D&D General The DM Shortage

[Art Waring]

Conclusion: aspiring DMs should take advice from "old school" DMs...just go for it. If you're with friends, they'll love the fact you're trying hard, and you'll get more confident and better as you go. Don't look for your inspiration by mimicking other groups.

I wish this was more prevalent, say apprenticeships for GMing. I tried to show a new GM the ropes but it didn't go too well.

I had an awkward experience a while back related to a new GM who was a good friend of mine.

It was my own fault for introducing them to critical role, but before that they had never really heard of d&d, and the only likely fantasy material they were exposed to was probably the Lotr movies. After a few weeks they said they were going to run their own rpg game, so I said I would play, to give things a try and help out a friend.

It was a disaster on the GM side. He basically had no idea about how to run a game, but he was also completely unwilling to take any advice at all. No joke.

He saw a 5e character sheet and balked at it, instead insisting on making his own ability score system (I was like, dude, there is no need to do things so off the cuff, maybe try and play in a game first before rewriting the whole system?).

He was literally making things up as we went along (and seemingly making up numbered stats on sheets as the game went along), and I was kind chafing at the seams.

And the kicker? I wish I was making this up...

But he claimed he was going to design the first Disney & Dragons book, like an official licensed disney d&d book, when he had never run games before or even read the 5e PHB and I was honestly at a loss as to how to go about explaining things. He just didn't understand the legality of it, let alone the complicated process to publish any licensed IP in a ttrpg. Nevertheless, he insisted on doing things his way, even recording our sessions on his phone without asking us beforehand.

Anyway, I did get through all of his three homebrew sessions before he finally realized it was not working. In part because I was actually doing things a player would do:

Playtest report: We were all forced to pick disney characters (oh the horror), but using my skills of persuasion, I managed to get the GM to agree to let me be Hellboy (nevermind he's not marvel or disney, but the only way I was going to play in a disney & dragons game was by subverting the disney theme in some way).

So my Hellboy PC is standing with the other players in a chamber with a pool of mirrored reflective water, no way to see what was under the water, but I obviously know its a trap. Another player picked doctor doom, and I said, "hey let me borrow your electric gauntlet." I put on the gauntlet, placed it into the water, and snap, a bunch of electrocuted sharks rise to the surface.

The GM didn't know how to respond, since he never learned how to run a game from other people, and never played himself, he saw this as a lose-lose situation in his head, he actually thought I was supposed to just jump in the water without looking first. I think it kind of messed with his head because he ended the game soon after that.

A few weeks later, he had bought the 5e core books, and we started a 5e game, but he was still running it on his own, still disney themed, and still refusing to take advice from an experienced player and GM. And still recording the sessions without asking.

This is just one recent tale of new players entering the hobby.

 

[delericho]

One thing I see a lot of on reddit an similar places is groups of 3 or 4 or even 5 friends unable to find a DM. My first thought for this people is: duh, one of YOU be the DM. That's how this works. Then I think about how I learned to DM way back in 1985 with a Red Box that actually taught the skill, step by step, at the same time it taught the players how to play. D&D had "beginner products" but nothing (I am aware of) that actually handholds a new DM through the process from a to z.

Well, except that the Starter Sets (or at least Lost Mine) does do that - it starts with a very simple dungeon that a newbie can run cold, then as the chapters go on it gradually expands, and then further expands, the demands on the DM. By the end of it, the DM has covered all three pillars, has run multiple quests, and has handled most if not all of the important tasks. And then the adventure gives the PCs a map to "an adventure of your own devising".

It's a really, really well-done product.

So, what do you think is driving the DM shortage? How do you think we (the community) and/or WotC can or should address it?

The DM shortage is largely driven by there being too many players, most of whom would much rather consume than create. Which is something of a nice problem to have.

As for what the community, or even WotC, can do about it: nothing. They've produced multiple Starter Sets, they've produced videos on "how to DM", there's a wealth of experience in the community to provide advice, and there are a great many examples out there for people to follow. Ultimately, there comes a point where someone will either take the plunge or they won't.

 

[MichaelSomething]

I wish this was more prevalent, say apprenticeships for GMing. I tried to show a new GM the ropes but it didn't go too well.

I had an awkward experience a while back related to a new GM who was a good friend of mine.

It was my own fault for introducing them to critical role, but before that they had never really heard of d&d, and the only likely fantasy material they were exposed to was probably the Lotr movies. After a few weeks they said they were going to run their own rpg game, so I said I would play, to give things a try and help out a friend.

It was a disaster on the GM side. He basically had no idea about how to run a game, but he was also completely unwilling to take any advice at all. No joke.

He saw a 5e character sheet and balked at it, instead insisting on making his own ability score system (I was like, dude, there is no need to do things so off the cuff, maybe try and play in a game first before rewriting the whole system?).

He was literally making things up as we went along (and seemingly making up numbered stats on sheets as the game went along), and I was kind chafing at the seams.

And the kicker? I wish I was making this up...

But he claimed he was going to design the first Disney & Dragons book, like an official licensed disney d&d book, when he had never run games before or even read the 5e PHB and I was honestly at a loss as to how to go about explaining things. He just didn't understand the legality of it, let alone the complicated process to publish any licensed IP in a ttrpg. Nevertheless, he insisted on doing things his way, even recording our sessions on his phone without asking us beforehand.

Anyway, I did get through all of his three homebrew sessions before he finally realized it was not working. In part because I was actually doing things a player would do:

Playtest report: We were all forced to pick disney characters (oh the horror), but using my skills of persuasion, I managed to get the GM to agree to let me be Hellboy (nevermind he's not marvel or disney, but the only way I was going to play in a disney & dragons game was by subverting the disney theme in some way).

So my Hellboy PC is standing with the other players in a chamber with a pool of mirrored reflective water, no way to see what was under the water, but I obviously know its a trap. Another player picked doctor doom, and I said, "hey let me borrow your electric gauntlet." I put on the gauntlet, placed it into the water, and snap, a bunch of electrocuted sharks rise to the surface.

The GM didn't know how to respond, since he never learned how to run a game from other people, and never played himself, he saw this as a lose-lose situation in his head, he actually thought I was supposed to just jump in the water without looking first. I think it kind of messed with his head because he ended the game soon after that.

A few weeks later, he had bought the 5e core books, and we started a 5e game, but he was still running it on his own, still disney themed, and still refusing to take advice from an experienced player and GM. And still recording the sessions without asking.

This is just one recent tale of new players entering the hobby.

Recording the sessions? Are they uploaded? Please post links.

 

[Art Waring]

Recording the sessions? Are they uploaded? Please post links.

Haha I wish I had a copy, he recorded the audio on his phone, and never got permission to record us, and never shared the recordings after.

The audio log would have gone as follows: Today Hellboy and friends meet a random disney character, not long after, Hellboy and friends kill said disney character. There was no real social interaction or actual roleplaying, because the GM never had any experience playing or running games. We basically just got combat encounter after encounter, being put up against disney characters with made up stats.

 

[LordEntrails]

This complaint has been around as long as I've been playing D&D, the late '70's. There are now more resources (blogs, videos, books, etc) for an aspiring DM than their ever has been. IMO, any skill that people want to learn is now easier than any time in history to learn. It just takes the determination to do so and access to the internet. (And really no other costs in a vast majority of cases.) Challenging technical topics like math, software coding, vehicle dynamics, etc can all be learned online for free, if someone determines they wish to do so. DM'ing is no different.

I think you are missing my point: WotC needs to reproduce the techniques of the 1983 Basic Set if they want to solve the "DM crisis."

Oh I hope not. IMO those methods teach the completely wrong way to DM.

 

[humble minion]

I DMed two campaigns to high level in the 3rd ed era, and then had a big RP hiatus until we got the band back together and started up again in 5e when Covid hit, with me as a player this time.

I've been looking for another group I can play in for quite a while now, without any success. There's been a few possibilities on my local 'D&D players looking for game' facebook group, but nothing in the timeslots/locations that work for me.

So I'm thinking of putting my hand up to DM again. Far as I can tell, if you say you're willing to DM, the players will show up, and the new Dragonlance has got me a bit itchy.

For me, the stuff holding me back is:

• it's a big time commitment, even if I'm running sessions fortnightly, and I've already got other hobbies and interests that I'm not giving as much time to as I'd prefer
• will I still be itchy about Dragonlance in a year and a half when the campaign is still going, or will I have drifted off to some other interest du jour?
• perhaps mostly, I've gotten spoiled because our current game is run over FGU (the GM has a high-level subscription) and I'd find it really had to go back to old-school gaming with manually having to write out the initiative order every combat (or every round, if you're using re-rolling initiative), and all the players having to keep track of hp and conditions, and trying to manage a map on the table ... urgh. I'm a big VTT convert these days, but that adds a bit to the hurdle I'd have to clear. Even if I just use a local VTT to do initiative, maps etc with a projector or a TV connected to the laptop, learning the software is another learning curve to worry about, when I haven't GMed for 15 years and never in 5th ed.

I'd still PREFER to play, and not just because of the work involved. I've got a whole bunch of PC concepts I'd love to have a go with. I think I'd rather DM this new game rather than not have a new game at all, but would I get frustrated with settling for second best?

 

[Paul Farquhar]

with a Red Box that actually taught the skill, step by step, at the same time it taught the players how to play.

I call rose-tinted nostalgia specs on this one.


But the issue isn't skill. The issue is TIME. I pretty much gave it up from leaving school to becoming semi-retied. You can't be a DM and work full time. Not enough hours in a day.

Secondary (but still significant) issues:

Cost. The DM is generally expected to be the person who buys all the books.

Feeling underappreciated.

 

[Reynard]

Oh I hope not. IMO those methods teach the completely wrong way to DM.

How so?

 

[Reynard]

I call rose-tinted nostalgia specs on this one.

You should pull put your copy and look at it again. It presents a fully stocked first level along with advice how to run it. Then it gives you a map of the second level and tells you the important bits of what's there, but has you stock it. Finally it leaves you to create and stock the 3rd level. That is about as complete an instruction manual you can present.

 

[Minigiant]

He saw a 5e character sheet and balked at it, instead insisting on making his own ability score system (I was like, dude, there is no need to do things so off the cuff, maybe try and play in a game first before rewriting the whole system?).

Oh I saw this at least a couple times.

The DM shortage is largely driven by there being too many players, most of whom would much rather consume than create. Which is something of a nice problem to have.

It's the opposite. The players want to create too much and either spook themselves or run something over their skill level.