I started playing Dungeons and Dragons in the late 70's with my Dad as the Dungeon Master and myself, brother and sisters as the players. Now and then a friend would be over and join in the game. But, it was a lot more complicated to join in than a game of cards or Monopoly or any other board game. So, usually having people join in wasn't so great. By the time we explained the game and set up new characters for them, it would be about time for them to go home to their own family.

By the early 80's my Dad was no longer playing and I was the Dungeon Master. I loved drawing and creating maps. I'd never admit it to my brother and sisters but I did rearrange the original map as they wandered along through it. How can you not give in to the temptation to move things around when the players seem to blunder along and miss the best stuff you had put there for them to find? Not all of it was bad. Most of it they could have survived.

I never knew Dungeons and Dragons (D&D) was supposed to be for boys. It never occurred to me that being a female Dungeon Master was unusual. It was a lot of fun. I was glad when I could take over from my Dad. He was far too strict about following all the rules. We never seemed to get the game off the ground while he was in charge. I was less rule abiding. We skipped several steps from the player guide but we all got into the game. Not just the game play but really enjoying the adventure and using our imagination.

These Days...

In writing about women playing Dungeons and Dragons I've found that we don't really stand out so much as we once would have. Women are mixing in like any other game player. There aren't many resources geared to women playing D&D because that kind of exclusivity just isn't important any more. Except, it is still nice to be a girl and feel different from the other grunting, sword carrying, usually taller and less curvier players.

I wonder if women playing D&D dress up for it in costumes. It would be fun but could bring out more of the differences between players rather than keeping the spirit of the game and just having a lot of fun as part of a group of adventurers risking life and limb at the whim of the Dungeon Master.

Essential Dungeons and Dragons Game Play and Resources

• Wizards of the Coast

• Dragon*Con

• What D&D Character Am I?

• Live-action women's Dungeons and Dragons show - Boing Boing

Dungeons and Dragons for the Women Gamers

• Dungeons and Dragons | Pinterest
• Girls and D&D | Dungeon Bastard
• The 10 Hottest Ladies of Dungeons & Dragons - Topless Robot
• Dungeon Divas: Dice, Women, & Dungeons and Dragons Miniatures
• People them with Monsters: Familial D&D Adventures with the Girls
• Guttersnipe: Girls Do Play D&D | Fantasy Magazine
• Girls in Geekdom: Dispelling the Myth | Ask the Dungeon Master
• Introducing D&D to Girly Girls | GeekDad | Wired.com

Dungeons & Dragons Starter Set

I miss the old red box. A cosmetic thing but still... it was such a great shade of red. But, it is great to have an update to the starter set. I wouldn't pass it up

There are women gamers who play DnD too. (People sometimes shorten the name, Dungeons and Dragons, to DnD).

There is so much to a game I can’t begin to describe and explain all of it. But, I do think this is a great game for women and families especially. It may have a reputation as a geeky game for a bunch of college boys. That is so limiting.

I played Dungeons & Dragons with my family in the 1980′s. My nephew played with young men and a few young women in high school too. I know there are women players out there. I would love to be part of a regular group of all women DnD players.

Essentially a role playing board game.

To play the game you need a group of people, at least three. One is the Dungeon Master and the other two are players.

The players create a character by choosing some elements and rolling a dice for others. This way no character is ever just like another character. The random chance of rolling the dice brings some unpredictability to the game. Not everything is in your control and levelling up becomes more important as your characters advances in the game. You will find yourself learning new skills as well. Map making and orientation are two great things I learned more about as I played DnD.

Then there is the Dungeon Master. It may sound sinister or creepy but the Dungeon Master (shortened to the DM at times) is the one who plans the route of the game, literally. The Dungeon Master creates a world, a campaign or a map (depending on how much time is available for the game) and the players venture into it.

Players explore the map one virtual step at a time. The DM has set up traps, treasure and monster for them to find along the way. Each step of the game can be a surprise, a puzzle to solve or players could muck up their map making and become very lost and confused. This is why you can’t just step into a game of DnD without setting things up ahead and learning at least something about map making.

Long, long ago in a land not so far away... four children came together at the dining room table in the dining room of their home. The eldest became known as the Dungeon Master. The other three children were players of the game of Dungeons and Dragons.

The players learned to follow a map and figure out directions. They even brought a compass into the game so they could orient themselves with the directions needed to follow the dungeon created by the Dungeon Master. As they developed their skills they became better at avoiding traps, solving riddles and finding their way to the hidden treasures.

The Dungeon Master also picked up new skills and enjoyed causing confusion, building even more twisted dungeons and bringing the players into a special maze with a treasure they never did quite manage to find.

The four children were myself and my brother and sisters.

I loved being the Dungeon Master! We started playing with my Dad as the Dungeon Master but he didn't have patience to stick with the game and yet he had endless patience when it came to stopping the game to read every last rule for the game. Eventually we had the game to ourselves and enjoyed the spirit of the game more than being good rule-abiding Dungeon and Dragon players and characters.

I wish I still had a group to play Dungeons and Dragons with. My nephew, Zack, plays with a group of his high school friends. But, now they are all in the first year of university and will have a harder time getting together in one place at the same time. I hope they can keep their game going.

The only downfall for the game of Dungeons and Dragons is that you really do need the same group of people each time you play. It's not so easy to bring in new characters and adapt old characters to merge with the game as it is with the ongoing characters in the game.

Now you can get the new editions of the Dungeons and Dragons game, rules and equipment.

Later I did find more Dungeon and Dragon sets, rulebooks, manuals and guides but my brother and sisters and I had long grown up, moved away from each other and now we are more likely to play card games when we get together. But, I still love D & D and I've kept all the books, game parts and even some of my old map creations.

I hate anyone saying they are bored. To me it just means they aren't putting in enough real effort into what they are doing - or making the most of what they could be doing. Dungeons and Dragons took a lot of effort, planning and even real skills (like map reading and map making). Anyone who claims to be bored with playing D&D has likely dumbed it down and lost interest.

I have a real connection to dragons, more than enjoying dragons in fiction and role playing games... I AM a dragon. I was born in the year of the dragon. I don't especially care to mention which year at the moment, however. By the Chinese zodiac, every 12 years there is another year of the dragon. Dragons are the only sign in Chinese astrology which are not a "real" animal. If you think about it, most of them are farm animals, the dragon is the only magical creature in the group.

Dragons are mystical, mythical, magical, monsters... or are they? How do you play a dragon in a role play game (RPG)? Is your dragon a great gamer or on the sidelines? Have you ever designed your own dragon?

(Mostly) Free Games for Dragons to Play Online

There are web-based games with a lot of players. Dragon Fable and Dungeons & Dragons being two I know and have played. Dragon Fable comes from the Adventure Quest series of games. If you are on Steam, you can find the new Adventure Quest 3D, dragons included.

I have not played Istaria, but the game is active and updates about servers are posted to their Twitter account (which you can find on the main page of the site).

Legend of the Green Dragon is quiet but not gone.

If you want something simple and text-based try Dragon Hearts.

I'm listing these smaller (less well known) games in hopes they will be found and gain new players. Free games need fresh players to keep them active and actively in development with new features and better gameplay. Without players they tend to wind down and fade away.

Things to consider if you want to be a dragon in a role playing game:

• Colour, patterns or textures
• Scales or other armour
• Age and wisdom
• Hatchling or elder
• Hoard of something: gold, books, etc.
• Curiosity
• Love of conversation and riddles
• Seeker of knowledge
• Tend to be loners
• Magic
• Wings/ Flight
• Fire breathing or some other type of substance/ energy
• Element: Fire, Water, Air, Earth
• Shapeshifting or were-dragon or dragon/ human hybrid
• good or evil or something in between

Making a Dragon Character

Dragon Looks

Look at patterns on other scaled animals like lizards and snakes. See which colours and designs your dragon could (or should) have. Keep in mind the type of climate your dragon lives in and how much time they spend outdoors versus inside a cave or house. An outdoor dragon is going to look far more rugged and weathered than a dragon living softer, gentler life.

You might want a pretty dragon, based on fantasy more than a realistic looking dragon. Scales can be a rainbow of colours or patterns. Some dragons have horns and some don't. Some dragons have extremely long tails and huge wing-spans, some are more compact.

Dragon Abilities

Dragon characters must have both strength and weaknesses. No dragon should be all powerful. The weaknesses make the character more interesting in game play.

Consider the sort of armour your dragon has. Maybe your dragon even wears extra armour created by a blacksmith or wizard. A dragon may have thick scales which mean it will be heavier and less able to fly high or for long distances. Or, a dragon who flies far and well is likely to have thinner scales and huge wings which will not be so great for hand to hand combat situations.

Dragon Size

Dragons can be so many sizes, mammoth, larger than life Godzillas or teensy little dainty butterflies, or even smaller. When you create a dragon as a character keep in mind the practical aspects of the game. You don't want a character that will be too big or too small for the other gamers. If your character is exploring caves your dragon will be pretty bored sitting outside, alone, waiting.

A huge dragon will be mighty and intimidating. A smaller dragon will interact better with the other characters in the role play game. For one thing, they won't have to tone their voice down from a massive boom to a gentle whisper. A teeny dragon who lives in flowers may be too timid to speak to anyone at all but they could be excellent at dodging when in combat, if they have to fight.

There are women gamers who play DnD too.

(People sometimes shorten the name, Dungeons and Dragons, to DnD).

There is so much to a game I can't begin to describe and explain all of it. But, I do think this is a great game for women and families especially. It may have a reputation as a geeky game for a bunch of college boys. That is so limiting.

I played Dungeons & Dragons with my family in the 1980s. My nephew played with young men and a few young women in high school too. I know there are women players out there. I would love to be part of a regular group of all women DnD players.

You might pick up the Dungeons & Dragons Starter Set from Amazon. This is my affiliate link. The Starter Set is worth including and does give you the dice, rulebook, and etc. so you don't need to buy anything else to get playing. I'd suggest not buying fancier dice, roleplaying figures, and anything else until you know you like the game and will continue to play. It can become a very expensive hobby if you start buying extras.

Essentially a role playing board game.

To play the game you need a group of people, at least three. One is the Dungeon Master and the other two are players.

The players create a character by choosing some elements and rolling a dice for others. This way no character is ever just like another character. The random chance of rolling the dice brings some unpredictability to the game. Not everything is in your control and levelling up becomes more important as your characters advances in the game. You will find yourself learning new skills as well. Map making and orientation are two great things I learned more about as I played DnD.

Then there is the Dungeon Master. It may sound sinister or creepy but the Dungeon Master (shortened to the DM at times) is the one who plans the route of the game, literally. The Dungeon Master creates a world, a campaign or a map (depending on how much time is available for the game) and the players venture into it.

Players explore the map one virtual step at a time. The DM has set up traps, treasure and monster for them to find along the way. Each step of the game can be a surprise, a puzzle to solve or players could muck up their map making and become very lost and confused. This is why you can't just step into a game of DnD without setting things up ahead and learning at least something about map making.

Wizards of the Coast -D&D Beyond Dragon Con