Your introduction to D&D: what order of books?
- Thread starter Bullgrit
- Start date
Doug McCrae
Legend
1982, I was 12 years old, playing with a group of six school friends of a similar age. Moldvay Basic was my first rpg experience, and then AD&D, which we played as if it was BD&D but with monks, assassins, etc. We played a wide variety of rpgs such as Villains & Vigilantes, Champions, Traveller, Melee & Wizard, Call of Cthulhu and many others. The first rpgs I actually owned were Star Frontiers and RuneQuest, it was quite a while before I owned any D&D material. We played oneoff adventures or short campaigns (12 sessions at most, I think). Back then, we never used mega-dungeons or played in long term campaigns so we never actually played D&D as Gary intended. Our best games by far, imo, were two V&V campaigns.
The biggest influence on all of us was probably White Dwarf magazine, issues 30-60 or so. Probably the best rpg mag ever, far superior to Dragon imo. It basically taught us how to roleplay.
The biggest influence on all of us was probably White Dwarf magazine, issues 30-60 or so. Probably the best rpg mag ever, far superior to Dragon imo. It basically taught us how to roleplay.
I wasn't allowed to play DND (it's evil... 
) But my family had no problem with fantasy, so I borrowed a Forgotten Realms box set from a friend to harvest it for spell names for my own writings.
So I won't really count that, so I'd say my first real introduction to DND was
) But my family had no problem with fantasy, so I borrowed a Forgotten Realms box set from a friend to harvest it for spell names for my own writings.So I won't really count that, so I'd say my first real introduction to DND was
Shades of Green
Explorer
AD&D 2E PHB
AD&D 2E DMG
AD&D 2E MM
We played for years (19997-2000) just with these three; we later got our hands on a few old, used, D&D adventures such as King's Festival and the Isle of Dread. Then we got the three 3E core-books and played with them for even longer until I switched to BFRPG about a year ago.
AD&D 2E DMG
AD&D 2E MM
We played for years (19997-2000) just with these three; we later got our hands on a few old, used, D&D adventures such as King's Festival and the Isle of Dread. Then we got the three 3E core-books and played with them for even longer until I switched to BFRPG about a year ago.
Thornir Alekeg
Albatross!
Moldvay Basic Set (including Keep on the Borderlands)
Expert Set
AD&D PHB
AD&D DMG
AD&D MM
AD&D Deities and Demigods
Expert Set
AD&D PHB
AD&D DMG
AD&D MM
AD&D Deities and Demigods
Pyoor
First Post
I was thinking about this last week now that I'm a father and when would it be appropriate to introduce my son to D&D. He already likes my miniatures and refers to them as "Dada's men". Is 2 too earlier?
X2 Castle Amber
AD&D Monster Manual II
AD&D Monster Manual I
I probably got the original red box set and PHB shortly thereafter.
Looking back it's strange that I got modules and the Monster Manuals first, but I guess I was drawn to big books with monsters.
What 8 year old doesn't like books with monsters?
X2 Castle Amber
AD&D Monster Manual II
AD&D Monster Manual I
I probably got the original red box set and PHB shortly thereafter.
Looking back it's strange that I got modules and the Monster Manuals first, but I guess I was drawn to big books with monsters.
What 8 year old doesn't like books with monsters?
Red box basic
Blue box Expert
Keep on the Borderlands
Either Companion D&D or AD&D PHB
After that it was everything I could get my hands on heh. I have all 5 BECMI at home so I never felt the urge for the Rules Cyclopedia when it was released. I moved into 2E sometime not too terribly long after it came out and we kept using all our old AD&D with it. 3E I was there day 1 and the old stuff went onto lower, unused shelves or got boxed up. I may not play 3E (or the other earlier editions) anymore, but I'm a packrat and who knows when someday we might want to pull it all out for some reason.
Blue box Expert
Keep on the Borderlands
Either Companion D&D or AD&D PHB
After that it was everything I could get my hands on heh. I have all 5 BECMI at home so I never felt the urge for the Rules Cyclopedia when it was released. I moved into 2E sometime not too terribly long after it came out and we kept using all our old AD&D with it. 3E I was there day 1 and the old stuff went onto lower, unused shelves or got boxed up. I may not play 3E (or the other earlier editions) anymore, but I'm a packrat and who knows when someday we might want to pull it all out for some reason.
coyote6
Adventurer
I don't recall clearly, but I believe it was: get introduced to play at a neighbor's (I have no idea what version he was using -- I think it was AD&D, though), bug mom until she bought me a book. I think the first book was either the AD&D 1e PH or DMG, followed shortly thereafter by the other and the Basic Set. I'm not sure of the order of the three, though.
pawsplay
Hero
AD&D Monster Manual (glanced at during church summer camp)
Basic D&D (red box)
Expert D&D
AD&D 2e
Companion D&D
AD&D 2e Options books
No more D&D for a long time
D&D 3e
D&D 3.5
Pathfinder
It probably has shaped my perspective... AD&D was an ugly game full of huge tables, but it also had beguiling depictions of Hell, numerous class options, and proficiencies. BECMI D&D was slick and fun, but kind of straightjacketed, and not once in my entire career did I see a character survive beyond 8th level, making the Master set a moot point. The "2.5" AD&d options books were a nightmare of poor balance and slippery world building, but also introduced a lot of good and enduring ideas.
Basic D&D (red box)
Expert D&D
AD&D 2e
Companion D&D
AD&D 2e Options books
No more D&D for a long time
D&D 3e
D&D 3.5
Pathfinder
It probably has shaped my perspective... AD&D was an ugly game full of huge tables, but it also had beguiling depictions of Hell, numerous class options, and proficiencies. BECMI D&D was slick and fun, but kind of straightjacketed, and not once in my entire career did I see a character survive beyond 8th level, making the Master set a moot point. The "2.5" AD&d options books were a nightmare of poor balance and slippery world building, but also introduced a lot of good and enduring ideas.
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