Virtual D&D Still Has Perks In-Person Sessions Don’t

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Although is traditionally played in person at a table, the pandemic saw many groups transition to gaming via webcam using virtual tabletop programs, and many have found that web-based has some unexpected advantages. The social element of tabletop RPGs has always been a distinguishing feature of the hobby, and some veteran fans were skeptical of virtual RPG sessions. Beyond enabling people to enjoy tabletop RPGs while social distancing, virtual campaigns offer flexibility, particularly for adult fans working around busy schedules, or those with friends in distant regions. Virtual cannot replicate every aspect of in-person gaming, but its benefits outweigh any drawbacks.

There are ways to ensure combat does not require an entire session to resolve, but some battles do take longer than others. Many groups do not wish to end a session mid-battle, and with a traditional in-person tabletop game, this makes sense. Few households have a dedicated gaming table, and most groups pack up the grid maps and miniatures at the end of each session. This can make it hard to end a session mid-campaign and keep track of where everything was next time.

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The ease of resuming combat the following session with virtual means the Dungeon Master can pace the campaign more organically. Whatever time the group allocates for any given session can be used to its fullest, since the DM will not need to end a session prematurely when the group enters the campaign’s notably difficult battles, or any other combat that might take more time to finish than the session allows for. Many players have switched to purchasing RPGs as PDFs instead of physical books, or through programs like Roll20. Having a