Tag: Experience

Posted on

Competitive D&D: Is it for you?

competitive D&D in action

Just after Christmas, some friends and I had the exhilarating experience of participating in a Dungeons & Dragons competition. But by their nature roleplaying games aren’t a competition, I hear you say. Normally, I would agree. However, we thought we’d give it a go. You don’t get many opportunities to pit your D&D skill against other parties. After reading this you may see some merit in competitive D&D.

The tournament saw multiple groups navigating through the legendary Gary Gygax adventure: The Lost Caverns of Tsojconth. Although we missed the official tournament sign-up, our friend Rich, who was DMing at the event, graciously agreed to run a separate session for us. The event was organized by the local group DnD Fremantle, who have done a fantastic job fostering a vibrant D&D community in our local area.

The Challenge

The competition was structured in two intense 2-hour blocks, requiring rapid decision-making and strategic thinking. Initially, we struggled with the limited time to familiarize ourselves with our character sheets, spells, and abilities—only 15 minutes! It was a challenging start, but we quickly adapted to the fast-paced environment.

Rich, our DM, used a scoring system to evaluate our progress, awarding points for achieving specific goals in each encounter. The objective was to traverse as much of the adventure as possible within the 4-hour limit. In the real tournament 5 groups all ran through the adventure at the same time and their scores totaled at the end to determine the winning team.

The Party

From memory, we had 6 pre-generated characters to choose from: monk, wizard, warlock, fighter, cleric and rogue. As mentioned above, we had 15 mins to choose our characters and understand how they worked. Our final party comprised four level 9 adventurers:

  • Ethelrede, a stalwart human fighter
  • Cathartic, a devoted human cleric
  • Weslocke, a cunning Tiefling warlock
  • Dunil, a resourceful halfling rogue

There should have been five, but unfortunately one of our players was ill on the day.

Key Encounters

The adventure was very “old-school”, with seemingly random creatures dotted around an underground cave system. It did mean that you never quite knew what was around the corner. Some of our memorable encounters included:

  • The Mud Golem: Early in the adventure, we faced a formidable mud golem guarding a magical sword. This creature could only be damaged by magical means, which significantly limited our options. It was a close call, especially for my character, Dunil, who nearly perished in the encounter (only 2hp left).
  • Gem-Hauling Statue Faces: We successfully navigated a trap-laden room filled with gem-inlaid statues, managing to extract the gems without losing any limbs.
  • Friendly Pechs: In a refreshing twist, we encountered Pechs—goblin-like creatures who turned out to be friendly allies. This encounter provided a brief respite from the relentless dungeon hazards.
  • Chuuls’ Deadly Ambush: Crossing a river proved fatal as we were ambushed by paralyzing crab-like creatures, the Chuuls. This encounter ended in a total party kill (TPK), forcing us to restart. It was a humbling experience but one that bonded our team.
  • Fierce Formian Battle: Our session concluded with a fierce battle against Formians, ugly ogre like creatures with sinister eyes. This encounter tested our combat strategies and teamwork to the limit.
The incredible trophy made for the actual tournament!!

Lessons Learned

  1. Pre-Game Planning: It’s crucial to allocate more time for character selection and understanding character abilities. Knowing who will play which type of character and having a strategy for dungeon interaction can save valuable time.
  2. Team Urgency: The competition format instilled a heightened sense of urgency. Quick decision-making and effective communication became our focus, improving our overall gameplay.
  3. Adaptation: Adapting to the competition’s fast pace was challenging but ultimately rewarding. By the second half, we found our rhythm, coordinating efficiently as we navigated the labyrinthine caverns.

We ended the adventure with a score of 8 points, which included a -5 penalty for the TPK. While this might seem modest compared to the winning team’s 18 points, we considered it a solid performance for our first competitive run. More importantly, the experience was incredibly fun, thanks to Rich’s masterful DMing.

More Competitive D&D?

This competition has whetted our appetite for more. We’re already planning to enter the next tournament with lessons learned and a renewed sense of strategy. If you’re considering a competitive D&D experience, we highly recommend teaming up with friends and diving into the challenge. It’s an unforgettable way to test your skills and deepen your love for the game.

See you in the next adventure!

Posted on

The Cost of D&D and Warhammer: Are They Really That Expensive?

cost of D&D

Tabletop hobbies like Dungeons & Dragons (D&D) and Warhammer often come with a reputation for being pricey. Between rulebooks, miniatures, dice, paints, and accessories, it’s easy to see why. But how does the cost of D&D and Warhammer stack up against other pastimes? More importantly, are they really as expensive as they seem when you consider the value they provide?

Let’s break it down and explore why these hobbies might just give you the best bang for your buck.

That Initial Sticker Shock

When you’re starting out, the cost of D&D and Warhammer can feel like a big investment:

That’s no small sum. But let’s compare this to other popular leisure activities.

Cost Comparisons: Hobby vs. Entertainment

1. Cinema Nights

A single movie ticket averages around $15. Add popcorn, a drink, and maybe a snack, and you’re looking at $25–$30 for about two hours of entertainment.

  • Annual Cost: If you go to the cinema twice a month, that’s $600+ a year.
  • Value: While a great movie is enjoyable, the experience is fleeting, and you leave with nothing tangible.

2. Video Games

A new video game costs about $60, and you might buy 3–4 games a year. Factor in subscriptions like Xbox Game Pass or PlayStation Plus ($120/year), and your annual expense can climb to $300–$400.

  • Value: Video games can provide dozens of hours of entertainment, but they’re often solo experiences and offer limited creative engagement.

3. Sports and Fitness

Joining a gym or a fitness class can cost over $100 per month, depending on where you live. That’s in excess of $1,200 a year. If you play a team sport, equipment and league fees can add hundreds more.

  • Value: Great for health and social interaction, but the cost often doesn’t include tools for creative or intellectual growth.
D&D and Warhammer are actually good bang for your buck!

The Bang-for-Your-Buck Advantage of D&D and Warhammer

Dungeons & Dragons

  • Initial Cost: $150–$200 for core books and dice.
  • Recurring Costs: Minimal. Many players stick with the same materials for years, and free resources (like online tools and community content) reduce the need for further purchases.
  • Hours of Fun: A single campaign can last months or even years, with weekly sessions that provide hours of entertainment.

The Math: If your group plays weekly for a year (50 sessions), and your setup cost is $200, that’s $4 per session. Compare that to a $15 movie ticket for just two hours!

Reduce your Costs: As a player the cost of D&D can be minimized. You can get away with buying only the players handbook and some dice. There are always second hand versions available reducing the initial cost even more.

Warhammer

  • Initial Cost: $300 for a starter set, paints, and brushes.
  • Recurring Costs: New miniatures and paints can add to the cost, but many players focus on building their collection gradually over time.
  • Hours of Fun: Painting and customizing models alone can provide dozens of hours of creative enjoyment, not to mention the hours spent playing battles with friends.

The Math: If you spend 50 hours painting and 50 hours playing in a year, a $300 investment works out to just $3 per hour. That’s incredible value for a hobby that combines art, strategy, and social interaction.

Reduce your Costs: Of course there is a thriving second hand market for all things Warhammer. Facebook market place and Ebay have huge discounts on pre-loved armies and units. Another way to reduce cost is to start with a smaller game like Kill Team. This skirmish game needs only 10-12 models for an army reducing the initial set up to below $80.

What You Get That Other Hobbies Don’t

1. Creative Engagement

Both D&D and Warhammer are deeply creative hobbies. Writing campaigns, role-playing characters, painting miniatures, and designing battle strategies engage your mind in ways passive entertainment simply can’t.

2. Social Connection

These hobbies are built around shared experiences. Whether it’s laughing with friends at the gaming table or bonding over a close-fought battle, the social value is immense.

3. Lifelong Skills

  • D&D: Enhances storytelling, improvisation, teamwork, and leadership.
  • Warhammer: Builds patience, artistic skills, and strategic thinking.

4. Tangible Rewards

When you finish painting a miniature or complete a campaign journal, you have something to show for your time—something you created with your own hands and imagination. There aren’t many (if any) mainstream entertainment activities that can give you that.

Finding Value on Any Budget

You don’t need to break the bank to enjoy these hobbies. Ways you can further reduce your costs include:

  • For D&D: Free rules are available online, and many campaigns can be played with just a few dice and a borrowed handbook. Theater-of-the-mind play eliminates the need for minis or maps.
  • For Warhammer: Start small with a single squad or box of miniatures. Community groups often trade or sell models, and plenty of budget-friendly paints and tools are available.

The True Value of Hobby Time

Yes, the cost of D&D and Warhammer can be expensive up front. But when you break it down, the cost per hour of enjoyment is actually incredibly low compared to other forms of entertainment. Even better, these hobbies offer something that movies, video games, and gym memberships can’t: a blend of creativity, community, and personal growth.

So, next time someone raises an eyebrow at the price of a rulebook or a box of miniatures, remind them of this: the value of a hobby isn’t just in dollars spent—it’s in the countless hours of joy, connection, and self-expression you get in return.

Posted on

Overcoming Your Secret Hobby Shame


The worlds of the roleplaying and gaming hobbies are filled with thrilling stories, deep characters, and endless creative opportunities. Whether you’re slinging spells or battling for survival, these games have drawn people in for decades. Yet, many enthusiasts find themselves concealing their passion, feeling hesitant to share it with others because of a phenomenon known as “hobby shame.” I should know, as I’ve experienced this strongly at different periods in my life.

What is Hobby Shame?

Hobby shame is that nagging feeling of embarrassment or self-consciousness about a pastime that doesn’t fit societal norms. People may feel pressured to hide hobbies that are perceived as “childish” or “geeky” by some, like painting miniatures, designing dungeon maps, or discussing the lore of a fantasy world in detail.

For D&D and Warhammer fans, hobby shame might come from a misconception that these games are outdated, escapist, or frivolous pursuits. However, we know that the reality is far different—these hobbies offer rich opportunities for creativity, social connection, and skill-building that go beyond mere escapism.

My Hobby Shame

As a kid I loved all things fantasy and quickly gravitated to Dungeons & Dragons and Warhammer. The sense of having another world at your very fingertips was intoxicating for me. It’s difficult to pinpoint when I started to feel shame about my hobby. However, I think it was early in high school.

Adolescence is a difficult at the best of times. Trying to understand your place in the world and fit in can be excruciating. For me, like most other people, I struggled to find the balance. Of course, roleplaying and wargames were very much a niche past time. While I loved all things D&D and miniature games gave me a huge kick, I found it incredibly difficult to open up about it at school, mainly I think, due to a fear of ridicule. While I did game with some friends, I hung with another crowd with did not. This was compounded at home with my Dad regularly making fun of the hobby. While not malicious, this made me split my world in two. The secret gaming side and the other skateboarding person.

Knowing what I know now, I’m sure it wouldn’t have been a big deal. But there was a huge reticence in wearing my D&D heart on my sleeve.

This continued through to University, where despite joining the RPG Society and gaming every Sunday I was still reluctant to share my hobby outside of that circle. Fast forward to my thirties. I finally didn’t care what people thought and am open about my passion for gaming with friends and colleagues. Of course this blog helps get it out there. As such I’ve made some great friends who I game with regularly and even converted a few non-gaming friends. Funnily enough most people are really interested in the hobby. Only one friend takes the piss, and he is now very much outnumbered.

Where Hobby Shame Comes From

I find it difficult to pinpoint where this feeling of “hobby shame” came from for me. It’s probably a mix of the following:

Societal Expectations: Fantasy gaming has historically been niche, associated with stereotypes about “nerds” and “geeks.” Society has often stigmatized fans of fantasy games as lacking social skills or living in an imaginary world.

Age Stereotypes: Some people see these hobbies as things you “grow out of.” The image of painting miniatures or playing a tabletop RPG is often pigeonholed as a teenage or college-age activity rather than a fulfilling, lifelong pursuit.

Misunderstandings About Complexity: To an outsider, a complex game like Warhammer or D&D can look intimidating, making the appeal difficult to understand. People unfamiliar with the games may wonder, “How can something with such intricate rules and detailed worlds be fun?” This lack of understanding can lead to dismissive or judgmental attitudes.

Some of the ads from back in the day.

Why We Shouldn’t Be Ashamed of Our Hobbies

There are lots of reasons why we shouldn’t accept hobby shame. Luckily we now live in a world where D&D, video games and miniature gaming are at all time popularity highs. Societal norms are much more accepting and people are beginning to understand the benefits of a hobbies like ours, including:

Fostering Creativity: Whether painting Warhammer miniatures or designing a D&D campaign, these hobbies involve significant creativity. Crafting a D&D storyline involves weaving together characters, setting, and narrative arcs, much like a writer or filmmaker. In Warhammer, painting armies and building terrains allows players to express their artistic vision. Creativity isn’t just child’s play—it’s a skill with tangible mental health benefits and real-world applications.

Building Social Connections: Both D&D and Warhammer are fundamentally social. In D&D, players work together to overcome challenges, requiring teamwork and communication. Warhammer is no different; players build friendships with fellow hobbyists as they share tips on tactics, painting, and lore. These games foster strong bonds, often forming communities that are inclusive, supportive, and diverse.

Learning Problem-Solving and Strategy: Far from being mindless pastimes, D&D and Warhammer encourage players to think strategically. In D&D, players tackle complex problems, often working together to find creative solutions. Warhammer’s tactical depth requires planning, patience, and resilience. These problem-solving skills translate into professional and personal life, developing qualities like patience, adaptability, and resilience.

Encouraging Emotional Resilience: Losing a cherished character in D&D or seeing a meticulously painted Warhammer squad defeated in battle can be a test of emotional resilience. Players learn to accept failure and understand that setbacks are part of the experience. Resilience is a valuable trait, helping us navigate challenges in real life.

The Joy of Play: As we get older life becomes much more serious. The real world demands so many responsibilities that we forget the joy of play. Immersing ourselves in hobbies like these allows us to reconnect to play, which has huge benefits to our mental health. To learn more about Play check out the National Institute of Play. I’ll definitely be exploring this more in a future article.

Embracing and Sharing Our Hobbies

The key to overcoming hobby shame is to take pride in what these games offer and to share that pride with others. Here are a few ways to do this:

Build Confidence Through Community: By connecting with other D&D or Warhammer fans, you’ll find a supportive group of people who understand the hobby’s unique value. Attend local meetups, join online forums, or visit gaming shops. Being part of a community makes it easier to let go of feelings of shame.

Explain the Benefits: When people outside the hobby question it, try explaining what you love about it. Sharing stories of teamwork in D&D or showing off a well-painted miniature can help others see the value and creativity involved.

Integrate the Hobby Into Your Routine: Try small actions like proudly displaying a painted miniature at work or mentioning a memorable D&D session. Making the hobby a normal part of your life can help ease feelings of shame, turning it into something you enjoy openly.

Reclaiming the Joy

Dungeons & Dragons and Warhammer are so much more than escapist fantasies. They’re platforms for creative expression, emotional growth, and meaningful social connections. Embracing these games openly can help dispel the misconception that they’re childish or strange and help foster a richer community of people who share in this imaginative pursuit.

By challenging hobby shame, we can make the gaming table a space not just for fantastic adventures but for real-world growth, resilience, and joy. Whether you’re rolling dice in a dungeon or painting your latest squad, know that your hobby has value—both to you and to the world around you.