Dungeons & Dragons, more widely known as D&D, is a tabletop role-playing game where players create characters and go on adventures in a fictional world. The Dungeon Master (DM) is the narrator and referee, who controls the game. They oversee almost everything in the campaign except for the players.
Unlike most board games, where a board is used to play, D&D is done through talking. While players can use maps or minifigures, the emphasis is on narrative and imagination. The rules help keep things fair and consistent; for example, how strong a character is or how well they can cast spells. Additionally, the dice bring an element of surprise to the game. The 20-sided die, in particular, is iconic in D&D.
Lincoln Fox, a junior at CHS, often plays D&D. He is currently a DM for three separate D&D campaigns and is playing as a character in a fourth. Fox loves being able to tell a creative story for his players and express himself through DMing, and he likes to go with the flow and talk with others when he is a player.
“I would say it is a bridge between people,” Fox said. “I don’t think I’ve ever found a hobby that a group of people can share and are so willing to dedicate time to. [It’s] the way that you can see how people work together and that collaborative storytelling that pulls people in, and honestly, it stays around even after the campaign.”
Fox was first introduced to D&D by his family, specifically his two older brothers. He first got into the fantasy role-playing game Pathfinder which acted as a gateway into D&D. As a DM, he often uses his role to talk about hard topics, comparing and contrasting themes and letting his players work through it.
“I’ve always had this problem where no matter what I’m doing, some part of me is thinking about something else,” Fox said. “Typically, it’s about a story I’m writing or about something else. D&D was super instrumental in channeling those thoughts where it was like, ‘Okay, let’s just figure out what’s the next stat block I’m making.”
Fox has met many people in the D&D community who he has grown closer to and made friends with. Some of them are inseparable when it comes to D&D and they are very helpful in-game. After a while, he was able to talk to some of them outside of D&D about separate topics from the game, which was a perk for him.
“D&D also got me to better interact and know how I interact with people,” Fox said. “Once I’ve DMed for someone for a couple of times, I start to mess around with them and just have fun, because ultimately that’s what it’s for, is to have fun. Sure you can have deep moments, sure you can have cool combats, sure you can have these intellectual puzzles. But I do think purely the main gist that got D&D for me was how to talk with people, how to use my creativity to have fun with others, and that was the biggest thing that’s impacted my life.”
Everett Cassara is a sophomore at CHS who has been playing since he was eight years old. His father was an avid player, and Cassara was able to play with his father’s friends. He much prefers playing as a DM because he gets to build worlds for his players to see.
“D&D is almost a story that you tell with your friends,” Cassara said. “It’s just a whole experience with a story that shifts with you, and it’s just really interesting and unique. I’ve always loved being a DM because I can build a world for my friends to explore and adventure.”
Cassara is a fan of role-playing games, and he feels like this is the best one out there. He thinks that D&D can be great for exploring a different character and personality, because you can really be whoever you want in D&D. He loves playing D&D with a good group of people, especially his friends because most of them also play D&D.
“I feel like D&D has helped strengthen a lot of friendships, and I feel like a lot of people haven’t played it and don’t know what it is exactly, so I think everyone should give it a try,” Cassara said. “It’s a great game that anyone can enjoy.”
Dungeons & Dragons is more than just a game, it’s a way to bring people together because of its creative and social way of playing. For instance, Lincoln Fox and Everett Cassara have become much more social through playing. They have learned to work as a team with others – something not everyone finds easy. D&D is a fun way to spend time with others, even giving players new opportunities to make friends. Whether you’re a DM creating an interactive world for your players or if you’re a character embarking on new adventures throughout the story, D&D is truly a unique game that allows for creativity and imagination to flow.
