Welcome, traveler, to the Delta Statement Tavern! Here, you will find all sorts of news and information about Delta State University and other interesting topics. Ah, but you seem to be interested in this particular feature article. Well, gather around the table, mighty adventurer; relax and learn about the fun and totally free game that is Dungeons and Dragons. 

Why Should I Play Dungeons and Dragons?

Traveler, Dungeons and Dragons, though it is difficult at times, is easy to get into and is free to play. It is a fun hobby that a group of heroes can do together, and it is affordable.

Dungeons and Dragons is also a great way to make new comrades, and it helps heroes gain improvisation skills, think critically, and increases their creativity. This game allows players to be as creative as they want.

A mighty being known as the Dungeon Master creates a world and heroes travel through the world. Dungeon Masters have a lot of creative freedom and can create any kind of world they wish. A game could take place in America during a zombie apocalypse, or it could take place in space.

Dungeon Master Gage, who has been a Game Master for seven years, can attest to the versatility of the game. 

“I did a campaign that I called Elderrock where the players crash landed on this old island where they had to fight ghouls and zombies,” Gage says.

Though Dungeons and Dragons seems like a game that is targeted towards “nerdy” adventurers, anyone can play it.

“People think this game is just for nerds, but anyone can play it,” Meg, who has been playing for 4 years, says. “I knew a guy who was a football player and he played Dungeons and Dragons. It’s available for anyone who wants to play it.”

What’s Dungeons and Dragons? Where Did It Come From?

Mighty adventurer, you seem to be intrigued by this topic and it appears that you wish to obtain more knowledge on the subject. Very well, let’s begin by learning the history of this game. 

Dungeons and Dragons is a popular tabletop roleplaying game and many heroes play it. Two great adventurers, Gary Gygax and Dave Arneson, crafted the game in 1972. 

Dungeons and Dragons has grown in popularity ever since its cameo in the infamous Netflix Original show, “Stranger Things.” Knights and mages from podcasts, such as “Critical Role” and “The Adventure Zone,” have also made Dungeons and Dragons popular by broadcasting their adventures.

 How Do You Play?

You wish to know how to play? Well, dear traveler, that can be explained!

The only things that are needed to play Dungeons and Dragons are a group of two or more people, a pencil, several pieces of paper, a set of dice, logical thinking, the ability to do basic math and creativity. Adventurers can play in person or they can play over magical programs like Discord, Skype, Zoom, and Google Hangouts

The Dungeon Master will create scenarios that the heroes will respond to and each action that the heroes perform, whether a paladin is swinging their great sword, a mage is casting a spell, or the party is running from a terrifying monster, will be determined by the roll of the dice. 

At a glance, Dungeons and Dragons seems like an adventure that requires a lot of money to play. There are many handbooks and premade campaigns that can be used, and these books cost around $40 apiece. Physical dice can cost $5 to $7 per set, a battle grid board can cost up to $30 and figurines are $40 per set. 

Though these materials seem necessary to play Dungeons and Dragons, a group does not need to buy any of these items to play. In fact, Dungeons and Dragons is a game that can be played for free. 

The Mighty Dungeon Master

The first thing that you will need in order to play Dungeons and Dragons for free, dear traveler, is a Dungeon Master. The Dungeon Master, also known as the Game Master or “god” by the players, is an important member of the group who creates a campaign, or a story, that the rest of the group, the players, journey through. 

The Dungeon Master can purchase premade adventures and can run those campaigns; however, to play Dungeons and Dragons for free, the Dungeon Master will have to construct their own story from scratch. To create a campaign, the Dungeon Master will need to create a world, the world’s lore, non-playable characters such as an innkeeper, a blacksmith, bosses, monsters, items and quests. 

According to Dungeon Master Gage, “Being a Dungeon Master can be quite difficult, and it takes a lot of work, time, and effort to create a campaign.” 

“It is rather difficult to make a world,” says Gage. “Sometimes you have to base it off inspiration, or sometimes you base it off your pure imagination. It’s also difficult because as the Dungeon Master, you are personally responsible for anything that happens in the game. If anything goes wrong, like if someone is ruining the story, it is your job to fix it,” he says. 

Though being a Dungeon Master can be hard, it can also be fun and even rewarding. 

Gage declares that, “I love being the Dungeon Master. I get to exercise my imagination by coming up with stories for other people to listen and to play through because I don’t have the skills to create a book or a movie. Being the Dungeon Master is also rewarding because you gain improvisation skills, and you learn how to think quickly and more logically.” 

So, traveler, if you are interested in becoming a Dungeon Master and creating a world of your own, then watching a few of these videos may help you on your quest. The videos in this playlist were created by the great Dungeon Master of “Critical Role” and voice actor Matthew Mercer. 

Click here for another useful video that will assist you on your quest to become a Dungeon Master. This video was created by a man titled XP to Level 3. 

The Adventurous Players

A game of Dungeons and Dragons not only requires a Dungeon Master and a campaign, but also players. Players are another important part of Dungeons and Dragons, and without them, the Dungeon Master cannot run a campaign. 

To play, players will create unique characters that will journey through the Dungeon Master’s campaign. Mighty traveler, take the great wizard Alistair Fireheart as an example of a character. 

Alistair Fireheart was a twenty-five-year-old wood elf who was born without magic. He had always dreamed of becoming a wizard. When he was of age, he journeyed off to find a grimoire. Years had passed, but Alistair finally found the grimoire and fulfilled his dream of becoming a wizard; however, the grimoire was owned by a dark entity named Salthar. So, Alistair became cursed and his magic became wild. 

Traveler, if you wish to learn more about the different character races then click here. If you wish to learn more about the different classes then click here.

According to Meg, creating a character is a lot of fun. There are many races and classes that the players can pick and choose from. Players can also create unique backstories for their characters. 

“It’s fun to make a character because it’s like creating a character for a drama,” Meg says. “You’re coming up with a new part for a play. The only catch is, is that you have to come up with the character’s lines.”

An adventurer who goes by the title Dungeoncast on YouTube created this fantastic, short video on how to create a character. For a longer and more detailed video on how to create a character, see this video by a man who goes by the title WASD 20. 

Adventurers can write their character’s information on a piece of paper or they can use a character sheet. Traveler, if you would like to print off a character sheet, you can find them here.

The Dice

Once the group is ready to begin their adventure, they will need to gather a final item. The final item is a set of dice. Dungeon Master and players, to perform any actions, you must roll the dice to determine if you succeed or fail.

Though physical dice can be a tad expensive, groups can find digital dice rollers online or in the app store. Traveler, if you need a free online dice roller, click here. If you would prefer to own a physical pair of dice, then search through the archives of Amazon until you find a set that is affordable. 

Where can I Play Dungeons and Dragons? Who Can I Play With?

There are two ways to play Dungeons and Dragons, traveler. You can play with a group of friends, or you can search for a new group or a club. 

There are two groups who play Dungeons and Dragons on Delta State’s Campus. Delta State University has an official Dungeons and Dragons club known as Delta Nu Delta. There is also a small group that plays in the Student Union on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays. 

Good luck on your adventure, traveler, please come back to the Delta Statement Tavern soon.