What would your character do? Emotional intelligence, psychological safety and identity in TTRPG design

Abstract

This paper explores how Dungeon Masters (DMs) design and facilitate scenarios in Dungeons & Dragons (DnD) that scaffold the practice of emotional intelligence (EI) during play. This study used a qualitative, abductive methodology, drawing on interviews, co-design data and live gameplay recordings to examine how narrative and mechanics engaged players in emotional regulation, empathy and relationship management. DnD is positioned as an immersive environment for leadership learning, where emotionally intelligent behaviours are rehearsed
and refined through narrative framing, role negotiation and in-character
decision-making under uncertainty. Findings highlight a series of mechanics and design strategies such as soft failure, secret objectives and managed player-versus-player tension that support players in exploring emotional and interpersonal dynamics in character. These moments are deliberately structured to support reflection and interpersonal responsiveness; the construct of ’alibi’ enables psychological safety and experimentation, while ’bleed’ facilitates personal insight and identity work. This analysis contributes a practice-oriented map of the levers DMs use to design for emotional engagement and identity work, as well as of how players respond in terms of leadership, identity and group dynamics.

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Identifiers

ORCID for Kristina Louise Risley: orcid.org/0000-0002-4368-6175

ORCID for Vanissa Wanick: orcid.org/0000-0002-6367-1202

ORCID for Richard Gomer: orcid.org/0000-0001-8866-3738

ORCID for Chris Buckingham: orcid.org/0000-0001-8417-1007

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