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.