“How can I be more Inclusive for disabled people at my table and in my adventure?”. What a great question I just pretended you asked. One simple idea to try is don't be afraid to have characters with disabilities in your game. It can be a very taboo subject in a game because no one wants to feel like they are making fun of any disability. For this same reason, even people with disabilities can have a hard time playing a character who is disabled. However, Dungeons and Dragons may be the perfect medium to explore this, especially among a group of loving friends and companions. D&D already has heaps of disabled Characters and options in it already. If we just focused on amputees as an example, The Complete Book of Elves in 2e makes reference to mechanical/magical limbs. The classic pirate having a hook for a hand was taken to the next level in the Princes of the Apocalypse villain Gar Shatterkeel who's left arm was replaced by a large mechanical crab claw. Copernicus Jinx from the Fell's Five Comic Series had his arm torn off by the angry father of one of his students only to replace said limb with a magical crystal prosthetic. Ezmerelda d’Avenir in the Curse of Strahd has a mechanical lower leg. Khary Payton's (@kharypayton) character Shakäste in Critical Role is blind and has a “seeing eye familiar” named Anastasia who is a hummingbird. Perhaps the coolest amputee in the game (personal opinion) is Joe Manganiello's (@JoeManganiello) character Arkhan the Cruel who chopped off his own hand to obtain the Hand of Vecna so that he might find a way to free his beloved Queen. (Check out Arkhan in the new adventure Baldur's Gate Decent into Avernus.) Awesome story tellers like Ed Greenwood (@TheEdVerse) and Matt Mercer (@matthewmercer) are honest enough in the creation of their worlds to include people with disabilities. (Side Note: please keep Ed in your thoughts and prayers as he tweeted this week he was getting ready for heart surgery. He is a wonderful man who tirelessly devotes his time and creativity to his fans. And I respect him very much.)
Don't be afraid to use examples from outside D&D as well. From Stephen Hawking to Professor X there are so many inspiring examples to draw inspiration from in creating your character. In The Killing Joke Comic by Allan Moore, Barbra Gordon is shot in the stomach by the Joker. The bullet penetrates Barbara's spine, permanently paralyzing her. The Batgirl Comic was then officially retired but the character of Barbara Gordon was revitalized when she became the wheelchair bound computer hacker called Oracle. Saving the character from being written into obscurity as a mere background figure. Since then the Batgirl character has had an amazing comeback in comics and media. I'd love to see Marisha Ray's (@Marisha_Ray) take on how to portray Oracle in any future DC cinematic story having previously starred as Batgirl herself. In The Walking Dead comics the Rick Grimes character lost his right hand and only has his left hand for the majority of the comic series. The creator (Robert Kirkman) has said that he regrets Rick not losing his hand on the TV show. In the comic Rick had to learn to shoot with his left hand, and everyday activities (like getting dressed and climbing) became much more difficult. A similar story line happened to Jamie Lannister in Game of Thrones. Having your character learning to cope with their handicap and adjusting to their “New Normal” can be a wonderfully moving story ark and really add some depth and heart to your character.
There are so many amazing stories of real people that you can draw inspiration from as well. Look at Caitlin Conner (@caitlinconnerofficial) for example. She is an adaptive advocate/mom/athlete/model. After a motorcycle accident mangled her leg she woke up in hospital and informed that she was also 4 weeks pregnant. After several reconstructive surgeries with minimal anaesthesia, antibiotics, and pain medication to keep the baby safe. Caitlin knew that her child was worth more than her own body. So to protect her pregnancy she amputated her left leg below the knee and began to take on life as a new mom. Is that not the most amazing backstory for why your disabled character could be out in the world adventuring. Trying to protect his/her child and make the world a better place for them.
We all have struggles in life and not just the obvious ones like having a wheelchair or a prosthetic leg. Many are not obvious at first glance. Depression, anxiety, deafness, gender identity, eating disorders, and so many more are all struggles that people have to deal with and its that shared susceptibility to those struggles that helps connect us and make us more human. I once played a character who was colourblind. He would constantly mix up his red and green potions. It was very lighthearted and comical but in an amazing way that small struggle made the character much more real to me and to the group, and instilled a humanity into that character. He was easier to relate to because neither he nor his life were perfect.
A final thought I would say is don't try to make a disabled character, but instead strive to make a character who happens to have a disability. It can seem a subtle distinction but the heart of it is how your hero defines his/herself. My wife is a wonderful example to me of this idea. She is a beautiful woman who uses a wheelchair, not a wheelchair with a beautiful woman in it. She is not defined by her disability nor does she draw her identity from it. If you keep this concept in mind and do it in a loving way then you are in for such a treat at the depth of character and role playing that this character can create for you.
If we can have more people playing disabled characters, making them heroes and saving the world and being awesome in our adventures, then maybe it can help shake off the tentativeness of having disabled people at your table and make it easier for them to want to join. To paraphrase Bob Goff: Do your best to love everybody always and become love in a world full of setbacks and difficulties.
Check out my Disabled & Dragons Youtube Channel for 5e Monster and Player Tactics. Helping the Disabled Community and Players and DM’s (both new and experienced) get into D&D. Plus there is a talking Dragon named Quill.
I want to add on that our hobby does have room for people with disabilities. We must be mindful of how accessible our games are. The visually impaired are left out, and or excluded by grid based maps and table top tactical combat. Instead, shift your games to Theater of the Mind and spend just a little bit extra to describe the scene, or evoke a mood. What other senses can you activate? Does the room smell damp, like mildew and mild rot? Is the Djinn's lair scented like saffron and apple sisha? Can you hear the slight buzzing of the Sprite's wings as it flits around the tree peppering the party with questions as to their intentions in this area of the forest?
I want to add on that our hobby does have room for people with disabilities. We must be mindful of how accessible our games are. The visually impaired are left out, and or excluded by grid based maps and table top tactical combat. Instead, shift your games to Theater of the Mind and spend just a little bit extra to describe the scene, or evoke a mood. What other senses can you activate? Does the room smell damp, like mildew and mild rot? Is the Djinn's lair scented like saffron and apple sisha? Can you hear the slight buzzing of the Sprite's wings as it flits around the tree peppering the party with questions as to their intentions in this area of the forest?
I played in a game the other day where the DM didn't have any maps or minis as they were being used by another DM at the time. However the game didn't suffer for it as it was all Theater of the mind and it worked really well. At no time did either my 10yr old daughter or 14yr old son lose interest or focus, but it also helps if your DM is good at describing things. His descriptions of rooms (right down to the squeaky floor board) were brilliant and I must have investigated one room 3 times before investigating the squeaky floor board, only to find there was nothing underneath it lol. My wife is in a wheelchair and I would probably say the biggest obstacle to her gaming (besides her own insecurities of worrying what other people think of her) is being able to get to a table to game in the first place. Most places I have been to play have been in the upstairs space in a shop which (in addition to having no lift to get up there) was very cramped. The club I play at now is great as it is in a community centres main hall, so there is plenty of space. In general people have to stop seeing the disability and see the person (unless we are in town and you are walking into the wheelchair or smacking it with your shopping basket, again!), most of the disabled people I have met are some of the most imaginative, creative, craziest people I know and it's great!
Check out my Disabled & Dragons Youtube Channel for 5e Monster and Player Tactics. Helping the Disabled Community and Players and DM’s (both new and experienced) get into D&D. Plus there is a talking Dragon named Quill.
Inspiring your Disabled Character.
“How can I be more Inclusive for disabled people at my table and in my adventure?”. What a great question I just pretended you asked. One simple idea to try is don't be afraid to have characters with disabilities in your game. It can be a very taboo subject in a game because no one wants to feel like they are making fun of any disability. For this same reason, even people with disabilities can have a hard time playing a character who is disabled. However, Dungeons and Dragons may be the perfect medium to explore this, especially among a group of loving friends and companions. D&D already has heaps of disabled Characters and options in it already. If we just focused on amputees as an example, The Complete Book of Elves in 2e makes reference to mechanical/magical limbs. The classic pirate having a hook for a hand was taken to the next level in the Princes of the Apocalypse villain Gar Shatterkeel who's left arm was replaced by a large mechanical crab claw. Copernicus Jinx from the Fell's Five Comic Series had his arm torn off by the angry father of one of his students only to replace said limb with a magical crystal prosthetic. Ezmerelda d’Avenir in the Curse of Strahd has a mechanical lower leg. Khary Payton's (@kharypayton) character Shakäste in Critical Role is blind and has a “seeing eye familiar” named Anastasia who is a hummingbird. Perhaps the coolest amputee in the game (personal opinion) is Joe Manganiello's (@JoeManganiello) character Arkhan the Cruel who chopped off his own hand to obtain the Hand of Vecna so that he might find a way to free his beloved Queen. (Check out Arkhan in the new adventure Baldur's Gate Decent into Avernus.) Awesome story tellers like Ed Greenwood (@TheEdVerse) and Matt Mercer (@matthewmercer) are honest enough in the creation of their worlds to include people with disabilities. (Side Note: please keep Ed in your thoughts and prayers as he tweeted this week he was getting ready for heart surgery. He is a wonderful man who tirelessly devotes his time and creativity to his fans. And I respect him very much.)
Don't be afraid to use examples from outside D&D as well. From Stephen Hawking to Professor X there are so many inspiring examples to draw inspiration from in creating your character. In The Killing Joke Comic by Allan Moore, Barbra Gordon is shot in the stomach by the Joker. The bullet penetrates Barbara's spine, permanently paralyzing her. The Batgirl Comic was then officially retired but the character of Barbara Gordon was revitalized when she became the wheelchair bound computer hacker called Oracle. Saving the character from being written into obscurity as a mere background figure. Since then the Batgirl character has had an amazing comeback in comics and media. I'd love to see Marisha Ray's (@Marisha_Ray) take on how to portray Oracle in any future DC cinematic story having previously starred as Batgirl herself. In The Walking Dead comics the Rick Grimes character lost his right hand and only has his left hand for the majority of the comic series. The creator (Robert Kirkman) has said that he regrets Rick not losing his hand on the TV show. In the comic Rick had to learn to shoot with his left hand, and everyday activities (like getting dressed and climbing) became much more difficult. A similar story line happened to Jamie Lannister in Game of Thrones. Having your character learning to cope with their handicap and adjusting to their “New Normal” can be a wonderfully moving story ark and really add some depth and heart to your character.
There are so many amazing stories of real people that you can draw inspiration from as well. Look at Caitlin Conner (@caitlinconnerofficial) for example. She is an adaptive advocate/mom/athlete/model. After a motorcycle accident mangled her leg she woke up in hospital and informed that she was also 4 weeks pregnant. After several reconstructive surgeries with minimal anaesthesia, antibiotics, and pain medication to keep the baby safe. Caitlin knew that her child was worth more than her own body. So to protect her pregnancy she amputated her left leg below the knee and began to take on life as a new mom. Is that not the most amazing backstory for why your disabled character could be out in the world adventuring. Trying to protect his/her child and make the world a better place for them.
We all have struggles in life and not just the obvious ones like having a wheelchair or a prosthetic leg. Many are not obvious at first glance. Depression, anxiety, deafness, gender identity, eating disorders, and so many more are all struggles that people have to deal with and its that shared susceptibility to those struggles that helps connect us and make us more human. I once played a character who was colourblind. He would constantly mix up his red and green potions. It was very lighthearted and comical but in an amazing way that small struggle made the character much more real to me and to the group, and instilled a humanity into that character. He was easier to relate to because neither he nor his life were perfect.
A final thought I would say is don't try to make a disabled character, but instead strive to make a character who happens to have a disability. It can seem a subtle distinction but the heart of it is how your hero defines his/herself. My wife is a wonderful example to me of this idea. She is a beautiful woman who uses a wheelchair, not a wheelchair with a beautiful woman in it. She is not defined by her disability nor does she draw her identity from it. If you keep this concept in mind and do it in a loving way then you are in for such a treat at the depth of character and role playing that this character can create for you.
If we can have more people playing disabled characters, making them heroes and saving the world and being awesome in our adventures, then maybe it can help shake off the tentativeness of having disabled people at your table and make it easier for them to want to join. To paraphrase Bob Goff: Do your best to love everybody always and become love in a world full of setbacks and difficulties.
Check out my Disabled & Dragons Youtube Channel for 5e Monster and Player Tactics. Helping the Disabled Community and Players and DM’s (both new and experienced) get into D&D. Plus there is a talking Dragon named Quill.
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCPPmyTI0tZ6nM-bzY0IG3ww
I want to add on that our hobby does have room for people with disabilities. We must be mindful of how accessible our games are. The visually impaired are left out, and or excluded by grid based maps and table top tactical combat. Instead, shift your games to Theater of the Mind and spend just a little bit extra to describe the scene, or evoke a mood. What other senses can you activate? Does the room smell damp, like mildew and mild rot? Is the Djinn's lair scented like saffron and apple sisha? Can you hear the slight buzzing of the Sprite's wings as it flits around the tree peppering the party with questions as to their intentions in this area of the forest?
I played in a game the other day where the DM didn't have any maps or minis as they were being used by another DM at the time. However the game didn't suffer for it as it was all Theater of the mind and it worked really well. At no time did either my 10yr old daughter or 14yr old son lose interest or focus, but it also helps if your DM is good at describing things. His descriptions of rooms (right down to the squeaky floor board) were brilliant and I must have investigated one room 3 times before investigating the squeaky floor board, only to find there was nothing underneath it lol.
My wife is in a wheelchair and I would probably say the biggest obstacle to her gaming (besides her own insecurities of worrying what other people think of her) is being able to get to a table to game in the first place. Most places I have been to play have been in the upstairs space in a shop which (in addition to having no lift to get up there) was very cramped. The club I play at now is great as it is in a community centres main hall, so there is plenty of space. In general people have to stop seeing the disability and see the person (unless we are in town and you are walking into the wheelchair or smacking it with your shopping basket, again!), most of the disabled people I have met are some of the most imaginative, creative, craziest people I know and it's great!
From Within Chaos Comes Order!
Todd Talks about playing online (https://youtu.be/_ThfJ3NTdC4) and James Haeck just did a whole write up with links and everything! (https://www.dndbeyond.com/posts/750-new-players-guide-how-to-play-d-d-online). Options for differently abled to host or find online games and how that can work.
Check out my Disabled & Dragons Youtube Channel for 5e Monster and Player Tactics. Helping the Disabled Community and Players and DM’s (both new and experienced) get into D&D. Plus there is a talking Dragon named Quill.
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCPPmyTI0tZ6nM-bzY0IG3ww