Last April, I had the opportunity to attend a small gaming convention called the D8 Summit. It was a wonderful experience that raised an interesting question that I would like to explore with you. Is it really a game if you have infinite luck?
The purpose of the DB Summit was to gather gamers together to enjoy a weekend of gaming while raising money for a good cause. They partnered with PADS of Illinois Valley, a local homeless shelter. A portion of the proceeds from the event funded the renovation of a domestic violence shelter in Dixon, IL. The slogan of the conference is “When people game for charity, everybody wins!” What a wonderful goal and it was indeed a wonderful experience!
Setting
The 2018 DB Summit was held at the Grizzly Jack’s Grand Bear Resort in Utica, Illinois. We really enjoyed staying at the lodge with its whimsical theming. By staying at the lodge we could easily come and go to events throughout the weekend.
I participated in several adventurer’s league games and had a blast. When not playing in an official event we enjoyed playing games from their board game library. We were also able to play some escape room board games that we had brought with us in the lounge area of the lodge.
We also had the opportunity to spend time at one of our favorite parks, Starved Rock which is located near the lodge. This beautiful state park is full of natural beauty and April was a perfect time to visit as the waterfalls were rushing and the trees were bursting with new growth.
Game Time!
In the official events, I played as my character Menoly DePern, a beginning level Bard. The adventure involved saving a port town from invaders. It was my first time playing a D&D Epic which is a multi-table events in which players cooperate across tables, unlocking events and fulfilling quests that affect the whole room. Players dressed in costume wander around the room introducing challenges into the games.
I Feel Lucky…
However, there was an interesting twist used at the convention. When participating in organized events, players could use “luck tickets”. To raise money for charity, strips of paper tickets were sold that could be later used to re-roll a die roll. It was a great way to raise money. Who doesn’t want a do-over?! If you roll a 1, just toss a ticket to the DM and you get to roll again. Infinite luck!
When actually playing using this mechanism, I noticed that it drastically changed the game. Is it really a game, if you remove the aspect of luck? Isn’t the G in RPG supposed to stand for game? What is the difference between cooperatively telling a story and playing a game if you are basically removing the die rolls?
Initially, I felt uneasy about the game element being altered. I felt like I was somehow cheating. Is your PC still a hero if you know you can always win at whatever you do? You are like Superman without Kryptonite. Rushing into a town to save the villagers is no big deal if you know you will always kill those Orcs.
However, a very talented player across from me showed me that I needed to lighten up and focus on the other aspects of gaming. He played a magic-using gnome who enjoyed flying his pterosaur into battle. His creativity, and use of facial expressions and a fanciful voice reminded me that this was time for role-playing to shine. This event was a chance to try those insane maneuvers that you may never dare to attempt in a normal game!
Better Lucky AND Good
By the end of the event, I was tossing in those luck tickets as fast as everyone else was, enjoying the experience of having infinite luck. I was in a world without limits! Best of all, the convention raised over $5000 for PADS of Illinois Valley! Thank you to all the organizers and volunteers for the work they did. They were the real heroes!
Bitzy the Bard
“Life is an adventure story and you are the star. Choose to play a hero!”
