D&D General "I have had a 'D&D Hangover'" (a poll)

[Ancalagon]

when my 2-part zeugma/silk road campaign came to its conclusion, I had a bit of... almost grief over it.

 

[delericho]

No, but I've had the reverse often enough: scheduled something too soon before the game session, and had that affect the quality of the session.

 

[Ogre Mage]

My usual reason for a D&D "hangover" is that the session ran way too late. The session that ran until 2:30 AM and final 90 minutes I was so tired I could barely follow what was going on. It's usually a combat that forces the session to go way over, which is even worse because I am trying to make critical turn-by-turn decisions while extremely tired.

My pleas to stop fall on deaf ears. The next time this happens I may just get up and walk out.

 

[Scott Christian]

Hangover One: DMing, tons of prep through the week, bought new terrain and wanted to utilize that, had two new players roll in unexpectedly (we already had 9, this made 11), we had way too much food (including lots of sugar, meat, booze), and the session went eight hours. We all had fun, but the next day I was exhausted.
Hangover Two: The day I leave GaryCon, OrcCon, Gamex, GenCon, etc. All of those cons leave you exhausted on the final day.

 

[beancounter]

We spent 3 sessions looking for the BBEG, only to find that he had left the dungeons before we got there.

Most rooms were empty, and there very few monsters to fight.

It felt like a waste of time, and a letdown.

What's worse is that we got the tip on the location of the BBEG from a vision that my character received from his patron.

I thought the vision was real-time, but as it turns out, there was an inter-dimensional delay..

 

[Mannahnin]

I voted false, but only because of the next day requirement here. I have definitely gotten done with sessions and been totally wiped out. I dont even realize how much it took out of me until the session is finally over. Usually, a little relaxation and/or sleep and I'm as good as new. Does not run into the next day though.

I went with true, though my experience is much the same. The only times I've had exhaustion the next day have been staying up far too late at a convention or something.

I can totally feel drained and an energy/motivation crash after running a big session, which I felt like was the core part of the question.

 

[Ralif Redhammer]

Definitely. I've learned to take an extra day off after I get home to unpack, do laundry, and just plain old rest.

Hangover Two: The day I leave GaryCon, OrcCon, Gamex, GenCon, etc. All of those cons leave you exhausted on the final day.

 

[Bravesteel25]

Nope. Only D&D Highs for me!

(And I'm an introvert. You'd think that having to perform in front of a group of people would drain me - and it usually does - but not D&D. Never D&D.)

I'm an introvert as well. I'd say that I still feel physically drained, at least for an hour or so afterwards, but I feel mentally rejuvenated and feel an intense upswing in positivity after a D&D session.

 

[jgsugden]

I've played 40 hours in three days with a diet of takeout, soda, beer and cereal sustaining me. Yeah, I felt horrible afterwards.

I've also had really emotional sessions with great DMs that were intense and draining. I have also experienced heartbreak in a session as well as two years of storyline crashed down around us due to bad decisions. I have experienced 6 hour nail biting combats. I could feel it afterwards, certainly.

I have also been known to stay up until 3 AM playing D&D online only to have to go to work at 7 AM the next morning. And boy howdy did I feel it after those sessions.

 

[Unwise]

I get brain fatigue from GMing for too long. I just feel like sitting and staring at a wall, doing nothing at all, thinking about nothing at all. It is a bit boring, but that is what my brain feels it needs to recover.

 

[Brotton Goodfellow]

Yes physically, because of the amount of Fireball shots I took, but never mentally/emotionally.

 

[Oofta]

I'm an introvert. I love DMing and playing but after a day's session I just want to sit alone in a room and play some brain-free video game.

Next day, it's all about what's next, but I need a bit to recharge.

 

[Oofta]

We spent 3 sessions looking for the BBEG, only to find that he had left the dungeons before we got there.

Most rooms were empty, and there very few monsters to fight.

It felt like a waste of time, and a letdown.

What's worse is that we got the tip on the location of the BBEG from a vision that my character received from his patron.

I thought the vision was real-time, but as it turns out, there was an inter-dimensional delay..

That's just bad DMing. A simple fight or two with a narrated "the rest of the rooms are empty" might have been acceptable. Even then I can't imagine setting up that scenario.