9/6/2000
by Jason Ward

Dungeons and Dragons is a Fantasy Role-Playing Game wherein the participants take on the roles of characters that they create and define, and use those characters to create fantastic adventures in an imaginary world. It's worth note to say that these adventures are by definition fantastic, which is to say that they contain elements that do not exist in the real world. Such elements may be as simple as the existence of magic, a force by which characters can make incredible things happen, or the existence of fantastic creatures like fairies, ogres, and of course, dragons.

A game of Dungeons & Dragons consists of the Dungeon Master, or DM, and several players, who each take on the role of a character he or she has created for the game. The Dungeon Master is the storyteller and referee for the game. The DM describes each scene to the players, and the players react to that situation according to the kind of character they have created for the game. It may be that the players start out in a tavern where they learn about a potential quest they might like to take on; it may be that they find themselves deep in the dungeon of an evil wizard bent on taking over the world. In either case, it is up to the players and the DM to make the story come alive in an appropriate and exciting manner. The DM sets an imaginary stage, and the players become the actors that play out his tale.

The essence of D&D is intellectual. It is a game that carries far more weight and enjoyment than conventional board games for those who enjoy the use of their intellect and imagination. In D&D, the most important factors are not luck or chance, (though these do play a part at times) but skill, intuitiveness, creativity and cleverness. The emphasis in most D&D games, or campaigns as they are called, is on plot, character development, solving puzzles, and interaction with the other players in the game through in-character dialogue. In almost every case, each player is out to improve his character's lot in life, have some great adventures and save the world from time to time. Dreadful stuff, isn't it?

Each player starts the game with a "fresh" new character that he or she, with help from the DM, has created from scratch. This involves rolling dice to determine physical attributes such as Strength, Constitution and Dexterity, and die rolls to determine less material attributes such as Intelligence, Wisdom and Charisma. Without going into a lot of rules, these attributes, which help to define the character, are also influenced by race and class choices made by the player. As in real life, many of these attributes vary widely from character to character, and are not directly under the control of the player. Also as in real life, where the character goes from the starting point is up to the player.

A Dungeons and Dragons gaming session normally involves five or six friends gathered around a table. Each will have the character sheet and other documents related to his or her character, a set of dice, and quite likely a bag of chips and a cup of soda or coffee. Sessions are often light-hearted and humorous romps with as much player-to-player jibe and fun as actual playing time with the characters. In some settings the game takes a more serious turn, depending upon the subject matter, the circumstances in which the characters find themselves and the mood the Dungeon Master is trying to convey.

At the serious end of things, Dungeons and Dragons can be an exciting and mentally challenging and stimulating experience wherein you must exercise your wits to the point of exhaustion in order to keep your character alive. But on the lighter side of things, D&D is a great way for friends to get together, relax, play, talk and experience some great fun and camaraderie. In many ways it is indeed all about the gathering of friends, and except in the weirdest of situations, it is all harmless, friendly fun and adventure. What Dungeons & Dragons is not

This is something I feel should not have to be said, but with a history spanning very nearly 30 years, there is a lot of controversy and a lot of misconception surrounding the game of Dungeons and Dragons. As Fantasy Role Playing is relatively new to human history, having roots most obviously in the works of JRR Tolkien's Lord of the Rings books, this is understandable, if lamentable. The new and different are always the most feared and misunderstood, at least until a general intelligent understanding has a chance to spread on a wide scale.

You may have read or heard that D&D is a cult, or that its manuals, creators and players are Satanic; or that it teaches young people to cast spells and summon up demons from the Abyss. Only in the last several years have these rumors and misrepresentations begun to fade, and these interpretations are fast finding themselves spread only to those who know no better and who are too fearful to seek the truth themselves.

If you have never played D&D or looked inside the covers of one of its books, I would urge you to go to your local bookstore and just thumb through a copy of the Player's Handbook, which is the core of the D&D game. You will find inside descriptions of spells, but no information on exactly how to cast such spells. In D&D, casting a spell goes something like this:

Player: "I'm going to cast Fireball at the Ogre encampment!" DM: "Let's see, you're level 5, so that means you do 5d6 worth of damage, so roll a 6 sided die 5 times and add the results together." Player: "OK, I do… 22 points of damage!" DM: "Good shot! You kill 2 of the ogres and damage the other 3 moderately." Other Players: "We draw our weapons and charge!"

And so on for each encounter. The important point to realize is that your character casts spells but you do not. Remember: Magic isn't real; this is a game of imagination and creative thought.

Lastly I would like to address something that it seems everyone has heard about over the years: "But what about that one guy I heard about who went and killed himself because his D&D character got killed?" The truth is that nowhere in any published D&D material ever has there been a rule that states you must kill yourself if your character dies.

People who behave in this manner are without exception people who have little or no sense of self worth and/or are obsessive to the point of irrationality. In no case should your character's death or injury or failure in a game reflect upon you; it's just a game. People who act or believe otherwise would have become as irrational regardless of the focus of their obsession. There are enough examples of irrational behavior in the world without having to blame games as having caused them.

In closing, I would like on behalf of the entire 3rdEdition.org team to welcome you to the world of Dungeons and Dragons, and well met! May your experience with this great game be filled with fun and adventure, excitement and intrigue, glory and friendship!

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