Complex Rule Sets are Inherently Exclusionary

Why you Shouldn’t Play D&D, Reason #1

Dungeons & Dragons is far and away the most popular tabletop RPG rule system. But is right for everyone? This article is part of a series critiquing D&D.

The Inclusive Gaming Renaissance 

In case you haven’t noticed, Dungeons & Dragons’ popularity has exploded in recent years. This unlikely turn of events has been brought about, in no small degree, by publisher Wizards of the Coast’s new emphasis on inclusivity and approachability. Consequently, what is mainly a tactical combat system has now been re-defined as a storytelling game offering something for everyone. Not only has D&D been de-stigmatized but public interest and excitement in the hobby have become mainstream. Some of this new popularity is no doubt due to the overall maturing of the gaming community along with the rise of real play podcasts and Youtube channels featuring celebrities. Yet it is hard to see any of this happening without the release of D&D’s 5th edition ruleset, which went a long way toward decluttering the game and creating a more welcoming atmosphere for a diverse audience. 

My experience did not quite perfectly reflect this inclusivity push when I started playing for the first time ever shortly after 5e’s release. Long-suffering, old-school players patiently taught me the rules, but I don’t think I imagined their expectation that I master the game more quickly than I actually did. I remember staring at my pile of dice, trying to recall which one to roll first while my compatriots looked on with masked exasperation. In those awkward moments, I’d tamp down my anxiety that I was proving once and for all that I was not quite smart enough for this game. At the end of some nights, instead of walking away from the table full on a sense of wonder and adventure, I’d find myself feeling alienated from my friends and the very game I worked so hard to enjoy. The truth is, in spite of all the improvements to inclusivity, 5th edition Dungeons and Dragons remains a fairly complicated gaming system, and that complexity is inherently exclusionary.

Complexity is an Obstacle to Inclusion

Games do and should reward players who know and understand the rules. Otherwise, why have rules? Why play games? Players who know the game’s rules get more out of a game and will have advantages over players who don’t. This is fair, as long as there is equity in the dissemination of the rules. 

Due to complexity, 5e disadvantages those players with cognitive impairments, time constraints, too many other problems kicking around in their head, or who’s cognitive strengths simply differ from the classic math/statistics/process-minded gamer. From the very outset––character creation––this system asks players to make decisions based on a vast number of variables located throughout the 300+ page player’s handbook with no concrete knowledge of what is actually at stake when it comes to gameplay unless they take pains to study this tome like a college textbook. When it comes to the primary gameplay loop––initiative-based tactical combat encounters––players must keep track of their actions, bonus actions, re-actions, stat bonuses, movement speed, and any special exceptions to these rules. If you fall into one of the categories of disadvantaged people listed above, this gameplay can be profoundly onerous by no fault of your own. 

That last point should be stressed: there is nothing wrong with you if you struggle with the complexity of Dungeons & Dragons. For many, playing with people who are either veteran gamers or simply more predisposed to grasping complex, math-heavy game systems than yourself, can be a demoralizing and alienating experience. 

Complexity Is Fun...For Those Who Can Enjoy It

This is not a problem to be solved through iteration. Wizards of the Coast can not fine tune this game to the point that it will appeal to everyone and alienate no one. Much more fine tuning may even do violence to the core gameplay that has held so many gamers’ interest for decades. The complexity is what makes the game fun! Knowing clearly defined rules for every situation allows players to be tactical in their execution; it allows them to plan their next move with confidence; it allows them to combine rules in creative ways to get unexpected results. The complexity of Dungeons & Dragons’ rule set is fun...for those who can enjoy it.

Quarterbacking is NOT Inclusivity

Since it is clear that complexity is a feature and not a bug, perhaps it is the responsibility of those gamers who excel at D&D to pick up the slack for players who struggle. They can help fill out a struggling friend’s character sheet and level them up when the time comes. They can prompt their friends when a bonus action would be useful or when taking a movement action would provoke an attack of opportunity. They can explain the rules of a spell so that their friend knows when and how it would be most effective. All this sounds like the obvious solution to the problem of exclusion through complexity and in fact, is what many, many generous veteran players do around many a gaming table––tabletop gamers are a generous community, after all––but all this assistance, in the end, robs the dependent player of the core experience of playing a game. To truly experience a game, one must be one’s own counsel; one must make decisions out of one’s own intuition and understanding. When a struggling player relies on a proficient player, the struggling player is not truly playing; the proficient player is playing through them or, at best, “quarterbacking” them. In my experience, the struggling player then feels inferior to other players and alienated by the game.

Play D&D Anyway...Or Don’t 

The truth is, all games will have some version of this problem. Just because you struggle with Dungeons & Dragons’ complex rule system doesn’t mean you should give up on the game; you may find, as I did, that D&D is very rewarding when and if you master it. But it’s also fine if you never get the knack of D&D; you have your reasons and they are valid reasons. 

If the latter is the case, you don’t have to give up on roleplaying games altogether. There are tons of RPG alternatives that don’t require graduate-level study to enjoy. These systems are elegant, streamlined, and prioritize different cognitive strengths than D&D typically does. If veteran players want to help struggling players, perhaps, rather than quarterbacking a problematic system, they could find and introduce a different system more conducive to every player’s gaming style––their strengths and their weaknesses. Of course, this too is an imperfect proposition, but one more likely to bring the group together. Here are some suggestions for systems to try:

•Dungeon World and other games Powered by the Apocalypse system are good examples of a streamlined system with more of an emphasis on creative story-telling than complex combat mechanics.

•The Fate roleplaying system is deceptively complex to run, but for many new players it feels intuitive; and of course, the award-winning Fate Accelerated Edition is accessible for both new players and new game masters alike. Oh, and both systems are free to download.

•Tricube Tales is perhaps the simplest of all these gaming systems and has some mindbogglingly elegant one-page RPGs by star designer Richard Woolcock. Many Tricube resources are also free to download.

Particularly if you’re playing Dungeons & Dragons as a storytelling game, these alternative gaming systems will serve that purpose just as well or better, without the frustratingly number-crunchy game mechanics. They are tested, balanced, and ingeniously designed by creators who are passionate about crafting fun gaming experiences. Why not give them a try?