Playing First Edition of Dungeons & Dragons is a bit like playing the SNES version of a popular modern day franchise. It’s not quite as expansive but it has its own charm.
It’s also hard to do because it’s a book that hasn’t really been in print since 1989. First Edition stuff in any sort of playable condition is hard to find and it can be a bit expensive. Most people chucked their 1st Ed. when the second edition came along, or only used it to settle hardcore squabbles over the rules among the group. There’s also a handful of half-orcs still bitter over getting written out.
Anyway, if you never got a chance to discover just how aggravating First Edition actually was (and I’ve played a few games, it’s evil), Wizards of the Coast is reissuing it.
They’re not just doing it for the cash: they’re hoping to raise enough money to build a statue of Gary Gygax in Wisconsin.
The books themselves started rolling out July 17th and, aside from the covers, everything inside is exactly the same as the original rule books. This is both a good and a bad thing, as D&D players know, but it’s nice to see Wizards of the Coast kept the original text intact. You get the Monster Manual, Player’s Handbook, and Dungeon Master’s Guide.
So, if you’re on a nostalgia kick or just wanted to see what nerds in the ’70s played, First Edition Dungeons & Dragons should be at your local game shop.
Image courtesy Wizards of the Coast