Written by Daniel MacGregor

Thumbnail Photo by Clint Bustrillos on Unsplash

This article is both a cultural defence and a highlight of the popular tabletop role-playing game Dungeons and Dragons (D&D). In order to recommend how to get started and why one should get started playing the game, it is necessary to discuss both the many criticisms that have been levelled against the game and the basic structure of D&D.

Before we get into its problems, it is essential to know the basics of D&D. What this complex game involves at the basic level is gathering a group of friends or acquaintances who can agree to meet either weekly or biweekly to play the game. There are two roles for players, with one player being the Dungeon Master (DM) and the rest simply being players. The basis of the game is an assortment of basic rules and dice based around a wider story constructed by the choices of the player and DM. The DM is the player who sets up the entirety of the game, known as the campaign, which involves guiding the story, determining the backstory of the world, playing the non-player characters (NPCs), guiding combat encounters and pretty much everything else. The players are guided by characters known as player characters; player characters are characters controlled only by the players, who interact with the story and setting outlined by the DM. Furthermore, you do not need to buy cards, boards, or other equipment (though there is no ceiling in how many accessories you can have), all you need is the Player’s Handbook, either in a physical or digital form.

The majority of players simply play a character, which involves a ton of significant decisions that you must make in order to forge the character whom you will control for one session (known as a one-shot) or for years of weekly sessions. You get to decide their species (elf, gnome, etc.), background (soldier, noble, etc.), class (paladin, wizard, etc.) and make a ton more minor decisions. However, the common thread of the game are the six stats (strength, dexterity, constitution, intelligence, wisdom, and charisma) that affect the probability of your dice rolls. The game is made an actual game and not just storytelling thanks to the seven dice that dictate the outcomes of significant interactions, each with different sides, such as four, six, eight, ten (two similar dice), twelve, and the famous 20. The first six dedicate minor actions, while the D20 decides the destiny of the game. For example, if your character wanted to kick down a door, you would usually roll a strength check. A high roll increases the chances of breaking down the door, a low roll increases the chances of your character breaking their leg (though the exact consequences depend on the judgment of the DM).

Regarding the issues the game faces, D&D has received a wide range of criticism. The most high-profile complaint brought against the game stemmed from what was known as “the satanic panic,” where evangelical Christians charged the game with being associated with devil worship and witchcraft. Indeed, its reliance on spells and fantastic stories did not help with this perception. This panic may have been unfounded, but it was not the only problem associated with the game.

The early history of D&D was mired by originating in the controversial 1980s. The game became a stereotype associated with problematic, middle-aged white men with zero social skills and no friends who scurry away into their mother’s basements. This perception of the game has been strengthened by stereotypes in the fantasy genre as a whole, such as over-sexualized female characters and depictions of certain species (known as races in the game) as purely evil. However, especially in recent years, the participants involved in the game have become increasingly diverse, with a strong presence of all sorts of people, such as the LGBTQ+ community. There has also been an increase in non-male characters who have been joining the community, effectively working out the gender disparity in the game. As for the problems with the fantasy content, the treatment of all characters has become less over-sexualized (with such examples as a subreddit dedicated to character art that does not oversexualize female characters). Additionally, Wizards of the Coast (the company that manages D&D) has been dealing with the race problem in the game by relabelling the pure evil designation of entire species and creatures. The company has also been reworking the generic traits of characters from being purely race-based and adding new features (unofficial sources have published more extensive backgrounds based around culture and ancestry). In general, the game is only as problematic as the players at the game table.

Thus, from a cultural point of view, D&D reflects the culture of the players at the table and larger society. That is the magic of D&D; it is not a challenging game with a set beginning, middle, and end. The rules that exist are meant only as guideposts, a flexible netting to give the game structure. For example, a D&D session played among your average Saint Mary’s University students can be used to tell a cooperatively created story with elements that challenge the negative stereotypes often associated with the game, such as playing a diverse range of characters, creating “enemies” that are not just generic evil baddies for no apparent reason, and generally crafting compelling and imaginative stories. Furthermore, D&D is a social game at its roots, meaning it is a great excuse to gather with some friends for a few hours and let loose with the full force of your imaginations. You can take the game as seriously as you want, whether you want to create a hardcore, realistic setting, or spend three hours in a fantasy city (doing things such as burning down a whole town — accidentally — or getting in a backroom brawl involving assistance from an incredibly buff cat).

For additional context, the term “homebrew” is the name given to any rules, settings, and content not contained in an official D&D sourcebook. It can be something created by your group, or even something included in one of the many unofficial sourcebooks, rule books, and online supplements, based on anything. Using our locale as an example for what you can do, your party could be sent to the port city of Halifax to explore a mysterious tunnel, supposedly connecting the city to the abandoned fort island known as Georges Island in its harbour.

Despite the versatility of D&D as a game and the potential it has to connect people, Saint Mary’s University has no D&D presence in any official manner. That is not to say D&D has no presence whatsoever in the HRM. D&D is found in every corner of the world, including our slice of Atlantic Canada. Its most substantial presence is found within the local store The Deck Box. Besides selling sourcebooks, dice, and accessories for the game, the store also hosts three different types of sessions: Bardic Tales, which are wacky one-shot sessions for a fun, quick adventure, Lair Assaults, a typically combat-driven dive into a dungeon, and the Chronicles of Cadilon, the store’s own homebrew world for players to sign up to explore.

Other than that, there is a Facebook group called “Halifax’s D&D Collective.” Be warned, however, that this is an unmoderated page to ask questions and meet local D&D groups, so if you participate in it, always use the maximum amount of caution. Another online gathering ground for D&D is the global Reddit page r/lfg (LFG stands for “Looking For Group”), where you can find many online-based D&D sessions looking for both players and DMs (along with other games). As for other local universities, Dalhousie University has a DAL Dungeons & Dragons society to facilitate finding a group to play with along with providing other support, a potential model for Saint Mary’s University to follow.

In closing, the world of D&D is vast and has room for everyone. However, this article only scratches the surface, as there are immense sub-worlds of the game such as concept and character art, D&D podcasts, and whole YouTube Channels dedicated to D&D. So find your particular corner, and make yourself at home.

Adventures in the Atlantic: An Introduction to Dungeons and Dragons

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