2025-03-28
Yeah, I know, it's pretty scary (/sarcasm). For real though, I might've found my new favorite thing. I've mostly become familiar with the D&D 5.5e/2024 ruleset, since I have that version of the rules in physical form, making them significantly easier for me to explore. I've also been looking into DC20 (external link).
I have yet to actually play anything, especially with a party. I wouldn't be opposed to playing in an online group, if anyone wants to contact me.
Now, that doesn't mean that I'm unfamiliar with D&D 5.5e rules; I know how the rules work, I just haven't actually had the experience of applying them in game. I also haven't had any experience roleplaying, although I would absolutely love to get more experience with this, and not just b/c it helps me voice train! Although, that may be some of a motivating factor.
I know it doesn't seem like that with, y'know, the first 3 paragraphs, but it's true; I do kinda wanna spread the good word of playing a game for fun with other people in a more interactive and creative way.
For example, when playing a video game, you only really interact with a computer unless you know you're playing with other people, and in today's society where people are more isolated than ever when we have the technology to communicate in realtime for relatively cheap across the planet, I just don't think that's especially healthy.
I have actually noticed this mostly in myself, where the fact that I don't leave my home too often and don't get to interact with people even as much as most people do (especially in person), and I've experienced much more varied emotional states, including pretty severe panic attacks. I won't go into anymore detail than that, but it should go without saying that it hasn't been great anyway.
Anyway:
Well, firstly, it is a role-playing game. This means that you act as a potentially very different person in character, including with magic or super honed skills in a fantasy world, or existing as a Fiendish or Celestial creature with a magical ancestery, or a gender that might not align with your own, which can be helpful for gender questioning folks, and can be fun for everyone regardless!
There are a few avenues you can take this:
Keep in mind: it is a role-playing game. It's meant to be fun, and if the very creative outlets aren't fun for you, then you don't need to participate as much with them, although some groups may want more role-play than others. You can play the game in a fairly mechanical way, focusing more on the numbers and methods of defeating the Big Bad than the role-play and story.
And it's also not a game if you're causing others to not have fun. The most important thing you can do with any social activity is just talk to people! I know that's scary, I have a hard time with it myself, but the more you just do it, the easier it becomes to do it in the future, as you build trust with your group, or move on if there's some form of incompatibility.
Moving on doesn't have to be a bad thing, either; maybe you want a very role-play experience but the table doesn't want much role-play. That's fine, and if you're all still having fun, then it's not a problem. But if you're constantly clashing in a way that's affecting your ability to enjoy the game, you should talk to your group and/or GM to see what compromises or actions can be taken to make it better.
Look around for other resources and see what kind of things you like, and what piques your interest. There are plenty of resources - both paid for and free of charge - which you can use to create characters with stats for any TTRPG system you would wanna play (obviously the biggest being Dungeons & Dragons from WotC).
I also, as stated earlier, don't have much actual experience here, so while the things I have said is probably good advice regardless, make sure to find other people to listen to than just me.