Dungeons and Dragons is a very well known table-top roleplaying game. Those who play this game may be categorized as dorky, nerdy or the like. The reason for that is because the entire game requires imagination and creativity. Through fantastical elements and otherworldly entities, the game can be whatever your heart desires! Though has anyone ever stopped to question why people would enjoy a fantasy roleplaying game? Being a D&D fanatic myself, I was curious as to what fellow players thought about the game overall, and why they decided to start playing in the first place?
Oliver Sobocienski, a friend of mine who is a Dungeon Master (The person who runs the game) gave me his little tid-bit on why he plays. “I think D&D gives you something you can’t obtain in the real world. I can be whatever, or be whomever without any limitations. It’s kinda freeing in a way.” This makes a lot of sense, D&D gives you a range of races and classes to explore. One can be an elf, or you could be a dwarf, but if you’re okay with just being human, you can do that too! On top of that, you could be a wizard, an assassin, a soldier, or a barbarian! The sky’s the limit in terms of who you can be in D&D. Something that real life can lack.
Oliver wasn’t the only person I talked to, my own boyfriend Matthew Wisdom, runs 3 different campaigns as a Dungeon Master. Campaigns are just what players call the different “games” or “worlds” they play in. His input was quite hilarious. “As a college student, I have to think a lot. It sucks, and so when I play D&D I don’t have to be a college student or think about anything. I can be a big man with a sword! Or I can be a soldier who defends the world! It’s a good way to cope with the harsh realities of the world.” And I agree! With the imagination aspect of the game, one can get lost in this newfound world! You can be a nobleman who has a twisted past, or a healing class who enjoys helping others. The separation from you and the character you play allows you to become whatever you’d like to be!
As a player myself, I feel I could briefly discuss why I play the game too! For me, I always play slick and sly rouges who can use their cunning wits to become skilled assassins. The reason for this is because I don’t have a lot of confidence in myself during my day-to-day life. So I infuse the characters I play with the confidence I wish I had, and I live through them in a sense. In the game I’m skillful, fierce and a force to be reckoned with! Outside the game, I’m a 4’11 college student who stresses all the time and trips over her own feet.
So to recap, Dungeons and Dragons is a roleplaying game that allows its players to break the boundaries of reality. It gives the players food for their imagination, and allows them to explore the wonders of fantasy worlds without leaving the comfort of their home. The endless possibilities free you from the chains of your mundane daily life, and can be enjoyed at any age! This versatile game may be a coping mechanism for some, but for others, it’s just a lot of fun.
