In terms of role playing games (RPGs), which I began writing about last issue, the granddaddy of the genre is clearly Dungeons & Dragons usually abbreviated as D&D.
It is a fantasy tabletop role-playing game (RPG) originally designed by Gary Gygax and Dave Arneson, and first published in 1974 by Tactical Studies Rules, Inc. (TSR).
Gygax is certainly the name associated as being the man who launched what is a growing range of RPGs.
In the case of D&D, the game is still widely popular, and has been published by Wizards of the Coast (now a subsidiary of Hasbro) since 1997.
With D&D each player takes on a specific character to play. These characters embark upon imaginary adventures within a fantasy setting.
A Dungeon Master serves as the game’s referee and storyteller, while maintaining the setting in which the adventures occur and playing the role of the inhabitants.
The characters form a party that interacts with the setting’s inhabitants (and each other). This is one of the great strengths of an RPG, the natural camaraderie created by the team approach needed for success. It also fosters interaction, and discourse, at the gaming table. Something not typical of video games, or even a game of chess where players tend to focus on moves, not talk.
Together the gaming party work to solve dilemmas, engage in battles and gather treasure and knowledge.
In the process the characters earn experience points to become increasingly powerful over a series of sessions.
In 1977, the game was split into two branches: the relatively rules-light game system of Dungeons & Dragons and the more structured, rules-heavy game system of Advanced Dungeons & Dragons (abbreviated as AD&D or ADnD).
AD&D 2nd Edition was published in 1989. This is the game I cut my RPG teeth on, and it remains the version dear to my heart.
The game is not without flaws, and the company behind the game moved to address some of those in 2000, with the release of its third edition with a new system.
The steps taken were frankly underwhelming, and since then the company has seemed focused on creating tweaked rule sets to forever have players buying new books.
Dungeons & Dragons version 3.5 was released in June 2003, and was a filler flop. The fourth edition came in June 2008, and then a fifth edition was released during the second half of 2014.
Fifth edition has stuck for a while, but as a veteran of D&D I see little to recommend in the latest edition.
Characters are a homogenized bunch, with everyone having easy access to magic, and the ability to do big damage in battles.
I tried a game of fifth edition, and was thankful I never spent a dime on books. I walked away from my long time group until they start a session which is not fifth. Yes folks I’ve played D&D for 20-plus years and fifth edition turned me sour.
Before the game begins, and a game can extend over weeks, months, or years, each player creates their player character and records the details on a character sheet.
First, a player determines their character’s ability scores, such as strength, constitution, dexterity, and intelligence.
The player then chooses a race (species) such as human or elf, a character class (occupation) such as fighter or wizard, an alignment (a moral and ethical outlook), and other features to round out the character’s abilities and backstory, which have varied in nature through differing editions.
During the game, players describe their PC’s intended actions, such as punching an opponent or picking a lock, and converse with the DM, who then describes the result or response.
Trivial actions, such as picking up a letter or opening an unlocked door, are usually automatically successful.
The outcomes of more complex or risky actions are determined by rolling dice.
As the game is played, each PC changes over time and generally increases in capability. Characters gain (or sometimes lose) experience, skills and wealth, or gain additional character classes. The key way characters progress is by earning experience points which happens when they defeat an enemy or accomplish a difficult task. Acquiring enough XP allows a PC to advance a level, which grants the character improved class features, abilities and skills. Dungeons & Dragons remained the best-known and best-sellingrole-playing game, with an estimated 20 million people having played the game and more than US$1 billion in book and equipment sales, according to Wikipedia.
The success is not without good reason. The medieval, fantasy setting can be a rich one with a good DM, and some written supplements to draw from. I’d be up for an earlier version session anytime, and I am sure players that want it all from day one, or who have never experienced the wonder of the less powerful base game of earlier versions, will relish fifth edition.
Certainly if you want to try an RPG, D&D will not be a bad choice as an entry game, but there are other options, as I will explore the next couple of weeks.
