I have fair familiarity with the DnD rules, primarily through growing up with Baldur's Gate/Neverwinter Nights/Critical Role and having thrown myself into Monster Manuals more than once. I'd like to try my first campaign as a player! I am eager to start a level one campaign and am looking for a solid DM that doesn't mind clarifying questions being asked, and I think I have fun character ideas. My main issue is that I am a night-shift correctional officer working 80-hours a week--and for that reason, I think play-by-post may be right for me. I have a ton of time throughout the nights to post. Is anyone planning a campaign that would include me?
To summarize:
LFG – D&D 5e Play-by-Post (Text Only) After 11 PM EST availability Looking for a level 1 traditional fantasy campaign Beginner-friendly pace, focus on RP + classic adventure Reply or DM me here — thanks!
I'd suggest reading the first message in the play-by-post FAQ. These days, the way it generally works is that a DM who wants to run a game will start a thread with the Recruiting tag, pitching their game and seeking new players. Just keep checking the recruitment filter every day for new, open recruiting threads, and apply to them until you're accepted into a game. Each DM is a little different, so be sure to read their post to see what they're looking for in an "application" to their game. Don't get discouraged: it can take a few tries before you're accepted into a game.
Hey, thanks a ton for responding. Seems like a pretty great community. I was worried mostly about my strange late-night schedule--hopefully I can find that in a DM's post as well! Cheers, friend!
I wouldn't worry about your late night schedule, you'll be awake at the same time as someone around the world. Those of us in Europe usually log on and find everyone else has posted whilst we were asleep.
Yeah, like @Vedar said, most of the play-by-post games that are run via this forum wouldn't have a problem with your schedule. The pace-of-play of games that run on this forum seems to hover around 1 post / day from each player and DM. Many are slower, like 2 - 3 posts / week. The upside is that the games are very amenable to a mix of players living in far-flung time zones or with very different schedules. You cannot really run a play-by-post any faster than that if the game includes, for example, players in Australia, Europe, and the USA.
The downside is that even a "one-shot" adventure takes months to run IRL. Long, multi-level campaigns take years. (That's why some of us here play more than one game at once!) Looking at a couple of my games, it took the party ~12 months of play to go from level 1 to level 4. If you look at recent activity on this forum, you'll see that there are quite a few games that started in 2022 or even earlier.
DMs who want to run a play-by-post game with a faster pace-of-play than 1 post / day often run their games via Discord. DMs who want to run a faster pace-of-play will probably specify that they're looking for players who will be available to post during specific hours of the day. Just check the recruiting post to see whether the DM says anything about pace-of-play or when you're expected to be available for posting. If not, then you should be fine.
I'd second the advice about looking for a 'recruiting' tagged game that has a fairly flexible posting schedule. I could share more specific details in PM, but since I'm a DM who runs a current campaign on these boards I don't want to run afoul of the rules that prohibit direct recruiting for your campaign via the message boards. And actually I think that's a good protection against some predatory individuals I've seen trying to recruit for campaigns where PbP (Play by Post) ought to have been translated to PaTP (PAY to Post) ... in other words, less than ethical campaigns that weren't exactly up-front about the pay wall -- so I can understand why WoTC has codes of conduct around that issue. I personally am an old-school DM who plays and DMs for the love of the game, and because of my autism-spectrum brain I actually find the relaxed time schedule of many play by post games supportive; and I know a couple of other DMs on this site who I would be willing to swear to the honesty of ... but no financial interest for either me or them.
In general though, do check the threads that are recruiting to see if the DM has explicitly mentioned their expected posting frequency, and ask if its not stated. Also, a tip I like to pass on to everyone who uses these forums. Its possible to roll the dice for your character's statistics by using the icon that looks like a black '3' on a d6 ... the drawback is that if you include dice rolls in your post, post it and then later edit and repost ... the forum will re-roll those dice, and then may flag the post as having potentially manipulated results. TO AVOID THIS: if the DM allows you to roll your character's statistics in the recruiting thread; ROLL THEM IN ONE POST, AND THEN 'QUOTE' THAT POST USING THE 'QUOTE' COMMAND YOU SEE UNDER IT TO THE BOTTOM RIGHT. That quote box will protect the rolls; but if you use the other 'quote' command ( the " mark ABOVE the post as you're editing it) it won't necessarily.
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
Famh Thrawn Fiadhaich - 'half elven' sorcerer (wild magic) 2, Sleeping Gods - A Dragon Warriors campaign in the Lands of Legend
Quspira Inirali - tiefling cleric (Life domain) 4, Painted's "He'll be the father of my child"
---RETIRED HEROES' REST HOME---
Sae Ivui Nailo - wood elf rogue (inquisitive) 5 , Sea of Death: Captain Hailstorm's Lost Treasure
Ryshraxea "Shra" Naranthi - tabaxi artificer 1, Nyx's Tomb of Annihilation - Group 1
I am hosting a game of 1st ed D&D on Wednesdays 7pm-9pm UK time - the game is halfway through and there are several characters you could take over to help the party if you are interested
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
As Above, So Below.
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Hi all!
I have fair familiarity with the DnD rules, primarily through growing up with Baldur's Gate/Neverwinter Nights/Critical Role and having thrown myself into Monster Manuals more than once. I'd like to try my first campaign as a player! I am eager to start a level one campaign and am looking for a solid DM that doesn't mind clarifying questions being asked, and I think I have fun character ideas. My main issue is that I am a night-shift correctional officer working 80-hours a week--and for that reason, I think play-by-post may be right for me. I have a ton of time throughout the nights to post. Is anyone planning a campaign that would include me?
To summarize:
LFG – D&D 5e Play-by-Post (Text Only)
After 11 PM EST availability
Looking for a level 1 traditional fantasy campaign
Beginner-friendly pace, focus on RP + classic adventure
Reply or DM me here — thanks!
Welcome to the forums!
Ugh! That's too many hours, @Walt255ea1ca548f6!
I'd suggest reading the first message in the play-by-post FAQ. These days, the way it generally works is that a DM who wants to run a game will start a thread with the Recruiting tag, pitching their game and seeking new players. Just keep checking the recruitment filter every day for new, open recruiting threads, and apply to them until you're accepted into a game. Each DM is a little different, so be sure to read their post to see what they're looking for in an "application" to their game. Don't get discouraged: it can take a few tries before you're accepted into a game.
Hey, thanks a ton for responding. Seems like a pretty great community. I was worried mostly about my strange late-night schedule--hopefully I can find that in a DM's post as well! Cheers, friend!
I wouldn't worry about your late night schedule, you'll be awake at the same time as someone around the world. Those of us in Europe usually log on and find everyone else has posted whilst we were asleep.
Alteria Bennutu - Orc Archfey Warlock
Scarlett Rotkäppchen - Tiefling Vengeance Paladin
Myrith Duskwyn - Aasimar Warlock
Yeah, like @Vedar said, most of the play-by-post games that are run via this forum wouldn't have a problem with your schedule. The pace-of-play of games that run on this forum seems to hover around 1 post / day from each player and DM. Many are slower, like 2 - 3 posts / week. The upside is that the games are very amenable to a mix of players living in far-flung time zones or with very different schedules. You cannot really run a play-by-post any faster than that if the game includes, for example, players in Australia, Europe, and the USA.
The downside is that even a "one-shot" adventure takes months to run IRL. Long, multi-level campaigns take years. (That's why some of us here play more than one game at once!) Looking at a couple of my games, it took the party ~12 months of play to go from level 1 to level 4. If you look at recent activity on this forum, you'll see that there are quite a few games that started in 2022 or even earlier.
DMs who want to run a play-by-post game with a faster pace-of-play than 1 post / day often run their games via Discord. DMs who want to run a faster pace-of-play will probably specify that they're looking for players who will be available to post during specific hours of the day. Just check the recruiting post to see whether the DM says anything about pace-of-play or when you're expected to be available for posting. If not, then you should be fine.
Happy Gaming!
Hey, welcome to the PbP community!
I'd second the advice about looking for a 'recruiting' tagged game that has a fairly flexible posting schedule. I could share more specific details in PM, but since I'm a DM who runs a current campaign on these boards I don't want to run afoul of the rules that prohibit direct recruiting for your campaign via the message boards. And actually I think that's a good protection against some predatory individuals I've seen trying to recruit for campaigns where PbP (Play by Post) ought to have been translated to PaTP (PAY to Post) ... in other words, less than ethical campaigns that weren't exactly up-front about the pay wall -- so I can understand why WoTC has codes of conduct around that issue. I personally am an old-school DM who plays and DMs for the love of the game, and because of my autism-spectrum brain I actually find the relaxed time schedule of many play by post games supportive; and I know a couple of other DMs on this site who I would be willing to swear to the honesty of ... but no financial interest for either me or them.
In general though, do check the threads that are recruiting to see if the DM has explicitly mentioned their expected posting frequency, and ask if its not stated. Also, a tip I like to pass on to everyone who uses these forums. Its possible to roll the dice for your character's statistics by using the icon that looks like a black '3' on a d6 ... the drawback is that if you include dice rolls in your post, post it and then later edit and repost ... the forum will re-roll those dice, and then may flag the post as having potentially manipulated results. TO AVOID THIS: if the DM allows you to roll your character's statistics in the recruiting thread; ROLL THEM IN ONE POST, AND THEN 'QUOTE' THAT POST USING THE 'QUOTE' COMMAND YOU SEE UNDER IT TO THE BOTTOM RIGHT. That quote box will protect the rolls; but if you use the other 'quote' command ( the " mark ABOVE the post as you're editing it) it won't necessarily.
Famh Thrawn Fiadhaich - 'half elven' sorcerer (wild magic) 2, Sleeping Gods - A Dragon Warriors campaign in the Lands of Legend
Quspira Inirali - tiefling cleric (Life domain) 4, Painted's "He'll be the father of my child"
---RETIRED HEROES' REST HOME---
Sae Ivui Nailo - wood elf rogue (inquisitive) 5 , Sea of Death: Captain Hailstorm's Lost Treasure
Ryshraxea "Shra" Naranthi - tabaxi artificer 1, Nyx's Tomb of Annihilation - Group 1
I am hosting a game of 1st ed D&D on Wednesdays 7pm-9pm UK time - the game is halfway through and there are several characters you could take over to help the party if you are interested
As Above, So Below.