The Timeless Appeal of Dungeons and Dragons

Dungeons and Dragons is a pen and paper role playing game that has been around since the 1970s. However, even though gaming technology has far surpassed the days of the tabletop RPG, many fans (both old and new) still find themselves adoring the game.

 

According to Logan Leadbeater, a University of New Brunswick student who has been playing Dungeons and Dragons for roughly seven years, it is the simplicity of the game that makes it so easy to pick up and get hooked on.

 

“It’s got a lot of freedom. It’s really fun to make your own character.” Said Leadbeater.

This sentiment was also shared by Claire Blackmore, who has been playing the game for about five years. While Claire initially played it on and off, she says she didn’t seem to understand the appeal until she tried her hand at being the dungeon master, a position which puts her in charge of the story’s narrative.

 

“I really enjoy it. It’s a great way to just relax, have fun, be creative, and have fun with friends.” Said Blackmore. “I feel like [Dungeons and Dragons] is just a lot more expressive. You can be a lot more open with the things that you do. Creativity is allowed in Dungeons and Dragons where other table tops are more restrictive.” 

 

Dungeons and Dragons isn’t just enjoyed by younger people however, in fact, some of its most hardcore fans have been playing since the games inception. 

 

Rodger Wilkie, a Great Books professor at Saint Thomas University has been playing Dungeons and Dragons for almost forty years and still finds the time to play with his old friends all these years later.

 

“I was fifteen going on sixteen and a fan of lord of the rings.” Said Wilkie. “The idea of actually being able to be those kinds of characters was very exciting to me.” 

 

“The thing for which I’m most thankful for the lockdown is that it got me back in touch on Zoom with some of my older group. I’m actually gaming now with the guys I used to play with and I am unspeakably grateful for it.” Said Wilkie.

 

According to Wilkie, this type of game allows friends to understand each other in ways that would not be possible in everyday interactions, to him the game provides a sort of intimacy that is normally impossible to obtain.

 

“I’ve been playing with the guys now for like 30 plus years, and there are ways in which we know each other through the game that we don’t know each other face to face, and that knowing each other is actually valid.”

 

Another great thing about Dungeons and Dragons according to Leadbeater is just how easy it is for new players to get invested. He even offered some tips to those who may be interested in starting, but find it too daunting a task to pursue.

 

“Don’t get too nitty gritty with the rules at the start.” Said Leadbeater. “There are thousands of words and pages detailing every little thing [but that’s not important when you’re just starting out.] Just get one of the starter sets, they’re perfect for newer players.”