D&D General The DM Shortage

[Faolyn]

From previous descriptions provided, they're desperately trying to roleplay and have backstories and related NPCs and their selfishness is not liking that being disrupted and disallowed. Like there was a whole discussion on why it was bad for them to declare they have relatives that aren't immediately merc'd by the DM.

Oy... Like there's not a million things you can do with relatives that aren't just killing them.

 

[Aldarc]

Maybe, maybe not. I restrict race and classes in my games to fit the campaign world. There are times when I run a game where everything is open; however, if players want to play a gelatinous cube bard, then it would be a hard "no."

Once we actually come to that bridge outside of an edge case hypothetical, then we can discuss crossing it.

 

[Minigiant]

I guess I have always been a Type 3 DM; however, Type 3 players are very rare. A true Type 3 player gets involved and makes decisions and tried to push the narrative. I try to get my players to think about opening businesses or getting a keep or being part of a guild and there is never any work done outside or inside of the game.

The problem with players is that they want to show up, have fun in the moment, and go home after being entertained. They MAY choose to update their characters in their own time but that is about it. A DM has to direct and write and star in the movie.

Actually the Type 3 DM doesn't push a narrative. They make characters with their own goals and the narrative is where the various conflicting goals interact with the PCs.

Type 3 is rare because you need guidance of how the game works and what affects any change has to properly portray the reaction of NPCs since they move in the background. The noble, the orc chief, the fae princess, and the demon general have to act appropriately. This is rarely taught. Even the basics aren't taught well. So only veterans of other editions or other games rbecome Type 3.

 

[MNblockhead]

Well, from my unofficial local sampling of 5E games, they only play the Adventure Paths. The vast majority of the DMs would never even consider using anything "homebrew" and will never make any "homebrew" themselves. There are a few DMs that will make and use homebrew, though a lot of them do so because of my direct influence. Most players also don't use 'homebrew' and don't want it in the game. A few do, but not many.

It's so bad that even when a gamer is unhappy about something in the game, and I suggest they simply change it, they have a bad, hostile reaction. The player does not like the level ability of their class. I say, well here are some alternatives you can pick from to replace that ability. And the player refuses to even look at them: "I don't need to see your homebrew!" It's so bad a player might make an Ice Sorcerer, but then be unhappy there are not enough 'cold' type spells. I offer for her to pick from my list of 100+ cold spells and her answer is "No, I will stick to the books". And you get a lot of the same with DMs. They are sad and complain that the in-the-book goblin encounter is boring. I suggest they add some custom goblins to the encounter, and even offer some copies of ones I have made, and they just say "no thanks".

Everyone seems to have somewhat of a good fun time in such games. Though it's sure not what I would call a good time.

AL just seems like an entirely different subculture of D&D to me. I enjoyed the few AL games I've played, but most were low level games with newer players. The only AL games with long-time AL players I've enjoyed are the Epics, where the entire room of 10-20 or more tables are all adventuring together on separate quests for a common goal under timed conditions. The Epics are where AL shines. But I've come to avoid AL games other than the epics.

It would be great if more DMs would run non-AL one shots at various levels at their FLGS, outside of conventions. Before I took my current job, which has travel requirements that prevent regular in-person gaming, I had started to run one-shots with pre-gens both 5e and also other systems that I would not get an opportunity to run with my regular group. Normally I don't like running games for strangers, and I know I would hate running AL games. But one-shots with pre-gens all were a blast. I think having players with no investment or expectations of any longer-term commitment makes people more open to trying new things and just more laid back about the games in general. If I had a less crazy work-family schedule, and time to run games in my FLGS, outside of my main campaign, all I would run would be one-shots with pre-gens.

 

[bloodtide]

AL just seems like an entirely different subculture of D&D to me.

Is AL Adventure League?

I'm not 100% sure what that is......but what I was saying is nearly all gamers I see today only play "offical Wizards content". Most won't even go for third party stuff. They have a weird idea of "brand loyalty" that if it's not from WotC, it's "not D&D".

Other then the couple dozen DMs I infulenced, very few DMs ever make their own adventures. And the idea of "Improving" a game is not considered. That is not "really playing D&D" to them.

Not all of them are so dead set: I see a lot of peer pressure, and that odd "well my DM friend says no homebrew in our game so I don't like homebrew of my own free will".

Still, a bit ago this year the Library had Dinosaur Week....so I posted a simple pick up game: dinos attack the city by time portals. Like 200 kids signed up in no time. I had an outline for the adventure, but it was mostly an improv game. And most of them players were from the "never homebrew, never improv" gamers. Yet, everyone had fun. During such times I can get some gamers to come around to "look everything does not need to be offical WotC".

 

[James Gasik]

Is AL Adventure League?

I'm not 100% sure what that is......but what I was saying is nearly all gamers I see today only play "offical Wizards content". Most won't even go for third party stuff. They have a weird idea of "brand loyalty" that if it's not from WotC, it's "not D&D".

Other then the couple dozen DMs I infulenced, very few DMs ever make their own adventures. And the idea of "Improving" a game is not considered. That is not "really playing D&D" to them.

Not all of them are so dead set: I see a lot of peer pressure, and that odd "well my DM friend says no homebrew in our game so I don't like homebrew of my own free will".

Still, a bit ago this year the Library had Dinosaur Week....so I posted a simple pick up game: dinos attack the city by time portals. Like 200 kids signed up in no time. I had an outline for the adventure, but it was mostly an improv game. And most of them players were from the "never homebrew, never improv" gamers. Yet, everyone had fun. During such times I can get some gamers to come around to "look everything does not need to be offical WotC".

I have run into this odd attitude among new players that there's something wrong with homebrew, that I find boggling. Like, ok, I guess it's fair that there are DM's who can't be trusted to create balanced content, but just because WotC publishes it doesn't mean it's balanced either- I had a seriously un-fun time running Tales from the Yawning Portal as written. And let's not forget some of the nonsense in the original Hoard of the Dragon Queen.

 

[MNblockhead]

Is AL Adventure League?

I'm not 100% sure what that is......but what I was saying is nearly all gamers I see today only play "offical Wizards content". Most won't even go for third party stuff. They have a weird idea of "brand loyalty" that if it's not from WotC, it's "not D&D".

Other then the couple dozen DMs I infulenced, very few DMs ever make their own adventures. And the idea of "Improving" a game is not considered. That is not "really playing D&D" to them.

Not all of them are so dead set: I see a lot of peer pressure, and that odd "well my DM friend says no homebrew in our game so I don't like homebrew of my own free will".

Still, a bit ago this year the Library had Dinosaur Week....so I posted a simple pick up game: dinos attack the city by time portals. Like 200 kids signed up in no time. I had an outline for the adventure, but it was mostly an improv game. And most of them players were from the "never homebrew, never improv" gamers. Yet, everyone had fun. During such times I can get some gamers to come around to "look everything does not need to be offical WotC".

Yeah, AL = Adventurer's League. I find in AL games the culture you describe is most prevalent. Moreso because it further limits use of official material. Used to be PHB+1. Not sure what the rules are now.

But I really don't encounter this attitude outside of AL. With my group of players, it may be because we are older and many of us have played multiple editions of the game and other games as well.

I can understand how new players would want to experience the game as written first before diving into homebrew. But I've never run into players who are adamant about only playing RAW--outside of AL.

 

[James Gasik]

Yeah, AL = Adventurer's League. I find in AL games the culture you describe is most prevalent. Moreso because it further limits use of official material. Used to be PHB+1. Not sure what the rules are now.

But I really don't encounter this attitude outside of AL. With my group of players, it may be because we are older and many of us have played multiple editions of the game and other games as well.

I can understand how new players would want to experience the game as written first before diving into homebrew. But I've never run into players who are adamant about only playing RAW--outside of AL.

And yet, curiously, the same guys who give me an odd look when I talk about running a homebrew campaign, are perfectly fine asking to play Blood Hunters...

 

[Sword of Spirit]

Prediction 1: WotC will come up with a DM-less way to play using D&D Beyond. This will help them get more money directly from players.

We could probably pre-emptively start a placeholder thread for the topic, lol.

Prediction 2: Someone will come up with an AI assistant GM that will provide real-time GMing support. It will probably eventually be pretty good.

Prediction 3: AI GMs will be developed. I'm not sure if this will be a good thing or not.

 

[pogre]

I don't mind running Adventure League at conventions - it's a chance to meet new people and if our styles do not match, it's OK. Adventure League at a store is a bit more cumbersome - if I am going to make a weekly commitment, I prefer my home game. I can run what I want, with the people I want to game with, and have easy access to all my stuff.

Well, from my unofficial local sampling of 5E games, they only play the Adventure Paths. The vast majority of the DMs would never even consider using anything "homebrew" and will never make any "homebrew" themselves.

The only time I have run into the "only official material from WOTC" was when I first formed my home group a few years ago and a couple of the new players had been burned by previous DMs home brew adventures. I ran an official adventure and we developed a trust and friendship and now they are open to trying almost anything (even other games) at my table.

I ran the high school D&D club for a few years where I teach. Kids/teens seemed to love homebrew adventures and campaigns from their peers. Where they seem to struggle a lot is maintaining the momentum of a campaign to keep it going for more than a few sessions.