Alright, so you keep hearing about role-playing games (RPGs), and you’re wondering what the big deal is. Maybe you saw a bunch of people rolling weird dice and debating if their half-orc barbarian could flirt their way past a dragon. Or maybe you just got lost in the internet and wound up here. Either way, welcome. Let’s break it down in the least boring way possible.

What Is a Role-Playing Game?

It’s a game where you pretend to be someone else and make choices in a world that reacts to you. Kind of like improv theater, but with more goblins and fewer judgmental audience members.

RPGs come in two main flavors:

• Tabletop RPGs (TTRPGs) – Think Dungeons & Dragons (D&D). You and some friends sit around, roll dice, and tell a story together, guided by a Game Master (GM). Snacks are highly recommended.
• Video Game RPGs – Games like Skyrim, Mass Effect, or The Witcher, where you control a character, make decisions, and get into all kinds of adventures without having to wear real pants.

Why Do People Love RPGs?

A few reasons:

• Escapism. Need a break from reality? Welcome to a world where your biggest problem is a cursed sword, not your inbox.
• Storytelling. You get to be the hero (or the villain—no judgment) in an unfolding narrative.
• Ridiculous choices. Ever tried convincing a dragon to become your best friend instead of eating you? You can. And people have.

How to Get Started with Tabletop RPGs

Step 1: Pick a Game

D&D is the big one, but there are plenty of others:

• Pathfinder – Like D&D, but crunchier.
• Call of Cthulhu – Mystery, horror, and madness. Fun!
• Blades in the Dark – Play as a gang of criminals pulling off heists. If you like Peaky Blinders, you’ll dig this.

Step 2: Find a Group

You can play in person or online (Discord, Roll20, or even Reddit can help you find a crew). If your friends aren’t interested, check out a local game shop. There’s always a guy at game shops who will tell you all about his character. Befriend that guy.

Step 3: Make a Character

This is the fun part. You’ll choose:

• A race (Elf? Dwarf? A talking mushroom?)
• A class (Wizard? Rogue? Bard who solves everything with interpretive dance?)
• A backstory (Maybe your character has a tragic past, or maybe they just really like soup.)

Step 4: Learn the Basics

No, you don’t have to memorize the entire rulebook. Just get the gist of how to roll dice and what your character can do. Everything else? You can Google it.

Step 5: Play the Game

The GM describes the world, you decide what to do, and the dice decide if you succeed or embarrass yourself. Want to talk your way past the city guards? Roll for Persuasion. Want to punch a demon? Roll for Attack. Want to flirt with the villain? Roll and hope for the best.

Jumping Into Video Game RPGs

Not into the idea of talking in funny voices with your friends? No worries—video game RPGs offer the same storytelling magic, minus the social anxiety.

Step 1: Pick a Game

• Fantasy lovers? Skyrim, Dragon Age, or Baldur’s Gate.
• Sci-fi nerds? Mass Effect, Cyberpunk 2077, or Star Wars: KOTOR.
• Post-apocalyptic chaos? Fallout. It’s always Fallout.

Step 2: Customize Your Character

Most RPGs let you pick your look, your skills, and how much of a jerk you want to be. Want to be a noble warrior? Cool. Want to be a kleptomaniac wizard? Also cool. No wrong answers here.

Step 3: Make Choices That Matter

Unlike real life, your decisions in RPGs actually have consequences. Help a village? They’ll remember. Betray a friend? They might come back for revenge. It’s like living inside a really dramatic novel.

Common RPG Myths

• “RPGs are too complicated.” They can be, but you can start simple and pick things up as you go. No one expects you to be an expert on day one.
• “You have to be good at acting.” Nope. If you want to do funny voices, great. If not, just say what your character does. No Oscars required.
• “Only nerds play RPGs.” First off, nerds are awesome. Second, RPGs are mainstream now—celebrities, streamers, and about half of TikTok prove it.

Why You Should Try an RPG

Because they’re fun. Because you can be a sword-wielding badass, a wisecracking rogue, or a wizard who throws fireballs at everything just to see what happens. Because you’ll make ridiculous memories with friends. And because, sometimes, rolling a natural 20 at the right moment feels like winning the lottery.

So grab some dice, fire up a game, or join a campaign. Your adventure starts now. (And trust me, it’s gonna be wild.)