DM For Hire - Rates?
- Thread starter HiLiphNY
- Start date
der_kluge
Adventurer
There is someone on here who is a professional DM. I can't think of his name off-hand. He works for a small non-profit company and DMs for their staff. He falls under the "team building" budget. He gets paid hourly.
If you look at it as a form of entertainment, it's usually more fun than going to a movie. You'd have to be willing to see it as a form of entertainment, but with paying for something comes a level of expectation. I know a lot of people wouldn't be comfortable paying to play, when they expect it for free.
That said, I think under the right circumstances I'd probably pay $5 to play, but probably not more than that. And I'd have to know that it was going to be a good game. I wouldn't pay $5 for some crap GM who didn't know what he was doing.
If you look at it as a form of entertainment, it's usually more fun than going to a movie. You'd have to be willing to see it as a form of entertainment, but with paying for something comes a level of expectation. I know a lot of people wouldn't be comfortable paying to play, when they expect it for free.
That said, I think under the right circumstances I'd probably pay $5 to play, but probably not more than that. And I'd have to know that it was going to be a good game. I wouldn't pay $5 for some crap GM who didn't know what he was doing.
HiLiphNY
Explorer
Yeah. . . I remember that thread. Let's also do a little bit of number crunching:
Assumptions: Average party size: 4 Players.
Average Game Time: 5 Hours
@ $ 5.00 = $4.00/hr Rate for the DM.
@ $10.00 = $8.00/hr
@ $15.00 = $12.00/hr
@ $20.00 = $16.00/hr
@ <$5.00 = YOU CHEAP BASTARDS!
Knowing this, I probably would not accept anything less than the upper end of the scale if I were to charge for my services rendered!
Assumptions: Average party size: 4 Players.
Average Game Time: 5 Hours
@ $ 5.00 = $4.00/hr Rate for the DM.
@ $10.00 = $8.00/hr
@ $15.00 = $12.00/hr
@ $20.00 = $16.00/hr
@ <$5.00 = YOU CHEAP BASTARDS!
Knowing this, I probably would not accept anything less than the upper end of the scale if I were to charge for my services rendered!
JamesDJarvis
First Post
What does a gaming Con cost? How many games do most of us squeeze in?
Crothian
First Post
JamesDJarvis said:
Gaming con though you get so much more then just games.
I would pay zip, zero, zilch. But I've never really been wanting for a game. I like to play with friends and personally, I don't see friends chargeing each toher to game. Now if the DM had a killer gaming room set up like we seen in some threads and wanted some money cause he just invested a few thousand dollars into the gaming room, that I would have no problem with. If we were playing an epic Exalted game and he wanted to have a copy of each Exalted book (or other gaming line with lots of books) for us to use at the gaming table, then I'd have no problem donating or buying a book for that purpose. So, I'd pay to help the DM run a better game or something like that but I would not pay specifically to game.
Simplicity
Explorer
der_kluge said:
Yeah...
I can't
remember either... Boy does that
bug me.
A lot.
Boo-hoo.
The_Universe
First Post
Is this per hour per player? Per session?
I think something comparable to a movie is reasonable. 10 bucks for 1.5-2 hours, making a 4 hour session 20 dollars per player, or 5 dollars per player per hour.
I think something comparable to a movie is reasonable. 10 bucks for 1.5-2 hours, making a 4 hour session 20 dollars per player, or 5 dollars per player per hour.
atom crash
First Post
Charging a group to DM for them implies that you're doing it for anything other than the fun of playing. I'd not want to have a DM who is not doing it for fun. Therefore, I would not be willing to pay any amount of money to "hire" a DM.
If someone was willing to DM for a group I was part of -- and put up his own home for gatherings -- I'd go out of my way to make that person feel appreciated. I'd be willing to bring drinks and snacks for the group, clean up the gaming space afterward, give him small gifts occasionally, whatver. Treat him as a valued friend, in other words.
But I wouldn't outright pay him for his services as a DM.
If someone was willing to DM for a group I was part of -- and put up his own home for gatherings -- I'd go out of my way to make that person feel appreciated. I'd be willing to bring drinks and snacks for the group, clean up the gaming space afterward, give him small gifts occasionally, whatver. Treat him as a valued friend, in other words.
But I wouldn't outright pay him for his services as a DM.
Quasqueton
First Post
I've said more than once that I'd buy the World's Largest Dungeon for someone who wanted to DM it for me (and at least 3 other Players). But the major hold up for me is having the time to play it. I currently DM a campaign once a week.
Quasqueton
Quasqueton
RangerWickett
Legend
If someone offered to pay me to DM, I'd have to set up sound effects, ambience lighting, props, character illos, and a soundtrack. I do too much off the cuff in my own games, and if I were getting paid I'd feel compelled to do more.
Of course, the reason I run my own game is because I love telling stories in my world, and I like seeing how the players direct the stories. If someone wanted me to run a pre-made adventure in a setting I had no great interest in, I . . . I'd probably do it for $20 an hour.
And for a small fee, you can buy extra magic items or HP for your character. *grin*
Where's Bugaboo when ya need 'im?
Of course, the reason I run my own game is because I love telling stories in my world, and I like seeing how the players direct the stories. If someone wanted me to run a pre-made adventure in a setting I had no great interest in, I . . . I'd probably do it for $20 an hour.
And for a small fee, you can buy extra magic items or HP for your character. *grin*
Where's Bugaboo when ya need 'im?
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