When today’s #RPGaDay2024 prompt is “Awesome app,” you might be expecting me to rave about some shiny new app that promises to revolutionize your roleplaying sessions. Spoiler alert: that’s not going to happen. If you’ve been following along, you already know where I stand on this. Roleplaying is about the shared experience around the table, not about which app can juggle the most rules or track the most stats. So let’s get into why, despite the allure of digital tools, I still stand by good old-fashioned paper.

First off, let’s talk about apps for looking up rules. Yes, they can be handy in a pinch. I’ve used them myself, sitting there with my phone, desperately searching for that one obscure rule that’s somehow become the linchpin of the entire session. But here’s the thing: if you need an app to constantly look up rules, that might be a sign that the game is just too complicated. I’m all for depth in roleplaying, but there’s a line where complexity stops adding to the experience and starts bogging it down. When you’re spending more time on your phone than engaged in the story, it’s a problem. And let’s be real; how often does that quick rules lookup turn into a five-minute rabbit hole of unrelated browsing?

Now, let’s talk about character sheets. Physical character sheets are bad enough, but digital ones are worse somehow. Sure, there’s a convenience to having everything organized neatly in an app, but it just doesn’t feel right. The digital version lacks the tangible connection that comes with a physical sheet, and it introduces the same distractions as any other app. You know what works even better? Journals. I prefer to use journals, where I can take as much space as I need and add notes wherever I want. There’s a freedom in flipping through pages, scribbling thoughts, and watching the story of your character unfold on paper. Plus, no app can replicate the satisfaction of leafing through a well-used journal filled with the history of your adventures.

Let’s not forget that relying on apps introduces a new set of issues. Battery life, for one. Nothing kills the momentum of a session like someone’s tablet dying right when they’re about to land the final blow on the big bad. Then there’s the issue of compatibility; what happens when your favorite app updates and suddenly doesn’t play nice with your older device? Or worse, when an app you’ve come to rely on just disappears from the app store altogether? Paper, on the other hand, never crashes, never needs an update, and definitely won’t vanish into the digital ether.

But beyond the practical issues, there’s something more fundamental at play here. Roleplaying, at its core, is about immersion. It’s about stepping into a different world, becoming someone else, and sharing that experience with the people around you. Apps, no matter how polished or feature-packed, can pull you out of that experience. They’re a screen between you and the story, a barrier that can make it harder to stay in character and connected with your fellow players.

That’s not to say apps don’t have their place. They can be great for prepping before the session, organizing your campaign notes, or even managing a virtual tabletop for long-distance play. But when it comes to the actual session, when everyone’s gathered around the table, I’ll take analog every time. There’s a simplicity and immediacy to it that digital tools just can’t match. When the focus is on the story and the characters, rather than on navigating an app, the experience is richer and more engaging.

In the end, roleplaying is about people, not technology. It’s about the conversations, the shared jokes, the tension, and the triumphs that happen around the table. Apps might offer convenience, but they can also add layers of complexity that distract from what really matters. So while there are plenty of “awesome apps” out there, I’ll stick with paper, pencil, and a good old-fashioned rulebook. Because when it comes to roleplaying, simple often feels better.

Let’s keep our focus where it belongs—on the adventure, the camaraderie, and the stories we create together. If an app can enhance that without getting in the way, great. But if it’s just another thing to manage, maybe it’s time to consider whether we really need it at all.