Zach's Blog

As I start writing my thesis, I've been reflecting on a few different things. First, what it took to get me to this point. Second, everything that has happened in the Dungeons and Dragons community, both good and bad. These past four years have felt like a lifetime (cliche, right?). However, my point still stands. As I think back to when I was a bright-eyed, bushy-tailed freshman exploring the wonders and freedom that college had to offer. I thought that I had everything figured out, but boy was I wrong. I've had a lot of lows, falls, stumbles and other mistakes that I made the first two years of my college career. It wasn't until my senior year of high school that I even knew what I wanted to do with my life. Now that I've nearly finished college, I've taken a lot of classes. None of them had the word 'journalism' in it, but I'm not entirely sure what difference that would have made. During my trips to England and Washington D.C., I've learned...

Unlike the “watered down” explanation about how Half-Orcs came to be, there is not any helpful lore to explain whether or not the idea of Dragonborn simply being “hatched from dragon eggs as a unique race” (5 th Edition Player’s Handbook p. 33) is true or not. An interesting detail that is barely touched upon is the fact that Dragonborn apparently practiced inbreeding when they were first created. According to the PHB (Player’s Handbook), Dragonborn are seen as “a monster, especially if his or her scales betray a chromatic heritage.” However, they are more likely to be treated “with caution rather than outright fear” (34), unless they start breathing fire. Not all Dragonborn can breathe fire, though. Depending on their draconic heritage (as they are, in fact, descended from dragons), not only will that affect the color of their scales (bright red, green, blue, white, lustrous black, gleaming metallic gold, silver, brass copper or bronze) but it also affects what kind of breath ...

Nearly reaching its 45 th anniversary since its inception and having released its 5 th Edition in 2014, Dungeons and Dragons has prominently established itself as the “world’s greatest roleplaying game,” which can be clearly seen on many of its published materials. With the introduction of the internet, the accessibility of D&D content has skyrocketed, introducing new players through online streams of celebrity and amateur players, along with audio podcasts. The game has now reached new audiences and has become more and more prevalent in today’s popular culture landscape with the help of technology. This game has gone through many different changes before it got to the point where it is today. It began to undergo a change when players became more focused on the aspect of play : the unpredictability, the cooperation, and the goal of working together to overcome a common goal, rather than simply “winning the game” (Mason). In my thesis, I will be using the lenses of systematic...

Nearly reaching its 45 th anniversary since its inception and having recently released its 5 th Edition in 2014, Dungeons and Dragons has prominently established itself as the “world’s greatest roleplaying game,” which can be clearly seen on many of its published materials. With the introduction of the internet, the accessibility of D&D content has skyrocketed, introducing new players through online streams of celebrity and amateur players, along with audio podcasts. The game has now reached new audiences and has become more and more prevalent in today’s popular culture landscape. Dungeons and Dragons is more than the stereotypical image of sitting around a table, rolling dice and scribbling notes; it has the potential to grow beyond a few hours of collaborative storytelling. This game is an opportunity to be a part of something bigger than oneself; Not in the way of making a difference in the world, as important as that may be, but as a way to engage in teamwork and cooper...