TTRPG Play
Submitted by Arnaud Sparks, YMCA of Lethbridge
In recent years, tabletop role playing games (TTRPGs) have seen a huge increase in popularity. With games like Dungeons and Dragons being featured in TV and movies, we have seen youth from many walks of life gravitate towards these games. My experience with TTRGPs started about six years ago when I began playing Dungeon and Dragons with my friends. I took up the mantle of dungeon master, fumbled my way through the rules, and quickly fell in love with the game. In this blog post I intend to go over what TTRPGs are, a brief history of TTRPGs, the benefits of playing a TTRPG, and how to pick a system and start playing.
Brief History of TTRPGs
TTRPGs have roots in the “war gaming” of the 1950s and 1960s, where players would reenact historical or play out fictional battles using miniatures. These games led to the creation of Dungeons and Dragons in 1974, which combined war gaming with fantasy literature and collaborative storytelling. Over the following decades new systems of play were built. These systems differed in rules and focus from Dungeons and Dragons, often shifting away from combat simulation to storytelling and character development. These games have recently seen a huge uptick in popularity with the invention of the digital tabletops, streaming of actual play of Dungeons and Dragons games, and the shift to an open gaming licence, allowing for more content to be generated within the Dungeons and Dragons system.
The Basics of TTRPGs
TTRPGs are comprised of a few basic elements: player characters, game/dungeon masters, game systems, and dice. Player characters are unique characters with specific skills and attributes created and played by the player. The chosen race, class, and background of a character give players a framework to roleplay and make decisions as their character. Game/dungeon masters are responsible for creating the setting, controlling the non-player characters (NPCs) and environment, and enforcing the systems rules. The game system is what dictates the rules and mechanics that everyone plays by. Game systems can differ in flexibility and complexity. Finally, the dice add an element of uncertainty to the game’s outcomes. Dice rolls allow players to determine the success or failure of an action.
The Benefits of TTRPGs
Imaginative and Creative Play - Anything is possible within TTRPGs. Player characters can cast spells, accomplish feats of immense strength, or invent wildly improbable devices. Players can improvise and stretch their imagination in a structured and supportive environment. In my experience, youth that have struggled with unstructured imaginative play tend to thrive within the structure that TTRPGs provide.
Social Interactions and Empathy - TTRPGs give a low-pressure opportunity to practice social interaction, build friendships, resolve conflicts between characters, and work together to solve problems. Players build their confidence by interacting with each other and being in the spotlight as their characters achieve their goals. Beyond interpersonal interaction, it allows players to build empathy in areas they may not have experienced in real life. For example, a player playing a half-orc may experience racism from an NPC, allowing that player to step into the shoes of a racialized group and potentially develop empathy for that group.
Problem Solving and Critical Thinking - TTRPGs present players with a variety of challenges that require out-of-the-box thinking. Within the rules of the system there are often many ways to solve any given problem. Youth playing these games are encouraged, and often rewarded, when finding creative solutions. In my experience being a game master in youth programs, although at times silly, youth will often come up with the wildest and most unexpected solutions to problems.
Numeracy and Literacy - Many TTRPGs build reading comprehension, note-taking, and mental math skills. Youth use books to build characters, pick classes, and learn rules. Throughout the game they are encouraged to take notes, use their written abilities, and participate in the narrative process. As players roll dice, they may need to add dice together, add or subtract modifiers to their roles, and predict potential probabilities of success. Additionally, players interact with in-game currency and bargaining, further building their number sense.
Picking a System and Starting to Play
When choosing a system and starting to play, the biggest thing to remember is to HAVE FUN!
Choosing a System
I would recommend choosing the system based on the age of the players and the setting of the system. For ages 8 and up, systems like Dungeons and Dragons (fantasy setting) or Monster of the Week (modern setting) provide a relatively simple yet thorough framework that everyone can enjoy. These systems can be adapted by the game master to suit the needs of the players. For ages 4-8, systems like Hero Kids and Adventure Tales will require an adult game master but are simplified for younger players. The systems listed above are all good starting points, but feel free to explore and research the right system for your group.
Starting to Play
If you are brand new to the world of TTRPGs, I would recommend watching or listening to an episode or two of an actual play game to get a feeling for how games are run. Established actual play games include, but are certainly not limited to, Critical Role (recommended start on Campaign 2), The Adventure Zone, and Dimension 20. As you and the youth in your life start to play, you won’t be at the standard of these professional games, and you won’t know everything, and that’s OK! Take the game one step at a time, do your best to learn the rules, be fair, make up rules as needed, plan, be ready for all your plans to be thrown out the window, and have fun!!!
I’m a firm believer that TTRPGs can create be a meaningful and constructive play. They allow children and youth to use their imaginations, work together, and problem solve. It can be an effective tool to teach conflict resolution, consequences, empathy, mental math, literacy and more. Most importantly, these games are FUN! Start small, give yourself grace, and roll for initiative!
Sources and References:
https://www.loarbaind.com/blog/what-is-tabletop-rpg-a-comprehensive-guide-to-the-world-of-collaborative-storytelling
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11299717/
https://www.scottishbooktrust.com/uploads/store/mediaupload/8674/file/Using%20TTRPGs%20in%20classrooms%20and%20libraries%20resource.pdf