Why should YOU play D&D? Reason #2

We all react differently to the prospect of ‘something new’. The idea of sampling a new food, taking part in a new sport or meeting a new social group can instil fear and trepidation in many, whilst others can leap at new experiences with glee. Even something as harmless as Dungeons & Dragons can seem like a daunting prospect for new players.

Even if you tell a person that D&D is easy to get into, they may still be hesitant. Inform them that they don’t need to know or the rules and buy all the parts to play, that person may still be reluctant to join in. They may be interested, but misconceptions exist about how ‘intense’ the game is. I’ve had many new players reflect on how they thought that D&D consisted of focused players pouring over character sheets and spewing complex jargon, a blur of numbers and structured play.

Continue reading “Why should YOU play D&D? Reason #2”

Why should YOU play D&D? Reason #1

Maybe you’ve only heard of Dungeons & Dragons in passing. Maybe a friend or two are badgering you to give it a try. Maybe you’ve only experienced the stigma of a game that is supposedly only for the nerdiest of nerds. Maybe you tried it in your youth years ago but have lost touch.

Whatever your standpoint today, if you are a gamer in any capacity (video or board game), enjoy storytelling or creativity, or you just like hanging out with geeky people, you should give D&D a try. If you need convincing, or want convincing, here’s the first reasons to try, and usually the main factor in why people choose not to:

Continue reading “Why should YOU play D&D? Reason #1”

The Geek is a Dad: Baby VS D&D

I seemed to start playing Dungeons & Dragons as it began its surge in popularity. I can hardly say that I was “playing D&D before it was cool”; the game has been around for longer than I have. Nevertheless, when I was first introduced by a fellow teacher in 2015, the current edition of the game was only a year old, the massively popular Critical Role was just rolling out episode number 6 of campaign 1, and the vast majority of people I spoke to had barely even heard of D&D.

Four years later, D&D has evolved from a minor interest to a major hobby. Up until a few months ago, I was playing several times a month, most of which I was hosting. As the Dungeon Master of these games, I was either pouring over official campaign books or tinkering with my own, far-too-detailed homemade story. I enjoyed creating and playing D&D so much that it even took over the time that I usually reserved for playing video games or watching a good movie. I play other ‘Table Top Role Playing Games’ from time to time, but Dungeons & Dragons has its claws in me.

That was until six months ago, when I began to close the book on all my adventures in preparation for the arrival of my baby daughter. By Christmas, all of my groups knew that once we got to a satisfying place in the story I would bow out. My little lady was on her way and rather than string each game along until we ran out of time, I wanted to choose where the line in the sand was drawn. It was tough, because we all really wanted to play, but there’s nothing worse than a campaign that just fizzles out.

The games I was a player/character in would continue without me, but the games I ‘DMed’ would be gone for a long, long time… or so I thought.

Continue reading “The Geek is a Dad: Baby VS D&D”