Pros & Cons of Dungeons & Dragons

Pro: Creativity

• D&D gives its players an outlet for creativity. One person called the Dungeon Master (DM) controls the game. The players then create characters with different skills. These characters are called Player Characters (PCs). The DM leads these PCs through situations that the players respond to as their characters. Each game splits into multiple sessions. This gives both the DM and the players an opportunity to exercise their imaginations over a long period.

Pro/Con: Friends

• D&D provides people with a way to spend time with their friends. All participants must be social constantly. It can be a great way for people to spend a fun evening with their friends.

  The social nature can also be a downside, because people can become too engrossed in the game. For example, if a PC dies the player may become angry with the others for letting the character die.

Pro/Con: Cost

• D&D can cost very little compared to other hobbies. The only materials needed to play are the core rulebooks, the "Dungeon Master's Guide" and the "Player's Handbook," and a special set of multisided dice. Friends can split this cost by sharing materials.

  However, people can find it easy to continue to spend more and more on D&D. Optional costs include miniatures to represent the PCs and their environments, additional rulebooks and published adventures.

Con: Time Commitment

• The game requires a large time commitment. One game can stretch over many sessions and it can take months to complete. People with busy or erratic schedules might find it difficult to maintain their commitment to the game. This especially becomes a problem if the players all have different schedules.

  The time commitment especially burdens the DM. The DM may need to take several hours to prepare in addition to the game itself.