D&D 5E DM Theory?
WayOfTheFourElements
Hero
I'm 29. Started playing in 2001, with AD&D 1st edition. (Yes, I'm aware the year and the edition don't line up.) I started running games in high school, a few years later, and have been DMing ever since.
TheSword
Legend
Necessity is the mother of invention. Like some cases of amphibian DNA, players spontaneously change into DMs when there is a shortage In the population.
Though as there are x million people playing D&D now I suspect many of those are a parent running for their family.
While DMing is a challenge I have no doubt at least four or five people I play with regularly could do it brilliantly if me and the other DM we play with didn’t let them have it easy.
Though as there are x million people playing D&D now I suspect many of those are a parent running for their family.
While DMing is a challenge I have no doubt at least four or five people I play with regularly could do it brilliantly if me and the other DM we play with didn’t let them have it easy.
I DM a 3.5 campaign (my third with the same group) with players from two families: my own (two sons, a nephew, and myself - the wife has no interest) and that of a coworker (coworker, his wife, their two sons). While we've lost some members over the years (the oldest boys from each family have moved out), each of those who left has gone on to start up their own campaigns as DM. And other than the coworker (who, like me, had played AD&D 1E as a kid), I taught each of the others to play D&D. Since my youngest son has also picked up the DM's hat, three of the players I've taught have gone on to become DMs.
Once my son's current campaign ends, we're thinking about having the coworker DM a campaign - it's been years, but he's run an AD&D 1E campaign back in the day and he's eager to try his hand at a 3.5 campaign.
Johnathan
Once my son's current campaign ends, we're thinking about having the coworker DM a campaign - it's been years, but he's run an AD&D 1E campaign back in the day and he's eager to try his hand at a 3.5 campaign.
Johnathan
MNblockhead
A Title Much Cooler Than Anything on the Old Site
I'm 49. I DM one campaign with a regular group that's been together since 5e came out.
I've run one shots for other systems and started to run one shots at my FLGS to help introduce non-AL styles of D&D 5e play to people and to find people willing to play less popular and more experimental games. But then work and travel and COVID put an end to that. So just my 5e campaign via Google Meet and a VTT.
I've run one shots for other systems and started to run one shots at my FLGS to help introduce non-AL styles of D&D 5e play to people and to find people willing to play less popular and more experimental games. But then work and travel and COVID put an end to that. So just my 5e campaign via Google Meet and a VTT.
Musing Mage
Pondering D&D stuff
I have been gaming for 34 years, half of that time was devoted to a single 2nd Ed campaign. Have since further gone retro and have been running a 1st Ed campaign that's entering its 8th year.
Needless to say I don't know many DMs who run those editions (I personally know only two decent 1st Ed DMs and one 2nd Ed) and there's not a lot of call to play them. I even have a couple of friends who played and enjoyed old-school systems back in the day, but only want to play newer editions regardless.
In the past year I have started getting into 5th ed, but conversely have met plethora of people who either DM or are seeking to. Now, this is by virtue of a local Meetup group that was doing ongoing 5e meetups. Still - even though there were many DMs, there was always a shortage compared to the demand of people wanting to play. Any game posted filled up fast, and there were often emails beseeching players to consider DMing to create more tables.
Of the DMs I've personally interacted with in this group, I've can think of only two who are from the old-school (and roughly my age) and the rest are younger and only know the newer editions.
Needless to say I don't know many DMs who run those editions (I personally know only two decent 1st Ed DMs and one 2nd Ed) and there's not a lot of call to play them. I even have a couple of friends who played and enjoyed old-school systems back in the day, but only want to play newer editions regardless.
In the past year I have started getting into 5th ed, but conversely have met plethora of people who either DM or are seeking to. Now, this is by virtue of a local Meetup group that was doing ongoing 5e meetups. Still - even though there were many DMs, there was always a shortage compared to the demand of people wanting to play. Any game posted filled up fast, and there were often emails beseeching players to consider DMing to create more tables.
Of the DMs I've personally interacted with in this group, I've can think of only two who are from the old-school (and roughly my age) and the rest are younger and only know the newer editions.
CydKnight
Explorer
I am running two 5E games right now. My experience goes back to AD&D with not much in between. It was a struggle the first few years after 5E came out to find a regular group. Now I have two that are blessed to have multiple DMs which is the reason we alternate campaigns in each group from week-to-week.
Some of this success I feel has to do with the pandemic as these are all games on Roll20 so I am not playing exclusively with local players face-to-face. This is kind of ironic because in the beginning of 5E I was trying to get away from online games and play more face-to-face. Now I'm having at least as much fun as playing with an in-person group and perhaps more in some cases.
Some of this success I feel has to do with the pandemic as these are all games on Roll20 so I am not playing exclusively with local players face-to-face. This is kind of ironic because in the beginning of 5E I was trying to get away from online games and play more face-to-face. Now I'm having at least as much fun as playing with an in-person group and perhaps more in some cases.
Hawk Diesel
Adventurer
I'm 35 and started playing (well, studying the rule books since I couldn't find a group) just before 3e came out. Most of my gaming experience came from Play-by-Post and chat games through a now defunct realmsofevil.net.
Didn't really find a group until second year of college. It was fun, but I learned pretty quick that if I wanted a satisfying game experience, I'd have to run it myself. Since then, most of my experience has been as a DM and working to nurture players to try DM'ing. Now I'm running 3 different games between 2 groups, and playing in 2 more. There's another I've started playing in with a totally new group, but I'm getting the sense that this group might not be a great fit for me.
Didn't really find a group until second year of college. It was fun, but I learned pretty quick that if I wanted a satisfying game experience, I'd have to run it myself. Since then, most of my experience has been as a DM and working to nurture players to try DM'ing. Now I'm running 3 different games between 2 groups, and playing in 2 more. There's another I've started playing in with a totally new group, but I'm getting the sense that this group might not be a great fit for me.
Ancalagon
Dusty Dragon
I'm in my 40s. I started playing D&D with 2nd ed. Played a lot of that, then a lot of 3e, then a lot of other things. Dmed warhammer campaigns, warhammer as a system pseudo earth campaigns, star wars campaigns, played gurps, exalted, Hero 5e, star wars, iron kingdoms, traveller... 4e experience was very limited.
In the more recent past, I ran a 5e game for almost 2 years, now I'm running a troika! game in the UVG setting. I also ran a GLOG campaign. I'm playing in a pathfinder game (2 alternating campaign). I have never played 5e as a player unless you count play by post games, which I gave up on after a while .
In the more recent past, I ran a 5e game for almost 2 years, now I'm running a troika! game in the UVG setting. I also ran a GLOG campaign. I'm playing in a pathfinder game (2 alternating campaign). I have never played 5e as a player unless you count play by post games, which I gave up on after a while .
jasper
Rotten DM
Similar Threads
D&D General
The DM Shortage
