy creatures, such as

pixies A pixie (also pisky, pixy, pixi, pizkie, and piskie in Cornwall and Devon, and pigsie or puggsy in the New Forest) is a mythical creature of British folklore. Pixies are considered to be particularly concentrated in the high moorland areas ar ...

. A section on pets discusses the training of

animal Animals are multicellular, eukaryotic organisms in the Kingdom (biology), biological kingdom Animalia. With few exceptions, animals Heterotroph, consume organic material, Cellular respiration#Aerobic respiration, breathe oxygen, are Motilit ...

s and

legendary creature A legendary creature (also mythical or mythological creature) is a type of fictional entity, typically a hybrid, that has not been proven and that is described in folklore (including myths and legends), but may be featured in historical accou ...

s as guard animals and pets. Several new creatures are introduced, such as the Climbdog. Rules concerning mounts, several magic items relating to animal training, and new mounts are proposed.

"Magical Items"

Many new potions, rings, staffs, rods, and wondrous items are detailed in this chapter, including a new type of potion called ''Elixir Armor''. Made from the essence of creatures with natural armor, it grants the drinker with an

armor class Health is an attribute in a video game or tabletop game that determines the maximum amount of damage or loss of stamina that a character or object can take before dying or losing consciousness. In role-playing games, this typically takes the for ...

bonus.

Weapons

A large part of the book focuses on magical weapons. Three pages of weapon abilities is followed by 24 pages of specific magical weapons.

"Special Magical Items"

This section contains new intelligent, cursed, and

artifact Artifact, or artefact, may refer to: Science and technology * Artifact (error), misleading or confusing alteration in data or observation, commonly in experimental science, resulting from flaws in technique or equipment ** Compression artifact, a ...

items, the most notable of which include the Regalia of Might and the Rod of Seven Parts.

References

* Review: ''White Wolf'' #30 (1992)

External links

''Arms and Equipment Guide'' excerpts
at Wizards of the Coast
''Arms and Equipment Guide'' art gallery
at Wizards of the Coast {{D&D topics 2003 books Dungeons & Dragons sourcebooks Role-playing game supplements introduced in 1991