By Benjamin T. Cecchetto Dungeons and Dragons

Alias Stratius the Rogue and Stratius the Fighter Dungeons and Dragons

Alias Vinny Tercutti the Italian Mafioso Dungeons and Dragons

Alias Captain Jim Runner the Flying Pirate Puke Monger Dungeons and Dragons

Alias Zyme the Blue Wannabe God Dungeons and Dragons

Alias Van Von Morgensteen the Eccentric Rock and Roll Annoyance Dungeons and Dragons

Alias Benjamin T. Cecchetto – Benjamin T Alias Benjamin T. Cecchetto – Benjamin T. Cecchetto's in-game alter ego who knows how to use swords and weapons very efficiently and salt the lands so they'll never grow again... kind of a jackass, but not unlike the original Dungeons and Dragons

Alias And Many Others... Dungeons and Dragons

What is Dungeons and Dragons? Also called: DnD, D&D, AD&D, AdnD, etc... Tabletop Roleplaying Game Uses the power of your brain to render!

What do you need to play? Friends Players Handbook Dice (4 to 20 sided) Pencil and Paper

Well how do I learn to play? Option 1) Read the manual, invite friends and moderate/figure it out together Option 2) Join an existing group and try to figure it out Option 3) Play a nerfed 'gateway' game

Well how do I learn to play? Right now... Flow of the game for n people is as follows: Have n-1 players playing characters and 1 player being the Dungeon Master (Moderator/DM) Players tell DM what they want their characters to do, DM moderates. Actions could be ANYTHING, even stuff not in the manual so the DM has to improvise Initiative rolls dictate order (on a 20 sided dice) DM PC PC PC PC PC PC

Well how do I learn to play? You enter a dark and musty computer lab, a grad student Emerges! They look vicious And are foaming at the mouth! You've smoten him With your umbrella And poke a hole in Their arm! It bleeds! He eats it and is subdued And quietly returns to the shadows... Well how do I learn to play? I think we're looking at This the wrong way. I give him some food! Roll to hit. Yes. Roll damage Everyone roll initiative! Right now... Flow of the game for n people is as follows: Have n-1 players playing characters and 1 player being the Dungeon Master (Moderator/DM) Players tell DM what they want their characters to do, DM moderates. Actions could be ANYTHING, even stuff not in the manual so the DM has to improvise Initiative rolls dictate order (on a 20 sided dice) 12 18 4 2 I attack with my trusty umbrella! Does an 18 hit? 7 damage! 13 6 5 3 19 1 Rolls d8 Rolls d20

What makes a character? You see the basic classes in most RPGs now, but the basic four are: Fighter – attacks precisely Barbarian – attacks fiercely Wizard – attacks magically Rogue – attacks sneakily/from afar

What if you want to play a pacifist? That's fine too, there's enough skills in the game to use you can do this. Can pretty much tailor any character you can think of. Hard for the DM to make a scenario to keep every player happy though but the ideal setting is where you can accomplish a quest by any means that you're good at.

What limitations are there to stuff you can do? Nothing. There's nothing your character can't try to do. Up to the DM to moderate and make it fun for everyone It's like a choose your own adventure book with infinite options

Some restrictions make the game more fun Roleplaying Playing the role of your character, whatever that may be. Hardest thing is being consistent with morals, values, etc, etc... Like acting sort of. Restrictions on weapons/races/times Vampire: The Masquerade, Call of Cthulhu, Iron Heroes, D20 Modern, D20 Future are other games like DnD following the same rule systems in different times with different varieties of weapons and conflicts

Some expansion on roleplaying can make the game... interesting... Live Action Roleplaying (LARP) Downsides: Frighteningly Nerdy http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j_ekugPKqFw Upside:

What's this have to do with Satan? A bunch of kids got killed in the 70's and happened to play DnD and there was demon looking pictures in the monster manual Ignorance Same old puritans “Now I have never gotten "into" the game, (and I thank my lord and savior for that) I have been around people who have and from what I have researched and have seen its is my conclusion the game teaches witchcraft, demonology, voodoo, necromancy and satanism. There are many more but lets look at just these five and other meanings in their definitions. Those of you who are playing D&D are angry right now and are looking for the mail link to give me a tongue lashing. Before you do I ask, as some ask me to do, just listen for a moment. What we must do is identify certain definitions and then see if in fact this game is contrary to the word of God. “

Who started this anyway? Gary Gygax (1938-2008) and Dave Arneson(1947-2009), and first published in 1974 by Tactical Studies Rules, Inc (TSR) Expanded from a miniatures game Chainmail Now that's a man I can Look up to! The Father Of modern roleplaying games!

Doesn't seem too geeky... What gives? I blame marketing: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q1wGlOwn1pM

Conclusion Easy to learn Get to see and share other peoples' imaginations Not really a 'game' but just fun adventures with your friends (in any setting) Makes for a very dangerous drinking game

Questions? Stay a while and listen... Thousands Of years ago, when I was a wee lad I Was attacked by wild boar. They took me To their leader and eventually taped me To a wall with duct tape. It was then that I realized one couldn't spell 'vegetables' Without “Vegeta” so I offered Them over 9000 VEGETAbles and They accepted... from then on, the Boars and I were...