Dungeons and Dragons (DnD) has flown into the mainstream with its 5th edition’s publication and the now heavily entwined hit Netflix series of Stranger Things. There is no denying that it’s more accessible than ever with players and aspiring players of all ages and backgrounds yearning to roll polyhedral dice and better understand the game.
It begs the question – How does DnD differ from other board games? Is it child friendly and are there any benefits to playing? Whether you’re a curious parent or a young enthusiast that needs that little bit of a helping hand persuading your parents to let you start dice rolling, here is an account from someone who has played many games and seen (and experienced) many of the benefits themselves.
What is Dungeons and Dragons?
DnD at its core is a game about storytelling, there are no winners or losers in this game. Players work together as a team to survive and save the day, exploring the world together. The main goal if there is one in DnD is to have fun and create fun stories you can remember years from now as if you experienced the game as your character.
Dungeons and Dragons prioritises inclusivity
Each player in DnD creates a character. This character can come from any of the listed races, can look how they want and wear an outfit that looks how they want. Heck! Even if the race they want to play isn’t available you can just reskin a preexisting race and work with the DM (a player role that narrates the world) to make their dream character become part of the game. At this point, I think of characters more as the player’s avatar in the game, an extension of themself.
In addition to each race, you can choose a class to play, think a mighty warrior, a poetic bard or a powerful wizard. Each class in DnD has its niche it fills in a party – players are not however locked into this by any stretch of their imagination. In DnD you can do just about anything you can think of, there are no videogame mechanics that limit you here, just your imagination.
The many lessons…
As a young twenty-something-year-old, I myself am still learning many lessons in life. Some of the greatest of which I have learned from DnD. My personal experience is more tailored towards learning about conflict resolution, that the world isn’t black and white, and self-confidence, self-esteem and emotional growth. These lessons I can safely say weren’t taught to me in school.
DnD itself functions off teamwork, negotiation, improvisation, gamer etiquette, strategy, critical thinking, problem-solving, and probability.
The biggest takeaway
I first started playing D&D when I had just turned 18 years old and this last insight I perceive to be the most important for a child’s learning experience.
DnD lets children play as adults and learn about adult responsibilities in a safe environment.
When a player wants to do something that has a risk of failing, they roll a 20-sided dice and depending on how well they roll, they may succeed or fail.
Sometimes despite our best efforts, we may fail. It’s the same in DnD, segwaying into the biggest takeaway from this article…
If they fail, it’s not the end of the world – your friends playing at the table are there to support you and help you when you fail.
As a young adult, it’s something I see every single day. When we get lost or find ourselves stuck, we forget to reach out and ask those around us for help. It’s something I believe the world could use more of – a lesson kids and adults alike can learn from.
When can we start rolling Dice?
EPIC Ipswich has DnD in store 3 Days a week.
Adventurers League – Mondays from 6 PM
EPIC League – Wednesdays from 6 PM
Dungeons and Wyrmlings (Kids D&D) every Saturday 1:30 PM – 3:30 PM
Your Friend and Ally,
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