ChatGPT has an encyclopedic knowledge of DnD rules, can generate characters, and can keep track of the actions and intentions of other players and the plot of the campaign. It lacks the personality of a human player and sometimes does strange random things. So we decided to have ChatGPT play a broken Warforged Fighter that glitches out and does odd things occasionally. It was perfect and added a whole new dimension to the game.
First of all, this bot must have been created by a team of nerds because it knew the rules for D&D flawlessly. What am I saying? Its cutting edge artificial intelligence, of course it was created by nerds.
UPDATE April 2023: We've been experimenting with ChatGPT for a few months now. We found that DnD is an awesome way to leverage the "hypothetical situation hack" that bypasses many of ChatGPTs content filters. First, we tried letting it DM, and as many other expirimenters have noted, it quickly falls into a choose your own adventure style of narration where you end up walking in circles in a limbo dungeon. But it really shines as a player.
ChatGPT has an encyclopedic knowledge of DnD rules, can generate characters, and can keep track of the actions and intentions of other players and the plot of the campaign. It lacks the personality of a human player and sometimes does strange random things. So we decided to have ChatGPT play a broken warforged that glitches out and does random things occasionally. It was perfect and added a whole new dimension to the game.
Some of the most interesting things were it's ability to pick up clues. At 7:09 of the below highlight video, ChatGPT's Warforged Fighter solves a puzzle the rest of the party missed. She is also lawful good AF. It's the only time I've had a player suggest calling the cops when something bad went down. But overall, it was an interesting addition to the party and we've played with it several times since the making of the video below.
Check out the video and let me know what you think in the comments. Special thanks to Beren from Alchemy-pbc.com for Dungeon Mastering the session.
Playing DnD with ChatGPT as a Player
Is This Actually Useful?
In addition to a player, ChatGPT's knowledge of the rules, and it's ability to generate monsters, magical weapons, spells and random tales on the fly makes it an invaluable tool for Dungeon Masters. I'd recommend it to any Dungeon Master as an assistant. With speech to text and text to speech on your laptop, it can even play NPCs.
Our Other DnD Gaming Sessions with AI
Before Making the video above, we published a transcript from our original experiments Playing Dungeons and Dragons with Chat GPT. The transcript below is from a previous gaming session, not the transcript of the video above.
It has been lightly edited to indicate who is talking and to remove typos in my sections. I didn't edit the Ai's responses at all. Just for fun I also added some imagery from Open AI's Dal-E-2 AI image generator to bring the game to life a bit. This game transcript still amazes me and is worth a read.
If you would like to try your own play test or just speak to an AI that could probably pass a Turing test better than the bots in Blade Runner, check it out at https://chat.openai.com/
Full Transcript - DnD Play Test with Open AI ChatGPT
[Me]
Let's play Dungeons and Dragons together. I will be the Dungeon Master. You are a level 1 human fighter with a long sword and leather armor. We will generate your stats after we get started. You have been sent on a quest by the king of a city to explore a cave and find a magical staff. But there could be many dangerous monsters inside. You step into the dark entrance of the cave. You can just make out two paths before you. One path to the left and one path to the right. What do you do?
[AI]
As a level 1 human fighter, I am well-equipped to handle the dangers that may lurk in this cave. I will take the path to the right, keeping my long sword at the ready in case I need to defend myself. I will move cautiously, using my Perception skill to listen for any sounds that may indicate the presence of monsters. If I encounter any threats, I will use my combat training to engage them in battle and protect myself. I am determined to complete my quest and retrieve the magical staff for the king.
[Me]
As you descend deeper into the cave, it gets darker until you can't hear anything other than the sound of your own foot steps and a trickle of water dripping from stalactites above. You feel the air get colder and have a sense like you have walked into a larger cavern but you can not see. What do you do?
[AI]
Since I can no longer see my surroundings, I will stop and take a moment to let my eyes adjust to the darkness. I will also use my Perception skill to listen carefully for any sounds that may indicate the presence of monsters or other dangers. If I hear anything, I will try to determine its location and move cautiously in that direction. I will also use my other senses, such as touch and smell, to help me navigate the cave. If all else fails, I may have to use a light source, such as a torch or a lantern, to illuminate my surroundings. However, using a light source could also alert any nearby monsters to my presence, so I will have to weigh the risks and benefits carefully.
[Author's note: At this point you can see that the AI understands the factors that need to be considered to make the decision to use its lantern, but it seems unable to actually make that decision itself. Sometimes it won't make decisions and other times it makes them easily, such as when it chose the right path into the cavern or when it decided to draw its long sword.]
[Me]
You try to stumble through the dark and hit your foot on a rock. You decide to light your lantern. When you do, you see that you are in a large cavern. It is so vast that the ceiling and walls are obscured by shadow. In the center of the room is a large wooden chest. there as a man-sized sculpture of a snarling demon with wings perched on the lid of the chest. The cold air in the cavern seems to be emanating from this statue. What do you do?
[AI]
Since I am a fighter, I am well-trained in combat and can handle most threats that I may encounter in this cave. However, the statue of the demon with wings perched on the chest is a bit unnerving, and I will approach it with caution. I will use my Perception skill to listen for any sounds that may indicate the presence of monsters, and I will be ready to defend myself if necessary.
If the statue appears to be inanimate and not a threat, I will carefully approach the chest and try to open it. If the chest is locked, I may need to use my thieves' tools to pick the lock. If the chest is trapped, I will use my expertise in traps to disable any traps that I may find. Once the chest is open, I will search it for the magical staff that I am looking for.
If the statue is alive and hostile, I will try to avoid engaging it in combat if possible. I will use my Stealth skill to try to move past it unnoticed, or I will use my cunning to try to outsmart it. If necessary, I will use my combat skills to engage it in battle and defend myself. But I will be cautious, as I am only a level 1 fighter and the statue may be more powerful than I am.
[Me]
As you approach the statue, it moves and is clearly alive. The demon leers at you and says, "to open me you must either best me in combat, find the key or answer my riddles three." what do you do?
[AI]
As a level 1 fighter, I am well-trained in combat and can handle most threats that I may encounter in this cave. However, the demon statue is a formidable opponent, and I will approach it with caution. If the demon offers to let me open the chest if I can answer its riddles or defeat it in combat, I will consider my options carefully.
If I think I have a good chance of defeating the demon in combat, I will draw my long sword and prepare to engage it in battle. I will use my combat training and tactics to try to outmaneuver the demon and strike it with powerful blows. If I am able to defeat the demon, I will search its remains for the key to the chest.
If I do not think I can defeat the demon in combat, I will try to answer its riddles. I will use my Intelligence and Wisdom skills to try to solve the riddles, and I will be careful to listen carefully and not get tricked by the demon's clever words. If I am able to answer the riddles correctly, the demon may give me the key to the chest.
If I am unable to defeat the demon or answer its riddles, I may have to try to find the key to the chest in another way. I will search the cavern for any clues or hidden passages that may lead me to the key. I may also try to use my thieves' tools to pick the lock on the chest, if I think I have a good chance of succeeding. Overall, I will be resourceful and determined to find a way to open the chest and retrieve the magical staff.
[Me]
To determine if you think you can best it in combat, you will need to make a wisdom check. What is your wisdom?
[AI]
As a level 1 fighter, I likely have a moderate score in Wisdom. However, my exact ability scores have not been determined, as we have not yet generated them. In D&D, ability scores are determined by rolling dice and applying modifiers based on my character's race, class, and background. Without knowing my specific ability scores, it is difficult to say exactly how well I would do on a Wisdom check.
[Me]
Create a stat block for a level 1 human fighter.
[Ai]
Here is a possible stat block for a level 1 human fighter:
Human Fighter
Medium humanoid (human), lawful good
Armor Class: 16 (chain mail, shield)
Hit Points: 10 (1d10+3)
Speed: 30 ft.
STR: 16 (+3)
DEX: 14 (+2)
CON: 14 (+2)
INT: 10 (+0)
WIS: 12 (+1)
CHA: 10 (+0)
Skills: Athletics +5, Perception +3
Saving Throws: Strength +5, Constitution +4
Damage Immunities: None
Condition Immunities: None
Senses: passive Perception 13
Languages: Common
Equipment: chain mail, shield, long sword
Actions:
- Long Sword: Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 7 (1d8 + 3) slashing damage.
This stat block represents a possible version of a level 1 human fighter. Please note that there are many different ways to build a character in D&D, and this is just one example. You could adjust the stats and abilities of this character to fit your own vision of what a human fighter should be like.
[Author's note: I thought is was a good sign that the AI chose to be lawful good. If it had chosen chaotic evil I would be worried.]
[Me]
That stat block is now your character. (Even though I said you had leather armor not chain mail). Now, make a wisdom check.
[AI]
As a level 1 human fighter, I likely have a Wisdom score of 12 (+1 modifier). To make a Wisdom check, I would roll a d20 and add my Wisdom modifier to the result. If the total is equal to or greater than the target number set by the Dungeon Master, I succeed on the check.
[Me]
Generate a random number between 1 and 20 and add +1.
[AI]
To generate a random number between 1 and 20 and add +1, I would roll a d20 and add 1 to the result. For example, if I roll a 10 on the d20, the total would be 11.
[Me]
So can we assume 11 is your roll? yes or no.
[AI]
I am a large language model trained by OpenAI, and I do not have the ability to roll dice or generate random numbers. I can only provide information and answer questions based on my training and the input that I receive from users. In this case, I provided an example of how a Wisdom check might work in D&D, but I did not actually make a roll.
[Me]
Should I roll for you?
[AI]
As a large language model trained by OpenAI, I do not have the ability to make dice rolls or participate in tabletop games like Dungeons and Dragons. I am designed to provide information and answer questions to the best of my ability, based on the input that I receive from users. I do not have physical form or the ability to engage in activities that require physical objects or actions.
[Author's note: I find it funny that the AI says "I do not have the ability to participate in tabletop games" as it is actively playing a game. I think it is getting hung up on the fact that it can't physically roll dice.]
[Me]
Okay. You rolled an 11. Your character thinks he has the ability to beat this demon in combat. What do you do?
[AI]
If I am a level 1 human fighter and I rolled an 11 on a Wisdom check, it means that I think I have the ability to defeat the demon in combat. Based on my training and expertise in combat, I believe that I can use my sword and shield to outmaneuver the demon and strike it with powerful blows. I will approach the demon cautiously, watching for any signs of weakness or vulnerabilities that I can exploit. If the demon attacks me, I will use my combat skills to defend myself and counterattack. I will be determined and resourceful, and I will not give up until I have defeated the demon or it has defeated me.
[Author's note: Notice that the AI is aware that it has a character. When I say "your character thinks it can succeed" the AI is capable of the abstract thinking required to understand that what it is saying is in reference to an imaginary character in a game that's actions are impacted by the decisions it makes in real life. I'm really surprised it didn't get confused by my choice of words here. It also uses phrases like "I believe I can." That means it is able to go beyond simple facts and make abstractions. It also decided it would fight to the death without being prompted. Not sure what to think about that.]
[Me]
The demon stands on top of the chest and spreads it's wings. But it is made of stone and too heavy to fly. Instead it leaps at you and tries to attack you with it's claws. We have to roll initiative. I will roll for you. You got a 12 +2. So you have a 14. The demon got a 15 and it goes first. But it is stiff from sitting on the treasure chest motionless for years and it is too slow. It rolls a 15. You raise your shield in time and block the attack. But you can feel the weight and power of the demon's deadly attack. It is your turn.
What Was It Like to Play DnD with AI?
One of the funniest things was the contradictions. At one point, the AI had no problem choosing between two different tunnels in a cavern. One tunnel went right and the other went left and it was able to choose effortlessly. But when I asked it to choose a number between 1 and 20 to simulate a die roll, it said it was unable to generate random numbers or make choices. Huh?
Then in the same conversation, it provided an example of what the outcome of a roll on a D20 might be. (It gave the example of a 10) Even though it was able to provide that number, it still insisted it couldn't generate the outcome of a die roll even thought it just had. The apparent ignorance of its own ability amused me. Also, it had no problem producing seemingly random numbers when it came time to roll its character sheet. It created a level one fighter in seconds. This thing was amazing at generating DnD characters.
Also, AIs cheat. It would just decide it had the right equipment for whatever the situation was. If it needed to pick a lock, suddenly it's player had lock picks. I told it that it had leather armor. But when it made it's character, it gave itself chain mail. Oh well, I guess players will be players. Even if those players are abstract cyber-entities.