The warriors of Dungeons & Dragons have no problem taking up the sword, the spear, or the bow, but the most feared Fighters were the ones who took down enemies with a packet of darts.
Fighters had a rough time in the early editions of D&D. Paladins and Rangers had way more interesting abilities on the battlefield, even if they came with tighter restrictions regarding alignment and race. Everything changed in the third edition of Dungeons & Dragons, where Fighters gained a ridiculous amount of Feats, making them one of the most versatile classes in the game. Fighters continue to be a popular class in Dungeons & Dragons, which is partly helped by the fact that they are the most open when it comes to a character concept. Barbarians, Paladins, and Rangers have certain archetypes built into their design, but Fighters can really be anything or anyone.
Darts have also had an unimpressive history in D&D, as they were best known as one of the few weapons a mage could use in the old editions of the game. The majority of mages ignored darts in favor of the quarterstaff or sling, however. What many players didn’t realize at the time is that the blandest class could become extremely powerful when combined with the most boring weapon in the game. When Fighters used darts in AD&D, they became a force to be reckoned with.
How Overpowered D&D’s Darts Actually Were
In Advanced Dungeons & Dragons, Fighters were the only class with the weapon specialization skill, which allowed them to perform more attacks per round than other warriors. The basic rules for darts say that three of them can be thrown in a single attack, but a Fighter who specializes in darts can throw up to six as they rise in level. On their own, darts only deal 1d3 damage, which isn’t much, but Fighters add their Strength modifier to the hit. If Dungeons & Dragons players are lucky enough to have a Fighter with 18/00 Strength, then that’s an additional six points of damage per hit. Weapon specialization will add a further two points of damage per dart, and A Fighter under the effects of Haste can attack twice per turn, which is a potential twelve darts per round. If the Fighter can acquire some magical darts, then they can ramp the damage up even further.
Fans of fantasy literature and tabletop RPGs have certain images in their mind when they think of mighty battles taking place. People think of knights with sword and shield, samurai with katana, elves with bows and arrows, and dwarves with axes. Darts are not the most glorious of weapons to behold in battle. If anything, they make fans think of pub games and boozy nights with their buddies, not epic adventures. It’s hard to imagine Gandalf defeating the Balrog by throwing darts into its face. It’s also hard to argue with results, and darts were an incredibly potent weapon in the old days of Dungeons & Dragons, for those bold enough to wield them.