Dungeons and Dragons is a 40-year-old game so it should be slowing down due to a bad knee. But a darned thing is happening: it’s drawing in tons of brand new players.
These new players are enjoying the 5th edition of the game (D&D 5e), so they may not be familiar with the history of D&D and how the game got to where it is today.
I realize 82% of readers went narcoleptic at the mere mention of the word “history,” but let’s have some fun with this. If you’ve played any game–tabletop or video–and you’ve leveled a character, had hit points, chosen a race or class, used a spell, or added equipment or gear to a character, then that game owes a debt to D&D. Compound interest over 40 years means that’s a biiiiiiig debt that modern gaming owes to D&D.
Indeed, it’s truly nigh impossible to overstate the influence Dungeons and Dragons has has on all of gaming, so let’s spare a thought for how the game got started.
A Brief Primer of the Different Editions of Dungeons and Dragons
Even at age 40, D&D is in fantastic shape. It’s streamlined like never before, which is understandable, as it’s been on a long run.
Pick up a copy. Of course you can get the excellent current stuff now. And please do, you’ll love it: 5e Player’s Handbook (or even Pathfinder). And Noble Knight is a game store that specializes in out of print classics. They have it all: 4e, 3e, 2e, 1e.