The first hardcover AD&D manual. Statistics, descriptions, and
illustrations for a variety of monsters to populate your dungeon.
Monster Manual by Gary Gygax
Gary Gygax was a proponent of a more in-depth gaming system than Original D&D
provided, and in 1977 TSR published this first of the Advanced Dungeons & Dragons hardcover
manuals. Redesigned from the ground up, AD&D provided "experienced" role players
with complexity and detail (at the expense of individual creativity... AD&D encourages
hand-holding). Proving to be the more enduring of the two game systems, AD&D is still
actively supported today, currently in its 4th Edition.
Corrections mentioned in the Errata
article of Dragon Magazine #35 were gradually
incorporated from the Second through the Fourth printings.
Thanks to Eric Banks, Rick Blumer, Andy Collins, Scott Cordiner, Michael Deaton, Rich Franks, Jr,
Jeff Gregor, Gary Kramer, David Lamontagne, Dave Macauley, Eric Niesley, Adrian Newman, Eric Pass, Ben
Polson, Bruce Probst, Paul Stormberg, Tyson Vickers, and Susan Waldbiesser for their research and assistance on
various details of the print sequence.
Thanks to Adrian Newman for the scan of the 3rd Print Beta / 4th print, and Michael
Deaton for the scan of the Sixth print.
In the below listings, I've removed the hyperlinks (all of
which were rather superfluous, internal links anyway), and added green
highlighting to elements that changed from the previous print. This should
hopefully make it easier to identify which print you have.
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First (Dec 1977)
Cover:
Lizard logo
Centered, red-lettered "Advanced Dungeons &
Dragons" at top, with "TM Reg Applied For" in small red letters
under that
Rough textured (like a 1970's school textbook, which in fact it
was)
Spine:
No ISBN anywhere
Endpapers and flyleaves are red
Pages are smooth
No printing number information on the copyright page
Catalog on last page refers to a future "Referee's Guide" and
Outdoor Geomorphs sets 2-4
The first print was intended to be released in Sep 1977, but due to
delays at the printer, was not released until after Christmas 1977 -- possibly even Jan
1978
Gygax has stated that this first print numbered 50,000
copies
About the publishing of this print (the first hardback RPG manual ever
printed), again from Gygax: "It was no problem finding a printer that could do a
stitched binding and school-book cover material, as I wanted the AD&D volumes to be as
nearly indestructible as could be managed. Later on the Blumes changed that to save a
nickel or two on each copy printed... as if we weren't making enough as it was. (Acaeum
note: this occurred with the Fourth Beta print). Crown Books wanted me to
write a special introductory game book exclusively for them, but that was a no-go.
Simon & Schuster contacted me about book trade distribution, but they were going to
take a year to set it up, so I wasn't too thrilled. Then I got a phone call from
Mildred Marmur, then the VP of Sub-Rights Licensing at Random House. They flew me out
to NYC the next week and were ready to begin distribution in a month's time. As the
remainder of the deal I negotiated assured TSR cash flow and other great benefits, I signed
my name up there in their offices on the second day of our meetings. Having Millie as
an advocate was a lot of help in cutting a great deal for TSR. Both of her sons were
D&Ders!"
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Second (May 1978)
Cover:
-
Spine:
No ISBN anywhere
Endpapers and flyleaves are red
Pages are smooth
States "2nd Edition, May 1978" on the
copyright page
Catalog on last page refers to a future "Referee's Guide" and
Outdoor Geomorphs sets 2-4
-
Third Alpha (Dec 1978)
Cover:
-
Spine:
No ISBN anywhere
Endpapers and flyleaves are red
Pages are smooth
States "3rd Edition, December 1978" on
the copyright page
Catalog on last page has been updated; now
correctly reflects a future Dungeon Masters Guide and omits reference to Outdoor
Geomorphs sets 2-4
-
Third Beta
This is a strange hybrid print. The cover is identical to
the Fourth Alpha print, but the spine and the interior are identical to the
Third Alpha print
Cover:
Wizard logo
"Advanced D&D" in an angled
yellow banner, top left corner; the red letters of "Advanced
D&D" have black highlights, and there's no "TM" designation
after it
"Monster Manual" title has
moved from lower mid-cover to the top
Rough textured
Spine:
No ISBN anywhere
Endpapers and flyleaves are red
Pages are smooth
States "3rd Edition, December 1978" on the copyright page
-
Fourth Alpha (Aug 1979)
Cover:
Wizard logo
"Advanced D&D" in an angled yellow banner; the red
letters of "Advanced D&D" have black highlights, and there's no
"TM" designation after it
"Monster Manual" title at top
Rough textured
Spine:
ISBN on spine, rear cover, and bottom of title
page
Endpapers and flyleaves are red
Pages are smooth
States "4th Edition, August 1979" on the
copyright page; no Random House distribution notice
Considered the "final" version, with all the errata
incorporated
-
Fourth Beta
Cover:
Wizard logo
"Advanced D&D" in an angled yellow banner; the red
letters of "Advanced D&D" have black highlights, and there's no
"TM" designation after it
"Monster Manual" title at top
Now smooth textured
Spine:
ISBN on spine, rear cover, and bottom of title page
Endpapers and flyleaves are red
Pages are smooth
States "4th Edition, August 1979" on the copyright page,
along with "Distributed to the book trade in the United States
by Random House"
-
Fourth Gamma
Cover:
Wizard logo
"Advanced D&D" in an angled yellow banner; the red
letters of "Advanced D&D" have black highlights, and there's no
"TM" designation after it
"Monster Manual" title at top
Smooth textured
Spine:
ISBN on spine, rear cover, and bottom of title page
Endpapers and flyleaves are
white
Pages are smooth
States "4th Edition, August 1979" on the copyright page, along
with "Distributed to the book trade in the United States by Random House"
-
Fifth (1980?)
Cover:
Wizard logo
"Advanced D&D" in an angled yellow banner;
the red letters of "Advanced D&D" now have
white highlights, and has a "TM" designation after it
"Monster Manual" title at top
Spine:
ISBN on spine, rear cover, and title page
Endpapers and flyleaves are white (though a red-colored copy has been
spotted -- further confirmation on this needed, since the sequence has been re-done since
this was submitted)
Pages are now a rougher texture than
previously (cheaper paper)
Still states "4th Edition, August 1979" on the copyright
page
By far the most common of all the Monster Manual
prints
-
Sixth (1981)
Cover:
Spine:
ISBN and TSR Product Number on spine and
rear cover; ISBN alone appears on bottom of title page
Endpapers and flyleaves are white
Pages are rough
Still states "4th Edition, August 1979" on the copyright
page
Textual change in the preface (pg 4),
adding "co-authored with Dave Arneson" (a direct result of the lawsuit between TSR
and Arneson)
-
Seventh Alpha (1983)
Updated cover art (red dragon fighting a
pegasus), matching the cover style of the newly-released Monster Manual
II
Angled TSR logo
Orange spine
ISBN ("0-935696-00-8") stacked above the Product Number
("394-51113-1TSR1200") on the rear cover lower left; no UPC code nor price on
rear cover
Still says "4th Edition, August 1979" on the copyright
page
Last page has a catalog
-
Seventh Beta
Updated cover art
Angled TSR logo
Orange spine
ISBN ("0-935696-00-8") and Product
Number ("394-51113-1TSR1200") stacked above a UPC bar code on the rear cover
center; Piece Code ("2009XXX7301") in the lower left corner, but no price
Still says "4th Edition, August 1979" on the copyright
page
Last page is blank, other than an Angled
TSR logo
-
Eighth
Updated cover art
Angled TSR logo
Orange spine
ISBN above a UPC bar code on the rear cover
center; and the price ($15.00) is in the lower right corner
Still says "4th Edition, August 1979" on the copyright
page
Last page is blank, other than an Angled TSR logo
-
Ninth (Aug 1987), Tenth (Nov 1987), Eleventh,
Twelfth, Thirteenth, Fourteenth (Nov 1988), Fifteenth (Jul
1989)
Updated cover art
Angled TSR logo
Orange spine
ISBN above a UPC bar code on the rear cover center, and the price
($15.00) is in the lower right corner
Now has printing numbers and dates on the
copyright page. We've done our best to keep these printing declarations
in-line with our own previous (Eighth print and earlier) print sequence, which has been
difficult!
Last page is blank, other than an Angled TSR logo
A printing has been found that states "Thirteenth Print, Jul
1990" inside. As this is impossible, I surmise that the typo is in the printing
number rather than the date, and this is probably the Sixteenth or Seventeenth print.
Thanks to Michael Deaton for this info.
An "errata sheet" was
available for the First print; unknown where these sheets came from (since the books were not
shrinkwrapped, it is highly unlikely they came with the book purchase). Most of the errata
mentioned on the sheet were corrected with the Second print, so we surmise it was released sometime
between Dec 1977 and May 1978. More info is needed. Thanks to Michael Deaton for the
scan.
The Monster Manual, being the first AD&D hardcover, was probably
printed in greater numbers than any other D&D book. As such, values are typically low for all
but the earliest prints. The early prints have the added benefit of rugged construction, which
helps retain their condition.
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Monster Manual
(1st prt)

Monster Manual
(2nd prt)

Monster Manual
(3rd Alpha prt)

Monster Manual
(3rd Beta & 4th prts)

Monster Manual
(5th prt)

Monster Manual
(6th prt)

Monster Manual
(7th and later prints)

Errata sheet
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