The Combat Wheelchair was created by Sara Thompson. They way I see it, the purpose of the Combat Wheelchair is to allow Dungeons & Dragons players who use wheelchairs to create a character that they can relate to. The person running the game can also make an NPC (non-player character) who uses the Combat Wheelchair. It makes Dungeons & Dragons more inclusive.
I am disabled. My allergies are numerous due to having a malfunctioning immune system. I also have fibromyalgia, which is a neurological disease. There are many days where trying to stand up is a gamble, and walking is an extremely slow process. There is no cure for either of my disabilities.
My husband and I went to Disneyland to celebrate our anniversary. We intended to hang out in the Star Wars section. but getting there would require more walking than I could manage. It turns out that Disneyland rents wheelchairs. The wheelchair enabled me to visit Batuu with my husband, and I am thankful for that opportunity.
The Combat Wheelchair caught my attention the first time I heard about it. The thought of playing a disabled character sounded very appealing. It’s nice to feel seen.
The Combat Wheelchair was based on the ones used in wheelchair basketball and rugby – meaning that they are durable! It comes with a set of gloves that the character can use to use the push wheel rims, and it has seatbelts. It can also be maneuvered with the use of Beacon Stones and can hover to get the character up or down stairs. A player can add two upgrades to the Combat Wheelchair. It comes with a rear backrest compartment that is the equivalent of a standard explorer’s pack.
I love that the Combat Wheelchair allows a disabled character to have the same potential that an abled character starts with. All characters can go into battle and attack enemies in their own ways (based on the character’s class and personality). Everyone can move themselves to where they need to go while adventuring.
Best of all, the Combat Wheelchair makes it very clear that there is a disabled character in the party. Doing so helps normalize disabled people in the real world who use wheelchairs. This can open up discussion around the (physical or virtual) table about disabilities.