Any DM of Dungeons and Dragons is no stranger to using shortcuts. The average DM handles tons of moving parts for their campaigns. You need unique names for every town, key NPCs, story items, and of course, villains. Many DMs enjoy the big picture stuff but struggle with the smaller details.
Let those who have not used a random name generator cast the first stone, I say. But coming up with names is one thing. Crafting entire campaigns is another, and some DMs have begun considering Generative AI instead for their DnD books. As a DM myself, I can see the temptation of letting the machine soul do your work.
Using these tools undeniably saves a lot of time. Not only can it write up names, but even generate illustrations of the DM's prompt. If you need a quick image for a small town sinking in a swamp, generative AI can do so in seconds. The same is true for whatever manner of NPC, magic item, or big bad villain you prompt for.
On its face, using AI seems like a no-brainer. Only, do you want to "no-brain" your campaign? Whenever people bring up AI, the one word that always pops up is convenience. Why bother fleshing out your ideas when AI can do it for you? Simple. Using AI can potentially hinder your creativity. And that's not just anecdotal.
A study from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in Cambridge (MIT) set out to determine what overreliance on AI does to cognition. The researchers discovered that those who relied on AI had low cognitive performance scores. These subjects found it difficult to recall details and were less satisfied with their work.
Think of it like never taking off the training wheels of a bike. Sure, it's objectively easier to ride one, but at some point, the wheels have to come off. It pains me to see people obsessed with taking shortcuts on their creative potential. Of all the things to use AI for, why would you want to skimp on your beloved hobby?
I remember the first time I ever ran a DnD game. I felt so many emotions. Anxiety over being a DM with no experience. Anger at myself for not preparing the right stat blocks on the day proper. Sadness, as one of my players told me, they couldn't attend. Butterflies in way more than just my stomach.
But at the same time, I remember just how much fun I had creating my campaign. I loved naming every single goblin in that dumb little village. I loved the diverse personalities and backstories I made for them, even though most went undiscovered. I laughed at the devious traps I crafted for my unsuspecting players. I remember the pride filling my chest when the players complimented the NPC I tailor-made for them to fawn over.
Being a DM is more than just running a generic game for people. You create these worlds, and you live in them. You sculpt the story not with the help of some corporate algorithm, but through the experiences of your players. You will make mistakes, and you will learn from them. You see your players get attached to characters you didn't expect. As the campaign evolves, so do your skills as a DM.
But if you rely on AI to make that world, then the world will never be yours. I'm no Tolkien or Le Guin, but I'm glad the worlds I've written are my own. I wouldn't trade any amount of convenience for the memories I've made, all with my own mind.
And you shouldn't either.
Need some human help with your next DnD campaign? The good folks over at the Wargamer Discord are there to the rescue. If you'd rather be a player this time around, freshen up with our DnD character creator guide.