DND-L FAQ

The Dungeons and Dragons Mailing List
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)


Based off of the Forgotten Realms
Mailing List FAQ by Andrew Hackard and Craig Sefton. Huge thanks to John Grisby for all the hard work he has put into this.

Maintained by Pat Jones

All trademarks referenced in this document are the property of TSR, Inc. and/or Wizards of the Coast and are used here without permission. No infringement is intended or should be inferred.

Table of Contents

New! denotes new or updated topics.

1. Questions about Dungeons & Dragons
1.0. Dungeons & Dragons, 3rd Edition New!
1.0.1. What is the difference between this edition and the previous ones?
1.1. What is the Open Gaming License (OGL)?
1.1.1. So I can write up stuff for use with D&D and publish it?
1.2. Could someone please send me a copy of [class/race/rules]?

2. General questions about the list
2.0. Keyword Introduction
2.0.1. What are the keywords?
2.0.2. How do you use keywords?
2.0.3. How can I suggest new keywords?
2.1. Netiquette
2.1.1. Why isn't this topic OK?
2.1.2. What's a flame and why is it bad?
2.1.3. Why can't I post in persona?
2.1.4. How much can I quote?
2.1.5. What's wrong with my signature?
2.1.6. WHAT'S WRONG WITH WRITING IN CAPITAL LETTERS?
2.1.7. What's up with the 'plain text only' rule?
2.1.8. Why does my post look so funky?
2.1.9. What is REVIEW status?
2.1.10. I've been banned from the list. How can I get back on?
2.2. Generosity and the list
2.2.1. How should I offer a file? Respond to an offer?
2.2.2. Why are attached files such bad things?
2.2.3. What's a 'me too'?
2.2.4. Why doesn't anyone ever comment on my posts?
2.3. Matters of terminology
2.3.1. What does this abbreviation mean?
2.3.2. What's wrong with saying 'T$R'?
2.3.3. What's a munchkin?
2.4. How can I post a review to the list?
2.5. How many users are there, anyway? New!
2.6. Who are the moderators and monitors of this list?
2.7. How can I read old list messages? Is there an archive?
2.8. Can I change my e-mail address without unsubscribing and resubscribing to the list?

3. Other resources
3.1. Official sites
3.1.1. Wizards of the Coast New!
3.1.2. MPGN New!
3.2. Other web sites of interest
3.2.1. Where's 'Eric Noah's Unofficial 3E News' site?
3.2.2. What else is out there (WWW)? New!
3.2.3. What else is out there (mailing lists)? New!
3.3. Where can I locate out of print products?

4. Why didn't you include...?

1. Questions about Dungeons & Dragons

1.0. Dungeons & Dragons, 3rd Edition New!

Dungeons and Dragons 3rd Edition, sometimes referred to as D&D3E or Dungeons & Dragons 3E (now at version 3.5), is the latest incarnation of the first publicly introduced role-playing game. It was launched, with much fanfare, in August 2000, with the release of the Dungeons & Dragons Player's Handbook. This was followed by the release of the Dungeon Master's Guide in September and the Monster Manual in October. These three books form the Core Rules that provide all necessary information to play the game. Not coincidentally, D&D also serves as the flagship of the d20 System, Wizards of the Coast's new system of game mechanics and the driving format for all future releases from Wizards of the Coast.

1.0.1 What is the difference between this edition and previous ones?

The third edition of Dungeons & Dragons differs significantly from the former editions in many ways, but the most obvious is the simplification (some would say oversimplification) of the game mechanics. In brief, the base game mechanic is the d20 roll (hence, the d20 System), which is then modified by appropriate variables. This mechanic is used for attack rolls, saving throws, and skill rolls. Racial level limits on non-humans have been removed and ability score caps have likewise been discarded across the board. Further, racial limitations on possible character classes have been dropped, allowing any character to take up any class. The armor class system has been given a complete overhaul, resulting in a far simpler computation of Armor Class, and the rules regarding dual-classing and multi-classing have been greatly simplified.

1.1. What is the Open Gaming License (OGL)?

This is a big subject and there are places on the web that can provide a lot more detail that I am prepared to give. However, in brief, the OGL was developed by Wizards of the Coast as a method by which other people can produce derivative materials for any work that falls under the Open Gaming License and market these materials as their own work, without having to pay royalties or fees of any kind to the creators of the original work. More information regarding the OGL can be found at http://opengamingfoundation.org/.

1.1.1. So I can write up stuff for use with D&D and publish it?

Yes, so long as you stay within the constraints set by the OGL.

1.2. Could someone please send me a copy of [copyrighted material]?

Absolutely not! Reprinting material developed by someone else without that person or company's express written permission is called copyright violation and it is not only immoral, but also illegal. No one in their right mind will be willing to risk expensive fines or jail time, so please don't ask.

Also, please keep in mind that d20 material is licensed (NOT public domain), and is, therefore, still covered under copyright laws. see the Open Gaming License for more information on the proper way to reproduce Open Gaming Content.

2. General questions about the list

2.0. Keyword Introduction

In order to streamline the list and make it easier for folks to read and respond to posts, all DND-L posts are organized under several keywords or TOPICS. The format for the subject line is '': text describing message'' (by default LISTSERV will automatically insert [DND] at the start of the subject header). Currently, there are eleven keywords defined.

2.0.1. What are the keywords?

2.0.2. How do you use the keywords?

a) Keywords are placed at the beginning of the line.

b) Multiple keywords are separated by a comma, with the last one followed by a colon (:).

If you don't want to receive all of these, or you only want to receive one or two, it's quite easy to select a sublist of the above keywords to get. All of the following commands must be sent to LISTSERV@ORACLE.WIZARDS.COM to take effect.

To add a keyword or keywords: set dnd-l topics = +RULES +MISC
To remove a keyword or keywords: set dnd-l topics = -RULES -FLUFF
To add all the keywords: set dnd-l topics = +ALL
To change the keywords to a specific list: set dnd-l topics = RULES FLUFF ADMIN MISC

These can be mixed and matched as needed. The default settings for DND-L are ADMIN, BUSINESS, CUSTOM, FLUFF, MISC, OLD, REVIEW, ROLE, RULES, and STAFF.

2.0.3. How can I suggest new keywords?

If you feel that the current selection of keywords is not adequate for some reason, contact one of the moderators and we will hear your request and determine whether a new keyword needs to be added.

2.1. Netiquette

2.1.1. Why isn't this topic OK?

There are two major reasons why the monitors may 'suggest' that a topic should be moved or terminated.

Most common is an off-topic message or thread. The DND list is for discussion of gaming utilizing the D&D 3rd Edition (and previous editions) system, not for discussing your d20 System variant or your dog's overbite. If your topic is not specifically related to D&D, you may want to seek out a more appropriate venue. (See 3.2.3.)

The second reason is a topic that has just been hashed to death (within the last two to three months, at a minimum) or one that, while nominally on-topic, is likely to prove unproductive and possibly even inflammatory.

You're welcome to make your case off the list to the monitors, but please don't argue the issue ON the list; that's as bad as perpetuating a closed topic in the first place. We don't usually ask that a thread be ended, so when we do, please abide by that decision.

Spam, product advertisements (except for: WotC press releases *from WotC*, and product announcements from D20 publishers or Fan-creators properly posted under the BUSINESS keyword), chain letters, email virus reports, and so forth are not permitted and are grounds for immediate placement on REVIEW status. Don't send them.

2.1.2. What's a flame and why is it bad? (Or, This isn't a flame, you moron!)

A 'flame' is a message whose primary purpose is not to foster discussion, but to promote argument, dissension, and ill-will. Overt insults are flames, but there are very subtle messages that also come across as inflammatory.

Everyone has been misread, or has misspoken themselves, and been accused of flaming. If no hostility was truly meant, you are within your rights to explain yourself, but the best course of action is often simply to say, 'That wasn't what I meant; I'm sorry it came across that way.' If you DID mean to flame, we hope you have the good grace to apologize.

It should go without saying (but doesn't, so I'm saying it) that neither flames nor annoyed responses to flames belong on the list. Remember that the height of good manners frequently consists of not hearing a nasty remark; this is easily accomplished by swift application of the DELETE key.

2.1.3. Why can't I post in persona?

It isn't so much that you can't, as we would prefer that you didn't. In general, persona posts (i.e., speaking 'in character') tend to annoy people who would prefer not to deal with them and also detract from useful discussion.

A person who merely signs his posts with his persona name is fine. Even the occasional post in character isn't too obnoxious. What gets very old are posts which are in persona for no good reason, and persona posts where the persona itself is rather annoying. We certainly understand the appeal of playing your character, but most list members would prefer to conduct conversations with another human being, not a figment of your imagination. (You should use the keyword FLUFF in for any post that's primarily in character, so that the people who really don't like persona posts can avoid them.)

Using your persona to belittle other characters or other players and their ideas is, of course, absolutely forbidden. Also forbidden are persona posts with no other content; this is a discussion list, not a role-playing list per se.

2.1.4. How much can I quote?

As little as possible.

Except in VERY rare cases (and VERY short posts), quoting an entire post without performing some editing is considered extremely rude. It's best to find one or two sentences, a paragraph at most, to give some context to your reply and quote only that much. You may, alternatively, elect to summarize another user's post if there's no part which can easily be extracted. However, if you are unable to edit quoted text (or unwilling to learn), the monitors respectfully ask that you refrain from quoting at all.

A good guideline, BTW, is that you should add at least as much text as you quote.

When quoting, you should be sure to trim the signature and the 'To unsubscribe' footer. You should use some system to ensure that the quoted text and your additions can be distinguished. Some systems will automatically insert a '>' at the start of each quoted line. If you have to cut and paste, as older versions of AOL and some other systems require, it's polite to include opening and closing angle brackets in sets of two or three at the start and end of the quoted text.

Please leave at least one line between the quoted text and your addition, so that we can determine who said what. Also try to break up long blocks of text with blank lines; it makes your post much easier to read. If there are several points in a long post to which you want to respond, don't just have a long piece of quoted text; reply point-by-point.

2.1.5. What's wrong with my signature?

It's almost certainly too long. There's something extremely silly about a two-line message followed by a twelve-line signature file, including a bad ASCII squirrel, four web pages (two of which are yours and two of which have nudie Star Trek stars), and three email addresses, one of which you haven't checked since the Reagan era.

There are legitimate reasons to have a signature that's a little longer than most, but remember that little pictures, pithy quotes, and excess contact information (how many people really need your latitude and longitude?) bloat signatures very quickly. If your signature is too long, in the monitors' judgement, you may be asked to trim it or refrain from posting with your signature. Around five lines for a sig file should be the limit.

It also helps if you put a '-- ' as the first line of the sig file, to set it off from the rest of your message.

2.1.6. WHAT'S WRONG WITH WRITING IN CAPITAL LETTERS?

This is considered very, very bad manners as capitals are considered to be used as an emphasis. Therefore, according to everyone who is reading your post, you're 'Shouting'. We know it sounds silly, but trust us: do not use capitals and you'll be fine.

2.1.7. What's up with the 'plain text only' rule?

We know your message looks fine on your system, with three different fonts, five text colors, and full justification of your text. Trust us, it looks like crap here, and on a lot of other systems. Not every mail program understands HTML or MS rich text encoding, and on those systems your message will be ooooog-lee. Worse, every single little formatting tag will show up in all its text-based splendor in the digest form of DND-L.

Stick with plain text for list messages.

If you need help figuring out how to do this, please contact the moderator or a monitor, who will be more than happy to assist you.

2.1.8. Why does my text look so funky?

Many users have a word wrap feature in their email programs. Many users ignore this feature, and hit return at the end of lines that are just a little too long, so that one or two words wrap over to the next line, followed by another full line of text. It's very ugly (as you may have noticed).

If your email program supports word wrap, you should hit return only at the ends of paragraphs, just as if you were using a word processor. (It's a good idea, if the wrap margin can be changed, to set it at about 70 characters.) Conversely, if your software does NOT support word wrap, it's a good idea to use a monospaced font, and get a good feel for where the 70-character boundary is so your lines don't get too long.

2.1.9. What is REVIEW status?

When an individual is placed on REVIEW, it means that every post he or she makes is first sent to the moderator and monitors to be sure that it is acceptable (on-topic, clean language, no HTML or attachments, etc.). If the monitors or moderator approve the post, it is then distributed to the list at large. Being placed on REVIEW is a method of insuring compliance with list rules. Offenders are first placed on REVIEW, then, if problems persist, banned from the list.

2.1.10. I've been banned from the list. How can I get back on?

First of all, consider what actions led to your banning. It is very difficult for someone to get banned from the DND-L. The moderator and monitors are fairly tolerant, even of repeat offenders and we would rather place someone on REVIEW (which results in extra work for us) than actually ban them. But sometimes, the individual simply refuses to comply with list rules and we are left with no choice. If you have been banned, the only way back is to e-mail the moderator or an appointed monitor and ask to be allowed back onto the list. Be warned that once you have proven yourself unwilling to follow the rules, we are not likely to look favorably on welcoming you back. Banning is a last resort and is generally considered a Bad Thing*. It is not a status most people wish to achieve.

2.2. Generosity and the list

2.2.1. How should I offer a file? Respond to an offer?

Please do not send attachments to the list!

Rather, with long posts and/or posts that can't be included as simple text, you should offer them to anyone who sends you private email. That way, you don't flood the email boxes of people who don't want or can't handle the file, and you get the information directly to the people who want it. You can also find a willing webmaster (or write your own page--you know you want to, everybody's doing it) and just post the URL with a brief note about what's there. Always, when offering a file, include your email address in the body of the message; not every reader shows your email address as the 'from' address.

When someone makes such an offer to the list, and you're interested, do NOT reply directly to the list. We don't want to know. Instead, send email directly to the offerer. If you don't know the email address, you can get the list archives at WotC (see 3.2.3.) and look for it there, or you can email someone else and ask.

If you miss the original offer, and someone else posts that they're interested in the file (or that they've received it and it's really cool), you can email that person and ask them to forward it to you. As a last resort, send a VERY SHORT message to the list, saying 'I was interested in that Tribble file but I lost the address of the person offering it. Could you email me, please?'

2.2.2. Why are attached files such bad things? I get/send them all the time, and I never have problems.

Great! Some people, however, do.

Our members who are on digest mode can't receive attached files properly; it shows up as a whole mess of gobbledygook following your email message. Some other users who get the regular list can't handle attachments either.

Apart from that, though, sending a long file to people who haven't requested it and may not be interested is just rude. There's no point in sending a Word 97 document to a user who only uses Word Perfect 2.1, and there's even less point sending a file on 'Toe Fungi of My Campaign' to someone who couldn't care less.

2.2.3. What's a 'me too'?

It's a message posted to the list which says 'Send me a copy, too!' Don't do this. Send a private message to the original poster or to the *first* person who posted to the list asking for a copy. Serves him right for not following the rules. :-)

One really annoying practice is the 'Me Too' practice on a request for something that doesn't even exist.

Example: Poster #1: 'Does anyone have an extensive document detailing elves' choice of footware during their pre-teen years?'

Poster #2: 'I'd love to see that too!'

Poster #3: 'Me three!'

Poster #4: 'So where do I get the elf foot ware article that everyone is talking about?'

(More generally, it's *any* short message expressing agreement or praise without any other content. These should be sent privately.)

2.2.4. Why doesn't anyone ever comment on my posts?

There could be several reasons.

First: Did anyone even see your post? if you forgot the keyword, then only a few people saw it. If you posted under the wrong keyword, those who wanted to see it probably didn't.

Second: If you made the post too difficult to read or understand, people often don't bother to read it. The most common causes of this are over-quoting and bottom-quoting. A LOT of people refuse to read such posts and simply delete them. I speak from experience because I tend to do this too.

Some quick definitions to help determine if you fell victim to either of these: Over-quoting is when you quote a disproportionate amount of text compared to what you write, and bottom-quoting (encouraged by some mail readers) is when the entire text of a message is added at the end of a post. Bottom-Quoting is especially annoying since you have to read the bottom part of the post first in order to understand the top part.

Finally, it may have fallen into what some on the list have called the 'Black Hole of Quality'. This is where the content is so good, they could think of nothing worthwhile to add.

Otherwise, darned if we know.

Folks, if you read something you like, drop the poster a line and say so--you'll make her day! If you have some criticism, send it along--maybe there's an issue you hadn't considered, or maybe there's an issue SHE hadn't considered. Often good ideas can spark a message thread on the list--but equally often, good ideas sink without a trace. That's not very nice.

Posters of good ideas, however, should be aware that sometimes we can't read long messages right away. A little patience is desirable. And please don't try to get comments by insulting your readers. That's likely to backfire.

2.3. Matters of terminology

2.3.1. What does this abbreviation mean?

Here's a list of some of the more common ones:

Standard Internet use Terms

Dungeons and Dragons Terms

Many other abbreviations are clear from context. The Computer User High-Tech Dictionary has a more in-depth collection of these definitions available HERE. If you don't know, ask!

2.3.2. What's wrong with saying 'T$R'?

Use of this particular terminology is absolutely forbidden on the list and will get you placed on REVIEW.

When TSR was cracking down on web sites in violation of their online policy, some people starting using 'T$R' as a way of protesting their supposed money-grubbing ways. It's considered VERY rude by every WotC staffer I've spoken to, and at least one has said he refuses to answer any email or Usenet post containing the offending term.

Some people have said they mean the $ to represent the dragon in the TSR shield. We consider that an extremely weak story.

2.3.3. What's a munchkin?

It's a little guy who sings 'Follow the Yellow Brick Road'.

It's also a derogatory term for the type of gamers also known as min/maxers or, sometimes, powergamers. Munchkins tend toward the 'Monty Haul' style of gaming, wanting lots of magic items, lots of treasure, and lots of everything else except danger to their PCs. Many of the Knights of the Dinner Table are munchkins.

Do not call another listmember a munchkin, or accuse their game of being munchkin. That is considered flaming and will be treated as such by the monitors.

Min/maxers are slightly different; they figure out how to tweak the system to get the maximal benefit for their characters. Powergamers may be either of these types, or may simply be gamers who enjoy playing more powerful characters. It's a fine distinction; just to be safe, avoid all three terms until you're more comfortable with the nuances.

2.4. How can I post a review to the list?

Easily. Just send a message to the list; you should title it with the keyword REVIEW, ex: 'Review: Sunless Citadel'. If you plan on referencing DM-only aspects of the product, you should put the word 'SPOILERS' in the subject line, warn about spoilers again in the first line, and leave at least fifteen lines of blank space before you actually start the review. This courtesy also applies to movies which may be of interest to gamers.

Remember that the best reviews give specific information about what was and wasn't done properly, not just a general impression. A review which only says 'Three Days to Kill was the best thing since D&D was created!' or 'Into the Dragon's Lair should be recycled for toilet paper!', while evocative, isn't very helpful to the reader who wants to know what, precisely, you liked or didn't like about the product.

2.5. How many users are there, anyway? New!

As of the last time I checked, we have over 600 subscribers. They represent most of the major three-letter superdomains (com,edu,net,gov,org,mil) and the following country codes (and please correct and complete this list by emailing me privately):

[In any case, there are a LOT of non-native English speakers on this list. Please be forgiving of any odd phrasings, spelling, punctuation, or just typos.]

2.6. Who are the DND List monitors?

Here's a list of the monitors and their email addresses (spamproofed). Pat Jones (DND-L Moderator): Rupert Boleyn; 

In case your browser is like mine at work and can't support direct e-mailing, the addresses are:
Pat Jones, Moderator -- patsite at calandyr dot com
Rupert Boleyn, Monitor -- rboleyn at paradise dot net dot nz

2.7. How can I read old list messages? Is there an archive?

Yes, there is an archive. Searchable archives for the DND-L (as well as several other mailing lists) are available. You can find links to the archives at http://www.wizards.com/lists/.

2.8 Can I change my e-mail address without un-subscribing and re-subscribing to the list?

Yes! This command will allow you to change the email address your subscription is being sent to:

CHANGE dnd-l newemail.address

This will switch it from the address it's currently receiving it at to the new address, once the new address is confirmed as active. Keep in mind that the command must be sent from the address that the list is currently being sent to. Thanks go to David Fair for bringing this one to our attention.

3. Other resources

3.1. Official sites

3.1.1. Wizards of the Coast New!

Wizards of the Coast has an excellent web site, at http://www.wizards.com/. Among other things, it contains many freebies of interest to gamers, chat rooms and message boards, and a product schedule. It also has a complete list of products EVER released.

Definitely bookmark this one; it's worth frequent visits.

Wizards also offers errata for the Player's Handbook, the Dungeon Master's Guide and other books. These can be found at:

Rules Corrections:http://www.wizards.com/dnd/dnd_ph_errata_print1.asp

Rules Clarifications: http://www.wizards.com/dnd/dnd_ph_errata_print2.asp

Rules Corrections & Clarifications: http://www.wizards.com/dnd/dnd_ph_errata_print.asp

Rules FAQ: http://wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/er/20030221a

Free PDF Downloads: http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/dnd/downloads

3.1.2. MPGN New!

MPGN had an ftp site which contained a staggering amount of files uploaded by your fellow gamers over the years. The main D&D URL is ftp://ftp.mpgn.com/Gaming/ADND. It should be noted that this was an AD&D (2E) archive. Sadly, this site was taken down.

3.2. Other web sites of interest

3.2.1. Where's 'Eric Noah's Unofficial 3E News' site?

It is no longer around. It's content has been subsumed by EN World which was started on Eric's site before he 'retired'. You can reach the site here: http://www.enworld.org.

EN World offers daily updates on the D&D 3E system, conversions, official errata, reviews, and much more. This is a site that should be visited frequently.

3.2.2. What else is out there (WWW)? New!

Sites in the Dungeons & Dragons 3rd Edition webring can be viewed at http://www.rpggateway.com/cgi-bin/rpgring/list.pl?ringid=3rdedition;siteid=41.

3.2.3. What else is out there (mailing lists)? New!

Wizards of the Coast, Inc. supports Internet mailing lists for many of its products. To subscribe to any of the lists below, send an email request to listserv@oracle.wizards.com. Your request should follow this format: SUBSCRIBE [list name] [your real name] in the body of the message. Be sure your message doesn't contain a signature or other non-command data.

Several other mailing lists (a list of all available Wizards listserv lists) can be found at http://boards1.wizards.com/community_lists.php.

For the brave at heart, there are at least two relevant Usenet newsgroups: rec.games.frp.dnd and rec.games.frp.misc; if you aren't familiar with newsgroups, ask your Internet provider to help you set it up. WARNING: The newsgroups have much higher volume than this list, and they don't have monitors to keep them on-topic; some judicious pruning is advised.

3.3. Where can I locate out of print products?

First: Wizards of the Coast has begun the process of making all of their out-of-print (OOP) products available either for free or through various websites online like Paizo. The actual product is in PDF format (and you will need Adobe Acrobat or the free reader, available here, to view them).

PDF Files: http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/dnd/downloads
ESD Files: http://store.wizards.com/productlist.asp?CategoryID=126&BrandID=50&AgeID=0
Acrobat Reader: http://www.adobe.com/products/acrobat/readstep2.html

Second: Canvas the local gaming stores, and ASK; many times they have a couple of things in the back that never sold, but that they haven't gotten around to returning. In addition, many will have used game products for sale.

Third: Hit the used book stores. Often they'll have a role-playing game section, and patient thumbing-through can reap any manner of rewards.

Fourth: There are several online merchants which specialize in used products.
http://www.dragontrove.com/
http://www.crazyegors.com
http://www.amazon.com
http://www.conknet.com/~dreamers_den
http://www.titangames.com/
http://www.hitpointe.com/

Fifth: You might wish to try E-Bay at http://www.ebay.com. Membership is free and all of the sellers I've ever dealt with are pretty reputable.

Last bet: If everything else fails, advertise. A single post on the D&D list, simply stating what you're looking for, is OK (request that all replies go directly to you, please!). This should go under the MISC Keyword. You might have luck posting a message in the newsgroup news:rec.games.frp.marketplace, too.

4. Why didn't you include...?

Most likely because I didn't think of it. Please email me(*) with corrections, suggestions, complaints, and (dare I hope) praise. This is *your* FAQ, not mine; I can't make it better without your help.