I never really thought of paying to play as an option but it seems to be the only way to actually find a game as a player. What are these games like? What is normally the going price? most I've seen don't post how much it will be
I've never paid for a game so I can't say from personal experience. I have seen the ads and talked to other who have but there doesn't seem to be a general consensus. Some are pricey but worth it, some are pricey but terrible, some are cheap and terrible and some are cheap and amazing. As many paid DMs there are out there is how many different experiences of such there will be.
There's been those who have charge a few quid ($5) for a game and I've seen some charge over a hundred. Just because the DM charges a lot doesn't mean they'll be any good. I've known of some who charge a lot but deliberately do little and offer piss poor DMing - deliberately so. They just take the money, half-ass it, and if you complain - oh well, don't join then, and the DM just re-advertises and gets more players, since most places that offer this don't have reviews or anything. A disgusting practice, and it worked and it's why I would be dubious of ever paying for a game.
But I've also heard of DMs who provide a fantastic service where the paying players consider it excellent value for money - the DM using the money to get gadgets, pay subscriptions, venue hire, minis and maps and the sourcebooks to share.
It's hit or miss, really, from what I can tell.
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Depending on the game, the DM, and the price tag, you can get a whole lot or very little. Some paid DM's I know have full plug and play libraries of digital content that they can build into a VTT for you to make your game-play easier. They also have access to VFX systems and music to make for an entertaining experience and they curate their game to suite your needs and desires. Granted, all of these accommodations can be set behind various paywalls, depending on the DM and the work they are offering. Some of them even can throw in custom character art if they are or know an artist as part of their "package."
As for costs, I've seen as low as $5-10 per player up to $25-$50 per player (per session) and even higher. If I were to get back into the Paid DMing scene, I'd likely start my scale at somewhere around $20 per person/per session. I have been DMing for about 20ish years now and have built up a decent content library to work from along with the tools and ability to craft a custom adventure from scratch. For that sort of effort and drain on my time, I'd do a game a week for a party of five for about $100.
I never really thought of paying to play as an option but it seems to be the only way to actually find a game as a player. What are these games like? What is normally the going price? most I've seen don't post how much it will be
I think one of the underrated upsides of paid games, specifically online, is that players are much less likely to flake/not show up/be terrible in general if it is a game they are paying for.
Granted this can also be solved with enough searching, but it's a nice perk.
I’m about to charge to DM, but only because I’m going to be running a game in a store that charges rent for the room that we’re playing in. I think I’m going to charge players $3 or $4 per session and throw in the rest of what’s needed to rent the room out of my pocket.
I’m not doing it to earn a profit, I’m doing it to not spend too much out of my pocket to be the DM since DMing is work. So the players who I run for shouldn’t expect anything special or extra, just that I’ll show up prepared to DM.
I’m about to charge to DM, but only because I’m going to be running a game in a store that charges rent for the room that we’re playing in. I think I’m going to charge players $3 or $4 per session and throw in the rest of what’s needed to rent the room out of my pocket.
I’m not doing it to earn a profit, I’m doing it to not spend too much out of my pocket to be the DM since DMing is work. So the players who I run for shouldn’t expect anything special or extra, just that I’ll show up prepared to DM.
Personally I would charge enough to at least cover the cost of the venue. Take the cost and divide it by the desired number of players. And be upfront about what the fee is covering; it will go a ways towards convincing the hesitant to join.
Presumably, you get a DM who spends a decent amount of effort to have a well prepared game, knows how to properly run it, and is consistently available and doesn't ghost on sessions. There's also the implication that players willing to pay for games will actually show up consistently. The formal arrangement also often makes many people more comfortable establishing and following set rules, conditions of conduct (ie don't be a disruptive jerk) and such. There are a few sites that specifically arrange such paid services and have reviews and ratings, but most of the time you're dealing with forum or Discord based ads and it's a gamble as to if you're going to feel the game is a good fit for you. Many DMs who charge offer the first session free as a "test drive" to decide if their service is worth the price. What is an appropriate price is entirely subjective, though the general implication is that a higher price gets a promise of more preparation and performance talent on the part of the DM.
I play a weekly game where the DM charges $5 per player per session, and the first session is free. The DM uses at least part of that income to buy material (such as digital sourcebooks, it's an online game) and equipment (such as when his headset needed replaced). I've been playing that game for six months now, and I consider each three hour session totally worth five bucks which is less than I spend on my lunch break any given day at work. The DM is planning to start another weekly game that I already have a spot in because I like his style. It's all up to the customer (you) to decide if it's worth the price.
Thank you, but the cost of the venue is only $15 so it’s not that expensive.
It's upto you, but as DM you have to put in a lot more time than anyone else, work harder than them and have to deal with stuff that they don't. I think even among friends that it would be reasonable for the players to make sure that the DM is never out of pocket. The DM's extra time and effort ie their contribution - finances are the players. Of course, if the DM wants to pay extra to upgrade (perhaps getting a physical book as well as the DDB copy), then that's their perogative.
Of course, do what you want, but that's my view.
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If you're not willing or able to to discuss in good faith, then don't be surprised if I don't respond, there are better things in life for me to do than humour you. This signature is that response.
I DM for my group of friends. They are intimately aware of how much work I put it to make it possible. They've offered to buy content or even just pay me to make the content and DM. I don't charge them because I enjoy not only playing, but more specifically. Playing with some of my close friends. (The last part is a very big deal)
If I DM'ed for an outside group. I probably would charge because DMing is hard, takes a lot of time and it is a skillset you must learn and practice to be decent at.
My issue is I don't have a DM, so I don't get to play. If I could find a fun group to play with, I wouldn't have any issue paying a *good* DM. This game when it's fun is well worth the admission! Just be prepared to pay for a DM session and not enjoy it. If that's the case. Talk to the DM, or move on to another one until you find one you enjoy.
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Realistically, if you want professional skill level from a DM, you should expect to be paying professional scale wages, and that's not going to be cheap -- a reasonable comparison on skill sets is freelance writer (average US wages about $24/hr), but you have to figure something like two hours work per hour of game time, so probably on the order of $50/hr of game time (split between attendees, of course).
Most paid DMs don't charge that much, because they aren't really professionals, they're hobbyists earning some side cash.
There is a lot of variation out there currently, both in terms of what you pay, and what you get for it. The industry has not yet hit the point of critical mass where there is really any standardization. So advice #1, shop around, and ask a lot of questions. If your prospective DM doesn't give you the answers you want, try another.
The site that I run off of has reviews for their DM's from players, and DM's are expected to have an information page with a lot of details. Aside from that, though, we are left to ourselves to determine our perks and prices.
At my table, the cost is currently $20 US per person, per session. We play online via Discord. Each session is guaranteed to last between 3 and 4 hours, and I run tables of 3-5 players. It is all ongoing campaigns, so most of my players tend to be long-haul, story-driven types, which is the type of game we play.
For that fee, my players get full access on DnDBeyond to the complete catalogue of sourcebooks and adventures, professional character artwork (I also do freelance illustration, so I can do that part myself as well), full-color battle maps and monster tokens for our combat encounters on Roll20, a full campaign and world wiki on World Anvil (complete with maps, homebrew items, in-game illustrations, and weekly written session recaps, with an audio narration including music and sound effects). In-game, I also use Syrinscape to deliver real-time music and sound effects, and I do (probably poor) voice-acting for all of my major NPC's.
Besides those tangibles, players are also paying for my 38 years of experience at Dungeon Mastering and storytelling. Now that I am looking at that list, I might have to start charging more, lol. ;)
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I never really thought of paying to play as an option but it seems to be the only way to actually find a game as a player. What are these games like? What is normally the going price? most I've seen don't post how much it will be
I've never paid for a game so I can't say from personal experience. I have seen the ads and talked to other who have but there doesn't seem to be a general consensus. Some are pricey but worth it, some are pricey but terrible, some are cheap and terrible and some are cheap and amazing. As many paid DMs there are out there is how many different experiences of such there will be.
There's been those who have charge a few quid ($5) for a game and I've seen some charge over a hundred. Just because the DM charges a lot doesn't mean they'll be any good. I've known of some who charge a lot but deliberately do little and offer piss poor DMing - deliberately so. They just take the money, half-ass it, and if you complain - oh well, don't join then, and the DM just re-advertises and gets more players, since most places that offer this don't have reviews or anything. A disgusting practice, and it worked and it's why I would be dubious of ever paying for a game.
But I've also heard of DMs who provide a fantastic service where the paying players consider it excellent value for money - the DM using the money to get gadgets, pay subscriptions, venue hire, minis and maps and the sourcebooks to share.
It's hit or miss, really, from what I can tell.
Click ✨ HERE ✨ For My Youtube Videos featuring Guides, Tips & Tricks for using D&D Beyond.
Need help with Homebrew? Check out ✨ this FAQ/Guide thread ✨ by IamSposta.
Depending on the game, the DM, and the price tag, you can get a whole lot or very little. Some paid DM's I know have full plug and play libraries of digital content that they can build into a VTT for you to make your game-play easier. They also have access to VFX systems and music to make for an entertaining experience and they curate their game to suite your needs and desires. Granted, all of these accommodations can be set behind various paywalls, depending on the DM and the work they are offering. Some of them even can throw in custom character art if they are or know an artist as part of their "package."
As for costs, I've seen as low as $5-10 per player up to $25-$50 per player (per session) and even higher. If I were to get back into the Paid DMing scene, I'd likely start my scale at somewhere around $20 per person/per session. I have been DMing for about 20ish years now and have built up a decent content library to work from along with the tools and ability to craft a custom adventure from scratch. For that sort of effort and drain on my time, I'd do a game a week for a party of five for about $100.
A professional
I think one of the underrated upsides of paid games, specifically online, is that players are much less likely to flake/not show up/be terrible in general if it is a game they are paying for.
Granted this can also be solved with enough searching, but it's a nice perk.
I’m about to charge to DM, but only because I’m going to be running a game in a store that charges rent for the room that we’re playing in. I think I’m going to charge players $3 or $4 per session and throw in the rest of what’s needed to rent the room out of my pocket.
I’m not doing it to earn a profit, I’m doing it to not spend too much out of my pocket to be the DM since DMing is work. So the players who I run for shouldn’t expect anything special or extra, just that I’ll show up prepared to DM.
Professional computer geek
Personally I would charge enough to at least cover the cost of the venue. Take the cost and divide it by the desired number of players. And be upfront about what the fee is covering; it will go a ways towards convincing the hesitant to join.
Presumably, you get a DM who spends a decent amount of effort to have a well prepared game, knows how to properly run it, and is consistently available and doesn't ghost on sessions. There's also the implication that players willing to pay for games will actually show up consistently. The formal arrangement also often makes many people more comfortable establishing and following set rules, conditions of conduct (ie don't be a disruptive jerk) and such. There are a few sites that specifically arrange such paid services and have reviews and ratings, but most of the time you're dealing with forum or Discord based ads and it's a gamble as to if you're going to feel the game is a good fit for you. Many DMs who charge offer the first session free as a "test drive" to decide if their service is worth the price. What is an appropriate price is entirely subjective, though the general implication is that a higher price gets a promise of more preparation and performance talent on the part of the DM.
I play a weekly game where the DM charges $5 per player per session, and the first session is free. The DM uses at least part of that income to buy material (such as digital sourcebooks, it's an online game) and equipment (such as when his headset needed replaced). I've been playing that game for six months now, and I consider each three hour session totally worth five bucks which is less than I spend on my lunch break any given day at work. The DM is planning to start another weekly game that I already have a spot in because I like his style. It's all up to the customer (you) to decide if it's worth the price.
Thank you, but the cost of the venue is only $15 so it’s not that expensive.
Professional computer geek
It's upto you, but as DM you have to put in a lot more time than anyone else, work harder than them and have to deal with stuff that they don't. I think even among friends that it would be reasonable for the players to make sure that the DM is never out of pocket. The DM's extra time and effort ie their contribution - finances are the players. Of course, if the DM wants to pay extra to upgrade (perhaps getting a physical book as well as the DDB copy), then that's their perogative.
Of course, do what you want, but that's my view.
If you're not willing or able to to discuss in good faith, then don't be surprised if I don't respond, there are better things in life for me to do than humour you. This signature is that response.
I DM for my group of friends. They are intimately aware of how much work I put it to make it possible. They've offered to buy content or even just pay me to make the content and DM. I don't charge them because I enjoy not only playing, but more specifically. Playing with some of my close friends. (The last part is a very big deal)
If I DM'ed for an outside group. I probably would charge because DMing is hard, takes a lot of time and it is a skillset you must learn and practice to be decent at.
My issue is I don't have a DM, so I don't get to play. If I could find a fun group to play with, I wouldn't have any issue paying a *good* DM. This game when it's fun is well worth the admission! Just be prepared to pay for a DM session and not enjoy it. If that's the case. Talk to the DM, or move on to another one until you find one you enjoy.
Info, Inflow, Overload. Knowledge Black Hole Imminent!
Realistically, if you want professional skill level from a DM, you should expect to be paying professional scale wages, and that's not going to be cheap -- a reasonable comparison on skill sets is freelance writer (average US wages about $24/hr), but you have to figure something like two hours work per hour of game time, so probably on the order of $50/hr of game time (split between attendees, of course).
Most paid DMs don't charge that much, because they aren't really professionals, they're hobbyists earning some side cash.
I'll chime in, as a pro DM myself.
There is a lot of variation out there currently, both in terms of what you pay, and what you get for it. The industry has not yet hit the point of critical mass where there is really any standardization. So advice #1, shop around, and ask a lot of questions. If your prospective DM doesn't give you the answers you want, try another.
The site that I run off of has reviews for their DM's from players, and DM's are expected to have an information page with a lot of details. Aside from that, though, we are left to ourselves to determine our perks and prices.
At my table, the cost is currently $20 US per person, per session. We play online via Discord. Each session is guaranteed to last between 3 and 4 hours, and I run tables of 3-5 players. It is all ongoing campaigns, so most of my players tend to be long-haul, story-driven types, which is the type of game we play.
For that fee, my players get full access on DnDBeyond to the complete catalogue of sourcebooks and adventures, professional character artwork (I also do freelance illustration, so I can do that part myself as well), full-color battle maps and monster tokens for our combat encounters on Roll20, a full campaign and world wiki on World Anvil (complete with maps, homebrew items, in-game illustrations, and weekly written session recaps, with an audio narration including music and sound effects). In-game, I also use Syrinscape to deliver real-time music and sound effects, and I do (probably poor) voice-acting for all of my major NPC's.
Besides those tangibles, players are also paying for my 38 years of experience at Dungeon Mastering and storytelling. Now that I am looking at that list, I might have to start charging more, lol. ;)