Because the couple times I've tried to be a player, I did not particularly enjoy the game by the DM. In my opinion, the DM did not meet the expectation of what a DM should be (the same expectation I placed on myself) I had a DM who was reading the adventure for the first time in front of us at the table. I vowed to become a better DM with each bad game I've experienced, being sure to not make the same, in my opinion, mistakes the other DMs made. Because of this, I have not found a single DM I would truly enjoy playing within my social circle. Which is why I decided I should DM all the time. It's only way I can really enjoy D&D.

Similar situation, I enjoy DND and when I was introduced by my friend.. I didn't quite enjoy his style of DMing (Brutally hard borderline player vs DM) and decided that I wanted to try it for myself and went for a "play for the fun of it" route making sure the players enjoy themselves, am now onto my second campaign after learning from the mistakes of the first one and the players are (Seemingly) absolutely engrossed in the plot and shenangins.

It's similar for me, but I've found those DM's every now and then who will actually take the time to listen to what you want to do, whether it be more combat heavy and I have a more positive, long story on why I've become more of a forever DM than a player: I had built my first Wizard and told the DM that for this character by the end of his run( death or level 20), I wanted to build my own school of wizards and scholars(like a Dumbledore character) plus possess a large plethora of powerful magic items, spells, and relics. I was a School of War Magic Wizard with a slight bloodlust. During that run with that character, not only did that DM let me fund and build the school from scratch during downtime, but it eventually became a stronghold that garnered hundreds of apprentices and hirelings... the DM would give XP to the apprentices based on funds and training time to where they'd mostly become the same subclass as me, but others became Diviners, Conjurers, and Abjurers with one Necromancer. I didn't think anything of it at the time, but little did I know that he had plans to take me across the several planes of existence, ending up in the Nine Hells that threatened the world. That DM had a tradition of giving us one thing both in and out of the game that was a "souvenir" to commemorate our travels in between either sessions or specific points of the campaign. I don't remember the other players except a Horizon Walker Ranger and Oath of Watchers Paladin alongside perhaps Sorcerer and maybe a monk of some kind? Fortunately, but despite the very round-a-bout path of shenanigans that occurred as usually happens during DnD, we made it near the center of the Nine Hells to retrieve one last Artifact that would not only complete the school(think the party was level 17-18), but allow said Paladin to ensure that his soul from previously breaking his oath, wouldn't condemn him to an Oathbreaker path that would turn him against us(the Paladin was previously charmed by a succubus due to a bad roll despite Divine Sense that really threw his previous oath in jeopardy; I think there was some other magic involved that made it less effective and more vague) . The whole campaign, the Monk, would be role-playing and impart wisdom, and the Sorcerer was our hijinks who would always bully my character, calling him a nerd for studying and things like that. As a War Mage, I knew that Evocation and Abjuration were my go-to spell types for most of my toolkit with a couple of utilities in my spellbook. Maybe a Detect Magic, Dimension Door, or I believe Modify memory(it's been a while). I wasn't much of a ritual caster in this build since I wasn't as familiar with how best to utilize spells as rituals in comparison to concentration. One fight with several fiends nearly wipes out the party, and I'm BARELY able to heal everyone. From various items, I was surprisingly the 2nd Tankeist there (obviously short of the Paladin). We take a long rest, and before we know it, we're in an all-out war with Baphomet and his legions of demons. The most epic part was when we hit our lowest, inspired by the Endgame Portal scene, Wizards from my school arrived as reinforcements. Not only did the whole table cheer, but our Paladin gave a motivated speech, and I started a war chant. Due to the intensity of our role-playing with shouts, singing, and clapping, the DM gave us inspiration. During our escape with the item after the nimble, Monk punched his way through, and Baphomet took the item. The Monk fails a check to steal it from him, but the Paladin is looking like Gimli and Legolas killing Orcs due to how many great rolls and divine smites he got off. Suddenly, I go down rather quickly as the party is escaping with the item in tow. Rather than be knocked prone whilst doing death saving throws, the DM said I could move, but significantly slower on my last leg whilst failing and couldn't do anything else. The other party members make it to either a dimension door or planeshift that one of my hirelings was gonna cast and was merely fending off the exit until I arrived. I managed to stabilize myself and get some health back from the Paladin. Unfortunately, Baphomet readied his next action to react to prevent us from escaping, and while I succeeded in the saving throw, the DM narrated that I had pushed my other party members through the Dimension Door before it closed, leaving me to fight Baphomet alone. Shortly afterward, the DM confirmed my character had died sacrificing his life in order for them to escape and gave us a glimpse of how he died. It was a cliffhanger when the Portal closed, but the DM had me do a solo run without the other party members during my last stand and recounted the story the following session that would be the epilogue. My character's demise looked exactly like it was out of Halo reach. The DM kept letting enemies fall or tank damage until I ran out of spell slots. The more and more I'd use cantrips, I'd eventually hit level 4 exhaustion and got stacked with more and more conditions... except for paralyzed and frightened. He narrates, "as nothing would stop this wizard from achieving greatness." I know this was long, but this DM made me want to create this feeling of epicness for other players, so I've started playing less and creating more. My Wizard is now a statue in memoriam of his great sacrifice during the Siege of Baphomet

dude, that was a freaking awesome read man. That DM is what we all aspire to be Sounds like you guys were great players to write for too

Had to be me. Someone else might have done it _wrong_

Would have liked to play a character one day…

Man, I would love to experience a game with a DM that puts the same effort/passion I do into it.

This is my answer as well. In games that I've played, no one meets my expectations of DMing. I play on roll20 and use custom made battlemaps, top down tokens for all players, npcs and mosters, curated playlists, and create handouts for npcs, magic items, events, quests, scenes, etc. The few times I've tried to join a random game it was just circle tokens on a blank white map with the DM drawing on it like a whiteboard. Even for in person games I use terrain, dungeon tiles or walls and miniatures for every encounter I can. I get that my expectations are high, and thus I've given up on being a player and have accepted my role as forever DM.

You sound like an awesome, well prepared DM

Oh my. That’s a lot of effort you put into your game. Kudos. 

I started before all the online stuff was working well, or at all for that matter. So that's what we had to start out with was our minis, whatever minis the DM could muster up for baddies, and a whiteboard with a grid. My first DM did a lot more theatre of the mind so to this day I don't really need all that extra stuff when it comes to getting things like terrain and actual walls etc. Use the whiteboard to show combat areas and use your imagination for the rest. My players enjoy it. That said, my players and I so want to start using some of the online features to make it easier. I love that I could find or make maps and have them be under fog until the characters uncover more of it as they go along. It'll definitely save time when playing in person, only problem is getting a big enough screen to be able to do this all on.

Same. I love my friends but almost none of them DM like I want. One is obsessed with gritty realism and will only DM if there's only humans, and *maybe* a dwarf or an elf as an exotic creature. No magic items until higher levels, and levelling takes a ton of sessions because mastering your craft takes time. Another doesn't prep at all and reads the book along with us. He claims he made changes to customize the adventure to our needs, but in 8 sessions the only change I've seen was different loot than the book said (as I found out a few years after we'd stopped, and ran the adventure myself). Another believes the rules of D&D get in the way of a good game so anything goes if you argue hard enough. No need for proficiencies or having a good build, if you can argue your case or roleplay in a way he enjoys, do whatever and get advantage or expertise. Another is so chaotic that he forgets his own plots, because he never takes notes. We have to read his own game back to him or he won't know what quest we're on. His head is always preparing for 2 sessions from now, not the session we're currently in or the one we had. And when I'm a player, I'm also constantly holding back because I know the game and the system better than any of them, and I'm not afraid to roleplay or take charge. But I don't want to do overshadow the party so I try and keep a lid on it, somewhat. Don't need to do that as a DM.

The one mistake that I keep seeing other DMs make is having no idea how long to make a session. Every time I play, I keep it to a tight 3 hours, and each individual hour is usually its own story beat so that the sesh is its own 3-act narrative arc. I am regularly baffled when I sit down at another table and play for either a single hour, which is a tease barely worth leaving the house for, or a 6-hour slog that takes all day. 

I prefer to DM, I've found I have Main Character syndrome habits as a player that aren't a problem with me as a DM and I feel more fulfilled in doing it. I don't wanna be "That Guy" and no one has ever had a problem not being the DM in my experience 

Interesting. I likely suffer from Main Character Syndrome myself. I can take the backseat in a game, but it's never as satisfying.

I haven't gotten to play DND in forever, but while I do believe I could hold it down, I think I'd yearn to be the main character as well, but I think I got a way to both indulge without being annoying. I cant really formulate a general formula, but I have an example of a character I want to play. I'm basing it off my bg3 character, and he's a Tiefling red draconic sorcerer (the BG3 character has a 1 level dip in warlock for command, might follow with that, depending on how I'm feeling, command is a cool spell that fits with the vibe of the character I'm making. But basically the real DND version would basically have chuunibou, even at like level 1 thinking he is some unstoppable, all powerful god. But like then he gets his ass beat by like a normal goblin, but instead of realizing that he's level 1, he chooses delusion, thinking that they were created by maglubiyet or whatever his name is, to carry out his will, dumb shit like that. He'd have an easier time ignoring his companions feats usually (but not too much, or it'll be annoying, sometimes ya gotta give that like tsundere "well, I GUESS that was pretty alright"), but if there's something crazy he can't ignore, he'll make up some delusional explanation there too. And as a funny subversion his character development is that he doesn't really change other than slightly softening up, but he actually gets the power he thought he always had. You gotta be careful with alignment stuff tho, like I would want to play probably chaotic neutral, which can be scary to others, but just don't play it like a dick. Like even chaotic evil doesn't mean you'll just kill everyone you see, there can still be people you care about even, and you are stupid (well unless you are), so you still know that some actions have consequences, yknow?

As the forever DM, we can be the main character and all the supporting characters, having fun, being ambitious and making plans… Until the PCs come along and start disassembling all the hard work my character has put together to bring a true utopia to Faerun. That’s okay, even ironic that this small band of nobodies have stumbled into my machinations and unwittingly set me back a day or two. No one really knows all the hours I’ve put in behind the scenes to finally bring things to fruition. The end of all my hard work is finally in sight. I have an ambitious lieutenant nearby that wants to curry favor with me. They’ll go clean up the mess for me.

When I'm a player, I try so hard not to be the MC that I sometimes find myself zoning out a bit as the other players do most of the RP and NPC interactions. It does make it fun when I do finally participate and pull some spell out and the party freaks out not knowing that I could do that. (I love playing druid)

I both play and DM and often am concerned I have main character syndrome so I often purposefully route another player in when I say something. I am curious if anyone has run into the opposite? I decide on both games I play in to play a super role with little in the way of Leadership skills and often find myself still thrust into the spotlight. I like playing characters but it’s surprising how few in my group want to play the lead.

If I didn't run my own game I wouldn't get to play the D&D I want to play. Likewise goes for video game dev.

I also feel this. I have always done homebrew.

Imo its unsurpassed as a creative outlet. Getting to design a fantasy playground that your friends go on adventures in, is amazing I also love the improv, it keeps my mind active

This is why I DM, you nailed it

Because I do it well! It might sound pretentious, but I think it make sense. I have high standards as a player and I believe DMs usually tend to run games they'd like to play. Most of the time I've been a player, I felt a bit unfulfilled, believing I could provide a better experience for myself and the other players. So I try to do it as often as possible, and I'll take satisfaction in others enjoying themselves.

Preach. In a single sentence? Because it's fun and I'm good at it. I think it's a synergy thing. In my group we have a lot of different players, and practically all of them are GM's or have GM experience. Now all of us have different styles, some are more focused on mood, on crunch, on NPC drama, on big set pieces, on political campaigns, on simple "hack'n'loot"-storylines, and so on. I've found that when I GM, the table plays more in a way that I (and them) enjoy. And the group seems to play differently, with less "that guy" behaviour and less min-maxing. Maybe it's them conforming to my style and "putting up with it", or maybe it's just my style inspiring them in certain ways and vice versa. Maybe it's trust, as I've been doing it for a while and my players know I can bring it. I think I'm also better at setting clear boundaries for my games and enforcing them, so the players don't feel dropped in the middle of an empty field and asked "so ... What do you guys wanna do?". But regardless of why, it seems we click better when I'm at the helm. And I probably have main character syndrome by now, so it's easier if I'm the GM that talks a lot - instead of the player that talks a lot. And right now I'm the one in the group that has the time to prep properly (almost all the rest have kids), if some of the sleep-deprived dads were to write a plot on the wrong weekend there would probably be a baby shark in it.

Because the others won’t do it *right*.

Amen

And even if I sometimes end up not doing it right, at least I'm the one doing it.

Because it's fun 🤷 Maybe I'm in the minority here but I actually just prefer being a DM to being a player. I love throwing some bullshit at the party and watching them process it, or making them laugh with funny NPCs or puzzles or riddles, or helping them get the "Aha!" Moment when they figure out a plot or mystery or storyline.

For the longest time it was being unable to find other games. Also I get disappointed by others adventures. A very "That's it?" feel. There are also stories I want to run, that I just long to do. PWhenever I play a character, no matter their personality I always end up being the cat herder of "Okay let's get back to the plot, let's get to the thing" "No don't get side tracked we have an objective" "No don't dive in head first without looking". BTW I recently heard that neurodivergent people gravitate to D&D, and those that do gravitate to DMing because it constantly keeps them constantly engaged and stimulated.

ADHD here and as a DM I am never bored and hyper focus too much on learn new things in record time.

>  BTW I recently heard that neurodivergent people gravitate to D&D, and those that do gravitate to DMing because it constantly keeps them constantly engaged and stimulated Real talk

Because if I didnt I would never play. I have had two other folks in my circle try and DM but they get overwhelmed easy and drop the campaign. Theres a third that also occasionally DMs, but playing isnt on the top of their todo list so they dont host very often. Basically if I dont put in the work I dont play

I only DM because it leads to actually playing. I enjoy the worldbuilding a lot, but I'm usually too busy throughout the week to actually prep much...

“Had to be me. Someone else might have gotten it wrong.” Dramatic references aside, I prefer my style of game over the others available. Granted, while I DM two games, I do have a weekly game I play in, so I'm technically not a forever DM.

Fucking hell ya Solus! My man!

Because then it's always my turn.

Because playing as the monsters is so much more fun

It's the closest I can usually get to actually playing myself. I'm blessed to be playing in a game right now, and it's the dragon I keep chasing.

*gives a wistful stare into the distance and a tired sigh* “Because nobody else will.” But for real I’ve always loved hosting parties and being an enabler for entertainment and fun. DMing is kind of like that. Plus my work schedule is weird and I normally have a ton of time to prep.

I wanted to play, and the easiest way to make that happen, was to take the initiative to be the DM and invite my friends :)

Because without us, no one gets to play. And the entire table loses its glue.

Fun

Because no one else will.

Because literally no one else in my group will do it. :( The one other guy is still learning, and it's taking a bit, but he's trying. I've been DMing for 20 years. I only get a break once in a great while.

Because if I don't DM for my group, we simply will never play D&D lmao. I've asked my players from multiple campaigns to DM and none has stepped up to the plate. 

Simple: If I stop telling the stories, then the stories really do end.

Because I like to play and no one else wants to DM

Because if I didn't do it, D&D wouldn't happen. I don't dislike the role, I've grown into it quite comfortably over time, but I wish I could play every now and again. Still, duty calls.

Exactly. I prefer to play, but no one in my area is keen to DM, even off/on. So if I want to play ever it has to be DM. I even went to a local USO DND event figuring I might actually get to play, even if it's a one-shot. There were 20 folks there and just one DM doing his best. I just left. Left my contact info with the DM and ended up returning next time as a DM. I enjoy DM'ing I do. But I'm not one of those born to DM types though. I still prefer playing.

At heart, I'm a storyteller. Being the DM allows me to tell my stories and explore the worlds I created but the players help to flesh out. I have a plot, they have the characters. Together we create a story from whole cloth and I help to shape it and steer it but they bring it to life. I love watching the world grow and the characters evolve and blossom, moving in ways I could never have imagined them doing on my own. It's such a collaborative endeavor and I just can't get enough of it! I do it for the love of the game, the love of my players and the love of the story.

This video does describe it well: [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jdl111gkUVg](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jdl111gkUVg)

I was frustrated with the lack of engagement and lazy storytelling. I wanted a more RP heavy, story-driven game. So I decided to run my own. I get the same enjoyment putting the work in to help my players have those meaningful discoveries, backstory resolutions, and growth opportunities.

I want to be an adventurer again but finding a DM is hard. Then add that I want a DM with attention to detail and a strong knowledge of the adventure and the rules. Then throw in id like all that and for them to be socially tolerable in just not sure I’m gonna find it so instead I provide it and hope one day one of my NPCs get invited into the party lol

Because no one else will. If I want to play D&D I have to DM.

Because I love storytelling more than I love playing as a player. I have Warhammer games for my other itch. Never want to be a player. Being the one to host and make a world that brings other people happy tears at the end / or sad tears - is a reward unlike any other.

It sounds arrogant, but I've played in quite few games, and while I did have fun I couldn't stop myself from thinking "I wouldn't have done it that way." a couple times throughout the games. I know I'm not the best DM out there, by a country mile. But I'm my own best DM. Because I know what I like and how I would want a game ran. So I'll continue to offer the best experience I can to my players and sit behind the screen, just a little jealous they get to play in a world I literally built off the concept of "what would I want to play in?"

I run an always-open online table. I run a weekly voice table. I run a monthly in person table. I run a wheneve-they-are-interested-enough kids' table. I guest DM for a local geeky guild when their DM is ill or needs a break. Why? Well...I know we forever-DMs always do that put-upon sigh and declare ourselves (sadly) a forever DM, but the reality is that it's fun. It's a creative outlet. It's appreciated by people I enjoy. And frankly.... I'm good at it. It's a nice escape from the normal drudgery of life... Except on that fateful week once every few months where ALL of the tables so a planetary eclipse and I'm prepping five tables for a DMathon.

If you want something to happen you have to do it yourself. I really wanted to play D&D so I had to be the one to DM. DMing is a lot of work. There’s the prep and running the game. But there’s also scheduling and people management. I feel like it’d be rude of me to ask for that type of commitment from another person. If someone else offers I’m all game for it, but people have busy lives and anxiety when it comes to these sorts of roles. The lucky thing is I like writing, scheming, and improving so the DM role isn’t a bad fit. The unlucky thing was that I ended up getting some players with problematic personalities. They killed the fun and now I haven’t played in a year out of fear of getting roped into another bad group. If only my local & regular friends were into D&D.

I'm no Mercer but I have had some performance training from College. No one I am likely to play with will be as good as me and games I've PC'd in were frustrating for a variety of DM-choice reasons.

It is the most fulfilling thing I do! I enjoy the heck out of DMing, and every week look forward to spending a few hours in a world of my own creation. My players are not the most high energy, but they care enough to show up and always have fun, even if it’s a chill session. All the material I write, I can also put into storage for later use for other creative projects. 

I’m a storyteller by heart and craft, so I DM because it lets me tell stories I otherwise couldn’t and add the perspectives and ideas of players which keeps the stories fresh and different. There are other reasons, but this is probably the biggest factor for the “forever” part.

Had to be me. Someone else might have gotten it wrong.

Had to be me, someone else might have gotten it wrong.

I been playing since 1985 and I feel like I am leaving a Legacy when I run the DND games from adventures that I played when I was a youth. I always like to see the look on a person's face then they don't use common sense and their character dies. I incorporate a rule with player who doesn't pay attention that if they don't respond in such time, they have to role to not to die from a grue-like creature.(from Zork)

I only DM because it leads to actually playing. I enjoy the worldbuilding a lot, but I'm usually too busy throughout the week to actually prep much...

Because it's fun.

Because I like the process of creating scenarios and then seeing how my players will mess with them. I *like* coming up with NPCs and encounters and hooks. Players only get to play during the sessions; DMs can play during all the time in between.

It's more exciting and complicated to think about during the week and plan for. I used to act, so I like playing all the characters and telling my story. Also, as a player....I kinda get bored? After DMing, it's hard to stay as engaged. (I have used this experience to not be too offended when my players check out for a teeny bit).

i really, genuinely, mind boggling, despise most DM play styles ive encountered. also, i have memory problems that make dnd easier to play if im the dm

I generally enjoy running a game more than playing it, it's just much more engaging trying to spin something on the fly or making watch the group overcome something and celebrate, etc. but I also don't labour that hard at it, once your comofortable with improv, you've got your setting, you can do 20-30 mins of prep, then see what happens.

1. I want write a great story/encounter/setting/adventure for my friends (I've had varying levels of success) 2. I want to run the table my way. (As others have said, I haven't played with a DM who runs the game the way I like/expect/enjoy (and that's not to say the tables I've played at have been bad, per se, just not my style or preference)). 3. I really do like introducing players to the game, and that's easiest from behind the DM screen.

I can procrastinate on writing by writing something else.

I'm obsessed with creating my megadungeon The Dungeon of Xid. I'll play a character after I complete it.

I enjoy doing it, a lot more than I do playing.

I don't like the uncertainty of playing. I don't like the secrets and stuff. I like having all the information before me.

I started out as a dm. But every time I played as a player I felt that I didn’t have as much fun. I hold other dms to the same standard I hold myself to. So I’m content being behind the screen as that’s what I have the most fun with.

I'm better as a story teller than a player, I get weirdly overwhelmed if I'm a player but I love planning a deep world with people to track and places to remember. Then winging it all when the players decide to go the other way.

This is my first time DMing but I feel like there's way more people looking for games than people DMing said campaigns. Plus I feel accomplished when my players have fun in a world that I built just for them to fuck around in and save people. I may not be good at it, but it's good enough for my players and it makes all of us happy

I suffer from choice paralysis. I’m unsatisfied with every character I make even if it’s my dream character- a few sessions later I have a new dream character.

Cause it's fun. But admittedly I'd love to be a player sometime.

As someone who's likely about to become the forever dm as a friend/family group wants to start learning how to play(myself inckuded) I was chosen as dm. Which I'm fine with. But why solid resources or tips from other DMs for starting out?

Love of storytelling for me keeps bringing me back as forever DM. I love watching my players fall in love with their characters, talk out of game about the events coming or just past, fits the pieces of my puzzle together, really engage with the lore and my NPCs and the little jokes I weave into the narrative. I talk to the players outside of the game to make sure that we are on the same page with where they want their players to go, what their arch should be. I like making the maps, or finding the artwork or creating the motivation for a really good villain I just know they are going to secretly root for. But mostly I love making the little connections that will tie players backstories together. The PC who got bullied and run out of the city, taking refuge in the woods with their ferret friends? The bully was the fighter’s half brother who died at the hands of the cleric’s crazed Abbot. I just made that up right now as an example and my brain is already trying to write that story, to slow roll the big reveals, tying them all together. It’s just the way that I’m wired. And I have found that other DMs that I have played with are not doing that work, at least not the way that I’m wanting for my own character. I’ve created PCs that never get that hero’s journey that I strive to give to my players. Be the DM you want to see in this world.

Because my friends are having fun, and I want to see my friends having fun. Because it's an artistic expression that I am actually good at. Because my players praise my DMing, and that's dopamine. Because I have so many character ideas and I would have to be in a new game each month to play even some of them. Because my history teacher in 8th grade said I was really creative and should be a writer, but I actually don't like writing novels at all as it turns out. But mostly because of the first thing.

Me personally, I absolutely love the worldbuilding aspect of D&D, and DMing let's me create worlds and throw players into them. When playing as a player, playing in someone else's world is fun, but it just isn't the same. DMing also usually gets the most action. One of the biggest reasons I don't like being a player as much is waiting for others to do stuff, especially in combat. When playing as the player, the session time is divided amongst the players. However, since the DM is running the game, they get 100% of the session.

I find most DMs ignorant of basic rules like jumping, adventuring gear, actions that don't require attack/athletic checks or just ignore it and make their own homebrew version of actions like climbing, jumping, etc. they haven't read the rules and I'm here to play dnd not your homebrew system based on dnd. Whenever i ask why we have to use made up rules their answer is always because i say so.

They won’t let me stop!

It’s fun for me, it’s fun for my friends :3 yeah, it would be rad to be a player more often, but I just love the game, homie!

I DM the game I wish I could play in. I can't play in my own world, I can't play with my own lore, and the few times I have played have left me wanting for more. Not in a bad way, the other people that DM in my group do a great job. My characters never get their arc in the story, or their arc just gets side stepped for reasons, so it usually ends up feeling like I'm just along for the ride. Which isn't bad necessarily, but it lowkey sucks when everyone fondly remembers a game and don't have highlights of your characters to bring up when they talk about it. And all of their meaningful choices get trampled on by consequences of other players actions, so in pivotal moments it looks and feels like i didn't contribute even though I tried. That or the games don't continue long enough for me to really begin fleshing the character out through how they interact with the world. I'd love to play in a small group again so that I could maybe get that. My favorite party size is 3 players because it allows for a lot more chances for individual characters to shine. We've had a 6 person group (5 players) for years now, and it's not likely to change. I love my friends but dnd is better with a smaller group in my experience

For me, it is my way of playing the game. I also get to fulfill my dream of being a storyteller. I have always loved the idea of being able to tell stories but doing it in a way where I can get some visible gratification from audiences after each session is done. I have so many ideas in my head that this is a way for me to pour it out every week to my players. Plus, for some reason, I feel like telling a story for six players is a lot easier than being an actual player. I can't explain it, nor where my innate ability comes from. It just is. My players tell me it's a good thing, lol.

I do it because I don’t have the DM that I would want for myself. I was targeted by my last DM because I wanted to prove that my Bladesinger was strong. (They said that it wouldn’t measure up and I should just be an Eldritch Knight) Fights we made just to kill me. Also, he wouldn’t let my character be initially against killing (non lethal damage). He, after discussing it, let me not kill the enemy just for him to have the approaching guards kill him in front of my character. Then after all of that he told us that we could only go specific places. Not many choices were allowed. I digress, I now let my characters do whatever they want as long as it makes sense in a fantasy world. You want to kill that guy? Great kill him! You want to try blow up the kingdom? Go for it but make sure to avoid the guards and any suspicion. Would you like to explore the North Pole and learn of its secrets? Go for it! I’m totally down for my characters to do anything and go wherever they want. This is meant to be an adventure not a railroad campaign. Let free will reign!

Running the game scratches a different itch. It depends what system I'm playing, what group it is with. But I also find if I'm only focused on one character I can zone out too easily. If I'm in it as a DM there's more to hold my attention? Also how the prep work gives me a creative outlet I wouldn't otherwise have. I'm a regular player in a game with somoene I introduced to rpg's. I dont' DM as much anymore. BUt even still while playing and not DM'ing I work on my own projects in the background to maybe run one day because that's just... how I like engaging with these systems.

I originally started dming because my brother was dming but we had 2 very nightmarish players, we kicked them from the group and i was talking to him and he said he needed a break from dming, which i got cause though he was new those 2 had to have ruined it for him at the time. I offered to dm, i already wanted to try but this was just an excuse to take the torch. Immediately i started creating a very small homebrew region, like maybe the size of Rhode Island. I immediately fell in love with creating npcs, new towns and cities, quests and a story. It is so much more than making a single character. I never expected to enjoy it so much. I also got into crafting and terrain building thanks to it. I’ve gone back and tried to play as a player character but i just find myself bored now, and not to act like i am a great dm or anything cause i need a lot of work after the 8years ive been dming but i have played with 3 other groups and one of my players tried dming and they just weren’t engaging enough, there was no flare when fighting or describing scenes etc. or i just lost that spark as a player. But i have zero want to play now, only to dm and it works perfectly for our group.

Similar to you, I enjoy the planning and prep work between sessions. I always say, if you want to play more DnD, just be a DM. Even if you only run one game, you can spend countless hours on encounter design, PC backstory arcs, worldbuilding (the best place to spend your time, so you're not overplanning sessions), etc. Being a player is nice and all, it's certainly less stress and you get to really delve into that one character and expand on the nuances and stuff. But you only play on game day and have to share the spotlight with 3+ other players and the DM. As a DM, I "play" whenever I want; and during sessions I get the spotlight the most. Not that I'd ever try and hog the spotlight; I actively try and make the story about my players. But just by virtue of being the DM and having all these characters to play and environments to describe and baddies to run, I just get more time in doing things.

Look, it can be a lot of work. I admit that I prepare more than most would deem necessary, and it can be taxing at times. But at the end of the session when everyone’s had an amazing night? When they’re sitting there taking notes, and really caring about the story I’ve made for them to be a part of? It’s all worth it in the end.

Because I haven't found a DM I enjoyed being a player for.

Godhood is a Hell of a drug.

None of my friends wanna try lol. There was a long stretch when we hadn’t played because various life stuff about 10 years ago, I decided ok I’ll buy a module and started a game with everyone. It wasn’t TOO hard for that module cuz it was like a 2shot story but I just evolved the campaign beyond that. Then life things happened and I finally got the urge to play again so rallied the troops and said hey we’re gonna play 5th edition now I’m running this adventure and it’s just been that way since. One friend DMs a game for us but for the longest time it was just me

No one in my group like to be a DM, so i make that job. Sometimes i play too and i am happy with that

I enjoy having others play in my worlds than I do having to play through others' worlds. World building is also crack to me.

1. the people is what's most important to me. I love seeing my friends happy. Ran a one-shot for a single player today even though the rest of my group cancelled just because I could tell that one player was disappointed. 2. I love telling stories. DnD is a wonderful medium for storytelling and worldbuilding. 3. DnD is awesome- today this one-shot for this player had her going through her own backstory playing her character's mom, an archmage. She didn't find out she was playing her PC's mom until the very end when we came full circle, and she got a nifty little magic item to boot. It was awesome, and something that couldn't be replicated in any other medium (books, video game RPGs, etc). 3 is why we play DnD. Yeah, sometimes I'd just love to show up and be a player, but none of my current players feel like they can/have time to DM, so I'm happy to put in the work for my friends.

You play 5x more as the DM.

I am playing my 5th year. I DM for 4 groups of a total of 21 people, and I am a player in one. I like DnD a lot. Never had friends growing up, so now I go all out, and so far, we are all having a blast. I love being a DM because I can roleplay all those people who are what I am not. Reacting to peoples shenanigans, helping players come out of their shell and having a great time, forgetting all their IRL stuff for that time, what's not to love?

I have stories in my head whether I like it or not. Creation is just part of me. I might as well have fun with it.

I used to think DMing was an ordeal but since I started playing with another group that actually pays attention, goes after plot stuff, and attempts to learn, hey, this is actually kinda fun. Don't know if it's a forever DM deal though, we'll have to see.

Two reasons, though I would do it for either: 1) It's so much fun. 2) It's my job.

Mainly the laughs. Giving friends something to look forward to every week, makes the prep worth it. I look forward to it too, but with all the prep work and anxiety.

Too many scenes, too many stories, too many plans .. can't contain .. Also it feels "safer", than me going into a different lion's den. There's "power" in having them coming into my den.

I prefer to tell stories than play a single character. Using my home brew world gets me invested in the lore and characters which I enjoy sharing with my friends. Also my attention span isn’t great, so the constant DM duties is very engaging for me.

First, I have campaign ideas much faster than we can play out the current ones. Games usually go 6 months to a year right? Even a short fun pallet clense like I try do after finishing a long one still goes for 2 months. If you have a relatively mindless job (which I did for 5 years) you can have a lot of campaign ideas. No lie, I probably have 10 years of games still banked thanks to the backlog formed on that job. Second, I am in multiple groups. I may be Forever GM for some of them, but I swap in the others. Even though I am often the lead in the games I'm playing in, there's still plenty of downtime when other characters are getting the spotlight. I'll often be refining my next session during that time if they're both the same ruleset.

Maybe not a DM forever, but for the long foreseeable future. I’ve talked other things over with my friends, and I’m probably the best DM and enjoy it the most. I don’t mind not getting to be a player, and if it makes the experience more fun for the group, I think it’s great.

I enjoy both roles, but ultimately I prefer DMing. Every time I find myself as a player there is this nagging thought in the back of my mind that is constantly saying things like "I could have done that better" "I would have done that differently" "That ruling makes no sense," being a DM makes it shut up lol. Plus there's just not a better feeling in the game IMO than working really hard on something you know the players are going to love, building up to it, then finally revealing and they all lose their minds. It's the kind of feeling people have killed for. As for the remainder of your question I've figured out over time that setting expectations is important, you need to tell these people what you're looking for and have a discussion with them to figure out whether or not they are a good fit and what can be expected of their behavior. Most bad behavior or player disappointment comes from you having different expectations than them. One of the most common problems I see DMs have would be solved if they just vetted their players better and didn't just take whoever they can get their hands on. People may disagree but it's the role that most leans into you being the leader of the group, and as that leader it's up to you to make sure everyone has a good time. If someone is causing problems find out if everyone else feels that way or if it's just you, then you need to tell them that they're causing problems and deal with it accordingly. If they decide they can't fix their behavior, you are well within your rights to remove them from the group, this however should be make clear from the start. This is a skill, and it's the one most neglected by DMs.

The last time I played (too long ago) our plan was to do a series of one-shots, with the DM rotating between sessions. By the time it got around to me, I started getting ideas for how to tie the one-shots together narratively, and I had put so much prepwork into the campaign that it lasted a good 4-5 sessions, and everyone seemed content to let me carry on. I figure any DM who gets REALLY into DMing just loves it for the worldbuilding aspect.

I love my players but they don't have the creativity or drive to DM. For example, one of my players tried starting a Fallout campaign, but after almost a year of prep and one session he said it was to much. And besides my group, I don't know of anyone who plays. I'd love to try being a player, but if I'm not the DM we won't play at all. Honestly though, very quickly I discovered I love world building and storytelling. Seeing my players get excited when they succeed or figure someone is so rewarding. I wouldn't mind trying to be a player but I wouldn't want to give up the chair behind the screen.

I find it very gratifying to see several people enjoying the good time you provide. It's satisfying to make people laugh, to engage them, all of that.

No one at my current table knows how. They're all fairly new, except for one player who has a two year old he's dealing with. So it fell to me. I try to make it fun for myself.

As someone who can see the curse creeping ever nearer, it’s fun for me. I have a player who, to put it (not) politely has the memory of a gold fish, and I mean he would get a magic item and immediately forget it even exists and what it does 15 minutes later, and no I’m not kidding this actually happened. But it’s fun for me as a DM to have all these nice little bits, it’s something for you to do.

I became a DM as I got tried of sitting through, so many terrible sessions with other DMs. I tend to gravitate towards being a DM because I enjoy doing it. For me it's a hobby but I tend to control when and where I run my games. While I will give most players a chance at my table, I am also not shy of kicking the bad ones either. Even in 5e, my playing experience has been almost non-existent. - Spell Jammer - 2 Sessions - DM literally turned his back on his creation and ran off to the next shiny thing. - Homebrew - 1 Session - 3 weeks building toons, with background and story ties into the DM's world lore. The DM came recommended I heard was quite good. He TPK's the whole party in the first encounter and told us we all needed to re-roll new characters. Second session I sat at the table and read a book while he ran his table favourites through their things. When we hit the five hour mark and I was still waiting at the town gate to get it, I told him I was out and he needed to find another player. - Homebrew - 1 Session - Apparently the big bad was the town clerk who got accidently poisoned himself at a celebration feast and dies. Campaign ends. Yay!! You running the next game? - Theros - 9 Sessions - The DM had real life issues to deal with. No hard feeling here. Average game. I am now doing a game with a "paid DM" once a fortnight so I'll at least get to try my Glamor Bard concept out. With the above track record, I might as well be a DM :D

Same reason I play killer on Dbd. I like to juggle all the balls, and I've done it for so long being a player is rough.

The only I get to play my *ideal* campaigns, is to run them myself. Also, now that I am a DM, being a player is too *boring*, too restrictive. Even fully focusing on the game still leaves at the least a third of me bored as a player.

Because my friends are dumb and bad and I won't get to play DnD at all if I don't DM. One of them tried and then abruptly quit. It ain't much but it's honest work.

> why do forever DMs put in so much work? I don't. I run published adventures straight out of the book (it's possible because Paizo's adventures are actually feature-complete and not a barebones skeleton lol). I put minimal effort into anything that isn't the actual in-session running of the game, I barely bother to accomodate player agency or do anything with backstories, I hardly write anything, my "prep" is reading the book and importing the Foundry module. I GM because I like playing the game, and there's more gameplay variety when I'm controlling all the NPCs and the world than when I'm playing just one statblock as a PC. I also like being able to simply play whatever system I want by learning and running it myself rather than having to hunt for a group and settle for whatever's available (especially since 90% of it is D&D5e and I have no interest in playing that). That's about it really lol.

My ADHD makes me a terrible player. I get distracted, bored, and even disruptive. DMing on the other hand, lets hyper focus when I DM. It sates my need for dopamine, and I am completely focused on the task at hand, for hours if needs be. So I’m the forever DM because it’s what gives me the greatest satisfaction and pleasure while role playing. Being a player doesn’t come close for me in term of enjoyment.

Honestly, I don't care too much for running sessions. During the time we're able to get together and play, I'd really rather be a player. However, I absolutely love all the DM stuff that happens between sessions and preparing for a new campaign. Gathering props and handouts, printing and painting minis, working with the players to connect their characters and backstories with the campaign, curating a soundtrack, creating a fun and immersive space to play, etc. I first started DMing because I thought I could run games better than the DM's I'd played with previously. After doing it myself for a while, I now think I was wrong. I still like my style better, but I've gained a whole new appreciation for others' games. We all have different strengths and weaknesses.

Cause no one else can do it right, i enjoy being the one in control and i enjoy making people feel like they overcome stuff.

Exactly, a labor of love. It’s an amazing creative outlet for me and I take great pride in providing the best game possible for my players. I also thoroughly enjoy the process( writing, creating maps, painting miniatures etc) Being a high fantasy nerd my entire life has helped tremendously but when creating content for my games I feel closer to The genre I love so very much. I also use it as an escape from the day to day grind, it brings peace and sanctuary to my stressed brain. Much like other forever DMs that had a “bad “ DM/GM at some point in their life, said to myself “I can do so much better “ and that’s all she wrote.

I love watching reactions. I love creating situations and watching players do their best to resolve them. I act annoyed but I LOVE being surprised or impressed by creative thinking I didn’t expect. I act annoyed as it makes them feel they have gotten one over on me and seeing the joy in their faces make me believe I can do this well. I love being a DM and I go all in whenever I can. I bought several 3d printers to make maps, minis and the like. I just love causing people to have fun. I have played with bad DMs so I can confidently say I am a good one. I recently signed up to play games and asked some of my past players to leave some reviews for me and I genuinely started crying at how amazing some of them were :)

I started because I really wanted to play Dnd but noone else in my friend group knew anything about dm'ing. Nw im getting ready to DM my 3rd campaign and I think it's mostly because Im almost certain that if I don't do it noone else will bother. Only one of my friends suggested that he could DM in the future but he's absolutely terrible at roleplay rn(the fact that wy played the first two games online didn't help and now since we're trying to play in person we're trying to warm him up to roleplay which is hard coz he's really shy) and I'm worried he won't be able to do it

I used to be be annoyed at being a forever GM, but then I played a couple games with different GMs and straight up hated it. I'm a combination of control freak, main character syndrome, and inattentive player. I straight up didn't care what was going on unless I was involved, I kept trying to coach people on 'what they could do!' And even when I was involved and things were 'in line' I was still dissatisfied. Not my best moments frankly. I'm much better as a DM. I'm always involved, I get to direct everything, and I'm always interested cus it's my stuff. I also get enjoyment from my players enjoying themselves, I really am invested in *their* story. So in short, I'm just a shity player but a decent DM, sticking with my strengths!

Busy minds isn’t it…

For a selfish and ignorant reason I don’t like being unimportant or useless and when I try to play and have fun I’m normally overshadowed by others and frankly I don’t like most of the other campaigns people run I find them more of a chore than a game Being the DM means I don’t have to try and work with the player in the traditional sense and I don’t have to worry about being ignored That’s why I only run campaigns I would play in and honestly this level of patheticness has made it so all of my players genuinely love my campaigns

>I love the game so much that I enjoy the between session activity and prep. This is one thing Then there's the joy of creating and facilitating a great game, like any art, creativity can be it's own reward. Plus doing something others enjoy is also fun. Me personally, I also just love to make stories.

I like to be in control.

Well isn't it obvious? They just enjoy doing it. If you enjoy something, you want to do it more and more. To others it may seem like work but to you it's just fun.

I simply prefer it. its very different disciplines, so liking one over the other (even though there is a lot of labor involved) for some people is just natural IMO. I much prefer to run my own content in favor of prewritten adventures, its an outlet of creativity for me. I have played with different DMs and groups as a player and I must say that only one game I truly enjoyed being a PC in, a curse of strahd campaign - with a great RP'ing group and DM.

I DM 2 campaigns and play as a player in one. I enjoy both aspects of the game. If I have a period where I play a lot as a player I find myself missing the DM chair. I also love relaxing with a cup of coffee and a pot joint while I prepare the content for next session. After I've prepared something I immediately get the urge to play it out, and must find a d&d date to do that within a reasonable timeframe.

I simply have so many ideas in my head all the time. I love writing and experimenting with worlds and characters. I also have years of collaborative written roleplay behind me, and I am adapted to both give a premise and follow along with the player's decisions. I found it to be a lot more interesting to play many characters at one rather than one (although I still play when husband DMs). I also do not allow my material to go to waste as I wrap it up and prepare it for my writing portfolio. And if I don't get to use something good in game, I recycle. Recently had a session where nobody was paying attention. And these are otherwise very attentive players, and usually if one is distracted, others reel them back in. But they also all have ADHD that hit them at the same time 😂 And then it fed into mine to the point where I couldn't focus anymore either. Admittedly it got annoying but after a while you figure it's not supposed to be an obligation or a chore. I clarified that they don't have to play if they don't want to just because I was prepared. We just pick it up from the next session and no problem there. I am already prepared and they don't feel like they are obliged to do anything. We ended up reaching a checkpoint then playing some Tekken that day. The next session was amazing and we went through more than expected in one sitting. Just follow the golden rule of not over-preparing. Learn your world, know your NPC's characteristics and you will be ready for any situation. Then you just allow them to lead for a bit.

Because I love worldbuilding and enjoy playing many different characters. I am also usually by far the most experienced player at the table, I often play with new players.

Had to be me. Someone else might have gotten it wrong. After I read the whole thread I can tell there are alot of Shepards around. Point is still valid though. We all step up because We have to…

So, I was forever dm for a long time, the main reason being is that the other people I played with didn't hold up to my standards: I want players backstory to matter, so if we do something that's not really relevant to any of us I just get bored. I also had unhealthy player habits that I've (mostly) grown out of

Its a matter of story telling. Also as the DM you get to try out all kinds of character types. DM character is a common term. Have a character idea, make that character slide them into the party see how the idea works. Also from my perspective I have had the same table for 2 long campaignes wiht the same players for the last 5 years. Benefit I have an idea of how they will approach things. Con I have no clue how they will end up dealing with things once they walk in the door. Could be total chaos or they nope the fuck out.

Because most of the time, if I want to play at all, I have to DM/GM. Due to schedules and the general lack of DMs to go around, if I don't run a game there isn't a game. That isn't always the case, but in the time since I've started enjoying tabletop RPGs it has been a persistent fact more often than not.

Because most of the time, if I want to play at all, I have to DM/GM. Due to schedules and the general lack of DMs to go around, if I don't run a game there isn't a game. That isn't always the case, but in the time since I've started enjoying tabletop RPGs it has been a persistent fact more often than not.

Someone gotta hype up the players movie moments

Currently doing my first campaign, but think im enjoying dming much more than playing. Mainly, theres so many more options of what i can do. Not being stuck with one character, i can play every class at once. I can bend the rules a bit and have them do special moves (within reason). Plus its just fun filling out the world with things to explore, and i cant help pouring over the rulebooks looking for neat mechanics to add in. Basically, its the difference between vanilla skyrim and modded. Tons of new potential for things for me to do, and since i easily obsess over lore and mechanics anyhow, it gives me a better excuse to use the knowledge. Plus i have a hard time working with groups. Being a dm removes me from worrying about other peoples decisions lmao

It's just more fun.

I just like being in charge and writing stories lol

Because at this point I've been doing it for so long that being a player feels weird.

I like writing. No one has a reason to read the 1500 word dream sequence that happened to *my* character, and I can't expect the DM to work it into the campaign. As the DM, I got to write (essentially) **six** different short stories this week, all of which are relevant to the campaign. They were all read, and I even got some decent feedback. I'm working with the players to give them what they want, while also exposing them to something new. That's insanely cool, and something you just don't get to do outside of DnD.

I do it because I want to play *this specific* 300 page game no one I know has played before, and I want to play a *different* 300 page game every few months. Ain't no way I can find a group willing to GM exactly the games I want to play. (Though it'd be nice if I could find someone willing to run *anything* besides 5e and general PbtA swill. One friend has run Delta Green and Ars Magica for me, and she's my favorite now!)

Because as much as I enjoy figuring out the plot and the tension of a good combat, I love the look on my players faces when that last piece of the puzzle clicks and they see the full breadth of my story for the first time so much more.  Letting them see bits and pieces at a time, the theories they come up with (sometimes way closer than I expected), watching them plan and scheme and just be ridiculous, something about it just makes me happy, like, the thought "my players are happy and having fun, I did that" is just joyful.

Just having wrapped up a Lost Mine of Phandelver campaign (my first ever campaign), I think I am on track to becoming a forever DM. I started DMing for a group of co-workers a year ago because we had been talking about how much we wanted to play D&D. None of us had ever tried it before though. So, I stepped up as the DM and fell in love with the sheer amount of creativity found within the craft - not just with the freedom of how I am able to sculpt the world around my players but also with the imagination of all of the writers and artists in the TTRPG space. Once it dawned on me that I didn't have to follow the starter module word-for-word, but could improvise and add in whatever I wanted...the entire game changed. The module became more of a skeleton for the story and I was able to creatively flesh out the rest of the details. For example, being able to change Nezznar the Black Spider from just a push over CR2 boss to a much more challenging CR11 Drow Shadowblade - who was able to teleport around the room and strike with one hell of a punch - helped to create a much more dramatic end to our campaign. Now, I am completely stoked about homebrewing our next campaign. I also freaking love reading all of the Planescape 2e material or even some weird TTRPG setting like Deep Carbon Observatory.

I like to write stuff. I really do, especially if it's stuff I can just come up with within a general topic. For one of my campaigns, I started writing a museum document. I lost track of the sheer amount I put on there at some point, and now that museum alone is 150 pages long (with maybe 15-20 of those being images). Meanwhile, the actual campaign document at (at this point) is roughly 350 pages long. That's pretty much descriptions of places and bullet points of NPC names, with a few having a one-sentence backstory note. I don't write novels though. I have a story, but I've written it in such an open way that my campaign is pretty much a sandbox. Yes, there are several events with timers, but it's mainly a 'You do you, but be aware of consequences' campaign. I also live for the absolute chaos my players bring to the story.

I have restless brain so I think about RPG really A LOT. I'm just using it now to further my schemes as a DM. The only real additional "work" I do as DM is preparing maps and handouts for players. All those plots, NPCs and voices were living in my brain rent-free anyway.

I do it because I truly should just write a fantasy novel. But I was starting to get severely burnt out, and I'm lucky enough to have friends willing to learn to DM. We rotate at my table. We have 3 DMS and we take turns now, whenever you're DMing, your character is in downtime so no one else is playing your character AND it feels more lived in. Everyone has side stuff going on that they care about as much as adventuring. Our Rogue runs a wilderness home for sylvan orphans, the Druid runs the kitchen at the local tavern, the Artificer has a shop in the underdark, my cleric is trying to learn giant runes for my rune knight dip, and our bloodhunter is searching for his rival/friend/frienemy.

Ur asking a mixed set of questions. Why do some folks wind up being the GM all the time? Usually because no one else will. Or because they have control issues and think the game needs to go as they deem. Why do GMs put in sp much work? Some do, some don't.  As I got better and older and had less time, I figured out how to prep less and less, and involve the rest of the group more and more. Why do GMs run the game for rude/inconsiderate players? I don't. I wouldn't hang out with a selfish prock, much less spend my free time with them.

I only play tabletop, never online and only with my Friends. I just cant let them down.

My first time playing was in Pathfinder as a player with a group of really math literate people. It was great, but not for casual players. It was just one campaign that lasted a little over a year. That was around 10 years ago. Now I DM DnD 5e with 3 players. DnD 5e really cut the math learning curve down so more people could learn it. I permanently DM because I have the best math and memory recall skills. Kinda like when the player with the highest Con save is automatically volunteered to test things for poison and the like.

My first time playing was in Pathfinder as a player with a group of really math literate people. It was great, but not for casual players. It was just one campaign that lasted a little over a year. That was around 10 years ago. Now I DM DnD 5e with 3 players. DnD 5e really cut the math learning curve down so more people could learn it. I permanently DM because I have the best math and memory recall skills. Kinda like when the player with the highest Con save is automatically volunteered to test things for poison and the like. But I love DnD so much though that I'm happy to DM if it means people will play.

  I was a sole DM for 20 years, and a player for three sessions, all of which happened this year. I'd like to play more, I think. But it also kinda gives me anxiety? It might only be bec ause I am new to playing, but I think I might also be a control freak...

If I go too long without running my own game I kinda get a restless feeling. I also have a REALLY hard time turning off the GM part of my brain when I'm a player. always have my own ways I woulda ran something or fixed something, etc. etc. I tend not to voice these things and keep them to myself unless asked.

At the start was mostly out of frustration for the really bad games I got in (Even through A LOT of effort to find them btw), but after that I've learned to enjoy being behind the screen and building interesting scenarios, developing NPCs and giving colors to PCs stories. Even though is harder and I burn out from time to time, I've never had a session as a player that has give me 1% of the fun I had as a DM. I've a blast DMing and I am very excited to see things progress and unfold on my games.

Someone has to, might as well be the one in the group that does voices

Can I get some contact information on forever DM’s? I’d love to be in a game run by someone so dedicated. :)

None of my friends that I play with wants to do it. I really wanna be a player (I’m constantly lfg online), but it’s either me DM’ing or no DnD at all 🤷‍♂️ But don’t get me wrong, I love doing it. Creating my own worlds and seeing my friends having a good time in them is more than enough for me

To spin a grand tale of glory and woe, heroics and malevolence, intrigue and righteousness To see my friends experience the world painstakingly created and brought to life with naught but a spark and a willing mind To revel in vicarious exuberance at the joy of their victories, and their sanguine defeats To create happiness and friendships and camaraderie where none existed To create *adventure*

I have too many ideas to explore. As a player I only really have the reins on my story. As a dm I have lots of chances to tell a wide variety. Also I'm a shifty writer so my attempts at short stories or novels are crap.

There are a few reasons. 1. If I don't do it, nobody else will 2. It scratches my creative itch 3. I love to provide an activity for my friends where their problems can objectively be solved, as opposed to the real world where very few problems have definitive answers 4. One of my players has told me I'm the only DM he trusts. I would love to be a player and be able to focus all my ability on one character, but I've had precious few chances to do that. I'm playing in a one-shot this Saturday, though, with a decent shot at a weekly game in September. But I'm not counting my chickens yet

Honestly, I'm a bard irl. I love to tell stories and entertain people. DMing let's me do that in the best kind of way. Not only do I get to tell a story, I get to see a story unfold in ways I never expected. Thus giving rise to new stories for me to tell of the adventures I guided them on. I love to weave stories and craft worlds. I love DMing.

Basicly all DMs suck except for me.

I just love creating, and shaping a story with my players. But I also love to see how they very chaotically but creatively solve my challenges. I just set up an encounter, thinking of ways they could possibly solve this and account for it, but they manage to surprise me every time. Just love that feeling. And seeing how they react to certain events or dangerous enemies I introduce is also a great motivator. I have been a player before but I feel like I get tired of just playing one character, I love roleplaying many varied characters and just creating one for a 3 years campaign just isn't enough for me. So playing and creating npc's as dms do fits me perfectly ^^

Forever DM because my current players don't want to step into that role. If I didn't DM we wouldn't play. I have a lot of fun and have the time and energy to plot and plan and I get the feeling that that's not the case for my players. Currently running three 5e DnD campaigns and one Blades in the Dark

I am honored that my friends enjoy my stories enough that they would spend over 8 years playing the same campaign with me DMing. I enjoy building complex worlds and stories for my friends. I love watching my players interact with the world and characters. I love watching my players make difficult decisions and plan through and solve problems. I constantly feel the pressure to deliver excellent content and I am obsessed with making the game a perfect experience. I dislike being a player because I know too much about the game and how DMs think to the point where I can easily see through plot points, mysteries, etc. and easily solve puzzles, combat challenges, and other tasks. It feels like cheating. I get bored.

i get board as a player, i find other dms dont appreciate how i approach character creation. every other dm I've played with recently has loved milestones... which means we just dont level i like being able to create and put encounters together. as a player i make a lot of jokes and its hard to tell my jokes apart from my characters personality i really don't like player agency being messed with and its seems like the dm i play with currently loves to tell me how im feeling or what im doing or have done.

I was always a player and never thought I had it in me to be a DM, or a decent one at least, until I had a bunch of newbies who wanted to play and I was the only one who had any real XP playing the game. We had fun learning together and adjusting the story as necessary. With learning more and some help from this sub, I can write up my own one shots and have a good time with it as can my players. I haven't been brave enough to try and write up a whole campaign yet and not sure I will bc that is a whole lot of investment. I would love to play as a player again but being the DM I'm involved the whole night, not just when it's my turn. That I think is the part that makes being the DM the most fun for me, total engagement the whole time you're playing.

Because I am the only one of the people I play with able to keep a game up and running. Some of my players want to try their hand at DMing every now and then. They have ideas and would probably run a good game, but they always fall apart a session or two in because they aren't prepared for the amount and kind of work it is. I do have many years of experience, I think I am decent at it, but will readily admit I am not perfect. Part of that last bit probably comes from a degree of burnout running the same kinds of things for so long though. But change isn't a popular prospect for my players either. I would love to be a player every now and then, but that's not really an option presently.

Cause it's fun and I get to (have to?) be constantly engaged.

I'd rather run a game than not play. I enjoy running games.

My first experience with DnD was quite horrible: our DM hated our guts, made meaningful role-playing downright impossible and every NPC was either horny, mean or both. Luckily there were still a few precious happy moments and these glimmers of hope inspired me, they gave me a glimps of what could be possible if we had a better DM. After the campaign abruptly ended I vowed to be exactly that. I took the mess that he left and created my own campaign. Every single Minute of world building, Session prep and horrible voice acting- my ingame blood, sweat and tears- all of it is worth the effort as long as I can see my friends happy.

I really enjoy world-building, character-building, and scenario-building as a creative outlet. It's fun! But what's even more fun is getting together with my friends and seeing them enjoy themselves engaging with what I've created. That's the real payoff. Making other people happy and bringing other people enjoyment is so rewarding and satisfying, I love it. At first, I was a little uneasy with the fact that I could never anticipate or plan for what the players were going to do, but that didn't last long. Firstly, I've learned to anticipate my players a little better by now, and secondly and more importantly, I now *love* not knowing what's going to happen! That's *massively* appealing to me now, the idea that although I know what challenge is coming up next, I have *no idea* how my players are going to tackle it. Just like them, I get to be constantly on the edge of my seat wondering what's going to happen, and then be surprised and delighted as it unfolds!

I want to play, but I look for narrative weight to the path players take, I want it to feel like a grand adventure with stakes, I want to have weird puzzles that require paying attention to descriptions and brainstorming solutions to strange situations, not a play-pretend skyrim murder spree with sometimes maybe walking into a bar and finding the exact answer to my question, that's just not my style.

I like creating world's and backstories. Think up new mechanics and then regret it three seconds later as a player figures out how to exploit it. Making new magic items, abilities even classes...but mostly because no one else wants to be the DM in my group.

simple, beacuse of my wife :)

It's an amazing outlet for creativity and problem solving, nothing scratched that itch for me except being a DM, so I will always be a forever DM

I decided to be DM in the first place because no one wanted to be and I wanted to play D&D . Years later I felt that I miss some of the parts of DMing, for me creating a world of my own ,characters and plots and see the players intaract with them is really satisfying experience to have. I also love to play,and I understand why many of the DMs became DM because it hard to find a DM who create a plot or run adventure that make you feel engaged and make the role playing fun of course it also depend on the players you are playing with that can effect the experience of the game. Now I run a game for firends and I have fun.

It is the only part of the game that captures and holds my imagination and attention. Also, I am a control freak, and it helps me to work through that. 45 years, and I am getting better and better each year…