Hang out with a Dungeons and Dragons group long enough, and you’ll probably pick up on some tabletop tropes—maybe even the legendary struggle between so-called “Rules Lawyers” and believers of the “Rule of Cool.” Rules Lawyers are often depicted as insufferable, know-it-all nerds with an encyclopedic knowledge of the game, always gleefully ready to pull out some obscure regulation that’s sure to spoil everyone’s fun. On the other hand, those who play by the proverbial Rule of Cool—that is, bending or even trashing certain rules in order to make things more fun, interesting, and/or triumphant—can be seen as sloppy, disorganized, or even just plain cringe.

These two caricatures are often portrayed as opposing forces engaged in an epic battle that has raged since time immemorial, but in my humble, bardic opinion, I’ve found the topic to be much more complicated than a 1v1 showdown. The debate between Rules Lawyers and the Rule of Cool isn’t an “either/or” or even an “us-versus-them” discussion, and for both players and DMs, either style can have both pros and cons.

Above all, D&D should be a fun, engaging, safe, and inclusive space for everyone at the table. So instead of throwing ourselves into one camp or another, let’s explore why both sides have their merits—and when we might want to use one philosophy over the other.

Here at Young Dragonslayers™, we love the game Dungeons & Dragons - it’s our bread and butter (or perhaps you could say, meat and ale)! It’s by far the most popular game of its kind, but it’s not the only one out there. Just like there are plenty of movies outside of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, there are plenty of tabletop roleplaying games outside of Dungeons & Dragons. You don’t have to be a math genius or have a super analytical mind (though you can use both of these skills in designing your game), just a creative idea and a little bit of elbow grease. 

D&D (owned by Wizards of the Coast, owned by Hasbro) is more than just a game—it’s also a brand and a business. There are endless tools, accessories, and add-ons available for purchase, and you can spend quite a pretty penny when it comes to buying books, constructing intricately scaled landscapes in the middle of your living room, and/or developing a crippling dice addiction.

However, one of the best things about Dungeons and Dragons (in my humble bardic opinion) is that you can absolutely play for free. Whether you’re a first-time player or the forever DM, there are countless official and fan-made resources that won’t put you out a single copper piece.

This list could very well be endless, but here are a few of my personal favorites.

There are whole books filled with wondrous monsters, difficult enemies, and interesting characters for use in Dungeons & Dragons games. These creatures come from all different places - fantasy tropes, popular stories, and, of course the imagination of D&D creators. Many come from real-world mythologies: Medusa from Greek mythology, the Sphinx from Egyptian mythology, or Frost Giants from Norse mythology. But these popular mythologies aren’t the only ones to make an appearance in the world of D&D. Irish mythology is filled with its own array of strange and wondrous tales, many of which got their own interpretation in the official lore of Dungeons & Dragons! Let’s take a look at a few.

In a world where online distractions reign supreme and attention spans waver, children diagnosed with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) often find themselves navigating an uphill battle. However, amidst the chaos of modern life, a beacon of hope emerges in the form of an unexpected hero – Dungeons & Dragons! This cherished tabletop role-playing game isn't just about rolling dice and slaying dragons; it's a transformative journey that offers unique therapeutic benefits for children struggling with ADHD.

So, what exactly makes Dungeons & Dragons such a game-changer for ADHD kids? Let's roll the dice and explore the unique benefits it offers.

You may have heard about “reskinning” in video games, whether that’s turning your Fortnite character into Harley Quinn or making your MOBA champion wear an anime costume. But in games like Dungeons & Dragons, where the visuals are only limited to the realms of your imagination, it costs nothing at all to simply give a dragon a top hat or turn an owlbear into a giant talking raccoon. Since there’s no coding required, it’s also entirely possible for that dragon to create tornadoes of fire or the raccoon to control minds. When starting to make these kinds of changes, though, you have to be careful: you don’t want to accidentally kill your players with a superpowered werewolf wizard or create a nonsensical enemy, like a giant with low strength. Luckily, there are some tried-and-true methods for D&D reskinning that avoid mistakes like this while still keeping your awesome ideas in the game. 

Online gaming aficionados, we have gathered here today to discuss a potentially controversial topic: Discord for kids. If you’re the parent of a D&D-loving child, you’ve likely heard your child talking about this app. And if you’re a gamer yourself, you’re probably using it already!

Depending on who you ask, Discord is either a fun and easy way for kids to connect with friends (often while playing games) or the supreme source of internet evil. The opinions I hear from fellow parents about Discord as a therapist, D&D professional, and mom are all over the map.

So what’s a parent to do? Cave to the pressure and let your kid use Discord even if you feel a little uncomfortable? Restrict Discord entirely and risk your child missing out on quality social interaction? Go on a deep internet dive trying to figure out how to make Discord as safe as possible for your kid?

We run online D&D games for kids and teens, so internet safety is an absolute top priority around here. We use a variety of tools to play—and yes, sometimes Discord is one of them! In this guide, we’ll be breaking down everything you need to know about Discord to make an informed deicision about whether to allow it for your child.

Many people love romance plotlines; they show up in a ton of books, movies, and TV shows. Video games can make these plots even more immersive; players can create their own character who meets and falls in love with another character from the same world. This can (and does!) happen in tabletop games like Dungeons & Dragons, too. But unlike in a roleplaying video game, D&D and other tabletop roleplaying games aren’t programmed and written ahead of time. You’re playing with real people (sometimes people you already know) who are portraying these characters. So how does romance work in a game like that? How do you tell the kinds of stories you want without making anyone feel weird (or feeling weird yourself)? We know a thing or two about making games that are fun for everyone, so we’re here to tell you!

Dragons, as you might expect, are a huge part of D&D, but you might not know that there are all sorts of different types in the D&D world. Some come from the land of fairies, some from the realm of undead, and some from the minds of evil wizards, each with a different personality type, set of abilities, and lair where they make their home. In honor of the Year of the Dragon, we’ve selected 10 of our favorites to share with you (presented in no particular order - choosing only 10 was difficult enough)!

When you play Dungeons & Dragons, the first thing that you do is make a character, choosing a class, race, and background. Each background gives your character abilities that can come in handy on your adventures. But a background can also give you ideas about your character’s backstory: who they were and what happened to them before the start of a game. Making up a backstory from thin air can feel intimidating, especially to new players, but starting from a background can help you build up some key details and bring your character to life.

Part of what makes Dungeons & Dragons so fun is the ability to create and play your very own character. Most of D&D takes place in a world of high fantasy and focuses on races like dwarves or elves. But your options go way beyond that; your character can have ancestors who were angels, demons, or elementals, be creatures of folklore like fairies, tritons, or changelings, or share prominent features with real-world animals like crows, cats, and turtles.

This article will go over your options for the latter, giving you plenty of ideas to create your own D&D character inspired by your favorite animals!

The month of December brings a season of gift-giving! Picking out presents for others can be a ton of fun, especially for people who have similar interests to you. So here are some ideas to kick off some DIY gift-giving for the Dungeons & Dragons aficionados in your life! 

The world of Dungeons & Dragons is filled with magic; nearly all (9 out of 12) of the playable classes in Dungeons & Dragons (D&D) have access to some type of spellcasting. There are more than 350 spells in the Player’s Handbook alone! Each of these spells is organized into eight separate categories, or “schools” of magic with arcane-sounding names that can confuse new players. But with this handy guide, the next time your druid casts Detect Magic, and your Dungeon Master tells you that the cellar reeks of Conjuration magic, you’ll know exactly what they’re talking about.

There are a multitude of reasons people love playing Dungeons & Dragons. But one that I see over and over is the way you can tell a story through the game. By creating characters, describing actions, rolling dice, and going on adventures, players and the Dungeon Master can build a story together. Some ambitious players have even recorded their characters’ adventures in the form of a book! If you’ve ever considered making this leap, now is the perfect time; November is National Novel-Writing Month, where thousands of writers of all ages make it their goal to write a novel-length story in thirty days. If you feel you’re up to the task, read on to learn how you, too, can create a novel from your Dungeons & Dragons campaign!

With Halloween coming soon, many Dungeons & Dragons players are in the mood for one thing: spooks, scares, and skeletons (or your monster of choice). Fortunately, the game contains loads of fun monsters and creatures perfect for the season. But newcomers to the game can find sifting through all of the available materials intimidating; luckily, there are many adventures out there that have already been put together. We’ve selected three great starter adventures for beginning Dungeon Masters that may be just the thing to get a Halloween one-shot together this spooky season.

Hail and well met, future Dungeon Masters! You’re ready to dive into the world of facilitating your own Dungeons & Dragons games. Welcome to a realm where your imagination runs wild, and you can bring your wildest dreams (or nightmares) alive for your friends and family. But wait: before you start crafting epic quests and summoning mythical creatures, you might be wondering, "Where do I even begin?" Fear not, my fellow adventurer, because we've got your back.

As the world becomes increasingly digital, the ways in which all players, especially kids and teens, engage with these games has expanded beyond the traditional tabletop. This piece is meant to unveil a fraction of the plethora of methods for young adventurers to embark on epic quests, emphasizing online play while also delving into the enchanting realm of play-by-post. Whether you're a novice or a seasoned player, there's a mode of play waiting to whisk you away into a world of wonder.

It’s no secret that we like to tout the mental health benefits of Dungeons & Dragons around here: we’ve talked about how it can be helpful for kids with social anxiety and depression, as well as boosting social-emotional and leadership skills. But why should you take our word for it? After all, we’re trying to convince you to enroll your child or teen in our online D&D games.

Fortunately, we’re not the only people getting interested in the mental health benefits of D&D: therapists and educators are taking notice, too. And research is starting to come in to back up the idea that tabletop roleplaying games have a lot to offer when it comes to emotional wellbeing.

Since the pandemic, the rates of childhood depression have doubled: worldwide, 1 in 4 teens report having “clinically significant” symptoms. We know that the disruption in routines, missed milestones, and isolation of the pandemic had a huge impact on kids’ mental health, and we’ll probably see after effects for years to come.

Our company, Young Dragonslayers, was founded in 2020 as a direct response to the huge wave of depression that swept through the lives of kids and teens in my therapy practice. I was looking for a way to help kids stay connected to something meaningful during that chaotic and lonely time. D&D is predictable, socially supportive, and lets kids experience “wins” every time they play. It’s a wonderful option for kids struggling with depression, and today I’d like to talk about why.

Dungeons and Dragons is a creative, immersive game that has captured the imagination of tweens and teens everywhere. In addition to being a fun and fulfilling hobby, D&D bosts an array of social-emotional benefits.

Playing as a character in a collaborative, imaginative story gives kids a chance to build skills like teamwork, empathy, and compassion. But there’s another benefit to D&D that you may not have considered: its potential to develop confident leaders.