How did you arrive at D&D?

[Dakkareth]

I played Baldur's Gate 2 ... again and again. From the old Blackisle Studios boards which I still remember fondly I slowly migrated over to WotC and came here to ENWorld by link to jonrog1's Story Hour. Here I stayed and now I've finally found a group to play with

 

[Marius Delphus]

1978-79, Monochrome Blue boxed set, parents, toy store? book store? not sure.

We (my brother and I) tried desperately to get our parents involved (we were 6-7-8 ish and had no friends), but ultimately that didn't work out and we were left to our own devices. Very confused when the Dungeon Master's Guide didn't synch up well with the material in the box (just how advanced WAS this "Advanced" thing anyway?). Then the Monster Manual continued to confuse us. Only upon getting the Player's Handbook did we fully leave OD&D for AD&D1E, and I, at least, have been "in" ever since.

Though only primitive reading and toying around with ideas until I hit 5th grade and found fellow gamers for the first time. I still remember buying an adamantium (yep) castle in the Astral Plane (from a classmate) that was stocked with a "zoo" containing the monsters from the S4 insert. All of 'em. Even the demon lords. But my wizard was 500th level so it was no big deal. It was only a few million platinum down the drain; what did I care? I could always make more. So I remapped the thing (figuring I could both reconfigure and redecorate my new digs with very little effort), placed it much closer to the Abyss/Nine Hells/Astral boundary and made myself responsible for holding back the tide of fiends that was always poised to invade the Prime.

In hindsight, that character may have been a little over the top. But when I think about "how did I start playing," I have to confess to this character. I don't, however, have to repeat his horrendously cheesy name.

 

[Mercule]

Red box was my first purchase (from a Walgreens, if you can believe it), but I'd been playing for a year or so.

 

[Plane Sailing]

read about D&D in a "Games and Puzzles" magazine article in July 75. It sounded really great, but I couldn't afford the £6.50 for the white box set so I made up some rules myself and started playing with a friend. Probably came to half a side of A4. We had a blast. Never did actually get the white box set but borrowed someone elses and purchased Greyhawk which was when things got really wicked.

Cheers

 

[threshel]

D&D Red Box set (then blue, then... well, you know). 1983.

J

 

[Jdvn1]

D&D first. This seems kind of lopsided.

 

[Grand_Director]

I remember it well. I was reading my Marvel comics when the advertisement for the D&D Basic set was on the back cover. I read those ads for months. It was 1986 and I was twelve. I begged my mom to get it for me and she did. I have never looked back.

 

[vdal]

The Red Box

I started play in High School using a hybrid Red Box D&D and the DMG from 1ed. We didn't have the other books yet.
The 1st RPG I owned was Traveller in the little black box and then I got the red box D&D for Christmas. I remember my parents asking me if that was really what I wanted. I said yes, yes, yes.
I haven't been able to stop since. 22 years and counting. And now my son is getting interested as well.

 

[Greylock]

Avalon Hill wargames -> 1stEd D&D -> wandering in wilderness -> CRPG's (BG/NWN) -> 3.5 D&D

 

[Ankh-Morpork Guard]

I started with D6 Star Wars, and then came to D&D with 3rd Edition.

Almost exactly the same for me, except I can to D&D in the last year or so of 2e.