Is The Hangover a D&D Game?
As I was flying into Vegas this week, I thought to myself of the similarities of The Hangover and Dungeons & Dragons. One is a raunchy comedy about a wild bachelor party gone wrong, while the other is a classic TTRPG that involves dice rolling and character creation.
Wait, raunchy comedy about a party gone wrong? Sounds like our party, and definitely more like most D&D games than the recent spate of heist adventures trying to pretend to be Ocean’s Eleven.
In this blog post, we’ll compare The Hangover to a D&D game, highlighting some of the ways in which the two overlap.
Character Creation
One of the first steps in playing D&D is creating a character. You choose a race, a class, and customize your character’s stats and abilities. Similarly, in The Hangover, each of the four main characters has their own distinct personality and quirks. Phil is the responsible one, Stu is the timid dentist, Alan is the oddball, and Doug is the groom-to-be. Each character’s unique traits play a role in the events of the movie, just like a character’s abilities and stats affect their actions in a D&D game. Alen even has a sachel.
Adventure Time
Once characters are created, the players embark on an adventure. In D&D, this usually involves a quest or a mission that the characters must complete. The Hangover is also a kind of adventure story, with the characters waking up after a night of partying to find that they’ve lost the groom and have to retrace their steps to find him. Along the way, they encounter various obstacles and challenges, just like in a D&D game.
Dice Rolling
One of the defining features of D&D is the use of dice rolling to determine the outcome of actions. Similarly, in The Hangover, chance plays a significant role in the characters’ journey. For example, when they steal a police car, they randomly discover a tiger in the backseat. Later, they win money in a casino game of blackjack by drawing a perfect hand. The element of luck adds an unpredictable and exciting element to both D&D and The Hangover.
NPC Interactions
In D&D, non-player characters (NPCs) play an important role in the adventure. The characters must interact with NPCs to gather information, complete quests, or purchase items. In The Hangover, the characters interact with various NPCs, including a stripper, a wedding chapel owner, and a Chinese gangster. These interactions shape the plot of the movie and provide comedic relief.
Teamwork
Finally, both D&D and The Hangover require teamwork. In D&D, players must work together to overcome obstacles and complete quests. Similarly, in The Hangover, the characters must work together to solve the mystery of what happened the night before and find the missing groom. Each character has their own strengths and weaknesses, and they must rely on each other to succeed.
There you have it - The Hangover is a D&D Game. We all have been in the oddball situations from the movie…..and admit it, we can match all the characters to players we know, although personally - I do not know if it is a compliment or insult when people say I am just like Alan?
Oh Well - WOLFPACK FOREVER!
