I have never played Dungeons & Dragons but I have heard tons about it. Also, Stranger Things piqued my interest in it! I have Deston J. Munden with me today and we are chatting about his love for D&D and its relationship to storytelling and writing. Deston is a Fantasy and Science fiction author with a Bachelor’s in Game Art and Design. Deston loves video games (Overwatch, Rainbow Six Siege, and League of Legends), anime, comic books, and Fantasy/Scifi novels.
Welcome to The Creator’s Roulette, Deston! For people like me who have never played D&D, tell us more about the game. How is it set up? How does one get started?
Dungeons and Dragons is a tabletop roleplaying game where a dungeon master takes their adventuring party of various races and classes (the players) through a storyline known as a campaign filled with monsters, drama, and tons of shenanigans. The game itself has certain rules that are followed and occasionally you have to roll certain dice to see what the outcome of what you are able to do is. It’s very open ended and campaigns can stretch from just a night to several years depending on the party.
Getting started is pretty easy. All you need is the general player handbook, a set of dice, and a dungeon master. The rest can be provided online via websites like Roll20 or DnD Beyond (or sometimes a simple google search). But remember, find a group that you are comfortable with and who will treat you and your character fairly. I’ve seen so many people think that they don’t like the game of Dungeons and Dragons just because they have had a bad experience from it. Be careful who you start the game with and you should be fine.
What kind of roles exist during a D&D game? Do you prefer to be a Dungeon Master (DM) or one of the players?
From the backline caster like wizards, to healers like clerics, and the frontline brawlers like barbarians, there are roles for everyone. The coolest thing about Dungeons and Dragons is that it is completely customizable. If you want to be a cleric with a warhammer that goes in a rage every now and again, you can do that! It’s all about finding a playstyle you like to play.
I prefer to be the player role. I feel like where I am a good storyteller, I’m not a good performer. The DM has to play a lot of roles at once and sometimes switch characters on the fly. I’m not that good at either of those yet verbally. That’s why I’m working on getting my character voices and performance better.
What are your thoughts about Storytelling in D&D?
It’s a wild experience. You’ll learn how to improv, speak in character, and role play in no time. The interesting thing about it is that people believe the story telling all comes from the Dungeon Master. That is not true. There are plenty of times where the players are the story focus and the Dungeon Master gets the chance to experience their show. There are plenty of times where the players are involved in a certain pickle and the Dungeon Master is there for the ride. Think of Dungeon Masters as a guide that leads the storyline along while the players are the people within the story. Each has a turn to tell a story how they want and each is at the mercy of the dice. Plans might change, people might die, and things will definitely not go the way you want it to. That’s the magic of storytelling in Dungeons and Dragons.
Our world is quite diverse. How is diversity represented in a D&D game?
You can be anything you want in Dungeons and Dragons. The interesting thing about Dungeons and Dragons is that the world is just as diverse as ours, letting the DM choose how they want the world of the game. Everything in D&D has some level of customization. There are plenty of fantasy equivalents to real life races in the world and many others that you definitely won’t see in our world.
Would you recommend everyone to try out D&D at some point?
Absolutely. For fantasy writers, there’s no reason not to. It’s a good exercise to learn more about yourself and how you develop your characters. You’re going to make mistakes while playing and you’re going to learn how to develop yourself and your characters better. Also it’s just fun. I would suggest finding a DM that will work with you and let you go wild if you’re a writer. Even if you’re not, it’s a good outlet to let yourself loose. Have fun with it and try it out. I don’t think a lot of people realize how much fun they will have if they just give it a try.
Have you found other games and media inspired by D&D? I am trying to gauge how widespread its influence is.
Oh definitely. Almost all the authors that I follow either play D&D as a DM or a player. It’s a widespread phenomenon. I would say largely Critical Role is what got a lot of people into the game. Seeing a bunch of nerdy voice actors get together and playing Dungeons and Dragons in the mainstream truly brought it to the forefront. If you’re not already watching Critical Role, you should check it out. It has inspired thousands upon thousands new players in the game. So, I’ll say that right now, it’s probably the biggest nerd fandom in the world thanks to just a couple of people getting together and playing the game in front of everyone.
What are some lessons you have learned from playing D&D with friends? Have any lessons pertained to being a writer and inspired any of your books?
I’ve learned quite a bit from Dungeons and Dragons. Oddly enough, ever since I’ve started playing, I’ve been more outspoken as a person. It has taught me how to communicate better and get what I want to say out. You can say that it brought me out of a comfort zone that I made for myself. It also taught me how to let loose a bit. You can’t help but smile when you’re playing a 3’5” halfling grandpa that scolds his teammates and shoots a tiny bow and arrow.
On the writer side, it has also taught me to let loose when it comes to writing. In Dungeons and Dragons, it’s best to go with the flow and let what happens happen. It’s great for teaching perfectionist writers like me to go with the flow and just get the project done. At the end of the day, people are going to like what you are doing. Played right, no matter how imperfect the game or your writing is, someone is going to enjoy it and there’s always room for improvement.
Now, go outside, find yourself some people to play with, and role some oddly sided dice. Tell ‘em that D.J. sent ya.
If you would choose a race and a class in Dungeons and Dragons, what would you play? If you are a player already, what do you play?
I hope you enjoyed this chat with Deston! Find him on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, and Amazon. You can learn about him on his website.
Banner image from Unsplash.
Oh man, I do think Dungeons and Dragons is amazing! For me, I have pretty bad anxiety, which just disappears when I play DnD and get immersed in the character I created and the world the DM has built! It’s an amazing experience, and something that has truly kept me sane in this weird year! I do think I lucked out with my group, because everyone is really understanding and in love with the roleplaying aspect of it, so it’s easy to go all out. You should really have a try!
I am glad to hear that DnD had had such a positive impact on you. I hope to try it a try in the future, thanks! 🙂
You don’t have to use voices. You don’t even need to speak in the first person. Many people are uncomfortable with this and the idea that these things are required stops people from giving it a try.
And Critical Role may have started out as a bunch of friends playing a game but it’s not exactly that anymore. Today it’s entirely a commercial endeavor designed around selling people 3rd party content. It’s fun to watch but it really doesn’t represent what most people will experience playing the game.
I joined a D&D group last year precisely for the writing inspiration! Even if I didn’t end up using the exact details of my in-game story, it felt like good freewriting practice (as opposed to my usual agonizing over every sentence). I did go a bit wild on my moon-elf sailor bard’s backstory… 😅
If you want to read some really hilarious D&D shenanigans and fails, I highly recommend my friend Sarah’s blog. She has a section just for D&D stories: https://www.sarah-maree.com/caffeine-is-my-muse/dungeons-dragons
Thanks, Neri! That blog sounds like so much fun! 🙂
I’ve played D&D twice and have absolutely loved it! I used to play Pathfinder when I was younger.
I almost always play either a half-elf priestess or barbarian (tiefling)!
It’s been a while since I’ve played, its tough finding a group when you’re considered a newbie!
I adore D&D… I’ve been playing on and off for many, many years! There’s nothing like taking an evening to chill out with friends, snacks, and some roleplaying. It’s relaxing and fun to immerse yourself in a fantasy world… much like writing or reading a book, but instead you’re acting it out as it happens!
I, too, find that I’m much more comfortable in the player role than as a DM. As an author I enjoy doing all the world and character building that DMs have to manage, but it’s always the improv that kills me!
Just this last Monday I started up a new campaign with some friends. It was a blast! I hope to make D&D a regular part of my schedule again.