This is, by far, the most well known role-playing game in existance. It may not technically have been the first, but it's certainly the oldest game still in widespread use. This is the game that made role-playing big. And it's got a lot to answer for.
Originally, there was "Dungeon's and Dragons" - Basic set. Then came "Expert", and finally "Advanced". The differences were basically rules for more experienced characters, with extra magic, etc. Then eventually TSR released "Advanced Dungeons and Dragons - Second Edition", which tidied up the rulebooks, and incorporated a number of extra rules and supplements that had grown steadilly over the years of the first edition. They also continued producing supplements, with more rules, for each of the various character classes, none of which are necessary.
This is the game that usually springs to the minds of non-role-players, along with images of spotty male youths leering over pictures of chainmail-bikini-clad elf maidens, and imagining themselves the heroic rescuer, ravishing her on the castle ramparts, amongst the heaped bodies of the slain diabolic armies.
Sadly, this image is all too often true. This sort of Conan The Barbarian scenario is easy to reproduce in AD&D; however, it is by no means necessary to include all the sexist, brain-dead garbage along the way. There is nothing to stop GMs from writing mentally taxing, thought-provoking scenarios, with subtle character interaction, or political conflict.
In general, however, even amongst intelligent, politically-correct adults, AD&D tends towards the type of game referred to as a "dungeon bash". The tendency is towards games where puzzles are solved, and enemies defeated, by exercising the special abilities of the various player characters, and having a thorough knowledge of the rules and abilities of the opponents. Games tend to involve working systematically through a castle/cave/dungeon, killing the occupants, avoiding the traps, finding the items, and looting the treasure. They don't have to, of course, they just somehow work out that way.
There's nothing wrong with this sort of adventure. It's still fun, but it can turn into a somewhat hollow experience after a while. Players adopt standard tactics and procedures, honed over years of trial and error. Parties consist of optimum character types, mathematically engineered, and with clearly defined roles.
AD&D is a "class-based" system. Characters are "fighters", "magic-users", "thieves", "clerics", etc. Characters adventure, and gain in experience, advancing "levels" in their chosen profession. It's all very rigid and formal, which has its good points, as well as its bad ones. This game tends to attract "rules lawyers" - players who carefully read all the rules, and optimise their character and its behaviour based on them. They know which spells counteract which other spells. They know which weapons are best if they're going to use one in each hand. They know exactly how long they can survive under water, and which spells they can cast when they get there. These players are generally both successful, and annoying. AD&D is their ideal environment.
Anyway - make no mistake. I like the game, but I recognise its deficiencies. It's fun to play occasionally, and it's great for weekend-long one-off marathon games. It's the role-playing equivalent to a Conan film. Or "Hawk the Slayer", "Krull", "Legend", or any one of a number of cheap-and-cheerful trash fantasy epics. Sophisticated, it aint.
You will need the Players Guide, and Dungeon Masters Guide. The Monstrous Compendium would be exceptionally useful. You should probably also start out by buying a pre-written adventure, written for low level characters. Each player will probably also want their own players guide, as they'll be referring to it a lot. There's nothing wrong with the first edition rules, if you find them second-hand. They're almost compatible with the second edition, but you can't really have people using different rule sets. Expect to pay £12 - £16 for each of these books.
Piles of them, and of a pretty consistent quality. Some of them form a series, all set in the same world, and with recurring characters.
If you wish
upon a star - Advice and new rules on how to handle wishes.
The Traps Page - A collection of traps, most of
which are very silly.
Goblyn's AD&D Page - An awful lot of stuff
from a long-term fan of the game.
Ironwolfe's Lair - Lousy spelling, but
a nice collection of articles on different aspects of life in a fantasy setting. Aimed at AD&D, but
might easily apply to other games.
Contact the author of this page: Daemonic