A MEDIA SPOTLIGHT SPECIAL REPORT

BUlelOIS -' DBleOISA LOOK AT FANTASY ROLE-PLAYING GAMES

by Albert] ames Dager

A[though fantasy wargames have beenaround for some time, it is only recent-

ly that they have become a fad, particularlyamong university and college students.

One such game, Dungeons & Dragons,is perhaps the most popular. It receivedconsiderable notoriety when the newsmedia reported that it may have been alink in a series of mysterious circumstan-ces surrounding the disappearance andsubsequent suicide of University of Mich-igan student, James Dallas Egbert. It wassuspected that 17-year-old Egbert had fal-len victim to traps encountered during areal-life role-playing activity associatedwith that game in August of 1979. Thebizarre circumstances surrounding his dis-appearance are shrouded in mystery as aresult of his subsequent suicide a year laterin August, 19aO.

Equally bizarre are the circumstancesrelated to Dungeons & Dragons and itspart in formulating the idea for a series ofmass murders in the "Freeway Killer" epi-sodes in Southern California. Accordingto the testimony of one of the suspects inthose killings, the game was a motivatingfactor in prompting the actions of him andhis accomplices.

There are several variations to Dun-geons & Dragons as well as innumerableother games which center on fantasy androle-playing. Many electronic versionsexist which, for a nominal price, aHowparticipants to match their skills and witsagainst unforeseen circumstances in theirquest for imaginary treasures secretedamong imaginary labyrinthine obstacles.

It has come to my attention throughinquiries from different locales, that thisparticular game, Dungeons & Dragons,has become, or is becoming, a fad onChristian college campuses, One dean ofa prominent Christian university in theSouth called and, not being familiar withthe game, asked our opinion since it wasabsorbing a good part of some students'time and was apparently gaining in popu-larity.

I must confess that, at the time, Iknew little about the game beyond thefact that it involved a role-playing formatcentering on the imagined use of magicand blood-letting, Even with that limitedinformation, however, it was easy todiscern that such fantasy could harborspiritual danger for the participant. The

dean with whom I spoke was astuteenough to recognize such a possibilityand he is to be commended for his concernin wanting to do what he could to protectthose students under his authority andcare. He was wise enough to seek as muchinformation as possible, in order to be surethat he wasn't himself chasing phantoms,before confronting his student body withthe issue. (This is a lesson we could alllearn in our dealing with spiritual enemies.)

I have since, with prayer, done someresearch into Dungeons & Dragons andupon that research I have drawn someconclusions which, no doubt, will bringaccusations that I'm just trying to findmore areas in which to destroy people'sfun. But I would like to reiterate, as Ihave before, that all things which comeunder scrutiny by Media Spotlight areexamined in the light of God's Word andHis truth. Only His light is pure enoughand bright enough to expose the hiddenflaws in seemingly innocent subjects. Todo that it is necessary for us to put ourown preferences aside and take on themind of Christ, looking at everything asHe would see it and not as we would liketo see it.

As one who was at one time a "chess-nut," my personal inclination would beto find a fascination with games thatstimulate the imagination and offer chal-lenges to logic and to problem-solvingabilities. Yet, if one were to examine myheart and, indeed, every human heart, itwould be found that the greatest satisfac-tion to be gained in winning out overgreat odds would be in the gratificationof self: ego.

In fact, all competition has built intoit the danger of falling into an ego trip(or trap). This is not to say that all com-petition as such is evil. In a free society,competition is necessary to ensure survival.Competition, though, should be engagedin with an attitude of humility, trustingGod for the outcome, whatever it mightbe.

Some endeavors offer a greater temp.tation for ego to manifest itself in us,however. The next thing to actual defeatof others and self-exaltation as rulers overthe vanquished is the voluntary, imaginaryrole-playing that is offered by such gamesas Dungeons & Dragons.

One might argue, and reasonably so,that Dungeons & Dragons offers no greater

an opportunity than sports such as foot-ball, basketball, or even golf to feed theego. Yet there is a unique self-satisfactionthat comes with superior mental achieve-ment that does not come with physicalachievement. This is because, above all,man is a spiritual being and, in everything,he seeks to satisfy his soul - even whenengaged in what seem to be purely physicalendeavors.

It is the opportunity for self-satisfac-tion that causes fantasy role-playing gamesto be so popular on campuses where it ismeant for the intellect to be stimulated.

But why focus our examination onDungeons & Dragons? Because, beyondthe self-aggrandizement offered by othertypes of games (even chess), this gameoffers the player the added opportunityto cast himself in roles associated withdemon powers. In his imagination heassumes the role of a sorcerer or somesuper-human person who possesses extra-ordinary abilities. It is through the castingof spells and enchantments that he breaksthe powers of others seeking to destroyhim on his quest for treasure.

The game offers an endless variety ofsituations as well as abilities to overcome,through magic, the adverse circumstancespresented. The players create their owncharacters based upon guidelines thatcategorize them as "good" or "evil." Thereare six basic abilities for each character:strength, intelligence, wisdom, constitu-tion, dexterity, and charisma. The game'screators suggest that characters be classi-fied according to their strongest traits,determined by the rolling of dice.

Should a character have an excep-tionally high rating in intelligence hewould best be suited as a "Magic-user."He may also learn additional languages(some of them not human) which mayenable him to overcome certain obstaclesto his progress.

According to the instruction manual,"Wisdom is the prime requisite for clerics.Clerics can perform miraculous spellseven though they do not have special in-telligence, and second level (experienced)clerics can heal wounds,"

It should be noted that, "Clerics arehumans who have dedicated themselvesto one or more of the gods. Dependingon the god, the cleric may be good or evil,lawful or chaotic. Clerics have their ownspecial spells. . . . Spells for evil clericsdiffer slightly from those of good clerics."

In addition to the above occultic rolesavailable are those of "Fighting' Men"including "Elves," "Dwarves," and "Half-iings" (half-human and half-somethingelse). Then there are "Thieves" describedas "humans with special abilities to strikea deadly blow from behind, climb sheersurfaces, hide in shadows, filch items and