by Alissa Dornink

I started playing Dungeons and Dragons online with friends in the early days of the pandemic as a way to hang out and connect virtually when connecting face to face was discouraged. We played on Roll20, a role playing game website with video chat. It let you fill in your character information and managed the dice rolling and actions with the click of a button. All the hard work of rolling dice to decide how powerful your character was or figuring out damage when fighting was done behind the scenes. I didn’t fully appreciate how much math was involved until I started playing D&D in person.

In D&D, you create characters with special abilities and strengths. To do this you roll dice to decide how strong, fast, or smart your characters will be. The resulting numbers, called ability scores, help determine what a character can do, how much damage they can survive, and how well they can resist powerful spells. By understanding how all the numbers add up and interact, you can create powerful characters. I began to appreciate the work Roll20 had been doing for me.

When it's time to fight monsters in D&D, math becomes even more important. You use a 20-sided die, called a d20, and add your character’s bonuses to see if your attacks succeeds. This is where I wish I would have paid more attention in my stats class in college. I need to know the chances of rolling a number that beats the monster's defenses. By learning about probability, you can make smarter choices and use resources more wisely during battle. Every time a battle begins, I REALLY appreciate the heavy lifting Roll20 had done for me. I’ve checked out ‘Statistics for Dummies’ through Libby as a refresher, but my strategy has mostly been to rely on everyone else at the table to help me muddle through math on the fly.

I shared a meme in our group chat that said D&D is just story-driven math. One friend replied that they prefer to think of it as math-infused improv. Both skills are necessary, and I am learning to appreciate the math side of the game more.

If you are interested in fighting monsters while doing math (and a little theater), check out the Library’s Role Playing Game Kits near the Welcome Desk. It’s a great way to help pass hot summer days when it’s too steamy outside.