D&D 5E How many players would use a service like this

[Thomas Rainsborough]

I was directed by another DM friend to a website and he asked me my thoughts.

I don't want to promote these clowns, so not giving the website link, but it promotes itself as: "the largest online platform for players to find tabletop roleplaying games and professional GMs for any game system and any virtual tabletop! " I scrolled through their various GM's, and found one guy who thinks he is worth 40 bucks US a session, per player. At those rates, it is almost a gig that pays the mortgage. The average rate seems to be 25 bucks per player per session.

Not asking for any poll, and I don't even know if a fan website is actually an unbiased source, but this kind of thing leaves a bad taste in my mouth. I have never charged for my DM'ing skills, nor ever will, and never paid, and never will. But apparently there is enough demand to justify it, or at least some think so.

What I find truly egregious, is that many of these vampires are running a module, not even their own stuff.

 

[iserith]

It's not something I would choose to do, but time is a valuable commodity, and if people are willing to pay for that time, it's their money and I hope they have a good time. It doesn't affect my life in the slightest and as such I can't be given to care.

 

[LadyElect]

I have had a solid group to game with for years so I can’t imagine ever needing a “DM service” in that regard myself.

But if someone wants to charge for their time and others are willing to pay to participate, so it goes.

 

[Thomas Rainsborough]

It's not something I would choose to do, but time is a valuable commodity, and if people are willing to pay for that time, it's their money and I hope they have a good time. It doesn't affect my life in the slightest and as such I can't be given to care.

I care because I see it poisoning the community. There are at least two gaming cafes in my town. One has only free DM's (I am one of them_. The other appears to be allowing only DM's that charge. That is awful. Yes yes, I know...market forces. It does not change the fact this is a blight on the D&D community.

 

[MarkB]

Sounds a little expensive, but ultimately people are paying to be entertained. What, in your opinion, marks this out as any different than paying for a movie, a theatre show, or a videogame?

 

[iserith]

I care because I see it poisoning the community. There are at least two gaming cafes in my town. One has only free DM's (I am one of them_. The other appears to be allowing only DM's that charge. That is awful. Yes yes, I know...market forces. It does not change the fact this is a blight on the D&D community.

That seems a little overdramatic to me. There have been DMs running free games since the 70s and I think there's no reason to believe that will end. I imagine the "community" will be just fine. Hang in there, pal.

 

[Dioltach]

It does not change the fact this is a blight on the D&D community.

I remember people saying the same thing when Rugby Union went professional back in 1995, after being militantly amateur for more than a century. Sometimes professionalism is a good thing, though.

 

[Andvari]

I wouldn’t pay for it. Personally, I’m not a fan of online play, but I think the option is good for people having a hard time finding a local group.

I don’t really have an issue with somebody else making money DMing or somebody else paying for it. It’s their choice and their money.

 

[Zubatcarteira]

Sometimes you wanna play and it's just hard to find a good DM. This can help out if you have the money to spare, I guess.

 

[Helldritch]

I am not surprised by these rates. I do not have time for an other group but I have been offered such a rate by 5 persons looking for a DM and saw me at our Friday night dungeon. Making others pay to play is not my cup of tea but I do not mind those that do. It can be an expensive hobby when you buy all the books and the money pays for the prep a DM is doing. Again, I don't do that, but I can understand.