History
In their current form, templates were first introduced to the Dungeons & Dragons game in the Third Edition Monster Manual and since then numerous templates have appeared in each new monster supplement, and often in the monster sections of other rulebooks.
Technically, the earliest template introduced for use with the AD&D game system - quite different than those currently in use with the Third Edition game - was published in the First Edition game's Dungeon Master's Guide, which features tables to aid in the "random generation of creatures from the lower planes". Subsequent other First Edition handbooks, notably the Monster Manual II, as well as Dragon Magazine, featured additional early monster generation templates.
Read more about this topic: Creature Template (Dungeons & Dragons)
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