A fantasy game like no other, Dungeons and Dragons was first developed in the 1970s, some 50 years ago! Now with its rules in their 5th edition, Dungeons and Dragons have remained popular ever since amongst its fans and players, alike, despite it undergoing many changes since its inception.
There are no time restrictions concerning how long Dungeons and Dragons should be played for. Some have gone on for a couple of hours, days, weeks or even years, with the longest known campaign running for an incredible 38 years! This takes an unbelievable amount of dedication, and it obviously has to be exciting for people to want to keep returning to play. So, how do you play Dungeons and Dragons, making it fun along the way? This article will provide you with some tips to play it right.
Create a Character
The Dungeon Master is the storyteller, who leads the adventure in the fantasy world that your character will play. Your character and others have to navigate the adventure set by the Dungeon Master. Whilst they are responsible for making up stories and events, or use a published adventure, the other players choose a
- Race, of which there are many, including orcs, dragonborn, halflings, elves and tiefling. Each race has their own traits and background story that will affect how you play.
- Class out of the 14 different ones available. Each class provides you with what your character can do in terms of ability. It will also affect how you think and react to situations that occur in the game.
- Skills for their character. They’ll be given a small amount of points dedicated to different attributes, like strength, intelligence, charisma and wisdom. However, your character’s skills will be reflective of their race and class.
Although you may want to build a character that has all bases covered in respect of character development, it may actually be better to build your character as you go along. If you’re trying to build a character, you can find some great advice here. It may be worth allowing the adventures in your game to shape your character, and could be a great way to build some being that’s truly unique and adaptable to the challenges that follow.
You’ll need to develop your character’s personality, appearance and backstory which the above can help you with. Your character is, in essence, yourself in game format, almost like your representative.
The Dungeon Master
We’ve briefly mentioned the Dungeon Master in the previous section. The person who assumes this role effectively controls how your game progresses. It’s a truly unique position to be in because it has multiple responsibilities. The Dungeon Master sets the scene that the characters have to explore. They will explain what characters are experiencing as this happens.
Dungeon Masters are able to instantaneously react to how the players are playing. This can add an unexpected twist to any game, making it a dynamic game, guaranteed to keep plates on their toes.
Have the Right Resources
With a game that’s been around for just over half a century, as you can imagine, there’s a lot of merchandise available, including books and dice. It can become costly if you don’t know what you’re looking for, so before you decide to go shopping, check out what’s available and what you need to start with. If you get into a long campaign or enjoy playing enough to make it a regular thing, then start building on your collection.
The handbook for Dungeons and Dragons is in its 5th edition. Getting a starter set, which includes this and everything you need, such as dice, you’ll be off to a good start as a character or Dungeon Master. Having a paper and pen, or even a notebook, will also be a good idea to note important information. However, as a character you’ll also need a character sheet, some of which can be printed for free.
Find a Good Party
Although there is no rule about the number of players in any one campaign, it’s thought that the best games usually consist of between 4 – 6 players and the Dungeon Master (DM) too, making it a total of 7 participants. A good party will consist of people who genuinely like to play. If you’re unable to find them amongst your friends, you’re able to find people online on dedicated sites. Obviously, take the necessary safety precautions if you’re planning to meet up.
Getting a group of people together from different backgrounds is a good way to add a different dimension to your game. The chances are people will be playing for different reasons, like wanting combat or tactical opportunities, whereas others may prefer the fantasy adventure aspect of the game. This doesn’t matter and these different aspects will only add to your game when you all get together to play.
A game can turn into a campaign when you’re all invested in playing. This usually happens when one quest ends and another begins. These can go on indefinitely, with players regularly meeting to further their adventure. As this happens, each player will inevitably develop their skills and qualities with each task they overcome, whether it be killing an enemy or using their wit to outsmart another.
Due to many sessions lasting several hours, it may be an idea to have refreshments at hand, so you can play uninterrupted. Whether you decide to have snacks or get food delivered, agreeing on this in advance will save time and avoid food being ordered that people can’t eat. There’s nothing worse than settling down for what should be a fun session and your stomach starts rumbling. You want to make sure you and your party are fed and watered, so everyone’s focus is on the game.
When you’ve found a group of like-minded people to play Dungeons and Dragons, be prepared to have fun and discover more about yourself along the way. Enjoy developing your character in the world your Dungeon Master creates. It’s about fun and perseverance, whilst also getting to know people. With such a large and dedicated fan base, this is a game that has stood the test of time. If you play it right, Dungeons and Dragons will be something you’ll immensely enjoy.
