For some people, the words “Dungeons and Dragons” evokes images of actors Chris Pine and Justice Smith saving a city from evil wizards in the 2023 film,  “Honor Among Thieves”. For some, it brings to mind a stereotype of “nerds” with dice in a basement or maybe even pre-teens facing monsters if they’re “Stranger Things” fans. Regardless of how someone might be familiar with the 51-year-old tabletop game, most people might not know it can actually be good for you.

In the ‘80s, a group of people decrying the use of ‘magic’ in this game built on make believe called into question its safety and moral ‘fitness’ for the teens and young adults who were playing it. The negative publicity stirred up by the “satanic panic” did nothing to truly stop the game from being played or being popular, but it did hurt the public opinion of Dungeons and Dragons and many games that were born of it to this day.

However, with the increasing popularity of liveplay shows like “Critical Role,” “Dimension 20” and “Adventure Zone,” along with the efforts of teachers who recognize the worth of tabletop games in a classroom, the reputation of Dungeons and Dragons has been enjoying an overhaul in the last decade. With this new reputation has come new players, some of whom may have never considered playing before. If, for example, you have ever been even passingly curious about playing D&D, now is the best time to give it a try. There’s probably a local community near you or even an online option that can help get you started and open the door to the various benefits players can get from playing.

Studies performed in 2019 and 2023 by teachers show that incorporating Dungeons and Dragons into classrooms to reinforce class lessons has shown an increase in basic math skills as well as simple geometry. Critical thinking, cooperation, reading literacy and even creative problem solving are all put to use during an average session of D&D. There’s even resources supported by Dungeons and Dragons itself to help teachers incorporate the tabletop game into their classrooms.

Players are tested by puzzles, both in dungeons and of a social variety as they navigate political, social, and magic trials put on by their Dungeon Master or Game Master: the person telling the story. In all of these trials, rarely is there a ‘right’ answer, as it’s more often than not that the player’s creativity determines the solution to a given puzzle.

By embodying a character they’ve created to navigate the world, players have a chance to practice empathy and teach them how to reflect on their actions and the consequences of those actions concerning others, without the stakes being high. Similarly, for DMs or GMs, embodying different non-playable characters (story characters, as opposed to player characters) and interacting with player actions and solutions encourages empathy for various viewpoints as well as fast and critical thinking to adapt to changes in the story forced by players.

“D&D is a game that teaches you to look for the clever solution, share the sudden idea that can overcome a problem, and push yourself to imagine what could be rather than what simply is,” according to the 2014 Player’s Handbook for the base rules of D&D.

According to a research composite of D&D published by MIT Press titled “Fifty Years of Dungeons and Dragons,” D&D is great for learning because it doesn’t feel like you’re learning and prioritizes player satisfaction above all else. It encourages players to learn more about themselves and the world around them just by playing and engaging with the game.

A phrase they used in the book was “moral training ground,” which is a great description for a game that sometimes has players needing to combat with slavers, work with corrupt politicians, or tear down harmful religious groups depending on the story. It’s a chance to figure out your own values as well as your characters and how they might be shaped by real-world parallels. For some people, it makes them think and care about issues or perspectives that have never mattered to their personal lives before.

In addition to having all sorts of measurable benefits for players, D&D has opened doors for potential socialization and developing friend groups in a post-COVID era. Online platforms and tools for playing such as D&D Beyond, Roll 20 have become a lot more robust than they were a decade ago and while scheduling has always been and will always be what makes or breaks a game, it’s become a lot easier to meet and play with friends through online voice chat methods like Discord.

Dungeons and Dragons is a game of creative collaboration and since I started playing in 2016 and took on the role of Dungeon Master in 2018, it’s made my creativity, improv skills, and confidence skyrocket. Even if I’m having a bad week, I know Wednesday night at 5:30 p.m. I can expect to put down the ‘real’ troubles of the world and take up the troubles I can actually control and help fix while giving my friends the same chance for catharsis from the stress of everyday life.