D&D 5E How do you play D&D?

[Ath'kethin]

I have played a few times in the Pathfinder version of HackLeague*, but never D&D's version; mostly I play with friends.

They used to be my next door neighbors and we'd play face-to-face, but they moved to Florida and then Ohio some months ago for work and now we play online. We use Skype and Roll20 and it works OK. They were back here for a visit last weekend, though, and it was a reminder of how much more enjoyable it is to play face-to-face across a table.

*yes, this is a Hackmaster/organized play joke. If you don't get it, read more Knights of the Dinner Table.

 

[practicalm]

I play both in organized play in person and I run an open game at my church. The people I've played with have become friends but since anyone can show up and play, I selected other.

 

[Flexor the Mighty!]

With a group of friends that I have been gaming with on and off since the early 80's in some cases.

 

[pdzoch]

One option I did not see was "with family." I assumed it is collected under "with friends" but I think there is something more to playing with family that makes the game different, perhaps special. I've been playing with three generations for almost 15 years now. There is a different dynamic when the kids (teens) play a game with Grandpa. Sibling games are a whole other matter!

 

[iserith]

I play about half my games with a local group of friends and the rest online, sometimes with friends, sometimes with strangers (or a mix of both).

While playing with friends is great, I found that playing games with strangers allowed me to grow a lot more as a GM.

 

[TwoSix]

Like a boss, obviously.

 

[AaronOfBarbaria]

While playing with friends is great, I found that playing games with strangers allowed me to grow a lot more as a GM.

That much I can agree with. I'd likely never have come across the majority of ideas and techniques I have and use today if not for having moved around frequently in my youth and having to build up a new gaming group each and every time.

 

[Tony Vargas]

An interesting follow-up question would be "how long have you gamed with the same circle of friends?"

 

[Erik Westmarch]

I would love to play in person with friends, but as a Dad with three little kids (1, 3, 6), I just can't make that sort of time on a regular basis. And to be honest, a lot of my friends are similarly busy (just part of our age cohort). So we play via play by post because the asynchronous nature and low time requirements works for us.

 

[Rhenny]

When I was younger, it was always in-person with friends, but now with time restrictions, responsibilities, and friends who have moved away, etc., it is online.

I consistently played with groups of friends online over the past 10 years, but during the playtest, I started playing with strangers who I met through the WotC Forum. Now, some of those are part of the regular group I DM for and play in.