Tabletop RPGs are Great and You Should Play Them

If you're one of the four people that read this blog, you're probably aware that a big fan of tabletop, or pen and paper, RPGs. There's also a better than average chance that if you're reading a blog called Don't Drink the Dragon's Breath, you've probably dabbled in them yourself at one point or another. I've been playing RPGs for most of my life (almost 33 years to be exact) and as far as hobbies go, it's pretty damn fun. Now, I'm generally not one to tell someone how they should spend their free time, but I was recently having a conversation with a colleague of mine who had some questions about the hobby, which led to me suggesting that he give it a try. As I was explaining all of the reasons he should give RPGs a try, I thought this could make an interesting blog post about a fairly misunderstood hobby.

So, first things first, definitions. For those who don't know, the term RPG means Role Playing Game (no, not that kind). Basically, the game is like an expansive interactive story in which the players (usually between two and six people) take on the role of a created character and drive the narrative of the story through their in-game decisions, with actions commonly being resolved by the roll of dice. Another player, called the Game Master or some derivative of that, referees the story and controls the actions of the non-player characters, or NPCs. In simplest of terms that's what tabletop role playing is all about. Dungeons & Dragons is by far the most well-known brand in the hobby but there are literally hundreds of other games, which cover a variety of genres, from high fantasy to science fiction and everything in between.

The hobby and those who play it hasn't exactly been portrayed in the best light over the past 40 years. Whether it was the Satanic Panic of the 1980s, which claimed that the game was the doorway to the occult (nonsense) to the hobby's depictions in popular culture showing RPG enthusiasts as socially awkward, lonely losers with poor hygiene and no girlfriends sequestered in their parents' basements wearing wizard hats and playing some stupid game of make believe. Fortunately, those negative views have softened over time and the hobby is looked at with more curiosity, rather than revulsion. It hasn't hurt that several celebrities have gone on record about their love for the hobby including the likes of Stephen Colbert, Vin Diesel, Deborah Ann Woll, Mike Myers and Tim Duncan. While the hobby has grown significantly over the past few years and there is less of a stigma attached to it, many people are still hesitant to give it a try. That's understandable because the hobby can appear daunting from the outside but believe me, it's worth the leap and here's why:

• You get to be part of the story instead of just watching it: I think just about all of us at some point, while watching a movie, television show or reading a book, has asked the question "Why would they do that?" There's always that frustration when a fictional character does something you think they shouldn't (or wouldn't) do. That kind of second-guessing doesn't happen in RPGs because you're in control of the character and you get to be a part in directing where the story goes. As far as other entertainment mediums go, this is fairly rare.
• The only limit is your imagination: To me, this is the biggest selling point for playing table top RPGs. Basically, if you can think it, you can do it.  You may not be successful, mind you, but you can sure as hell try. It's basically like having a movie with an unlimited budget at your fingertips. 
• It's a highly social game: One of the biggest misconceptions surrounding RPGs is that it's for losers with no friends. Again, unlike many other forms of media consumption, other people are a requirement for playing the game. Not only that, but interaction with those people is also required as players must devise battle strategies, discuss next courses of action or talk to NPCs. 
• Theatrical backgrounds are nice, but not required: I myself have a background in improv and theater, which one may think is the reason I love the hobby. Actually, it's the other way around. I didn't get into acting and improv, really until I started getting into RPGs. The games helped me come out of my shell and helped bolster my confidence. Basically, what I'm getting at is that while playing with someone who's into that sort of thing is fun, it's not a criteria for playing.
• You can make lifelong friends: As I mentioned earlier, I've been involved in this hobby for more than three decades and I can honestly say that the friends I've made playing these games are the best friends I've ever had. I still keep in touch with some of the player I had in my old high school group (shout out to the Pauls...all three of them) even though it's been close to 20 years since I've seen some of them and we're separated by thousands of kilometers. Some of the best friends I have in this world (you know who you are) I gained from playing these games and getting together with them to play is among the greatest joys in my life and I wouldn't trade it for anything.

So, there's my argument in favor of pen and paper RPGs. I know they're not for everybody (nothing is) but I still think that everybody should give it a try at least once. Who knows, you may end up liking it.