Why Play Dungeons and Dragons?

Written by RealmsDM

Why play Dungeons and Dragons (D&D)? It's a question I've been asking myself since the early 80s when I glanced inside a copy of the 1st edition Monster Manual a classmate brought to class one day. After flipping through the pages, I caught sight of the first D&D artwork that would hook me as a player and eventually turn me into a life-long dungeon master.

1e Monster Manual Lizardman by David Trampier

The artwork showed a kneeling lizardman holding a sword and a shield. I still remember asking my classmate who was the session's Dungeon Master (DM), if I can have the sword. He said I would have to fight the creature for it. He didn't have to ask me twice! I asked him to help me make a character. After learning the basics of the game and getting lucky with the dice the DM made from scraps of paper, I had defeated my first D&D monster and had claimed my first treasure: the lizard man's sword. Yes, that's all the lizard man had, along with his shield, which I went ahead and claimed as a bonus prize.
To the victor belong the spoils, as the saying goes. I was the victor and it felt good! I was hooked. I wanted to keep playing D&D!
Still, why play D&D? There are a lot of blogs out there giving plenty of reasons to play. In my opinion, any valid reason to play D&D is a good one. However, I'll share the three main reasons why I like to play Dungeons and Dragon.

Reason 1: It's an escape from reality.
We all need a break from our normal lives from time to time.
It's true. Why else do people go on vacations? People need a break from the hustle and bustle of their daily mundane lives. They need a place to go and unwind. D&D offers an entire imagined universe to explore and get lost in, if only for a few hours at a time.
D&D allows a person to take on the personae of a fictitious player character and be the sword-wielding or spell-throwing person he or she may have always imagined being or wished he or she could be. And just like going on a trip to a new destination and discovering new experiences, the game's outcomes are never certain. Players roll dice to randomly determine what happens in the game. Does the arrow strike the villainous sorcerer bent on destroying the village? Or does the character spot the secret door that leads deeper into the dragon's lair and fabled treasure vault? I suppose one can argue that real life is full of uncertainties. So is a game of D&D full of uncertainties. 
Escape into D&D and experience that uncertainty every time you play.

Reason 2: It's a very social game.
Sometimes, we just need to socialize with like-minded people.
Okay, what I really meant to say was we don't mind hanging around with other geeks or nerds who share the same passion for playing a game we all enjoy. There's something really awesome about playing D&D with other people who enjoy taking on the role of their chosen characters, being immersed in the same story together, and of course rolling dice. We especially relish the moment when anyone rolls a natural 20 while sharing in the pain with a fellow player who rolls a natural 1.
Even if you're shy, a game of D&D played with a small group of friends who share the same passion can make you feel welcome and comfortable. D&D promotes social interaction both in the game and at the table (or virtual table these days). A timid and shy person can easily take on the personae of a fearsome barbarian who wades into battle screaming while wielding a viciously sharp greataxe.
And it's all done in socially good fun.

Reason 3: It promotes problem-solving.
While chess taught me to think three steps ahead, D&D has taught me to problem solve by looking at any challenging situation from multiple perspectives.
It's like problem-based learning (PBL) used in education but taken to a whole new level. There's a problem. Solutions to the problem need to be found. There's a dragon threatening the region and it needs to be defeated somehow.
The game puts players in a situation where they must work together to overcome both social and physical obstacles to complete a given task or a quest, as the case may be. Each player character brings with him or her special skills and abilities that can help the entire group solve the problem.
The players are often pitted against encounters with monsters, traps, puzzles, or social interactions with non-player characters (NPCs) as they try to accomplish the adventure's goal. Individually or working as a group, they must rely on their expertise with either weapons, spells (for spellcasters), or skills to defeat the monster, avoid the trap, solve the puzzle, or convince the NPC to provide information or flee as when a player rolls his or her Intimidation check.
Whatever the challenge, there's no one solution for it. Sometimes it takes pure brawn to defeat the monster and rescue the archetypal damsel in distress. Other times, it will take the right spells or skills to get the job done.


The three reasons above are just a sampling of the many others that anyone could argue are equally valid reasons for playing Dungeons and Dragons. It really doesn't matter what the reasons are. Just play D&D.
So purchase a copy of a 5th edition Player's Handbook. This book has the rules you'll need even if you're going to be the DM. Gather up some friends, even if they've never given any roleplaying game a try before. 
As I write this blog, we are in the midst of a pandemic. However, the game can still go on! I have used Roll20 for years as an online virtual table and highly recommend it. I use Roll20 running three separate campaigns on a weekly and biweekly basis.
You can purchase D&D modules published by Wizards of the Coast, the publishers of D&D, or by third-party publishers in Roll20's extensive market so you don't have to buy a physical module if you're on a budget. Dice are included in Roll20. Both players and DM can roll online. Although, it's nice having a set of physical dice to roll at home too, especially for DMs who may want to make secret rolls. 
Characters can be rolled up in Roll20 or, for ease, I recommend using D&D Beyond for making characters and to use while playing D&D. It's free but there's a limit to the number of characters you can make. The premium account allow for more characters and for DMs, unlimited campaigns. Start with the free version and go from there. 
So what are you waiting for? Go play D&D. Get rolling!