Sorceresses and Strategy: The Growing Influence of Female Gamers in Dungeons & Dragons

For a long time, the Dungeons & Dragons (D&D) game was thought to cater primarily to geeky boys. This was the impression given, even in the 2017 documentary “Exploring the World of Dungeons & Dragons,” which, despite documenting the game’s growth over time, presented a rather male-dominated portrait of D&D fandom.

But things have changed; go to a D&D gathering these days, and not only will you find a more diverse group of players, but you’ll also find women who are leading the way in this most fantasy-driven milieu.

Indeed, the game’s player base has become something of a counterculture, with a decidedly more female, and non-binary, set of characters, who are now part of the movement to make D&D even more diverse and inclusive, both in terms of the people who play it and the societies these characters inhabit. Who would have thought Dungeons & Dragons could become a game for female gamers! One glance at Elite Adventures’ Discord channel, and you’ll see that it actually has.

From Niche to Mainstream: The Rise of Female Gamers

When Dungeons & Dragons was published in 1974, the gaming community (and other aspects of geek culture) was made up almost entirely of men. But that has changed. The 2020 “Player Base” survey conducted by Wizards of the Coast, now the publisher of D&D, found that 40% of D&D players identify as female gamers. And this shift in the gender dynamic isn’t limited to D&D; tabletop RPGs in general are experiencing an influx of female gamers.

Women have not always been included in Dungeons and Dragons, but their presence in the gaming community has been felt almost since the formation of the game itself. This phenomenon has hinged on several influences, including the rise of virtual gaming on sites such as roll20, Elite Adventures and the surge of live-streamed D&D encounters on Twitch.

All these mediums have expanded the reach and understanding of gaming as a cause for inclusivity, acceptance, and the recognition of diversity in terms of playing style, character formation, and sheer amounts of fun within the gaming community itself.

Breaking Stereotypes: Women as Tactical Gamers

One of the most exhilarating things to see with the growth of women in D&D is how female gamers are demolishing the long-held image of gaming as a “boys’ club”. For years, gaming, especially role-playing games like Dungeons and Dragons has been deemed a male domain because only guys have been thought to have the tactical skills and the passion for these sorts of fantasy immersive worlds.

Female gamers have now made it very clear, however, that they can and do excel at the types of strategic and social maneuvers that make D&D so enthralling. The International Journal of Role-Playing even published a study a while back that revealed the different, often collaborative, and certainly excellent ways in which women approach the game.

Instead of concentrating only on fighting, female players often approach the game of Dungeons and Dragons in a more well-rounded manner. They are using the game to tell more dynamic and quite frankly, better stories. And D&D is a game that really relies on storytelling and the strength of the bonds between characters to propel itself.

What about female DMs? They’re up in numbers, too. And they are, by and large, not simply telling stories that involve their players having to “fight” their way to some kind of resolution, but some kind of imperative life change. One of the most popular Dungeon Masters at Elite Adventures is DM Lytha. Women are not just players of D&D; they are reshaping the game and its potential.

The Critical Role Effect: Visibility Through Streaming

The increased visibility of women in gaming via streaming platforms has been one of the most significant growth factors for female players in D&D. Shows like Critical Role have brought TTRPGs to the forefront of popular culture and made them accessible to more people than ever before.

Marisha Ray, a gamer and creative director for Critical Role, has been a huge part of that journey. And no one would disagree that she’s playing a big role in offsetting the female gamer stereotype. The characters she plays are in no way intended to be the archetypes for every female character. Yet Marisha Ray, as both a performer and a person, has become a pretty powerful icon.

Women are not just participating in Dungeons & Dragons; they are leading in campaigns like Girls Guts Glory and Sirens: Battle of the Bards. These popular web series are two proud examples of the growing presence of women in the upper echelons of the game.

Not only do they bolster the argument that female gamers have a rightful place at the table and behind the DM screen, but they also help to pave the way for even more female representation in the game and its spheres of influence.

Female Icons in the World of D&D

The increasing impact of women on Dungeons & Dragons can be seen not only in the player base but also in the crafting of unforgettable female characters and story arcs. One such character is Jester Lavorre, a cheeky yet potent cleric from Critical Role’s second campaign, brought to life by Laura Bailey.

Bailey’s performance imbues Lavorre with a warmth and vibrancy that make her a fan favorite, and she serves as a shining example of the dimensionality and depth that female characters can possess in D&D especially, but not only, when they occupy protagonist roles.

In the world of game design, women have left their fingerprints on the rules, stories, and structures of D&D. One of the most prominent figures is Kate Welch, a game designer who has worked on the official D&D team at Wizards of the Coast. Welch has championed inclusivity in storytelling, and her impact was recognized.

Real-World Impact: The Community Beyond the Table

For a lot of women, D&D is much more than a game; it’s a way to connect with a community. Female-dominated groups and meetups started to become a lot more common in recent years. They serve as safe spaces where women can play tabletop role-playing games without the fear of being marginalized or harassed. Indeed, female D&D players have even formed some online groups, like the Dames & Dungeons Society, where they can share their gaming experiences with one another.

On some level, you might expect these groups to be little more than an echo chamber where the women inside can talk about how great it is to play games with other women. But on another level, these groups are being political, or at least they’re using the platform of a political D&D game to raise money for some important social causes.

The Future: Women Shaping the World of D&D

The growth of Dungeons & Dragons (D&D) directly correlates with the increasing impact of women on the game. They have always had a presence in the game, but today, more than ever, women are stepping into the roles of Dungeon Master, game designer, and Thought Leader in the D&D and larger RPG (role-playing game) spaces.

When Wizards of the Coast looks to the future of the game, it seems quite clear that the company intends to create an experience that is more gender-neutral, racially inclusive, and better in just about every way. Indeed, whether it is through the many direct conversations that they have been having with female and non-binary players or through the appearance of their first significant female game designer, women and the perspectives they bring seem to be quite front-and-center when it comes to D&D.

Female gamers are not merely remolding D&D; they are broadening its possibilities. The incidence of female DMs is rising, and with it, the focus on creating more inclusive, resonate stories, where characters’ identities and relationships are just as significant, if not more so, than the actual fights they take on. This isn’t just happening in the realm of D&D; it’s a part of a broader movement across popular media, giving us a platform, if you will, for examining different facets of identity.

A New Era of Dungeons & Dragons

These days, the glory of the Dungeons & Dragons community is female-dominated. Women are now at the very pinnacle of the hobby, not merely as players but as architects, strategists, and figures of leadership. Nowadays, we see women all over the D&D space at the table, behind the screen, and at the top of the game in various ways of which some might argue is an almost unprecedented moment in terms of seeing women in these spaces across the almost half-century history of D&D.

In the world of D&D, anyone can be a hero, whether it’s a daring sorceress, a clever rogue, or a wise cleric. Today, more than ever, female gamers are proving that they have what it takes to shape the future of Dungeons and Dragons, casting their own spells and rewriting the rules.

If you are new to the game but are looking for a great space to have fun and have some memorable adventures, check out our upcoming schedule for games. If you don’t already have an account, you can sign up on roll20.net, the most complete solution for digital play. You’ll be able to access character sheets, tokens, rulebooks, dice, and more, with powerful tools to automate the tedious stuff.

Don’t forget to join our community on Discord using this link https://discord.gg/WBg4RE4pDR for more discussions with fellow players.

 

Written by Zoha Aamer. Discover more about her on LinkedIn.