Just about everyone who has played Dungeons and Dragons has run into someone with an incorrect idea of what the game entails as if every session and every group and every player were the same. Some are old, outdated ideas passed on from an older generation and bad media examples, while others sound more like excuses to avoid trying it out.
The thing is though is that the game is wildly popular for a reason. It crosses the generational boundaries and brings people together for some fun, something very few other games can claim themselves.
10 It Is Satanic
There are demons, devils, and a whole pantheon of gods, therefore the game is inherently Satanic in nature. At least, that is one of the most common complaints against the game and is so far from the truth.
Just because a game has fantastical elements that don’t vibe with many major real-life religions does not immediately make it bad or Satanic. They aren’t even required parts of the game. There is nowhere in any of the books that say the player themselves have to worship what their characters do or do not worship.
9 It Is Only For Nerdy Teenaged Boys
Another thing that gets brought up, but mostly to older or female players, is the assumption that the game is meant to only be played by stereotypical nerdy teenaged boys. This is not even remotely correct.
Players run the gamut, from children all the way up to the elderly, and can be enjoyed by any and all genders. It’s a game about imagination and experiences with a group of friends. Even famous celebrities enjoy the game, including many that fall well outside the typical stereotypical D&D player.
8 Everyone Fully Gets Into Character When They Play
A lot of non-players seem to assume that everyone who plays Dungeons and Dragons will dress up as their character and talk like them while rolling dice around a table and complaining about rules. That’s far more of a Live Action Role Playing (LARP) aspect than what normally happens.
Instead, the majority of people just show up in their street clothes, with or without snacks, some character sheets, and some dice. If it gets any more intense than that, it’s all because the group wanted to and not because the game requires it.
7 It Only Takes Place In Medieval Fantasy Settings
Not everyone likes high fantasy and dragons. Some people are more into steampunk or cyberpunk sorts of games and that’s fine. Dungeons and Dragons does not have to take place strictly in a High Fantasy, Middle-Earth sort of setting.
Honestly, the game doesn’t have many limitations at all. The only limitations are the ones enforced by the Dungeon Master, so really the game can take place anywhere or have any style or vibe that people want it to have.
6 A Lot Of Money Has To Be Spent To Play It
Just like any hobby, yes. Dungeons and Dragons can be expensive. But it doesn’t have to be. Older editions of the game have free PDFs available for download on the official website. The character sheets can be downloaded for free. Random dice rolling websites and random number generators exist for free.
Then maps can be drawn with materials on hand. Not a dime has to be spent on the game. Does it make for a more immersive setting and cooler experiences when some investment is made? Perhaps. That doesn’t mean it’s required.
5 It Is Too Hard To Get Into
There’s just so much stuff and so many editions and so many books that it can definitely feel overwhelming to start. And there is an assumption that even brand new players are going to be expected to know the rules backwards and forwards right off the bat.
However, any good group put together is willing to help new players understand the ropes. The only person who needs to have a strong grasp of what is happening at any given moment is the Dungeon Master, and even they don’t have to have every single thing memorized. The books aren’t there to be memorized; they are there to be referenced as needed.
4 Players Are Expected To Buy All The Accessories
While it is true that there are a lot of optional assets for the game, that’s just it: They are optional. As fun as it can be to have a whole tileset, dungeon builds, painted miniatures, sound systems, and everything else under the sun, none of that is required to play the game. There are only three core rulebooks that are needed, and even then, every single player doesn’t need their own.
There is even a case to be made to exclude everything but the Player’s Handbook if there’s going to be a lot of homebrewing anyway, as just about any asset can be made to fit the setting. Then dice can even be excluded for online random number generators and other means so truthfully, all that is truly needed is someone who knows a lot about the game and a couple of players to play with.
3 It Requires Quick Thinking
A major complaint is that people seem to think that the game requires a lot of quick thinking and everything moves extremely fast. Almost always, the opposite is true. Not to mention that if there is a new player, chances are that the remainder of the group will give them some leeway.
Games are only as fast or as difficult as the group makes them out to be. Generally, they tend to take a long time, often moving into multiple sessions, rather than zipping through at the speed of sound with a lot of out-of-character babbling as well.
2 It Is Literally Dangerous
The entirety of the game takes place in the players’ imaginations, almost always around a table. There is nothing more dangerous than someone’s best friend getting too invested and smacking their hand down on a metal miniature, or someone dropping a d4 on the floor only to find it with their foot.
Even the content of the game can be scaled to incorporate the comfort level of all of the players, so there is literally nothing whatsoever that can cause actual danger. It’s a game to play with friends and family or in the back of a hobby store where there are other people around.
1 It Only Gets Played In Dark Basements
For some reason, the trope of dirty nerds who live in their parents’ basement clings heavily onto the concept of Dungeons and Dragons players. While some groups may play in the dark for aesthetic reasons, that’s not really the norm.
Basements aren’t always the point of play either, as most people just want a table. Chances are that table is actually the dining room table and when it’s time for food things just get shuffled around to make space. That, or the Dungeon Master pulled a card table out of the closet to account for having more guests over. It is a hobby just like everything else and therefore can take place anywhere, including in the backroom of a hobby store or in a meeting room at the local library or rec center.
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