DMing Collective

[Maelwys]

I've been thinking that I want to play in more AL, but there isn't too much offered here.
I've also been thinking that the best way to get more offered here, is to run it myself.
But then I wouldn't be playing in it...

So, has anybody around here worked within a DM collective? Basically, the idea that I'm thinking of is that a group of DMs work together to run AL adventures, taking turns between them. If you're part of the collective (meaning, you take your fair turns DMing) then you're guaranteed a seat at the table for the other weeks, so you always have a table to play at. And all remaining seats are open first-come first-serve, as always.

If I could find 1 other DM to run this with me, then it means I get to play half the time and DM half the time, which I'm okay with. If I can find 3 other DMs to run it with me, then it means that each of us only needs to DM once a month, and gets to play 3 times a month (with a guaranteed seat at the table), and there are still a couple spots left for whomever else shows up.

Anybody here have experience in something like that? How well has it worked for you in the past? It seems like AL is the ideal format to run something like this with, because each adventure tends to be stand-alone anyway, and you can use your DM rewards to keep up with the rest of the group/make up for the sessions that you've missed.
Anybody around here willing to try out something like this, and take your turn DMing with me?

[Intruder]

You might consider a system similar to "West Marches", altering it to not only handle unlimited number of players, but DMs as well.
Search "West Marches", especially Matthew Colville videos. Learn how it is run and adapt to Adventure League.

[damned]

Maelwys there are plenty of newer folk coming here who say they will be willing ti GM after they get some experience as a player.
Advertise for a group on those terms.
Everyone takes a turn running an adventure and then you go around the circle again.
You will get a couple of people who drop out before their turn - thats life.
Help and encourage each other and dont put poop on someone if they dont do a great job.
No reason why this cant work.

[Minty23185Fresh]

I'm interested.

I thought about this a couple years ago. I can't recall why I didn't run with it. I just looked back in my threads to see if I had. Nope, didn't see it. Looks like another one of those great ideas of mine that I failed to follow up on. So now it's YOUR GREAT IDEA. I hope it pans out, I really do.

I have experience on both sides of the table. Probably about 60-70% DM and 40-30% player. Thinking back on it almost all the games I participated in as a player dissolved before we completed the campaign. Hummmm.. Does that mean I suck as a player?

Please keep me in mind if this takes off.

[Minty23185Fresh]

I thought about this a couple years ago. I can't recall why I didn't run with it.

"round robin DM" just popped into my head. So did "rotating DM". I'm pretty sure those are the phrases I searched previously. Seems to me I may have become a little discouraged, that might be why I failed to act. But now there's two of us, so we got that going for us. :o

You can search the forums, be sure to use the quotes to pare the results a little. I guess one could PM some of the others who've attempted this before and see how it went.

[Maelwys]

"round robin DM" just popped into my head. So did "rotating DM". I'm pretty sure those are the phrases I searched previously. Seems to me I may have become a little discouraged, that might be why I failed to act. But now there's two of us, so we got that going for us. :o

You can search the forums, be sure to use the quotes to pare the results a little. I guess one could PM some of the others who've attempted this before and see how it went.

Yeah. One other issue that I've thought of since posting is that ideally you want all of the DMs to agree on a single time slot that works well for everybody (both for consistency of running the games, and to make sure that the DMs are free to play when the others are running, or it entirely loses the whole point of the collective). So that could be a bit of an issue if some people have stricter schedules and less flexibility about when they can run/play in the games.

[damned]

Yeah. One other issue that I've thought of since posting is that ideally you want all of the DMs to agree on a single time slot that works well for everybody (both for consistency of running the games, and to make sure that the DMs are free to play when the others are running, or it entirely loses the whole point of the collective). So that could be a bit of an issue if some people have stricter schedules and less flexibility about when they can run/play in the games.

I dont think this is really an issue.
If you are the GM and you have teh same 5 players every session - they have all committed to that time slot and frequency.
Set a time and frequency, set the ground rules, announce it and see what you find...

[Teufelhunde87]

Real Life has interfered with my DMing, but I was running and playing weekly AL games for over a year. In the process, I was able to help several others start DM AL also. RL has hit some of them also, but I was in the same predicament until I decided to DM. Real life will hopefully start clearing up in September, so I am hoping to re-start DMing then. Also, remember that there are DM rewards for running AL modules and hardcovers, so your characters can still collect XP,gold, downtime , and renown. This is implemented so the DM's characters don't get left behind. DM's are at a premium now, I usually had 10-13 people sign for my games and rarely had a table of less than 7 characters. I was doing something similar to this with one other person on Tuesdays.

Greg

[Minty23185Fresh]

Two other guys and I are trying to get a group going right now. I’m trying to pique their interest in this thread. Both have DM’ed. One guy, all he does is DM, paper games. He’s very much interested in FG and the possibilities it presents to get over on to the other side of the table.

[Maelwys]

Two other guys and I are trying to get a group going right now. I’m trying to pique their interest in this thread. Both have DM’ed. One guy, all he does is DM, paper games. He’s very much interested in FG and the possibilities it presents to get over on to the other side of the table.

Okay, well if you do manage to get an AL group going let me know and I'd be happy to play in it, and take my turns as a DM as well.

[BDaniel]

Real Life has interfered with my DMing, but I was running and playing weekly AL games for over a year. In the process, I was able to help several others start DM AL also. RL has hit some of them also, but I was in the same predicament until I decided to DM. Real life will hopefully start clearing up in September, so I am hoping to re-start DMing then. Also, remember that there are DM rewards for running AL modules and hardcovers, so your characters can still collect XP,gold, downtime , and renown. This is implemented so the DM's characters don't get left behind. DM's are at a premium now, I usually had 10-13 people sign for my games and rarely had a table of less than 7 characters. I was doing something similar to this with one other person on Tuesdays.

Greg

I am the other guy, Teufelhunde87 mentioned among others , but at this time there are 3 other DMs within our groups that are running games on various nights. Maelwys at the moment Tuesday is kind of on lock down for the group (the party is full) but I would recommend checking with JHale1966 who runs games on various Wednesdays but not consistently. Another to check with is Marcusrife. The concept works very well and we are doing it already. Im not opposed to playing and/or running another game but my schedule is pretty tight as to when I could do it and alternating would be great. Depending on the date/time I would be very interested. At this moment I am Dming Dead in Thay(getting close to finishing it an moving to Against the Giants), and I am also running Princes of the Apocalypse (maybe 1/5 through the content). I would also check out the FG AL server many of these guys alternate DMing duties and play. https://discord.gg/mWvZ54

[stephan_]

Though I am fairly new to DMing, I could also potentially DM some times. In the beginning I might need some reminders to not mix up the rules with other systems like Pathfinder. However, I am in a European time zone, so I'm not entirely sure our schedules would be compatible.

[Laerun]

Are you already a part of the AL:FG Discord Server yet? Join code: https://discord.gg/fqngzgc

FGC Laerun

[Maelwys]

Are you already a part of the AL:FG Discord Server yet? Join code: https://discord.gg/fqngzgc

FGC Laerun

I was not, but am now. Thanks for the invite!

[Timothyberry21]

I dm and play Al 5e pretty often in fact me and my brother actively have a "round robin DM" thing set up between us I will message you my discord name and we can discuss a schedule if you like (if you have not set one up yet) or I can just message you when we run games

[Laerun]

If you wish, consider joining FG:AL https://discord.gg/fqngzgc

[TempoSpire]

I second that everyone should join the discord posted above. I use to list all my games here, but it is easier for me to find a group in the discord server, so I stopped posting games here.

[Fridge]

im in, but I need more experience with FG. I am still a relative noob when it comes to FG.