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Being a “gamer girl” can be a surreal experience. For all the guys who don’t think women can hack it in the gaming world, there are thousands who ask Santa for more gamer girls every year. Thanks to the scarcity of gamer girls out there, we lucky ladies get just one stereotype to share between us—which means everyone has a great idea of exactly who you are before you even open your mouth. Part of the current stereotype is that we gamer girls fight with each other in order to compete for attention, status, and all those eligible gamer men.

An entertaining notion to be sure, and I can see why there is that perception. However, while I can’t speak for all gamer women, I really don’t think that sexual competition is at the root of the various rifts. I think it’s about image and branding, and what they do to the everyday life of your everyday gamer woman.

When Stereotypes Attack

There’s a great XKCD comic, where a man fails at a math problem, and they say, “Wow, you suck at math” and then a woman fails at the math problem, and they say, “Wow, girls suck at math.”

It’s funny because it’s so, so true. Not the woman sucking at math part—my mother is a mathematical genius, and current research supports that women are equally skilled in this area, thank you very much—but the stereotyping bit. I am fully aware that in some circumstances, I represent my whole gender, and it terrifies me. Making a mistake in general sucks; making a mistake your whole gender will henceforth be branded with? Priceless.

Read the rest at the WotC Book Club!

Are you a parent who wants to share the fun of Dungeons & Dragons with your kids, but you’re worried that the rules are too complicated or a standard adventure would tax their attention spans? Are you a teacher or librarian who would like to introduce your students to the game, but you’re reluctant to take on the regular time commitment of a full-blown campaign?

There are a great many reasons to share D&D with kids. Besides being just the kind of imaginative play that kids naturally engage in, Dungeons & Dragons develops an array of essential educational skills, including:

• Math skills
• Reading skills
• Writing skills
• Cooperation and leadership
• Problem-solving
• Creative thinking

We’ve heard from many of you out there that you’ve been wanting to unlock these benefits for your kids, but you feel that they’re not ready for the basic game or you just don’t have the time to run your own campaign. So we put together this variation, based on the new novel for young readers, Monster Slayers by Lukas Ritter, and his accompanying short story, Training Day. Monster Slayers: The Heroes of Hesiod captures the flavor, fun, and educational benefits of Dungeons & Dragons in a fast-paced, easy-to-learn experience for kids ages six years old and up.

Monster Slayers: The Heroes of Hesiod requires no previous knowledge of Dungeons & Dragons, and all you need to play is included in this adventure, aside from a few dice and pencils (and some friends to play it with). Play time can be as little as fifteen minutes or as long as an hour, depending on how many monsters you run.

Monster Slayers: The Heroes of Hesiod isn’t just for kids. It’s also a fun diversion for experienced players who need their D&D fix but don’t have the time for a full-length game. Or share it with your non-gamer family and friends who claim to be intimidated by the rules of the game. It won’t be long before they’re hooked on the game you love!

Give it a try here, and let us know what you think!