In about four months or so, I plan to DM another long term campaign, lasting maybe 2-3 years. When should I start recruiting players? Mostly dedicated ones, but doesn't really matter on the experience that they have, because its a pain to keep going back and forth when recruiting players.
If you know you are four months out, you can start mentioning it now and generate awareness among your player group. That way, when it's time to do a Session Zero, etc. there's a bit of knowledge about what you are going to do and, hopefully, interest.
Mentioning it, as agile dm says, won’t really hurt. And the vetting process can take a while — I like to meet in person in a neutral location like a coffee shop or something before I invite a new person into my home.
But it’s tough to know for sure how long it will take. Where you live is a big factor (don’t say where you live!) as some areas just have a more active community. And where you post your notices, either online or in a flgs or somewhere else.
I’d suggest looking around and seeing where people in your area tend to post lfg-type stuff. And ask at your flgs, they probably know.
Finally, I’d say don’t worry if it takes a while. It’s better to spend a few extra weeks recruiting on the front end and getting a group that fits than having to kick someone who’s not great and then fill the seat mid-campaign.
It really depends on the players. If you're looking at strangers...honestly, four months or so is too much. They'll have forgotten inside of a week, much less commit at this point (I mean actually commit, not just verbally but mentally as well).
I'd also not have your heart set too much on a multi year campaign. It's unlikely to last.
What I'd do instead, is start now. Get a group together, and start playing now. If you're not ready to do your campaign, then just do one-shots. Get playing, start building up relationships, get the momentum going.
In four months, you'll do a fair amount of filtering. People will come and go, then the reliables will stay. At the end of it, you should have a fairly steady party (you'll still get drop ins and drop outs, but your core hopefully will have formed by then).
You can get lucky and just get a nice solid group from the beginning...but I think you'll find that it won't work that way. Do the groundwork now of doing one-shots to form a group that will also be friends, then when you're campaign begins, it won't have that initial phase of trying to keep it together.
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it depends from players you looking for, im my case it was like 4 days from start to finish getting 4 players (including setting their pcs up) for Rime, but i well know 3 of them pretty much for some time and knew they played 5e and dnd before, so it's wasn't grabbing randos in that case
If you have some ideas for a series of one shots or a mini-campaign start as soon as possible and run the players through them. That way they'll have an idea of your DMing and you'll have an idea of their playstyles. And if everyone is going to stick around for the long haul.
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Hello there,
In about four months or so, I plan to DM another long term campaign, lasting maybe 2-3 years. When should I start recruiting players? Mostly dedicated ones, but doesn't really matter on the experience that they have, because its a pain to keep going back and forth when recruiting players.
If you know you are four months out, you can start mentioning it now and generate awareness among your player group. That way, when it's time to do a Session Zero, etc. there's a bit of knowledge about what you are going to do and, hopefully, interest.
Mentioning it, as agile dm says, won’t really hurt. And the vetting process can take a while — I like to meet in person in a neutral location like a coffee shop or something before I invite a new person into my home.
But it’s tough to know for sure how long it will take. Where you live is a big factor (don’t say where you live!) as some areas just have a more active community. And where you post your notices, either online or in a flgs or somewhere else.
I’d suggest looking around and seeing where people in your area tend to post lfg-type stuff. And ask at your flgs, they probably know.
Finally, I’d say don’t worry if it takes a while. It’s better to spend a few extra weeks recruiting on the front end and getting a group that fits than having to kick someone who’s not great and then fill the seat mid-campaign.
Hate to be the pessimist, but...
It really depends on the players. If you're looking at strangers...honestly, four months or so is too much. They'll have forgotten inside of a week, much less commit at this point (I mean actually commit, not just verbally but mentally as well).
I'd also not have your heart set too much on a multi year campaign. It's unlikely to last.
What I'd do instead, is start now. Get a group together, and start playing now. If you're not ready to do your campaign, then just do one-shots. Get playing, start building up relationships, get the momentum going.
In four months, you'll do a fair amount of filtering. People will come and go, then the reliables will stay. At the end of it, you should have a fairly steady party (you'll still get drop ins and drop outs, but your core hopefully will have formed by then).
You can get lucky and just get a nice solid group from the beginning...but I think you'll find that it won't work that way. Do the groundwork now of doing one-shots to form a group that will also be friends, then when you're campaign begins, it won't have that initial phase of trying to keep it together.
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.
Now. It might take four months to get a table together if you don’t already have a regular group you play with.
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Start recruitment as soon as you can. Ask your close contacts if they also know people who might be interested. Grab those people and give it a shot.
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it depends from players you looking for, im my case it was like 4 days from start to finish getting 4 players (including setting their pcs up) for Rime, but i well know 3 of them pretty much for some time and knew they played 5e and dnd before, so it's wasn't grabbing randos in that case
If you have some ideas for a series of one shots or a mini-campaign start as soon as possible and run the players through them. That way they'll have an idea of your DMing and you'll have an idea of their playstyles. And if everyone is going to stick around for the long haul.