If ever there was a game that speaks to our inner child, it’s Dungeons and Dragons.  Role-playing games in general speak to our inner child in that it demands we use our imagination.  Who didn’t spend hours as a kid pretending to be a friend of the Ninja Turtles or one of the Power Rangers?  DnD is so much different than a board game.  All the pieces are not included in the game.  They are included in our minds.  Honestly, the only thing needed to play DnD is dice and a chair; and even those are not hard requirements.  So, why do we go all out with special dice, miniatures, 3D terrain, epic music, and awesome costumes?  Because it’s all about immersion.

DnD is a game of imagination.  What makes it fun and what separates RPGs from every other game is how it affects us on an emotional level.  That emotional effect only happens when the players allow themselves to be part of the story.  So, how does that work?  It starts with creating your character.  That character is you.  It will have a different backstory from the one you have in real life, for sure, but it’s still going to be your story.  It’s the story you want to tell.  That story can be anything.  If you want to be Darth Vader, RPGs like Dungeons and Dragons allow you to be Darth Vader.  Maybe not in name, but the story of a boy growing up a slave with only his mother?  That can certainly work.  One where that slave boy gains magic powers?  In DnD?  Of course!  That magic boy gets influenced into becoming evil only to be pulled back from the abyss at the last moment?  Make it so!

All the accessories in DnD are about one thing: helping your imagination run wild.  Some people are not as imaginative as others.  There’s nothing wrong with that.  Everyone is different.  Having a visual aide is very helpful.  When you get into higher levels of play, having something on the table in front of you to help visualize is very handy.  The same goes for music.  Music has a way of putting people in the right mood.  In the right frame of mind.  Again, it’s all about aiding your imagination.  Your imagination is the most potent accessory you will bring to an RPG.  Let it run wild and see how much this game of funny dice becomes so much more.

Dressing up in costume is the icing on the cake.  If you want the part, look the part.  It’s one thing to say you cast a spell.  It’s another to pull out your spellbook and cast that spell.  It’s also another to wear your robe, bring out your components, and really get into what you’re doing.  While I will try and discourage future wizards from keeping a real pouch of bat guano, the sentiment is there.  Immerse yourself in the game in any way you can.

Dressing up for an RPG is hardly new.  This is how LARPs started.  LARP means Live Action Role Play.  A lot of people will turn their noses at LARPs but it’s basically a TTRPG without the table.  Everyone is acting in character, creating their own world, and having a good time.  So what if there aren’t any dice or character sheets?  It’s still the same game.  Dressing up and hanging out with like-minded people is quite common.  Ever been to a Renaissance Faire?  It’s just another way to have fun.  If it’s something that appeals to you, by all means give it a shot.

The downside of it is that costuming is more challenging to find.  Most of the time, you have to make your own.  Not everyone is gifted with awesome sewing skills.  Not everyone is into crafting foam swords or knitting chain mail.  The point of it all is not to exclude anyone.  Remember, it’s a game.  It’s a hobby.  It’s stronger and more fun when everyone feels like they belong.  

There’s also the question of cost.  Making your own costumes is not cheap.  It’s going to take a lot of time and money.  The same can be said for any hobby.  It’s all about how you want to spend your time and money.  

So, is it worth it?  That’s a question for you to decide.  It isn’t for me to tell anyone how to have fun.  If you want to do it, do it.  Find others who want to do it.  Have fun!  That being said, nobody should feel pressured to do what they don’t want to do.  Consent is king.  If you don’t want to, that’s the end of the argument.  If you don’t want to spend your free time hemming a dress or studying how to make leather boots, you don’t have to.  Your friends do not have the right to pressure you into doing it.  Find the way you enjoy playing and go for it!