My actual biggest problem turns out to be fairly unique, almost every player has also DMed, or sometimes still DMs. A case of too many cooks. (When the heck has a group ever had a glut of DMs?!? Most groups can’t find enough willing DMs.)
Back in the '90s everyone took a turn, pretty much. There were exceptions, but you were kind of expected to share the load so everyone could play. The 'forever DM' concept didn't really take off with us until 3rd edition, and even then not at first.
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
Want to start playing but don't have anyone to play with? You can try these options: [link].
My actual biggest problem turns out to be fairly unique, almost every player has also DMed, or sometimes still DMs. A case of too many cooks. (When the heck has a group ever had a glut of DMs?!? Most groups can’t find enough willing DMs.)
Back in the '90s everyone took a turn, pretty much. There were exceptions, but you were kind of expected to share the load so everyone could play. The 'forever DM' concept didn't really take off with us until 3rd edition, and even then not at first.
And my group does switch off periodically. (I’m not the main GM, just the current one.) In addition to the main DM and myself there is another DM in the group who runs a West Marches for a group at his work and for our group whenever our regular game doesn’t happen for some reason. And there is another person in the group who has DMed, 2 more not part of the current campaigns because they are off DMing for other groups, another former DM who is playing in another-other group for the time being. That leaves one person left who has never DMed, but she would likely be at least as good (if not better) than most of the rest of us.
Our main GM is the most experienced, willing, and qualified in the group. No lie, he GMed our WoD game 5-6 nights/week for most of our 20s when the group is as smaller and we could actually meet up that frequently. He’s also a bit particular in how games should be run and looks forward to it being his turn again. He does less prep than any other GM I have ever met and has fewer problems than the rest of us too. (I on the other hand have to do shedloads of prep. I personally love the joys of DMing, but not the workload.) His biggest problem is probably that he has never been a huge fan of D&D, and much prefers the old edition of WoD. 🤷♂️
Sheesh, I get paid to run (part of why I started this thread, it's research) and I don't think I'd be up to 5 nights a week. I can see a not having D&D as your favorite system. For those of us that really got into WoD, D&D always seems to underutilize its settings and characters. I remember, after playing D&D, translating a character into WoD, and then, looking at this character sheet that's one-fourth the length of my D&D sheet, and realizing I've written 1/5 as much stuff and still have 2/3rds of the sheet blank. It took me a little while to puzzle out what that really meant.
It's not a problem with my group anymore, but players not responding to your messages when setting up. Asking everyone "Oh can you make it this Saturday?" and nobody responds is frustrating, especially when you know they definitely read your message. If you don't know if you can make it, say "I don't know yet, I'll let you know", don't just leave me hanging.
It's not a problem with my group anymore, but players not responding to your messages when setting up. Asking everyone "Oh can you make it this Saturday?" and nobody responds is frustrating, especially when you know they definitely read your message. If you don't know if you can make it, say "I don't know yet, I'll let you know", don't just leave me hanging.
Particularly frustrating for large games like larps.
10 players. It's too many, but in the end, I wouldn't have it any other way.
So I guess rather than fixing the amount of players it would be finding a system that everyone would agree on that works well with 10 players. That system is NOT 5e.
Bunni (or would you prefer Rabbi as the abbreviation?),
There’s times I need to skip a session for our weekly game, I couldn’t even run 2 nights in a week. Thorsday is a fairly consummate artist: 2D visual (almost any medium),3D visual (multiple mediums), blacksmithing, leatherwork, woodwork,, prose, poetry, the basics of the culinary arts, the list goes on. The only arts he hasn’t practiced as far as I know is music. (Which makes sense since he isn’t a maths person. It’s one of the few things his girlfriend/partner/whatever can do better than he can. Heck, I was a professional caterer and he’s almost as good a cook as me at this point!)
He has a knack for writing his adventures in such a way that what his players choose to do is what he prepared. Rarely have we ever surprised him to the point that he had to put a pin in the game. There would be times that he would write the next session a half hour before it started. (Don’t ask me how.)
Back when the two of them were introduced to D&D was 2e when there were checks to walk and chew gum. WoD was less mechanically intensive which suited them better. (In their words, “rules get in the way.”) Since I had next to 0 experience with WoD when I met them he became the WoD GM. And we mostly only played WoD, That evolved into our group GM. They hated D&D, so back then we never played it. I never got to DM again until 3e, and then when 3.5 happened and put all that bloat back into the game... and then 4e was on its heels which I never purchased... after all, I spent all that damned money on 3/3.5 and barely used them. I waited until 5e was out for a couple years before purchasing this edition.
They find 5e better than merely “playable,”* and since the current D&D is more popular than the 20+ yo version of WoD (we never updated systems for that), more of our other friends have joined our group, so we D&D now. He still prefers to DM.
*For as cool as the setting for Airship Pirates is, the game itself is rather less than “playable” in our opinion. And for as much as I will always love Shadowrun, I cannot justify updating from the 2e books I still have from way back since that didn’t really grab them much either. 🤷♂️ I don’t remember us trying many other systems.
And for as much as I will always love Shadowrun, I cannot justify updating from the 2e books I still have from way back since that didn’t really grab them much either. 🤷♂️ I don’t remember us trying many other systems.
Shadowrun is so much fun! It's wonky and stuff sometimes doesn't make sense but it was so much fun!
I'm not sure what the biggest problem at my table might be. Maybe scheduling?
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
"Sooner or later, your Players are going to smash your railroad into a sandbox."
-Vedexent
"real life is a super high CR."
-OboeLauren
"............anybody got any potatoes? We could drop a potato in each hole an' see which ones get viciously mauled by horrible monsters?"
10 players. It's too many, but in the end, I wouldn't have it any other way.
So I guess rather than fixing the amount of players it would be finding a system that everyone would agree on that works well with 10 players. That system is NOT 5e.
In WoD games, for LARP, there are sometimes assistant GMs called Narrators. In that case I would advise splitting the party. Have them set out on different branches of the same quest. If the groups regularly meet, they don't even have to have the same members each time. Another thing you could steal from LARP, count down initiative out loud, and they raise their hand when their number comes up. If they miss their action once or twice they'll tend to be more focused in the future.
Attendance. I have 5 regular players, but sometimes only three show up, usually canceling at the last minute. I'll still play with three usually. One time we only had two and I canceled. It's a challenge for combat balance. I don't really like people playing someone else's character. And sometimes there's plot stuff that hinges on a particular character.
Attendance. I have 5 regular players, but sometimes only three show up, usually canceling at the last minute. I'll still play with three usually. One time we only had two and I canceled. It's a challenge for combat balance. I don't really like people playing someone else's character. And sometimes there's plot stuff that hinges on a particular character.
I find I write every combat encounter scaled for attendance. For plot issues though, it's still a problem.
You know, I don't know if I really have any real insurmountable issues with either of my groups. As I've said this is a great time to being playing TTRPG both in terms of official content as well as high quality "cottage/craft" and 3rd party publishers, and moreso the various community resources out there. Young player exhibits "dice rolling rage" there's usually someone talking about how to contend with a player coming to terms with failure and the actual fun that comes with the random chance aspect of the game. Shy players, same things, tips both for the player and DM to ensure they're enjoying the game. My groups largely handle scheduling for me. I have one table I'm "podded" with so we actually play at a table. I wish my other group could also meet at a table as opposed to Zoom, but I honestly don't know if that would be logistically feasible as that group is fairly spread out.
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
Jander Sunstar is the thinking person's Drizzt, fight me.
I wish I could read the NCO creed at the gaming table at every session. This way the players might act a bit more processional but I understand players might not like that sort of stuff:
NCO Creed:
No one is more professional than I. I am a noncommissioned officer, a leader of Soldiers. As a noncommissioned officer, I realize that I am a member of a time honored corps, which is known as "The Backbone of the Army". I am proud of the Corps of noncommissioned officers and will at all times conduct myself so as to bring credit upon the Corps, the military service and my country regardless of the situation in which I find myself. I will not use my grade or position to attain pleasure, profit, or personal safety.
Competence is my watchword. My two basic responsibilities will always be uppermost in my mind—accomplishment of my mission and the welfare of my Soldiers. I will strive to remain technically and tactically proficient. I am aware of my role as a noncommissioned officer. I will fulfill my responsibilities inherent in that role. All Soldiers are entitled to outstanding leadership; I will provide that leadership. I know my Soldiers and I will always place their needs above my own. I will communicate consistently with my Soldiers and never leave them uninformed. I will be fair and impartial when recommending both rewards and punishment.
Officers of my unit will have maximum time to accomplish their duties; they will not have to accomplish mine. I will earn their respect and confidence as well as that of my Soldiers. I will be loyal to those with whom I serve; seniors, peers, and subordinates alike. I will exercise initiative by taking appropriate action in the absence of orders. I will not compromise my integrity, nor my moral courage. I will not forget, nor will I allow my comrades to forget that we are professionals, noncommissioned officers, leaders!
Well, you might get away with something like that, if it were more succinct. I used to run for a UU youth group, and in our faith we have (had) 7 Principles, which could be recited at the beginning of a session. A club could use a secular motto in the same way.
My actual biggest problem turns out to be fairly unique, almost every player has also DMed, or sometimes still DMs. A case of too many cooks. (When the heck has a group ever had a glut of DMs?!? Most groups can’t find enough willing DMs.)
Up until I quit playing in 2004, my groups generally had 7 players 6 DMs. Now I just do AL. And occasionally will seat a table that are all dms.
Back in the '90s everyone took a turn, pretty much. There were exceptions, but you were kind of expected to share the load so everyone could play. The 'forever DM' concept didn't really take off with us until 3rd edition, and even then not at first.
Want to start playing but don't have anyone to play with? You can try these options: [link].
And my group does switch off periodically. (I’m not the main GM, just the current one.) In addition to the main DM and myself there is another DM in the group who runs a West Marches for a group at his work and for our group whenever our regular game doesn’t happen for some reason. And there is another person in the group who has DMed, 2 more not part of the current campaigns because they are off DMing for other groups, another former DM who is playing in another-other group for the time being. That leaves one person left who has never DMed, but she would likely be at least as good (if not better) than most of the rest of us.
Our main GM is the most experienced, willing, and qualified in the group. No lie, he GMed our WoD game 5-6 nights/week for most of our 20s when the group is as smaller and we could actually meet up that frequently. He’s also a bit particular in how games should be run and looks forward to it being his turn again. He does less prep than any other GM I have ever met and has fewer problems than the rest of us too. (I on the other hand have to do shedloads of prep. I personally love the joys of DMing, but not the workload.) His biggest problem is probably that he has never been a huge fan of D&D, and much prefers the old edition of WoD. 🤷♂️
Creating Epic Boons on DDB
DDB Buyers' Guide
Hardcovers, DDB & You
Content Troubleshooting
Sheesh, I get paid to run (part of why I started this thread, it's research) and I don't think I'd be up to 5 nights a week. I can see a not having D&D as your favorite system. For those of us that really got into WoD, D&D always seems to underutilize its settings and characters. I remember, after playing D&D, translating a character into WoD, and then, looking at this character sheet that's one-fourth the length of my D&D sheet, and realizing I've written 1/5 as much stuff and still have 2/3rds of the sheet blank. It took me a little while to puzzle out what that really meant.
It's not a problem with my group anymore, but players not responding to your messages when setting up. Asking everyone "Oh can you make it this Saturday?" and nobody responds is frustrating, especially when you know they definitely read your message. If you don't know if you can make it, say "I don't know yet, I'll let you know", don't just leave me hanging.
Particularly frustrating for large games like larps.
10 players. It's too many, but in the end, I wouldn't have it any other way.
So I guess rather than fixing the amount of players it would be finding a system that everyone would agree on that works well with 10 players. That system is NOT 5e.
All things Lich - DM tips, tricks, and other creative shenanigans
Bunni (or would you prefer Rabbi as the abbreviation?),
There’s times I need to skip a session for our weekly game, I couldn’t even run 2 nights in a week. Thorsday is a fairly consummate artist: 2D visual (almost any medium),3D visual (multiple mediums), blacksmithing, leatherwork, woodwork,, prose, poetry, the basics of the culinary arts, the list goes on. The only arts he hasn’t practiced as far as I know is music. (Which makes sense since he isn’t a maths person. It’s one of the few things his girlfriend/partner/whatever can do better than he can. Heck, I was a professional caterer and he’s almost as good a cook as me at this point!)
He has a knack for writing his adventures in such a way that what his players choose to do is what he prepared. Rarely have we ever surprised him to the point that he had to put a pin in the game. There would be times that he would write the next session a half hour before it started. (Don’t ask me how.)
Back when the two of them were introduced to D&D was 2e when there were checks to walk and chew gum. WoD was less mechanically intensive which suited them better. (In their words, “rules get in the way.”) Since I had next to 0 experience with WoD when I met them he became the WoD GM. And we mostly only played WoD, That evolved into our group GM. They hated D&D, so back then we never played it. I never got to DM again until 3e, and then when 3.5 happened and put all that bloat back into the game... and then 4e was on its heels which I never purchased... after all, I spent all that damned money on 3/3.5 and barely used them. I waited until 5e was out for a couple years before purchasing this edition.
They find 5e better than merely “playable,”* and since the current D&D is more popular than the 20+ yo version of WoD (we never updated systems for that), more of our other friends have joined our group, so we D&D now. He still prefers to DM.
*For as cool as the setting for Airship Pirates is, the game itself is rather less than “playable” in our opinion. And for as much as I will always love Shadowrun, I cannot justify updating from the 2e books I still have from way back since that didn’t really grab them much either. 🤷♂️ I don’t remember us trying many other systems.
Creating Epic Boons on DDB
DDB Buyers' Guide
Hardcovers, DDB & You
Content Troubleshooting
Shadowrun is so much fun! It's wonky and stuff sometimes doesn't make sense but it was so much fun!
I'm not sure what the biggest problem at my table might be. Maybe scheduling?
"Sooner or later, your Players are going to smash your railroad into a sandbox."
-Vedexent
"real life is a super high CR."
-OboeLauren
"............anybody got any potatoes? We could drop a potato in each hole an' see which ones get viciously mauled by horrible monsters?"
-Ilyara Thundertale
In WoD games, for LARP, there are sometimes assistant GMs called Narrators. In that case I would advise splitting the party. Have them set out on different branches of the same quest. If the groups regularly meet, they don't even have to have the same members each time. Another thing you could steal from LARP, count down initiative out loud, and they raise their hand when their number comes up. If they miss their action once or twice they'll tend to be more focused in the future.
Either. I've been called both for about 23 years.
Player Entitlement issues...
I have 10 year olds at my table who act more grownup than the so called adults.
Attendance. I have 5 regular players, but sometimes only three show up, usually canceling at the last minute. I'll still play with three usually. One time we only had two and I canceled. It's a challenge for combat balance. I don't really like people playing someone else's character. And sometimes there's plot stuff that hinges on a particular character.
My DMs won't kill my characters :P
I find I write every combat encounter scaled for attendance. For plot issues though, it's still a problem.
You know, I don't know if I really have any real insurmountable issues with either of my groups. As I've said this is a great time to being playing TTRPG both in terms of official content as well as high quality "cottage/craft" and 3rd party publishers, and moreso the various community resources out there. Young player exhibits "dice rolling rage" there's usually someone talking about how to contend with a player coming to terms with failure and the actual fun that comes with the random chance aspect of the game. Shy players, same things, tips both for the player and DM to ensure they're enjoying the game. My groups largely handle scheduling for me. I have one table I'm "podded" with so we actually play at a table. I wish my other group could also meet at a table as opposed to Zoom, but I honestly don't know if that would be logistically feasible as that group is fairly spread out.
Jander Sunstar is the thinking person's Drizzt, fight me.
I wish I could read the NCO creed at the gaming table at every session. This way the players might act a bit more processional but I understand players might not like that sort of stuff:
NCO Creed:
No one is more professional than I. I am a noncommissioned officer, a leader of Soldiers. As a noncommissioned officer, I realize that I am a member of a time honored corps, which is known as "The Backbone of the Army". I am proud of the Corps of noncommissioned officers and will at all times conduct myself so as to bring credit upon the Corps, the military service and my country regardless of the situation in which I find myself. I will not use my grade or position to attain pleasure, profit, or personal safety.
Competence is my watchword. My two basic responsibilities will always be uppermost in my mind—accomplishment of my mission and the welfare of my Soldiers. I will strive to remain technically and tactically proficient. I am aware of my role as a noncommissioned officer. I will fulfill my responsibilities inherent in that role. All Soldiers are entitled to outstanding leadership; I will provide that leadership. I know my Soldiers and I will always place their needs above my own. I will communicate consistently with my Soldiers and never leave them uninformed. I will be fair and impartial when recommending both rewards and punishment.
Officers of my unit will have maximum time to accomplish their duties; they will not have to accomplish mine. I will earn their respect and confidence as well as that of my Soldiers. I will be loyal to those with whom I serve; seniors, peers, and subordinates alike. I will exercise initiative by taking appropriate action in the absence of orders. I will not compromise my integrity, nor my moral courage. I will not forget, nor will I allow my comrades to forget that we are professionals, noncommissioned officers, leaders!
Well, you might get away with something like that, if it were more succinct. I used to run for a UU youth group, and in our faith we have (had) 7 Principles, which could be recited at the beginning of a session. A club could use a secular motto in the same way.
The Idea of a creed or code of conduct for the table is a good one.
Up until I quit playing in 2004, my groups generally had 7 players 6 DMs. Now I just do AL. And occasionally will seat a table that are all dms.
No Gaming is Better than Bad Gaming.
Rules Lawyering