Tuesday, January 5, 2021

(d20) Things I Learned about Real Life from Playing Dungeons and Dragons 😉

 

1. You can ‘save’ that Ring of Magical Wish for YEARS, just in case you ever run into overwhelming trouble, but if you get swallowed whole by a giant dragon in the first round of combat, it won’t do any good.  Wish for something now.  Like maybe a Sword of Dragon Slaying.

2. ‘Run Away’ is a valid strategy for dealing with certain confrontations.  Like from giant dragons.

3. Appearances can be catastrophically deceiving.  Then again, not everyone is secretly ‘out to get you.’

4. The volume of a cylinder – say a 10-foot-deep pit – can be determined by (Pi x Radius Squared x Height/Depth).  Sometimes, the things you never think might one day be of importance…

5. Elves are always beautiful, graceful, elegant, eloquent, and no one truly likes hanging with them.  Flaws are attractive.  And human.

6. Playing at being Evil is actually quite freeing; you can do whatever you want without regard for anyone else.  And eventually, you’re in a vulnerable position, and your ‘friends’ kill you for your cash.

7.  That guy is only ‘playing dead.’  As soon as you turn your back, it gets stabbed, and now YOU are dead.

8. Getting frustrated at a dilemma and deciding to react with violence isn’t a good idea.  Don’t slap the Magic Statue.

9. ‘The Rules’ simply cannot anticipate every unforeseen possibility.

10. You can always start over if you create a new character.

11. The Adventure never, ever ‘goes as planned’, not even the ones you write.  Have a back-up plan.  Roll with unexpected happenings.

12. Every Wizard needs a Warrior.  No matter how mighty you may be, you’re going to need companions with different approaches and skill sets, or you’ll never make it back to town alive. 

13. Don’t be greedy.  The guy carrying the most treasure runs the slowest. 

14. Sure, you defeated your arch enemy – for now.  You’ll encounter his ghost again when you’re in hell.

15. That Sword of Dragon Slaying is pretty sweet!  If only you had spent one copper coin on a simple torch, you could see what you’re swinging it at.

16. You’re gonna be gesticulating and making sweeping dice rolls.  No beverages on the gaming table!

17. Sometimes, the little things can really hurt.  Like stepping on a d4 in bare feet.

18. Be kind to strangers.  Odin the All Father is known to walk among mortals disguised as a one-eyed beggar. 

(Covid-) 19. Roll those dice enough times, and even a 1% chance of failure isn’t as unlikely as you might think.

20. Ehhh, maybe every once in a great while, ‘story’ does trump rules and rolls.  ‘Fun’ always does.