Release the girls from the Dungeon!
A thought had occurred to me today. A thought which I believe might be of value to educators interested in getting young girls to play Dungeons and Dragons, a task we all know is quite formidable
I don’t think there are any biological, historical or even cultural reasons why girls should be averse to D&D – these games are not physically violent and not overly competitive. Quite the opposite, they are highly cooperative, social and fantastic, the latter appealing to girls even more than to boys, who always look disappointed when I explain to them that no, their character can’t have a machine gun and drive a tank. Girls on the other hand are less keen on steel and petrol. One girl, who was only mildly interested in the game, became quite passionate once I told her paladin can have a magnificent white horse one day.
Furthermore, the inherent connection of tabletop gaming to fantasy literature, a field that girls are more interested in than boys would suggest that D&D should appeal to girls even more than to boys. And yet, in every class I visit to promote our afterschool program, I hear young girls saying, “This thing isn’t for girls,” ignoring all my attempts to interest them in the game.
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| A girl having a fantastic encounter. Not in picture: blood, gloom and chain bikini. Art by Lucas Pandolfelli |
Perhaps it all boils down to the name of the game – Dungeons and Dragons. Dungeons are not sympathetic places, and dragons are not sympathetic creatures. Even the trochaic name sounds aggressive and belligerent, like the beating of a drum, DUN-geons AND dra-GONS, or DEE-an-DEE. It is a name that screams a challenge at the listener, a warlike and harsh name that promises blood, pain and aggression, a barbaric quest ending with epic violence. This message is conveyed both on a conscious level and on a subconscious level. Yes, it is very appealing to the competitive and aggressive nature of young boys, but it is also antagonistic for most girls, who would love to go on an adventure, but not one based on crawling through filth and old bones and ending with the spilling of entrails in a damp and dark cave.
It is also something of a misnomer. D&D is also about exploration of fantastic terra incognita, about talking with people, about claiming treasures and buying cool stuff in the market, about meeting memorable NPCs and uncovering mysteries. It is about making friends among the denizens of the forest and thinking of ways to save your town from a plague. It is not an FPS but a grand adventure, offering all the diversity and richness of life, peppered with fantasy and the freedom to be whatever you want to be minus the paralyzing fear of failure.
So, the question which is now obvious is how the game should be called to be more appealing to girls. Let us rub brains and think…
The current incarnation of Dungeons & Dragons (4th Edition)isn’t the first game that springs to mind when I think about introducing girls to role playing. It is geared toward combat (and very static combat at that), and is more like a stripped down miniatures game with some tacked on role play elements. There are many alternatives that offer creative options and more opportunities for role play. For example:
Happy Birthday, Robot!- Daniel Solis’ storytelling game is geared to a younger audience, but is fun for everybody.
Pathfinder – The game 4th Edition should have been but isn’t; where D&D promises adventure and exploration, Pazio’s Pathfinder delivers in spades.
Do! Pilgrims of the Flying Temple – Another Daniel Solis creation, Do! pulls heavily from the Little Prince and Avatar: The Last Air Bender to create a game that makes you think and laugh out loud at the same time.
Blue Rose – A creation of Green Ronin, Blue Rose is inspired by European faerie tales. My wife and 11 year old daughter describe it as Princess Bride the Role Playing Game, but it can just as easily be Princess Mononoke.
Mouseguard – Based on David Petersen’s amazing comics, Mouseguard puts players in the role of anthropomorphic mice defending their country and kinsmen against a hostile medieval world where humans do not exist. Luke Crane’s work on this book borderlines on perfection.
Scion – White Wolf’s game of gods and monsters where players are demigods fighting a earthly war against the Titans. Think of it as the Percy Jackson role playing game. Some of the subjects tackled in Scion can be a little heady and often grim, so I suggest this be played with a older group. (BTW, this is my wife’s favorite RPG)
Freemarket – Freemarket is a transhuman science fiction game set aboard a space settlement in the Saturnian system where violence is never a viable option and radical kindness is always rewarded. Luke Crane’s subversion of every rpg trope is a masterwork. I can’t say enough nice things about it.
Nobilis – Nobilis is not an introductory RPG, but it is one of the great role playing games of all time. You play Powers, incarnate aspects of reality. This diceless game is all but Neil Gaiman’s The Sandman. With an experienced GM Nobilis can be one of the most rewarding games around.
Other games I highly endorse for girl (and boy) gamers include Prime Time Adventures, Spirit of the Century, The Dresden Files RPG, Hollow Earth Expedition, Starblazer Adventures, Exalted, Part Time Gods, Savage Worlds, and Houses of the Blooded. You can find most of these games either at your friendly local game store or online at sites such as RPGNow and Indy Press Revolution.
Ponies and Princesses? I’m just throwing it out there. I agree that girls should get involved, and would probably like it if they get over the entrance barrier. Something gender neutral like Fantastic Explorers, or the like.
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