“What exactly is Dungeons and Dragons?”
If you’re a parent, you might have been asking this question lately. Perhaps your children have seen the new movie Dungeons & Dragons: Honour Among Thieves, or maybe they’ve been watching an “actual play” YouTube series such as Critical Role. But did you know that the library is a great space for children and teenagers to learn more about this fun and educational game?
Dungeons & Dragons (commonly referred to as D&D) is a table top adventure game. It is played using pens, paper, dice, and most importantly: imagination!
D&D can be described as a mix of a board game, improv theatre, and telling a story with a group of friends. The players together create a shared imaginary world, with rules that make it more grounded than just “playing make-believe”.
D&D is not just an entertaining game. It also promotes a range of positive outcomes in education and personal development. For younger players, it is a form of play-based learning that teaches skills in reading, writing and mathematics. For teens, it can be a safe space to explore different identities and social situations by acting them out in a low-stakes, imaginary environment. Click here for a recent article that delves deeper into D&D’s social benefits.
"How do I get involved?"
YPRL runs a monthly D&D session at Thomastown Library. New players are always welcome and no prior knowledge of the rules is required. We also have D&D at our Game Night Takeover on 26 May, complimentary pizza is also involved!
Banyule Youth Services runs a range of D&D events at Jets Studios in Bundoora. With several groups running, there are opportunities for players to learn the game and even become “Dungeon Masters” themselves.
"Where can I learn more?"
The Basic Rules are also available online at D&D Beyond
D&D rulebooks are available in our catalogue:
Player's Handbook
An essential reference for every Dungeons & Dragons roleplayer, this text contains rules for character creation and advancement, backgrounds and skills, exploration and combat, equipment, spells, and much more.
Dungeon Master's Guide
This book contains tools a Dungeon Master needs to provide stories and game play. A resource for new and existing Dungeon Masters to engage in both adventure and world creation, with rules, guidelines, and advice from the game's experts. Created as part of a massive public playtest involving more than 170,000 fans of the game.
Monsters & Creatures
In this illustrated guide, you're transported to the legendary and magical worlds of Dungeons & Dragons and presented with one-of-a-kind entries for some of its most sinister, foul, and memorable monsters. Featuring amazing illustrations and expert insights on some of D&D's most dangerous monsters, the guide shines a spotlight on the beasts that scare and excite and cause trouble for adventurers, from creatures that live underground, to those that dwell in the wilderness and boneyards, to those that soar in the sky. In these profiles you will find information on the size of each monster, its danger level, and tips for how to survive an encounter. The perfect entry point for young fans of fantasy eager to become D&D adventurers, this book also features introductory "Encounter" stories so readers can practice the problem-solving skills they'll need to fight these monsters when they play a D&D adventure of their own.