The Data Behind Dungeons and Dragons
Tableau Top Gaming
Below I will use visualisations created in Tableau to showcase the data behind Dungeons and Dragons. This will hopefully be a useful guide for new and old players when it comes to creating a playable character.
Dungeons and Dragons is a TTRPG (Tabletop Role-Playing Game) first published in 1974 it is now in its 5th generation of rules published by Wizards of the Coast (Hasbro). Using the published rules and player guides, players build characters and form teams to embark on adventures run by a Dungeon Master (A referee/Storyteller).
When a new player decides to delve into the rules, and vast lore books it can be daunting and overwhelming. Below I will try to use a Dataset from (oganm (B. Ogan Mancarcı) (github.com)) to give new players an overview of how to create a character and show them the popular options using the PHB (Player Hand Book).
Making a Character
|
Race: |
There are 9 base races in the PHB, plus many more have been introduced with new rule books and printed material. |
|
Class: |
There are 12 base classes, plus many more have been introduced with new rule books and printed material. |
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Alignment: |
There are 6 labels for alignment broken up into 2 groups of 3 options. |
|
Background: |
There are 13 backgrounds in the PHB, plus many more have been introduced with new rule books and printed material. |
|
Feats: |
There are over 40 Feats available in the PHB, plus many more have been introduced with the new rule books and printed material. |
When starting to play Dnd it is best to think about what kind of play style you prefer as a gamer. Do you prefer being the (Tank), a frontal assault character capable of soaking up and dealing damage? The (Thief/Spy/Assassin) is a stealthy character that plays in the shadows jumping out and causing mayhem before retreating back to safety. The (Ranger) is a character that prefers to shoot arrows or hurl weapons from a distance. The (Spell-Slinger) is a character that uses magic to cause damage and heal your allies.
Once you have chosen it will be easier to pick your character choices, Races, Classes, Backgrounds and Feats will all help mould your character into being the best it can be to accomplish your desired playstyle.
Races:
The graph above shows the popular race choices according to the Dataset. As you can see the two main race choices are Human and Elf. This can be explained by the breakdown of Skills and Features granted to these races in the PHB.
Class:
See Table below for play style to class breakdown.
|
Tank. Front Line Combatant |
Barbarian, Fighter, Paladin |
|---|---|
|
Stealth/Speed Based |
Rogue, Monk |
|
Ranged |
Ranger |
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Magic |
Bard, Sorcerer, Warlock, Wizard |
|
Healer |
Cleric |
|
Misc |
Druid, Artificer |
When creating your character you are given 3 options to build their strengths so that playing your class and playstyle is made easier. These stats are known as Ability Scores. You can either choose to use Standard Array; a pre-set list of values, Rolled; a randomly rolled amount, or Point Buy; You are given a pool, and each point in an ability costs an amount from the pool until you have no more points. Ability scores decide how well your character can complete a certain action.
|
Strength |
How strong and athletic they are |
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Dexterity |
How easily they can avoid danger, scale an object or handle something with precision |
|
Constitution |
How much damage they can take |
|
Intelligence |
How smart they are |
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Wisdom |
How wise they are |
|
Charisma |
How they deal with confrontation or seduction |
Once you have given them a race and class, it is time to create their backstory. What events led them here and what skills and experiences they had along the way. This can be displayed in your choice of background.
Backgrounds:
Backgrounds give your character additional skills and abilities. You can also learn additional languages to assist you on your journey. Remember your play style and choose one that compliments it.
Alignment:
Alignment is how you want to play your character- are they honourable and true or are they deceitful and possibly hiding something terrible? The following table shows the options available to you. Remember when making a character that DnD is mostly a team game, so try to build something that you will enjoy playing but will also help your team progress and most importantly survive the adventure ahead.
I will share with you a sample of a random “Rolled” character.
Race (1-9), Class (1-12), Alignment (1-3,1-3):-
Race: 4 (Human)
Class: 6 (Monk)
Alignment: 2/2 (True/Neutral)
|
Name |
Hazar Haldum |
|
|
Race |
Human (Variant) |
1 Language, 1 Skill, 1 Feat |
|
Class |
Monk |
3 Proficiencies, and Class Specific Features |
|
Alignment |
True/Neutral |
N/A |
|
Background |
Hermit |
2 Skills, 1 Tool, 1 Language |
Monks specialise in hand to hand combat, speed and agility. For this build, we will use the Standard Array.
|
STR: 12 |
Strength: Used to determine how good you are at physical tasks. |
|
DEX: 15 |
Dexterity: Used to determine how good you are at avoiding danger and performing dexterous tasks. |
|
CON: 14 |
Constitution: Used to determine how good you are at taking damage and staying alive. |
|
INT: 10 |
Intelligence: Used to determine how clever you are at performing tasks. |
|
WIS:13 |
Wisdom: Used to determine how wise you are. |
|
CHA: 8 |
Charisma: Used to determine how charismatic you are. |
Remember that these stats are what build your character's abilities so it is important for you to put the points in a way that makes your character useful and efficient.
Stats can be increased upon levelling when advised, up to a maximum of 20.
Finally, I will leave you with links and advice on where to go to continue your journey and see where the rabbit hole takes you:
- https://dnd.wizards.com
- https://www.dndbeyond.com
- Find and visit your local https://geek-retreat.uk or local gaming store
- For excellent guides on character building visit https://rpgbot.net/dnd5/ and https://www.youtube.com/@DnDDeepDive
I hope you find the Data useful and interesting and find yourself around a table, or in an online game of Dungeons and Dragons in the near future.
“Roll for Initiative”
Stephen Horgan is a Data Fellowship Apprentice at Jaguar Land Rover and is writing for the Apprentice Lens as part of the Blogging Team. Stephen is based in Halewood, Liverpool. Here is a little more about him:
“Hi, I'm Stephen. I'm a time-served Maintenance Engineer. I currently work for JLR where I'm trying to progress into an engineering role. I hope to gain experience in working with data and develop the skills needed to progress into a role where using data is an everyday task. I'm inspired by technology and the innovations that are occurring on a daily basis in all areas of life.”