D&D can be described as following: The core of D&D is storytelling. You and your friends tell a story together, guiding your heroes through quests for treasure, battles with deadly foes, daring rescues, courtly intrigue, and much more. Starting D&D with brand new players can be very challenging and very rewarding. There are many guides to get started, but the best way is just to dive in. Gather a few players together, designate someone to run the game (as the Dungeon Master), make some characters and play. The equivalent of 1st Edition D&D is OSRIC, the Old School Reference & Index Collection .