General Game Terms

Acronym	Meaning
FLGS	Friendly Local Gaming Store
DM	Dungeon Master
GM	Game Master
PC	Player Character
NPC	Non-Player Character
DMPC	Dungeon Master’s Player Character
RP	Role Play
IC	In-Character
OOC	Out-of-Character
PvP	Player vs. Player
PvM	Player vs. Monster
PvE	Player vs. Environment
RAW	Rules as Written (how the book says a mechanic works)
RAI	Rules as Intended (how designers intended a mechanic to work)
WotC	Wizards of the Coast (D&D publisher)
DDB	D&D Beyond (digital toolset)
FG	Fantasy Grounds (online digital tabletop)
Roll20	Roll 20 (online digital tabletop)
FR	Forgotten Realms (main D&D setting)
GP	Gold Pieces (currency)
SP	Silver Pieces (currency)
CP	Copper Pieces (currency)
PbP	Play by Post
LFG	Looking for Group (for players trying to find a game)

Editions

Acronym	Meaning
5e	5th Edition
4e	4th Edition
3.5e	3.5 Edition
3e	3rd Edition
2e	2nd Edition
AD&D	Advanced Dungeons & Dragons
PF	Pathfinder
PF2	Pathfinder 2 (playtest)
SRD	Systems Reference Document (includes the Basic Rules)
OGL	Open Game License (publication guidelines)
OSR	Old School Revival
UA	Unearthed Arcana (playtest material)
HFH	Mike Mearls’ Happy Fun Hour (pre-playtest material)

Combat

Acronym	Meaning
AC	Armor Class
AoE	Area of Effect
OA or AoO	Opportunity Attack or Attack of Opportunity
Atk	Attack
BBEG	Big Bad Evil Guy
DC	Difficulty Class
DPR	Damage/Round
HP	Hit Points
PP	Passive Perception
TPK	Total Party Kill
XP	Experience Points

Ability Scores

Acronym	Meaning
STR	Strength
DEX	Dexterity
CON	Constitution
INT	Intelligence
WIS	Wisdom
CHA	Charisma
MAD	Multiple Ability Score Dependent (character builds whose features rely on multiple ability scores)
SAD	Single Ability Score Dependent (character builds whose features rely on one ability score)

Classes, Subclasses, and Features

Acronym	Meaning
BM	Beast Master (Ranger) or Battle Master (Fighter)
EK	Eldritch Knight (Fighter)
AT	Arcane Trickster (Rogue)
Gish	Fighter/Mage (derived from a Gith class)

Feats

Acronym	Feat
CBE	Crossbow Expert
DW	Dual Wielder
EA	Elven Accuracy
GWM	Great Weapon Master
PAM	Polearm Master
SM	Shield Master
SS	Sharpshooter
WC	War Caster

Spells

Acronym	Spell
AoA	Armor of Agathys
FoD	Finger of Death

Books

Core Rulebooks

Acronym	Book
PH or PHB	Player’s Handbook
DMG	Dungeon Master’s Guide
MM	Monster Manual
VGM or VGtM or Volo’s	Volo’s Guide to Monsters
XGE or XGtE or Xan’s	Xanathar’s Guide to Everything
MTF or MToF or Mordy’s	Mordenkainen’s Tome of Foes

Setting Books

Acronym	Book
WG or WGtE	Wayfinder’s Guide to Eberron
SCAG	Sword Coast Adventurer’s Guide
GGtR	Guildmaster’s Guide to Ravnica

Campaign Books

Acronym	Book	Levels	Storyline
LMoP	Lost Mines of Phandelver (Starter Set)	1-5	Lost Mines of Phandelver
HotDQ	Hoard of the Dragon Queen	1-7	Tyranny of Dragons
RoT	Rise of Tiamat	8-15	Tyranny of Dragons
PotA	Princes of the Apocalypse	1-15	Elemental Evil
EEPC	Elemental Evil Player’s Companion	–	Elemental Evil
OOtA	Out of the Abyss	1-15	Rage of Demons
CoS	Curse of Strahd	1-10	Curse of Strahd
DH	Death House	1-3	Curse of Strahd
SKT	Storm King’s Thunder	1-11	Storm King’s Thunder
ToA	Tomb of Annihilation	1-11	Tomb of Annihilation
WDH	Waterdeep: Dragon Heist	1-5	Waterdeep
DotMM	Waterdeep: Dungeon of the Mad Mage	5-20	Waterdeep
TYP	Tales from the Yawning Portal	Varies	Tales from the Yawning Portal
SC	Sunless Citadel	1-3	Tales from the Yawning Portal
FoF	Forge of Fury	3-5	Tales from the Yawning Portal
HSoT	Hidden Shrine of Tamoachan	5-8	Tales from the Yawning Portal
WPM	White Plume Mountain	8+	Tales from the Yawning Portal
DiT	Dead in Thay	9+	Tales from the Yawning Portal
AtG	Against the Giants	11+	Tales from the Yawning Portal
ToH	Tomb of Horrors	High	Tales from the Yawning Portal