# Ditched for Dungeons and Dragons **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [March 29, 2003, 3:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ditched-for-dungeons-and-dragons/164962 "2003-03-29T03:11:01Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 14\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![SuperNova](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ea666f/32.png) [@SuperNova](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SuperNova)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2003, 3:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ditched-for-dungeons-and-dragons/164962/1 "2003-03-29T03:11:01Z")
It appears that tonight will be a Friday night spent alone. You see, I’ve been ditched for Dungeons and Dragons. Yes, my girlfriend would rather pretend to fight monsters amongst other warriors in an imaginary world than spend time with me. :eek: I guess I shouldn’t be so hurt. After all, from what I’ve heard, it is a fun game. ``` I know some people here would suggest, “You should have gone and played with her!” Hardly an option. While I know some of the people she is playing with, they are experienced warriors whereas I have never even slain a goblin (or any other beast, for that matter). So here I sit, brokenhearted. I shall wait, cause her fun just started. :rolleyes: ``` ---
**Author:** ![butter\_pie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/aca169/32.png) [@butter\_pie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/butter_pie)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2003, 3:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ditched-for-dungeons-and-dragons/164962/2 "2003-03-29T03:17:54Z")
You wanna borrow one of my daggers? ---
**Author:** ![Gorgon\_Heap](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/f475e1/32.png) [@Gorgon\_Heap](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gorgon_Heap)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2003, 3:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ditched-for-dungeons-and-dragons/164962/3 "2003-03-29T03:18:17Z")
Riiiiight. No reason to try anything new, considering you girlfriend and other friends play the game. You gotta start somewhere, my friend. Not like _they_ were never beginners. If you find you don’t like it after a while, _then_ you can complain to the girl. Otherwise, you’re only showing you do not share interests. ---
**Author:** ![Improv\_Geek](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/b3f665/32.png) [@Improv\_Geek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Improv_Geek)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2003, 5:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ditched-for-dungeons-and-dragons/164962/4 "2003-03-29T05:21:27Z")
Crash course in DnD for you: 1d20 = 1 die with 20 sides. If the DM (the person behind the screen with lots of notes) is smiling when he asks you to roll it begin preparing a battle plan or writing your will. Goblins are to be killed, not eaten If you see a floating thing with lots of eyes, then it’s already too late. Same goes for big dragons, and big lizards. If it seems too good to be true, it’s a trap. If it can go wrong, it will. Occams razor remains in effect in the DnD realm unless your DM is a guy who loves puzzles like trapping you and your war party in a minesweeper game styled room… then your life just got shitty. Anything else? ---
**Author:** ![Tristan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tristan/32/18058_2.png) [@Tristan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tristan)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2003, 7:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ditched-for-dungeons-and-dragons/164962/5 "2003-03-29T07:28:05Z")
I disbelieve. Your story was good, but c’mon… your _girl_friend is playing D&D??? 😃 _ **d&r** _ ---
**Author:** ![MysteryFellow63427](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a88e4f/32.png) [@MysteryFellow63427](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MysteryFellow63427)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2003, 8:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ditched-for-dungeons-and-dragons/164962/6 "2003-03-29T08:10:29Z")
**SuperNova** , You’ve got to save her before it’s too late! She is [putting her immortal soul in danger](http://www.chick.com/reading/tracts/0046/0046_01.asp)! ---
**Author:** ![Crowbar\_of\_Irony\_3](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f08c70/32.png) [@Crowbar\_of\_Irony\_3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crowbar_of_Irony_3)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2003, 8:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ditched-for-dungeons-and-dragons/164962/7 "2003-03-29T08:34:52Z")
Hey, shall I give you a scroll of Charm Person, 1st level Bard/Rogue/Sorceror/Wizard spell? ---
**Author:** ![Gazelle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/b4bc9f/32.png) [@Gazelle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gazelle)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2003, 11:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ditched-for-dungeons-and-dragons/164962/8 "2003-03-29T11:16:44Z")
What everyone else said. Hopefully her friends will be nice to a **n00b** and _she_ sure better be. If you decide to go with our advice, do your homework; read the book and be ready to use your character’s spells/skills. What kind of character should he play, guys? I’m thinking warrior is probably the easiest. ---
**Author:** ![GuanoLad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guanolad/32/42_2.png) [@GuanoLad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GuanoLad)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2003, 11:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ditched-for-dungeons-and-dragons/164962/9 "2003-03-29T11:58:55Z")
I played DnD briefly with some friends. We weren’t very good at it, and it all ended badly, but while I was there it was an entertaining social event. I, however, seemed to miss the point of the game, which was apparently to kill everything and steal their treasure. I just liked to explore, so I avoided fights, and wandered around. I’m a weird kid. ---
**Author:** ![Crowbar\_of\_Irony\_3](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f08c70/32.png) [@Crowbar\_of\_Irony\_3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crowbar_of_Irony_3)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2003, 2:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ditched-for-dungeons-and-dragons/164962/10 "2003-03-29T14:10:17Z")
Some likes to play DnD like a tactical wargame…some likes to play it for the fun playing out the roles of characters and reacting to different situations (other than combat) - I guess it depends with whom you are playing with… ---
**Author:** ![Sock\_Munkey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/aeb1de/32.png) [@Sock\_Munkey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sock_Munkey)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2003, 2:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ditched-for-dungeons-and-dragons/164962/11 "2003-03-29T14:41:53Z")
Try just watching one of their games untill you get the feel of it and can tell if you like the “stlye” of D&D they play. You can be the 5th level “snack maker” or the 8th level “extra dice holder”. ---
**Author:** ![TruePisces](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/truepisces/32/13628_2.png) [@TruePisces](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TruePisces)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2003, 5:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ditched-for-dungeons-and-dragons/164962/12 "2003-03-29T17:04:43Z")
**Tristan** , does this mean I have to turn into a guy so I can continue with the D&D games I’m involved in? 😉 **SuperNova** , I’ve got to go with the rest on this one. The best suggestion, if it’s something that she really likes and something you really wouldn’t mind checking out, is to just sit in and watch a game or two. It’s easy to build an upper level character for you to fit smoothly into the game if you decide that you like it. And if you don’t, then find something else that you enjoy doing that she doesn’t to do on the nights that she games. Even in “Gaming Couples” you get the need to split for a night because of gaming groups on occassion. ---
**Author:** ![Podkayne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/edb3f5/32.png) [@Podkayne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Podkayne)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2003, 10:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ditched-for-dungeons-and-dragons/164962/13 "2003-03-29T22:32:36Z")
**Supernova** , whether or not you want to get involved in the game, you need to recognize that this is an activity that she’s made a commitment to, and the other players in the group are relying on her to be there. It’s not much different from being on a sports team or a member of a choir. Even if you think it’s a foolish passtime, it would be unwise to pressure her to drop it because you think going out on a Friday night is more important than her silly make-believe game. Keep in mind that 80% of gamers are men, so if you don’t show the appropriate respect and understanding, she will have no difficulty replacing you with someone who does. 😉 On the other hand, I’m sure she’d be delighted to introduce you to her hobby. If her game isn’t appropriate for inexperienced players, she’ll probably be able to find one that is. ---
**Author:** ![burundi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/3ec8ea/32.png) [@burundi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/burundi)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2003, 11:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ditched-for-dungeons-and-dragons/164962/14 "2003-03-29T23:23:08Z")
**Supernova** , try to think of this as a _good_ thing. My SO plays D&D one night a week with his buddies. RPGs aren’t my thing, but I love his D&D nights. Why? I have the house all to myself. I can watch stupid TV that he doesn’t like, listen to music he doesn’t dig, fix whatever I want for dinner, get together with _my_ buddies. It’s great. It’s my time to be me-on-my-own, not me-as-part-of-a-couple.