Dungeons and Dragons is a game where you and a band of your strangest friends create characters and throw them into either the most heartwrenching and inspiring story ever written, or a conglomerate of nonsense so diabolically irrational it makes your head hurt. It was originally created in 1974, and has continued to be a staple in the tabletop game genre ever since.
”DnD is… kinda like Arkham Horror or other story-based board games, but you’re able to create your own story and build your own characters and rules. It’s really fun.” sophomore Kyle Monreal said.
In simple terms, you and 3-4 other friends (you can have more, but it gets chaotic for your first time) elect one person to be your “Dungeon Master” or DM. This person decides the setting, enemies, functionally acting as the deity of the game. Their goal is to organise what’s happening in the game and keep track of where the story is heading. The other players are referred to as such – Players. The Players create a character sheet, which keeps track of their skills, traits, and backstory. Once everyone has their character and story, now comes the next trouble: finding a time to play
“Finding a time to play is practically impossible, people’s schedules don’t mix with one another and some people get really sidetracked,” said sophomore Olivia Driver.
Finding time for a game can be a challenge because duration is usually hours long. The best days are weekends, for probably obvious reasons. Also, don’t be too shy about planning months in advance; it’s better to have a time in the future than have to scramble for one now. If it’s a place you’re struggling for, try a friend’s house; basements work wonders. If that’s a no-go, check out your local games store. Places like Board Game Barrister usually have a table that you can use or rent.
“It can be played anywhere, even virtually, but playing at libraries and at lunch are generally what I choose to do.” said Monreal
In summary, grab some friends, grab a premade story and some characters from the handy dandy DnD website, and embark on the least comprehensible journey you will ever experience.
P.S. Play bard, take hypnotic pattern and silvery barbs. Your DM won’t thank me later.
