Before we dive in to the how-to on running TTRPG games for your kids, I want to talk to you about my approach to these games. I do not always agree with what certain companies say, or publish in their gaming materials. I think that TTRPGs are for everyone to enjoy, and that there isn’t a one size fits all approach. I don’t think a good company will tell you that there is only one way to play, or that certain people are morally superior or inferior based on an arbitrary marker. It only takes a quick search online to find out a company’s statement of values, or to see what they say in interacting with the public, or what the users of their product commonly think. I fully support thinking outside of this sad box, and purchasing products that are more aligned to your beliefs. I also realize that sometimes that isn’t the best or easiest answer, that your players might want to play a specific game because it is the one they know.
That has been my experience. I’m not wasting any time beating myself up, or anyone else for that matter, over which game they want to play. I do make changes when necessary, to make it a game I want to run. I will be talking about those changes as this series progresses. I also will be using the fifth edition of Dungeons and Dragons in my examples, as this is the game most of my players are familiar with and ask to play. If not obvious already, I do not agree with everything published by Wizards of the Coast, the company that produces the Dungeons and Dragons game material. But I am all about solutions to problems, even if it is just a tiny solution. I want to give you a method for dealing with the things you may not agree with, as well as a general approach to running a TTRPG game. I hope you’ll join in the fun.
