▁basic ▁rules ▁of ▁game play , ▁and ▁the ▁Mon ster ▁Man ual , ▁which ▁is ▁a ▁reference ▁book ▁giving ▁statistics ▁and ▁characteristics ▁to ▁various ▁animals ▁and ▁mon sters . ▁The ▁Player ' s ▁Hand book , ▁Dun geon ▁Master ' s ▁Guide , ▁and ▁Mon ster ▁Man ual ▁are ▁collect ively ▁referred ▁to ▁as ▁the ▁" core ▁rules " ▁of ▁the ▁Dun ge ons ▁& ▁Drag ons ▁game . ▁Both ▁the ▁Dun geon ▁Master ' s ▁Guide ▁and ▁the ▁Player ' s ▁Hand book ▁give ▁advice , ▁tips , ▁and ▁suggestions ▁for ▁various ▁styles ▁of ▁play . ▁ ▁While ▁all ▁players , ▁including ▁the ▁Dun geon ▁Master , ▁are ▁expected ▁to ▁have ▁at ▁their ▁dispos al ▁a ▁copy ▁of ▁the ▁Player ' s ▁Hand book , ▁only ▁the ▁Dun geon ▁Master ▁is ▁expected ▁to ▁refer ▁to ▁the ▁Dun geon ▁Master ' s ▁Guide ▁or ▁Mon ster ▁Man ual ▁during ▁game play . ▁ ▁Advanced ▁Dun ge ons ▁& ▁Drag ons ▁The ▁original ▁AD & D ▁Dun geon ▁Masters ▁Guide ▁( s ic ) ▁was ▁written ▁by ▁Gary ▁G yg ax , ▁and ▁published ▁by ▁T SR ▁in ▁ 1 9 7 9 ▁as ▁a ▁ 2 3 2 - page ▁hard cover ▁with ▁a ▁cover ▁by ▁David ▁C . ▁S uther land ▁III . ▁The ▁ 1 9 8 3 ▁printing ▁featured ▁a ▁new ▁cover ▁by ▁Jeff ▁E as ley . ▁ ▁Like ▁other ▁volumes ▁of ▁Dun ge ons ▁& ▁Drag ons ▁hand books , ▁the ▁Dun geon ▁Masters ▁Guide ▁has ▁gone ▁through