Dungeons and Dragons. Is it a game, a hobby, or a lifestyle? Do I have to make some kind of blood sacrifice and hang out exclusively in basements? Does it come with pamphlets? These and many more are the questions people usually think about when they first think of D&D. At least they were.
Now we are at the beginning of a new age of TTRPGs (Tabletop Roleplaying Games) where people tune into watch people roll dice and tell fantastical tales in the same way they watch a sport. There have never been so many ways to interact with this hobby than now. I can almost guarantee that you have seen or heard something about Dungeons and Dragons, Pathfinder, or some other RPG within the past year.
So why would I toss another bell into the well-produced noise? Because I think it’s worth stating why I think you should play D&D. At the very least so that you know where I’m coming from.
I’m Dalton. I’m currently living in North Carolina with my wife and our ever-growing horde of books within an apartment that seems to get smaller with every purchase. I also play/run D&D up to three times a week. I like this hobby/game a lot. I’ve also recently gotten into miniature-painting videos. I like Sunkist. I’m a human being. Welcome to me.
Welcome to D&D.
D&D is a game. It’s a game that only ends if you quit. Winning and losing are based on both personal and communal accomplishment. It teaches you how to talk to people, how to face foes, and how to lose. If you’re with friends, it can/should help you understand them better. It can be as monetarily extravagant as you choose (plenty of gold-sinks). It stretches your creative muscles and challenges you. It also helps you understand yourself. “I love characters like Samwise Gamgee, Spiderman, and April Ludgate. I want to be brave, resilient, or lovably-terrifying just like them.” We can play out those characters ourselves and use them to become the people we want to be. We have a safe place to take whacks at the big questions in life without worrying about fracturing our own real-world selves.
I’d say it’s just about the best fake game about life ever.
So, why should you play D&D?
I don’t know. I think it’s fun, and arguably cheaper and more accessible than going to movies every week (especially now). And best of all, it requires people. If you have friends, or want to make some, you should try the game that requires you to speak to people. I recommend it to all of my close friends and passing acquaintances because I think it’s something you can easily invest in and make some really solid gains. Plus, it’s decently popular, at least as mainstream as The Bachelor. So try it out, and have some fun!
This is the first in a series of articles on D&D we are publishing on TheAfterCreditsScene.com. If you have any ideas on D&D, RPG, or similar related topics you would like us to write about, submit a comment below!
Until then, keep on rolling,
-Dalton
