I think its worth responding again to this topic because its been a year and its my second year in AL. Anyone looking to play DND casually should consider joining. Its a great way to find a game that happens rain or shine and it requires no scheduling. There was a thread on one of the DND facebook groups loosely entitled "What DND Related thing i want for xmas this year." Half the comments were "a group that meets up regularly". Your answer my friends is AL.
Regarding some of the other comments in this set of posts. I've been playing Avernus since the release this year. I've played every session but one, and its been with the same people and the same DM week after week. There is continuity. Everyone has a good vibe and seems to enjoy the table chemistry. At our B&M store, there is a beginner/newb table which tends to cycle people weekly but the other tables are pretty stable at least on the order of weeks to months. The same people are DMing. It may not be this way everywhere but the whole different group, different DM gripe does not really hold water at least where I play. Meanwhile the group of IRL friends I have from playing MTG always talk about getting a group together but in the last two years we have not played a single session.
AL is a way to play DND regularly. Trust me you will find friends and good DM's, you may just need to play a little longer and look a little harder than I ended up having to. The store I play at is packed to the gills to the point where I am considering starting a table because I want to learn to DM.
My personal opinion is that it is worth it. If you have a stable, scheduled game with friends AL wont even come close to that experience. But for all of us (like myself) that has moved and do not have a chanse to play with friends it is way better then not to play at all. I am hoping to get to learn some people there and eventually get invited to a private play group. The advantage is that both all involved will have a decent idea of what kind of player (and person) they are inviting to their group.
I am hoping to get to learn some people there and eventually get invited to a private play group. The advantage is that both all involved will have a decent idea of what kind of player (and person) they are inviting to their group.
Yeah, this is exactly what I was thinking of doing eventually. Luckily, I managed to find a good group. But if I'm ever LFG again, I might go this route to try to scout for good players.
I've been playing in an Avernus campaign for five months that's almost everything I could want it to be. In that time we've had to replace a half dozen players for various reasons, mostly life or work issues. I have some fears that this group may break up before we finish the campaign and I'll be left without a group. So I made one of my New Year's resolution to try AL. So far I've done it twice and enjoyed the experience. The DMing isn't as good as my home group, but it's good enough. The players were all funny and engaging. I'd give the experience a 3.5 out of five stars. Nothing is going to beat playing with a group of friends.
The only thing I don't like is that the gold is very stingy. At this rate it will take me 18 levels to earn enough to buy plate armor. Thank Ilmater for the free healing potions!
I have mostly had good to amazing DM's in AL adventures. For me the hardest part, was it seemed like every DM used different gaming. In the same weekend, I had three different DM's, and ended up using Roll20, Forge, and Fantasy Grounds, all with the same weekend. That was when first started learning 5E. I used to consider myself pretty experienced at D&D, as both a PC and DM, having used Ad&D 2nd Edition, back inn the 80's. Heard about the 5th edition, during the pandemic, and have a whole new love of the game. Playing three different platforms was daunting at first. But now, I at least. Comfortable in Roll20. Now, I just wish they would let us play more of the race options. Loaded up my D&D beyond account, only to learn the hard way, they only allow Players Handbook+one other guidebook, which totally excludes cool new races, such as Genasi, Aarockora, Loxodon, Minotars, and Centaurs, just to name a few. Thought it was amazing to have all these new character options. Stinks that they limit things, especially since we are the customers paying for these options. Also, stinks that you have to buy them twice, if you want the hardcover books, and also play online. They hould at least allow an online discount code, if you already bought the hardcover books. I love 5th Edition, and the DM's mostly are doing a great job. It's the restrictions and commercialism, which make me question the value of the product. I get that it's a business, but initial customer enthusiasm can easily wane, when things upset the very fans of the industry, and make us feel taken advantage, by being duped into buying duplicated merchandise.
I have mostly had good to amazing DM's in AL adventures. For me the hardest part, was it seemed like every DM used different gaming. In the same weekend, I had three different DM's, and ended up using Roll20, Forge, and Fantasy Grounds, all with the same weekend. That was when first started learning 5E. I used to consider myself pretty experienced at D&D, as both a PC and DM, having used Ad&D 2nd Edition, back inn the 80's. Heard about the 5th edition, during the pandemic, and have a whole new love of the game. Playing three different platforms was daunting at first. But now, I at least. Comfortable in Roll20. Now, I just wish they would let us play more of the race options. Loaded up my D&D beyond account, only to learn the hard way, they only allow Players Handbook+one other guidebook, which totally excludes cool new races, such as Genasi, Aarockora, Loxodon, Minotars, and Centaurs, just to name a few. Thought it was amazing to have all these new character options. Stinks that they limit things, especially since we are the customers paying for these options. Also, stinks that you have to buy them twice, if you want the hardcover books, and also play online. They hould at least allow an online discount code, if you already bought the hardcover books. I love 5th Edition, and the DM's mostly are doing a great job. It's the restrictions and commercialism, which make me question the value of the product. I get that it's a business, but initial customer enthusiasm can easily wane, when things upset the very fans of the industry, and make us feel taken advantage, by being duped into buying duplicated merchandise.
1) New AL rules removed the PHB+1; however, the non-FR/Core books are still not allowed, so no Guilds of Ravnica
2) The reason there is no discount code is because of licensing. If you told one vendor that they have to sell your book for less than a different vendor you would find it impossible to get a vendor to work with you so they can make less money. Yes, it sucks, but take heart that at least DNDBeyond is a super good resource (having played for 35+years, it is the only digital resource that has been flexible and easy to use) and it can make game nights so much easier :)
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"Untrained and undisciplined troops take heavy casualties; trained and disciplined troops inflict them."
- BG Jack Rogers, USA
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I think its worth responding again to this topic because its been a year and its my second year in AL. Anyone looking to play DND casually should consider joining. Its a great way to find a game that happens rain or shine and it requires no scheduling. There was a thread on one of the DND facebook groups loosely entitled "What DND Related thing i want for xmas this year." Half the comments were "a group that meets up regularly". Your answer my friends is AL.
Regarding some of the other comments in this set of posts. I've been playing Avernus since the release this year. I've played every session but one, and its been with the same people and the same DM week after week. There is continuity. Everyone has a good vibe and seems to enjoy the table chemistry. At our B&M store, there is a beginner/newb table which tends to cycle people weekly but the other tables are pretty stable at least on the order of weeks to months. The same people are DMing. It may not be this way everywhere but the whole different group, different DM gripe does not really hold water at least where I play. Meanwhile the group of IRL friends I have from playing MTG always talk about getting a group together but in the last two years we have not played a single session.
AL is a way to play DND regularly. Trust me you will find friends and good DM's, you may just need to play a little longer and look a little harder than I ended up having to. The store I play at is packed to the gills to the point where I am considering starting a table because I want to learn to DM.
My personal opinion is that it is worth it. If you have a stable, scheduled game with friends AL wont even come close to that experience. But for all of us (like myself) that has moved and do not have a chanse to play with friends it is way better then not to play at all. I am hoping to get to learn some people there and eventually get invited to a private play group. The advantage is that both all involved will have a decent idea of what kind of player (and person) they are inviting to their group.
Yeah, this is exactly what I was thinking of doing eventually. Luckily, I managed to find a good group. But if I'm ever LFG again, I might go this route to try to scout for good players.
I've been playing in an Avernus campaign for five months that's almost everything I could want it to be. In that time we've had to replace a half dozen players for various reasons, mostly life or work issues. I have some fears that this group may break up before we finish the campaign and I'll be left without a group. So I made one of my New Year's resolution to try AL. So far I've done it twice and enjoyed the experience. The DMing isn't as good as my home group, but it's good enough. The players were all funny and engaging. I'd give the experience a 3.5 out of five stars. Nothing is going to beat playing with a group of friends.
The only thing I don't like is that the gold is very stingy. At this rate it will take me 18 levels to earn enough to buy plate armor. Thank Ilmater for the free healing potions!
Have faith! Gold accruals are based on Tier :)
"Untrained and undisciplined troops take heavy casualties; trained and disciplined troops inflict them."
- BG Jack Rogers, USA
I have mostly had good to amazing DM's in AL adventures. For me the hardest part, was it seemed like every DM used different gaming. In the same weekend, I had three different DM's, and ended up using Roll20, Forge, and Fantasy Grounds, all with the same weekend. That was when first started learning 5E. I used to consider myself pretty experienced at D&D, as both a PC and DM, having used Ad&D 2nd Edition, back inn the 80's. Heard about the 5th edition, during the pandemic, and have a whole new love of the game. Playing three different platforms was daunting at first. But now, I at least. Comfortable in Roll20. Now, I just wish they would let us play more of the race options. Loaded up my D&D beyond account, only to learn the hard way, they only allow Players Handbook+one other guidebook, which totally excludes cool new races, such as Genasi, Aarockora, Loxodon, Minotars, and Centaurs, just to name a few. Thought it was amazing to have all these new character options. Stinks that they limit things, especially since we are the customers paying for these options. Also, stinks that you have to buy them twice, if you want the hardcover books, and also play online. They hould at least allow an online discount code, if you already bought the hardcover books. I love 5th Edition, and the DM's mostly are doing a great job. It's the restrictions and commercialism, which make me question the value of the product. I get that it's a business, but initial customer enthusiasm can easily wane, when things upset the very fans of the industry, and make us feel taken advantage, by being duped into buying duplicated merchandise.
1) New AL rules removed the PHB+1; however, the non-FR/Core books are still not allowed, so no Guilds of Ravnica
2) The reason there is no discount code is because of licensing. If you told one vendor that they have to sell your book for less than a different vendor you would find it impossible to get a vendor to work with you so they can make less money. Yes, it sucks, but take heart that at least DNDBeyond is a super good resource (having played for 35+years, it is the only digital resource that has been flexible and easy to use) and it can make game nights so much easier :)
"Untrained and undisciplined troops take heavy casualties; trained and disciplined troops inflict them."
- BG Jack Rogers, USA