You’ve probably seen it before on TV or in movies where characters are playing D&D while dressing as their characters.

To new players, it might even seem like you have to dress up if you’re going to play! However, it can still be a fun experience if your group chooses to do so!

Some players dress up to add an extra level of immersion into the world they are playing in, while others may not have any interest in doing so at all.

Dressing up for special occasions during your D&D session can still be very fun and create deeper immersion in the game world.

In this article, I will explain what you should consider when deciding if you want to dress up for your games and how it could benefit the other players.

No Costumes Required

The vast majority of D&D groups don’t use costumes in their game. At most, one or two players might wear an accessory or something that is reminiscent of their character.

The Monk player might put on a headband when combat starts or the Swashbuckling Rogue might throw on a pirate hat.

In the game where I played my character of Tabletop Joab, I started wearing a straw farmer’s hat I picked up at a craft store for some of our games. It was silly but fun!

For many players, just using miniatures to represent where the characters are on the field helps them get into the game.

Related: How to Paint Miniatures (Even If You Have No Clue!)

While it varies from group to group and there are certainly some groups out there that really enjoy adding a LARP (live-action roleplay) element to their game, most groups tend to stay much more casual.

Acquisitions Incorporated at PAX West 2018

Adding Costumes To Your D&D Game Can Be Fun!

While you don’t have to dress up as your character to play D&D, it can still be very fun!  Dressing up for special occasions in the game can add an extra level of fun to your sessions.

Some groups may choose to dress up during special events that happen only once, like a special holiday or a celebration. Personally, I’m a huge fan of this!

We’ll go over some special occasions to bust out the costumes in a moment.

The idea of bringing costumes into your D&D game really touches back on a key question that I admittedly tend to harp about a bit. Namely, “what are the members of your D&D group looking to get out of this experience?”

Personally, I love the escapism and sense of immersion that comes from a great D&D session. Whether I’m the DM or a player, that’s just something that I really get into!

Incorporating costumes (whether it’s just an accessory or a full-blown costume) really adds to the experience to help me get what I am personally wanting to gain from the session beyond just playing the game.

To other players, the idea of having to dress up or speak as their character might be a nightmare.

It’s about what’s a good fit for the group. However, I do think that dressing up for your D&D game is something that every single group should try at least once!

Also Check Out: 9 Powerful Tips to Engage Players in Your D&D Game

Occasions to Dress Up For Your D&D Game

Costumes are especially fun to incorporate into your D&D game for special events like holidays, one-shots, or particularly big sessions. This can make your players feel truly immersed in the world and is lots of fun for everyone involved!

For example, one of my groups just finished the Curse of Strahd adventure. For the final session, the players dressed as their characters and I dressed as Strahd Von Zarovich. Being in costume really added even more excitement into the final session that we had been building towards for an entire year!

In the case of a holiday like Halloween, it can also be just as exciting!  Whether you dress up as your character or not, dressing up for Halloween can be a lot of fun.

I’m a big fan of how the cast of Critical Role dress up for Halloween, particularly when the cast members are dressing as NPCs from within their own game.

Having fun and “nerding out” as a group is a great way to keep excitement high while helping the group grow together. Special occasions like this are the kinds of memories that you’ll always have to look back on and laugh!

The cast of Critical Role dressing as their favorite NPCs for Halloween.

Conclusion

Costumes are not required to play D&D but they can be a lot of fun! They make getting into character or playing in an immersive world easier.

You don’t have to dress up, but if you want that extra level of immersion then it’s worth trying at least once. There is no one way to do things and there are some groups out there who enjoy the LARP element, so what works for your group might vary from others’.

Has your group ever dressed up for the occasion? I’d love to hear about it in the comments!

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And since we’re coming up on the perfect time for dressing up, be sure to check out these top 10 monsters for your next Halloween D&D game!

Credit for this article’s cover photo: Critical Role