D&D General Matt Colville on the “Forever DM”

[Zardnaar]

For many groups, convincing the gang to even TRY anything other than D&D can be a tough sell.

If your group plays other games, has fun, but always comes back to D&D . . . well, you're ahead of the curve! I'm certainly jealous!

I can generally get the to do Star Wars espicially old republic campaign.

 

[tetrasodium]

I think the message is some forever DM's experience fatigue on 5e because the only group they can get to play wants to play 5e, and none of them want to DM. If the group would either play a different ttrpg, or another member of the group is willing to DM, there would be less DM fatigue. Atleast that is my take.

I wouldn't say "only" or "can". Often it's more relationship a friend group or whatever. Although 5e really did a lot that either brought in people who approach the game with fairly toxic mindset when it comes to who is responsible for everyone's fun§ or encouraged them to adopt that toxic mindset. On the topic of everyone having fun at the table "you're the gm, I'm just a player.. you make it happen" is not reasonable but it's very much encouraged.


§ everyone at the table is responsible for it.

 

[Joshua Randall]

Matt's hair and beard […] are still some of the best things on the internet. - Whizbang Dustyboots, 2025

Through the magic of selective editing, I have created your new quote-worthy .signature

 

[Joshua Randall]

For many groups, convincing the gang to even TRY anything other than D&D can be a tough sell.

On a serious note, I will say this: if you are the group’s forever DM, you wield more power than you know, including the power to mandate instead of to convince that the group TRY another game.

Of course you want to use a light touch, a velvet glove on your iron fist, but the breakthrough for me was when I stopped trying to sing the wonders of not-D&D games and wouldn’t the group like to try one? And instead just announced, “Next session we’ll take a break from D&D to play [specific iteration of system I wanted to try].”

 

[Not a Decepticon]

As for trying other games, I've played and tried more RPGs than I can count and had lots of fun with them, but none of them have ever had the staying power and appeal of D&D for me and my friends. We always came back to it.

In his video Matt flat out states that this is both normal and healthy. He also states it is normal for a group to begin with one game and only move out to another once they get bored or to become obsessed for a long time with a single game and only play it.

What I think is important to note is that he is condemning a very specific combination and behavior, not just people who won't try different system, but also people who won't themselves try to run the game.

Now personally I am in a different spot. Because of where I live, I am in multiple different games - Fabula Ultima, Swords & Wizardry, Girl by Moonlight, D&D 5e, Warhammer Fantasy Roleplaying, Blades i nthe Dark - as both player and the Game Master. But I am also the only person willing to run 5e in my circle of friends, I can easily be a player in other systems, just not this one.

 

[GrimCo]

And instead just announced, “Next session we’ll take a break from D&D to play [specific iteration of system I wanted to try].”

Which is nice if you have group that are willing to give it a go. Some people may just respond: Cool, but i'm out, call me when you go back to d&d. Personally, i did it in reverse. Told my group to call me when they play something that isn't D&D, untill then, i'm out. Took them about year or so to switch to something else

As a DM, you can always say: sorry guys, i'm burned out. Either we switch to something else, someone else picks up DMing, or we are taking pause from gaming. How long? Undefined.

 

[KYRON45]

I keep telling you people.....PLAYERS ARE THE WORST!!!

Why won't anyone believe me?!?!

 

[Reynard]

Does Matt really come across as angry? Opinionated, sure, that's OK, even great, but angry? I don't see it.

It never occurred to me that people, especially here, would have such a hate on for Matt. He's basically the distilled version of the GenX GM,but who is actually good at it instead of just believing he is good at it.

 

[AlViking]

There have been times when I was a forever DM and times when I barely DMed at all. Truth be told? I'd rather be a forever DM. I'm fortunate in that I get a mix now which is great.

However the whole "just try a new game" kind of misses the point. I sort of play with a three different groups now (there's a bit of overlap) but most groups? With one group we try to get together every other week but it falls apart on a regular basis in another we're lucky if we get together once a month. When you're only playing 10-11 games per year, trying out a new game just to see if you like it and spending enough time to do that just isn't realistic. Would I like to switch things up now and then? Sure! If I still had a weekly game that met regularly or could do an alternate game to try something new I'd be happy to.

So I may say that I would like to try something else now and then, and I would. But people have busy lives and other commitments, it's not just as easy as my saying "Let's play something else", the willingness of at least some of my player to try something else is only one part of the equation.

 

[darjr]

It never occurred to me that people, especially here, would have such a hate on for Matt. He's basically the distilled version of the GenX GM,but who is actually good at it instead of just believing he is good at it.

He doesn’t think he’s that good, or at least not watchable during the chain.