Summary
It may not come as a surprise to hear about different play styles inDungeons & Dragons. Any player or Dungeon Master (DM) could tell you how they like to play or the kind of group they have the most fun with. Well, the 2024 Dungeon Master’s Guide has included a brief breakdown of these different styles and how to embrace The Rule Of Fun.
But which play style sounds the most like you and how you enjoy tabletop games? This list will go over all the differences in the sourcebook and why you most likely will enjoy some over others.
Although each play style is listed out below, that doesn’t mean there is only one that will apply to you or how you’d like to run your campaign.
14Hack And Slash
The name of this play style most likely gives away a love of combat above all else in D&D. This can mean a variety of things: you really like to be challenged by powerful monsters and enemies and want every battle to be a war of wits.
It could also be for casual players who like the freedom that comes with combat in Dungeons & Dragons. In other games, you might have only a handful of combos or types of attacks you can use. In D&D, you can really think outside of the box and come up with the most interesting ways to deal with the problems your party faces.
13Immersive Roleplaying
If your favorite part of games is getting lost in the world and the characters, then you would mesh well with a party that encourages and participates in immersive roleplay. This can take many forms, of course. you’re able to have a campaign exploring dark themes or a light-hearted adventure, so long as you really get into your character.
Another way to know if this is the right kind of campaign for you is if you love the thought of being very inquisitive in-game, and wanting to dive into political intrigue or mysteries. If you’d rather explore the lore or find non-violent ways to handle things, then you also enjoy the immersion D&D can provide.
12All Ages
This is ideal for younger players who are starting out, families who run campaigns on game nights, or people who want to ensure their table is a place where anyone can jump into the game, regardless of age or the types of stories they enjoy. Though, it doesn’t mean everything must be sunshine and rainbows either.
Think of your favorite animated films that have been rated for the enjoyment of all ages. As an example, the story of Mulan still goes over the topics of war, death as a punishment, and many other themes. It is told in a way that is accessible, no matter the age. D&D can be run the same way.
11Mature Themes
Instead of a Disney animated film, think more Game Of Thrones. Campaigns that explore mature themes are intended for mature players. They also require that everyone at the table understands those themes or knows that topics could be triggering.
There has to be a level of respect and safety to really enjoy campaigns with darker, mature themes. So these campaigns would work best for those who want to explore those subjects and feel safe enough to do so with the DM leading them and the party as a whole. If you’re a fan of thrillers and dramas, this is a way to enjoy those kinds of stories hands-on.
If you are planning to explore dark or triggering themes, it is important to have a Session Zero with your players to ensure everyone is comfortable and on the same page.
10Gritty
Do you want your campaign to feel realistic? Granted, with access to things like magic and otherworldly creatures, you do still need to suspend your belief a bit. But this is where the gloves come off and you and your party experience things as they are determined by the dice and the rules.
Now, you can mix this with cinematic moments. Or have portions of downtime where things are relaxed before rushing into another conflict, but it is always something you can ask a DM or ask yourself before you decide to run a game: how gritty do I want this to be?
9Cinematic
Does it look like all hope is lost before there is a flash of light and something incredible happens? Players whoenjoy cinematic campaignslike for there to be plot armor and room for things to work outside the way they are strictly described as in the rules.
That’s certainly not to say this is for DMs who completely chuck out the rules. Instead, it’s for those who don’t let the rules get in the way of telling the best possible story. It’s also for those who want their adventure to feel like an epic and, typically, want to see the full growth of their characters.
8Serious
You want to tell or participate in a serious story. You want there to be consequences. You want there to be difficult situations that really challenge you and the others in the party. You don’t need there to be light-hearted moments and jokes that pull you out of the depths of the themes being explored.
Again, this doesn’t mean you may’t have light-hearted moments or breaks in the tension. It just means you prefer things to be serious more often than not, and you want to play with people who take the game and the elements of it seriously.
7Silly
You want to have fun and tell jokes with your friends. You want scenarios that leave you laughing. Just like with serious campaigns, it certainly doesn’t mean everything has to be silly all the time, but you embrace the funniness that comes with D&D more often than getting down in the mud with the darker, heavier themes.
From goofy little one-shots to long-term campaigns that embrace the lighter side of telling these fantasy stories, you may bring silliness into it through your characters and creations, how you react to situations, or even by running a setting with very lax rules.
6Preplanned
Fans of D&D might bring Dimension 20 to mind. This actual play show is planned out to follow a set schedule, their games are roughly two hours, and the campaigns resolve within a certain number of episodes. This isn’t a script, and it does still leave room for the players do what they want, but it does mean having more things figured out and fewer things left up to moment-based decisions.
This can be for the players and DMs who love organizing. Or for the busy groups that need to keep their game on a schedule to be able to meet up regularly. Specifically for DMs, there is some comfort in knowing what comes next, to have all your ducks in a row and ready to go. This is a good option for those with social anxiety as well, as you will feel more at ease if there’s a solid plan to back yourself up.
5Improvised
You live for the thrill of letting the dice decide things. Some people work best without much of a plan and no script to go off of. And they enjoy the organic moments that come to life when they are in the moment with the players, getting swept up in what they’re doing and saying.
You can have a basic skeleton of a campaign. Knowing how the story starts, some major plot points you want to hit, and what the final conflicts will be like, but you like to leave the rest of the plan open for the players to develop through their responses and reactions. This can be such a rewarding way toDM if you like the spontaneity.
