Girls-only Dungeons & Dragons is gaming at its best for Catherine Hughes, left, Bridget Hughes, Janny Buwalda and Lyra De Malmanche.

Sisters are doing it for themselves, challenging stereotypes and taking a sword to sexism at the gaming table.

A group of women in Palmerston North have banded together to create a gaming club called Sisters in Arms.

The group aims to introduce more women to the world of roleplaying games such as Dungeons & Dragons.

David Unwin/Fairfax NZ. Bridget Hughes and Janny Buwalda play with their fantasy fates with Dungeons & Dragons 5th edition.

They meet each Tuesday evening and spend a couple of hours gaming together.

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In roleplaying games a player creates their own character and describes what actions they want to take, like firing an arrow at an enemy. The leader of the game, known as a Dungeon Master, determines if those actions are successful by a roll of the dice.

Founder of Sisters in Arms Bridget Hughes said the ratio is normally six men to one or two women for these types of games.

This can present problems for many female gamers.

"There is a hyper-boys club mentality," Hughes said.

This leads to experiences every female gamer can relate to, such as having sexist jokes made at their expense or being talked down to,

A small minority of male players could ruin it for everyone, Hughes said.

"You can just look at them like 'you have never met a real woman in your life have you?'."

Other gamers, such as Jannetje Buwalda​ and Catherine Hughes, agree with her.

"This is a safe spot I can come and have fun," Buwalda said.

The atmosphere at Sister in Arms and lack of sexist comments appealed to her.

"You can learn in peace without having your passions questioned," Catherine Hughes said.

So far, Sisters in Arms has over 160 members on Facebook with people from countries such as the United States, Great Britain and South Africa keen to get involved.

Hughes hopes to expand the group in New Zealand with plans to set up a Sisters in Arms group in Auckland.

Sessions are held every Tuesday evening at The Badcave on Broadway Avenue in Palmerston North. Beginners are welcome.