I wanted to play some 5E the other day and since the world is still full of deadly disease, I decided it would be nice to try and find a group online. I kept my options as broad open as possible. I have a flexible schedule. I can play on any night of the week. I got like 3 level 1 character sheets already rolled up. I'm willing to join in any campaign that tolerates players who might not know exactly what they're doing. I thought finding a game wouldn't take any time at all

Then when I actually tried doing it, I learned that this whole experience is like job hunting except even worse because your employer/GM doesn't even bother trying to maintain a degree of professionalism and there's fucking hordes of people applying to every fucking game that looks interesting. I found a posting on Roll20 the other day that looked great, and I would have applied until I noticed that fifty other applicants had gone already. Even when I do find a posting that isn't already flooded with other people it's extremely unlikely I ever get a reply. One guy was interested and responding until I mentioned I was watching Jeopardy, responded with "Jeopardy huh? lol" and fucking ghosted me. Apparently watching Jeopardy outside of the game is a deal breaker???

I don't know enough about 5E or DMing to host my own game, and I didn't really want to anyway because I wanted to be a player in 5E so I could learn how to DM it. Is this a normal experience for trying to find a group online? Because I still really want to play but I'm already burnt out from how much effort it takes to find a game. Anyone have any advice? Better ways to look? Games that they are running soon and looking for players?

  • Grownbravy [they/them]
    ·
    3 years ago

    Unfortunately I'm in a game that's full up.

    I really wish more people would volunteer to DM, because there's just not as many as there are potential players.

    If you find players here, there's less of a chance they'll be awful. But someone has to be willing to DM, i want to see more Hexbear Groups.

    • Ho_Chi_Chungus [she/her]
      ·
      3 years ago

      Yeah, I posted this to half vent and half to see if anyone on hexbear was running an open game or planning on it. I don't entirely mind DMing but I came up with too many characters that I want to play and I know damn well I will play none of them if I am the DM

      • WhoaSlowDownMaurice [they/them, undecided]
        ·
        3 years ago

        I've honestly been seriously considering DMing something for the Hexbear players here, but I worry about my schedule and whether it'll be good enough.

        • MoreLikeSexbearLmao [he/him]
          ·
          3 years ago

          Just run a one-shot to start and don't worry about if it's good enough. I'd recommend making sure at least one player is pretty familiar with the rules if you aren't, though.

        • StLangoustine [any]
          ·
          3 years ago

          Run Spire: the City must Fall, the official Hexbear game. I'm you can choose arbitrary time every session and you'll still get yourself the necessary number of players.

      • SickleRick [he/him]
        ·
        3 years ago

        When I got kinda stuck as a forever DM for a while, I took those character concepts and made them into NPC's, so you kinda get to play way more characters as a DM. I'm currently burned the fuck out on DMing (and playing, tbh), but that's more to do with my mental health otherwise.

      • ferristriangle [he/him]
        ·
        3 years ago

        But if you're the DM you can play all of them at the same time. They can be the NPCs that bring the players together or help guide them on their quest.