While many activities have suffered during quarantine due to restrictions, there is one pastime that has flourished despite rigid restrictions and social distancing guidelines. Dungeons and Dragons (D&D), a popular role-playing game, is still a viable outlet for creativity, imagination, and socialization despite the pandemic and has actually gained traction over the course of the past year. 

For those who may not be aware, Dungeons and Dragons isn’t a game that you play on a board or with cards. D&D is a game played with dice that determine the outcome of events. Players come together and create characters with the help of the dungeon master, the person who is running the game and creates the settings, items, and characters found in the fantasy world of D&D. Once the characters are created, the dungeon master creates the story that the characters are trying to navigate. From there, the possibilities are nearly endless as far as what the characters have to do or what they will encounter: it’s all up to the dungeon master. 

“I started playing because of the pandemic,” Ben Clarke (11) said. “It’s a fun way to just hang out with friends. I enjoy the creative aspects of the game as well as having to improvise based on what happens as you go.” 

Clarke has been playing D&D since last summer and is currently involved in being the dungeon master of his own campaign that began in late November. D&D has become a hobby that allows him to express himself creatively and spend time with friends. 

“You get to use your imagination and hang out with friends,” Cooper Lucas (11) said. “D&D has given me more of a social life and a chance to spend more time with people and get to know them better.” 

Lucas has only been involved in D&D for a few months, but he has fully embraced the game. He has created miniatures and small objects to accompany his gameplay with the use of his 3D printer.  Lucas listens to podcasts and reads books on how to improve his character in addition to game sessions.  Many podcasts and web series,  such as Critical Role, have become popular as more people have started playing over the pandemic in the past year. 

“I enjoy D&D because it lets me enjoy a world that I normally wouldn’t experience,” Maura Huston (9) said. “I get to experience a new reality because sometimes things in this reality are just awful. D&D really did help me get through the pandemic.” 

Huston has played D&D for two years after she was introduced to it by a friend. She views D&D as a way to escape everyday life and enter a world of fantasy.  Many other players also view D&D as a way to take their minds off of the world around them and as a way to relax. 

“I wish people knew how much fun D&D can be,” Peyton Anderson (9) said. “Even though some people think it’s weird or nerdy, it’s really super fun. You get to be with friends while playing games. It’s one of my favorite things to do.” 

Dungeons and Dragons has many aspects such as fight scenes, social interactions, and overlaying plots that entice many different types of people to play. The game has become a way for many students to spend time together and have fun in a fantasy universe during a time that could be described as less than fantastic. 

“D&D is actually a lot of fun once you begin playing,” Clarke said. “People should start playing it sooner rather than later because then they’ll miss out on a lot of fun opportunities. You don’t really feel that you’ll be into it, but once you start, you realize just how much fun it is.”

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