If you have seen any of the hit TV show “Stranger Things”, you know that it all began with four boys playing the tabletop roleplaying game “Dungeons and Dragons.” “D and D”, as it is more affectionately known, is a tabletop roleplaying game that allows players to interact with each other in a fictional narrative. Dungeons and Dragons is often thought of as a game for “nerds”; however, many celebrities enjoy the various perks of playing. Wayne Brady from “Whose Line is it Anyway?” has been known to roll dice from time to time. Vin Diesel has also enjoys playing! By being a part of these role-playing campaigns, you can become a better student due to a variety of benefits that the game offers!
Creation of Stories and Character Narratives.
In order to play D and D, you are required to create your own character. This includes a backstory on your character’s life before the game started. Creating these backstories helps players hone their narrative and story writing skills. These skills are important for High School and College English and Literature courses. In addition, they are imperative on scholastic exams such as the ACT and SAT! After creating your character and backstory, players then get to create an entire world full of elaborate themes and other interactive features. The world is literally your oyster, because you created it!
Math, Math, and More Math!
Every person who has ever played a video games knows that every “Boss Fight” is all about how much damage you do. The difference between video games and D and D is that you must calculate the damage yourself. In D and D there are many different scores that need to be calculated. This requires a lot of math! For every fight, a player will roll on average of 3 different dice and add 3 different modifiers to whatever they roll. This all changes when players must multiply and divide their dice based on what damage is being dealt to the enemy. Keeping track of all that math requires concentration and precision. Though it is meticulous, it is also a lot of fun!
Social Skills and Critical Thinking Skills.
D and D is not a single player game. Games consist of around 4-6 players. During the game, players talk to each other to come up with solutions to problems. These problems can be very simple or extremely complex. For the game to progress properly, the players must cooperate. This results in players learning how to work together respectfully to reach a common goal. Additionally, friendships are formed both in the game and out of it.
There are many reasons to start your own D and D campaign, but these three are deemed vital. There are two tutors here at Learning Ascent who play in their own campaign and can vouch for the incredible academic effects of the game. Players are rediscovering this creative and different outlook on learning, and are loving every minute of it!
