D&D General I DM because...

[Charlaquin]

I started DMing because I wanted to play D&D but would have felt selfish asking someone else to take on the workload of DMing to entertain me. Would that count as “the group needed someone to DM and I accepted” since I did it more out of necessity than desire, or as “I wanted to and the group needed someone to DM” because it was a self-motivated decision?

 

[Voadam]

Yeah, we were pre-Dungeon. Man, that would have been nice to have. Hell, it would be nice to have now. DMs Guild is great, but so are pro editors.

He only started DMing around the Dungeon era, so it was easy to at that point say we would leave that magazine for him. We were happy to support him trying his hand at DMing with something exclusive for him to use after years of his just playing. My group had all started off around 81 so one shot B/X modules was the norm to start and then I started an actual ongoing specifically Greyhawk campaign (using the boxed set setting) with B1 leading to Temple of Elemental Evil which they abandoned part way through to head off for the Slavers and then other Greyhawk stuff.

 

[Guest 7034872]

I wanted to give something fun and memorable to my friends.

 

[Celebrim]

I enjoy GMing, and so I want to do it.

Most groups I have GMed have wanted me to DM and specifically asked me to do it.

Less nobly, most groups I have been involved with, the GMing ultimately frustrates me as being inferior to what I know I can offer and what I would be happy with as a player. I find that I enjoy the game more being the GM even when I would prefer to be a player, than I would being a player with a GM that lacks the skill or experience to do the job well. This bit of arrogance on my part typically gets bolstered by the fact that players that I have had typically are disappointed by the games run by other GMs and tend to beg me to run a game.

I do get to points where I really miss being a player and being able to go to a game without having spent my whole week planning for the game, and to just show up and do role-play with likeminded players who also can role-play. Playing is also a lot of fun and I haven't got to do much of it in like 25 years now.

 

[Scottius]

I DM for my groups approximately 90% of the time and I do so because I want to, I love running games, and because my groups want me running their games.

 

[Grogg of the North]

Because I wanted to.
Because I had a campaign/story I wanted to run.
Because I find GMing more enjoyable than being a player lately.

 

[TheSword]

I voted 3 because while we have another 2 GMs in the group it gives them a break to be able to play in a campaign if I DM some of the time. We normally have a couple of campaigns on the go at a time.

I’d be very wary of a DM that didn’t semi-regularly play the game from the PCs side. Perspective is important.

 

[LordEntrails]

First five. But it would only let me pick 3 and I couldn't pick so I didn't vote.

 

[jmartkdr2]

I wanted to get a group started.