Dungeons & Dragons is a fantasy roleplaying game. While it is true that “magic” is used in the game, there are no real spells being used. When a “Wizard” or other “magic” user wishes to cast a spell, the player that is using that character will simply say “I am going to use my…” Then state the spell name they want their character to use. Dungeons & Dragons is a healthy way to take a break from reality for a while. If the person playing the game has a firm grasp on reality, the game is healthy for them and poses no risk of mental harm. However, if the player has no sense of reality, then the game is not healthy because they can confuse their real identity with that of their character. As not only a player of Dungeons & Dragons but also a Dungeon Master (the person who runs the game with my group of players), it is paramount that I spend time with my players away from the game so that I can ensure that they are not getting confused about what is part of the “game world” and what is part of the “real world”. The reason that I need to check the mental state of my players is that I mix a lot of real history with the game world to make it seem more realistic.

           Dungeons & Dragons is a roleplaying game that is played using pencils, paper and dice (I use seven dice) along with the books printed by Wizards of the Coast. I limit the amout of time that I actually play the game with my players to eight hours every two weeks. What that entails is one day of game play every two weeks. The remaining time I am working on creating the scenario for the next game day and working with my players to update their characters and getting input from them about what they would like to have their characters encounter in future scenarios. A good Dungeon Master always gets input from his or her players because the game needs to be fun and relaxing for everyone at the game table. If it is not, the players will start to find reasons to not play with that particular Dungeon Master. I also do not hog all the “power” of being a Dungeon Master. I prefer to take turns with my players being Dungeon Master. We each take turns being Dungeon Master for three months before rotating the position. That means that everyone gets to experience being “in control” and being a player. That keeps the game balanced and also keeps everyone interested in the game.