Here at Young Dragonslayers, I’ve seen how Dungeons & Dragons can increase creative thinking, confidence, empathy, and so much more. What if the power of D&D could also help me keep my New Year’s resolutions? The safe play space of the game might make difficult things easier (and help me be more invested in following through). I’d certainly like to find out.

Some Dungeons & Dragons stories become legendary: a perfectly timed natural 20, a ridiculous use of a spell or item, or a plan of attack the Dungeon Master never expected. I've been a Dungeon Master for a while, so I’ve been witness to many such moments. Now, whenever I see a meme template, hear a song, or watch a movie, somewhere in the back of my head is a D&D story that fits right along. So of course, with the upcoming release of the Wicked movie (and the soundtrack I've had memorized since 2009), my brain has been pairing up my favorite songs with my favorite D&D stories, which I have decided to share with you. Enjoy these moments from my many D&D campaigns along with a matching song from the musical Wicked. 

There are a multitude of reasons people love playing Dungeons & Dragons. But one that I see over and over is the way you can tell a story through the game. By creating characters, describing actions, rolling dice, and going on adventures, players and the Dungeon Master can build a story together. Some ambitious players have even recorded their characters’ adventures in the form of a book! If you’ve ever considered making this leap, now is the perfect time; November is National Novel-Writing Month, where thousands of writers of all ages make it their goal to write a novel-length story in thirty days. If you feel you’re up to the task, read on to learn how you, too, can create a novel from your Dungeons & Dragons campaign!

Attention, Stranger Things enthusiasts! Throughout the beloved series, the nods to Dungeons & Dragons are unmistakable. Keen fans have astutely observed disparities between the show's depiction of D&D and the actual game. Today, we discern the truths and fallacies, exploring what Stranger Things got right – and what it got wrong  – about the monsters and villains of D&D.

We’ll compare 3 of Stranger Things’ most legendary creatures with their in-game counterparts. We’ll take a look at where the Duffer Brothers took some artistic liberties, as well as point out aspects of the characters that are true to the game. In the end, it’s up to you to decide whether the game or the show handled the character best.

We’re all excited to see Honor Among Thieves, but did you know that before this D&D movie, there was...another? Back in the year 2000, Dungeons & Dragons, the movie, was born. Learn the strange tale of this film which unbelievably stars Jeremy Irons, and see if you should watch it, too.

When you play D&D, you’re getting hands-on education on subjects like music, literacy, math, and emotional intelligence. But you don’t have to take our word for it. Amazingly, we have actual research that shows role-playing games like Dungeons & Dragons can help you become a smarter, kinder human being.