Why GMing Is Unpopular (& How We Can Change That)
Recently, a post on r/dndnext posed a simple question: How can the community make more people want to DM? It's not an easy question to answer, but it is one I think about a lot as someone who runs two (sometimes three) games a week - so I figured why not give my two cents.
I want to explore why GMing isn't more popular as-is and follow up with suggestions the community or potential GMs may find helpful in making the role easier to access. This is far from an in-depth exploration of this topic, but hopefully, some will find it useful as an overview.
5e Is Hard to GM. Like, Really Hard.
When I tell other GMs I run more than one game a week, they usually follow up by asking how prep doesn't kill me. The answer is pretty simple: I don't run 5e, because 5e is hard as fuck to GM.
Although 5e is an awesome, jack-of-all trades system for players with a lot of versatility, it places a huge amount of responsibility on the GM. While 5e is seen as the default "introductory" system for most players, I'd actually argue it's one of the hardest games to GM efficiently.
I run my games in Pathfinder Second Edition and Worlds Without Number, and both are leagues easier to prep for and actually GM than 5e, albeit in different ways. Let's look at some of the reasons why 5e is difficult to run:
The books are poorly organized. You never know how many pages you'll need to jump between to answer a simple question, and it's tedious. The fact that most books released in recent years were aimed at players instead of GMs also makes the GM role feel less supported than it deserves.
The lore of the Forgotten Realms is difficult to parse, and most official adventures don't continue past lower levels. As a result, making a game in the base Forgotten Realms setting is challenging, so many GMs will want to homebrew something or run a game in another official setting. While that's not terrible, it does mean contributing more effort or money to the hobby, which is just another barrier for new GMs to surpass. You'll also need to diverge from official adventures eventually if you want to run a 1-20 campaign (unless you want to use Dungeon of the Mad Mage, but c'mon).
Combat is difficult to design and run. Creature ratings aren't exactly known for their accuracy, and 5e stat blocks tend to be pretty simple, so GMs often end up homebrewing new abilities or scenarios to make encounters more engaging. It's a huge drain on prep time. Combat also becomes a slog in tiers three and four, making high-level play challenging to run.
The "rulings, not rules" philosophy of the system burdens the GM with making moment-to-moment decisions. As a result, the GM must often make consequential choices that players may disagree with. I've had more player disputes about rulings in 5e than any other system I've run. This isn't even getting into how auxiliary rules "authorities," such as Sage Advice, make understanding or finding rulings even harder.
The system isn't designed for the popular style of play. D&D 5e encourages a high magic, combat-heavy, dungeon-delving playstyle (as the name implies) with lots of downtime between dungeons and fast leveling. There's a reason plate armor takes 75 days to craft RAW, but it only takes 37 adventuring days of medium encounters to get from level 1-20. This foundation is in stark contrast to the RP-heavy, day-by-day style of play most groups prefer. Groups can - and should - play as they want, but since the popular style of play contradicts the system, GMs have to do even more work to make the system function well if they run against it.
These aren't the only things that make 5e hard to GM, but they're some of the big culprits that I think push GMs away. These issues are not mutually exclusive, either - they work in concert to make 5e uniquely challenging to run. Yes, you can address many of them by consuming supplemental material, such as Matt Colville's magnificent series Running the Game, but that makes sourcing and consuming third-party information another obstacle for new GMs to overcome.
I purposefully avoided talking about social issues in the above section to illustrate a point: Even with an ideal group of players, 5e places so many hurdles in front of prospective GMs, it's little surprise many decide not to run the race.
Dicas de Mestre - PENSAMENTO METAJOGO
In contrast, I find both Pathfinder 2e and Worlds Without Number significantly easier to run. While the systems in and of themselves are considerably different, they share similarities that contribute to their ease of use:
The system materials are well-organized. Finding answers to rules questions is easy and intuitive. Pathfinder 2e actively eschews the “rulings, not rules” premise, exchanging it for mechanical intensity. Having a clear-cut answer to every commonly asked question - one that's easy to find, no less - leads to fewer rules disputes at the table, and less time spent on navigating the material. In contrast, Worlds Without Number leans into “rulings, not rules,” but the number of skills and more explicitly defined rules for the average adventuring day help the system utilize this philosophy in a way 5e can’t quite muster.
Combat and exploration rules are easy to utilize (and they work). In Pathfinder 2e especially, creature levels (equivalent to creature ratings in 5e) are incredibly accurate, and statblocks have a wide range of flavorful abilities. Creating dynamic encounters is as easy as plugging creatures into the encounter-building rules and trusting the system, which is a far cry from the hours I'd spend trying to finagle and balance encounters in my 5e games to make combat more dynamic and enjoyable.
The systems work for one encounter per day games. In my experience, most players today prefer exploration and roleplay to combat encounters. You can easily run one encounter per day in Pathfinder 2e and Worlds Without Number (although they handle exploration and combat in vastly different ways) and come away with a challenging, fulfilling adventure without making the adjustments you'd need to achieve the same experience in 5e.
The base settings are compelling. Both Pathfinder 2e and Worlds Without Number have very digestible, compelling worldbuilding and timelines, making it easy for new GMs to design homebrew campaigns without building a whole new world (or purchasing a book for one). Pathfinder 2e's Adventure Paths also go from level 1-20, allowing new GMs who want a classic 1-20 campaign but don't feel comfortable homebrewing one to run a fulfilling game with minimal barrier to entry or need to consume third-party materials.
Choosing to move away from 5e and run Pathfinder 2e and Worlds Without Number has made my life as a GM notably easier. I would love it if we saw an effort by WotC to make 5e easier to run. I'd be lying if I said I have hope that 5.5e will be more GM-friendly, but it sure would be a pleasant surprise.
I'm not just here to bash 5e. Other systems also have a relatively small number of GMs compared to players, so let's talk about some other reasons GMing is hard.
GMs Act as Social Arbiters for Tables
At most tables, GMs are responsible not only for running the game (which is already a lot to handle), but they also have the final - and frequently, the only - say on any interpersonal conflicts that occur at the table.
Problem player making someone (or everyone) uncomfortable? It's usually on the GM to call them out, in or out of game, and see if they can resolve the issue or need to kick the player.
Player has an issue with RP or game balance? They usually have to go through the GM to resolve that issue or choose to leave the game.
Player(s) need to cancel? It's on the GM to decide whether the game goes on or not, and if not, when the table should convene next.
Players don't take notes? It's up to the GM to dig out their record of the last session and remind everyone what happened so the game can keep functioning.
On the one hand, I get it. Nobody likes conflict. Even if a player breaks the social contract of a table, it can feel shitty to tell them they need to leave, especially if the table is a substantial part of their support network. Nobody likes being the "bad guy" who tells people to get their shit together so a game can happen regularly or notifies a player that they're taking too much spotlight.
The GM also naturally has an increased responsibility at the table due to their role. If the GM doesn't show up to run the game, the game doesn't happen. In most groups - especially those formed online - the GM is responsible for bringing all the players to the table in the first place. As a result, the GM often becomes the Judge Dredd of TTRPG social issues.
It's a lot of responsibility to take on in addition to putting a game together. Worse still, it contributes to the GM vs. Player mentality some players have. Most GMs I know often complain about feeling like schoolteachers as much as Game Masters, which obviously isn't great.
In an ideal world, GMs would be able to expect mature behavior, a fundamental understanding of tabletop etiquette, and the social contract of the table from players. Unfortunately, the standing precedent that GMs are responsible for solving the majority of conflicts that arise at tables pushes away prospective GMs who are either conflict-avoidant or just don't want (understandably) to have to police the behavior of adults over a game.
You Have to Love Prep (& How Your Players Ruin It)
Most acting coaches tell students the same thing: To be a successful actor, you have to learn to love auditioning, because you'll spend more time in auditions than you will on screen.
GMs need to have a similar relationship to game prep. Of course, the amount of prep you do as a GM is system-dependent to a large degree. But at the very least, you have to enjoy the process of things like:
Creating NPC personalities and speech patterns or voices;
Sourcing or making battle maps;
Balancing encounters;
Piloting the plot and establishing story beats;
Working with players on backstories and weaving said backstories into the campaign;
Deciding how the world moves and breathes around the players;
Learning the ins and outs of the system mechanics;
Remaining updated on the newest developments of the system;
Collaborating with players to ensure everyone's having a good time;
Taking notes on player actions and how they interact with the world;
The list goes on and on. Point being, prepping for a game is a hell of a lot of work, and it doesn't stop when the game starts. Even in relatively rules-lite games, such as Dungeon World, Worlds Without Number, or Stonetop, you'll end up doing a significant amount of prep - and if you don't like it, you're probably not going to find GMing much fun.
As a result of the time investment required to GM, most GMs feel incredibly attached to their worlds and characters, and rightfully so. Of course, another crucial aspect of GMing is rolling with the punches and having players fuck with - or up - - or just period - the things you create. For many GMs, that's hard - and who can blame them?
I'd like to note here that I'm not talking about players who try and purposefully fuck with their GM or the table. Amazing, well-intentioned players will come up with solutions the GM never considered or want to try things unaccounted for during prep. Learning to enable such experiences if it would enhance the fun of the table is essential, but can be challenging.
The lack of investment many players have in their games further complicates issues. For many GMs, their campaigns and worlds occupy a significant portion of their lives and thoughts. Not so for many players, or at the very least, not to the same degree.
The obligations of players and GMs are inherently imbalanced in a way that can make behavior most players wouldn't think twice about - such as constantly joking when a GM attempts to foster a serious moment, barbing the GM about a missed ruling or failing to add something to a character sheet, etc. - much more hurtful and disrespectful from the GM's perspective. As a result, many GMs seem overly protective of their worlds and games, at least from a player's point of view.
For new GMs who aren't used to navigating this dynamic, the process of painstakingly creating a world or session and then handing it off to players can feel like pitching an egg at someone and hoping they catch it without making a scramble.
The good news, of course, is that a table of players who understand the social contract of TTRPGs can help Gms make a world far more vibrant, fun, and interesting than anything they could create on their own.
The bad news, is that when a GM is attached to their world, they'll get hurt when players don't treat your game with respect. Having players cancel on you last minute or fail to take notes isn't just a bummer because you don't get to play or have to explain something again; it feels like your friends are actively choosing to disrespect the amount of time it takes to prep for and run a game - valid feelings that should be taken more seriously if we want more people to run games.
At the end of the day, GMing for any system takes a hell of a lot of work, love, and effort (and even more so for 5e). With so many obstacles in front of the average GM, it's little wonder most choose to forego running games entirely, or abandon GMing after their first attempts.
Wizards of the Coast
Give Ya GM a Break - Player Practices to Encourage More GMs
So, let's return to the premise of this discussion - how can the community encourage more people to GM? I'll break this into two components - things players can do to make life easier for GMs, and things GMs can do to make life easier for themselves.
First, let's cover some things players can do to help GMs out:
Go with the plan. I get it. One of the best parts about TTRPGs is the ability to just kinda do... whatever (within reason of the boundaries set by the table and the basic social contract of not being a bad person). Despite how tempting doing whatever can be, respect where your GM is guiding the story. Going off in a completely different direction just because you think it may be fun will almost always lead to a less satisfying experience than working with the GM to engage with prepped content, and it often has the additive effect of pissing off players who want to follow a main or side quest delineated by the GM.
Trust the GM. At a mature table, everyone is there to ensure each other has fun - GM included. Unless your GM is clearly fucking with you, try not to second-guess them regarding enemy or NPC behavior and dice rolls. It can be very easy to view the GM as someone playing against you, but that should never be the case - the GM should be there to give the party a guiding hand towards a fulfilling gameplay experience. Giving some trust to the GM is a vital part of the social contract of the table.
Make discussions tablewide. As we discussed, concerns about player behavior or other tablewide mechanics often become discussions few are privy to. Players can help alleviate some of the burden of GMing by encouraging tablewide conversations about concerns and feedback. Making the table an open forum for more matters can help everyone trust each other and quickly identify acceptable compromises.
Do your own bookkeeping. I never mind reiterating a point or two to players, but keep in mind that failing to remember an important NPC's name after the third meeting makes it looks like you just don't care about the story. This also extends to character sheets. GMs have to deal with NPC and monster stat blocks; they shouldn't be responsible for figuring out how your character operates. You should know your attack bonuses, saving throws, armor class, what your spells do, etc., without the GM's aid.
Notify the table of scheduling issues in advance. Scheduling issues are one of the most oft-cited issues at TTRPG tables. Failing to notify the table of your absence at least a few days in advance is simply disrespectful (outside of emergencies, obviously). If your GM can spend hours in the week leading up to the session prepping a gameplay experience for you, you can spend 15 seconds on a message saying you won't be able to attend in advance. This is particularly vital in games where player backstories are a focus - nothing feels worse than prepping a session for a player's backstory, only to have them cancel at the last minute.
Be an active participant at the table. You should always try to stay engaged, even when your character isn't the focus of a scene - or hell - is off-screen entirely. These are your friends you're at the table with. Give them your time and respect. The more invested everyone is in each other's story, the more fun the game will be in its entirety. Don't be the person who pulls their phone out or interjects anytime their character isn't the focus.
Make a character for the party. Antagonists and anti-heroes work well in other forms of media because we can root against them - Boromir is one of my favorite characters in Lord of the Rings, but I'd hate to share a table with him. It takes a hell of a player to pull off an evil character without making it an issue for everyone else, and a hell of a table to make that kind of arc fun for everyone. Unless the whole table agrees evil characters are kosher, players should make someone who will, at the very least, work with the party. If a character is only kept at the table because the players don't want to make a friend sad by exiling his weird edgy mess of an alter-ego, that's not a good character. Dealing with such dynamics can also be very troublesome as a GM.
This is far from an exhaustive list - another blog for another time, perhaps - but I think if more players made a conscious effort to take these issues into account, GMing would undoubtedly be a lot more inviting.
Third Act Publishing
Give Yaself a Break - Making GMing Easier
With ways players can make the GM role less intimidating covered, let's look at how GMs can help themselves:
Set defined boundaries. It's okay to tell players that certain races/ancestries/what have you aren't allowed at the table, or that characters can't worship evil deities and should all be part of the same organization. You should collaborate with the table to find a premise for the game everyone is happy with (yourself included!), but setting boundaries is extremely important. You're there to have fun, not headache over how to incorporate outrageous homebrews or character concepts that don't fit your campaign into your world.
Consider other systems. As I mentioned, 5e is hard as fuck to GM, at least in my experience. If you want a more narrative-based experience, I'd suggest looking into Dungeon World for something analogous to 5e but much more RP-focused. Stonetop, Blades in the Dark, Apocalypse World, and other Powered By the Apocalypse games are also great for more narrative experiences. If you want tactical combat and lots of character options, consider something like Pathfinder 2e. You don't have to move away from 5e by any means, but it never hurts to have alternatives.
Allocate prep time wisely. No, you don't need to know the names of everyone in the town - that's why you keep a name generator open. When prepping for a session, always think about where you would go and who you would want to interact with as a player. Focus on quality over quantity - make a few memorable NPCs or locations where your players are, and steer them in the direction of those individuals and places. The truth is, few players will care about things like exactly how much gold the local currency translates into, or what each townsfolk's background is. But topics such as why the town doesn't use gold, or a vignette showcasing the types of lives townsfolk lead may go over better. Prep should be enjoyable and help your world make a lasting impression on the party, not be a chore.
Steal shit when possible. I won't say how much my Patreon bill amounts to out of shame, but I use other people's shit constantly (although, I suppose it's not exactly stealing if it's paid for). The wealth of resources surrounding TTRPGs on the internet is mindboggling. The amount of free and paid content GMs have access to is ridiculous, so make like a renaissance painter and co-opt as much of it as you possibly can for your game. Two heads are almost always better than one - even if you end up entirely warping the concept of something you find online to make it suit your world, third-party material is extremely useful as a source of inspiration.
Accept imperfection. Unless you're a GM who happens to make a lot of money off their game and also a trained actor, don't hold yourself to the standard of a Brennan Lee Mulligan or Matthew Mercer. Your games won't always be perfect. You'll have plot holes. Some NPCs will use the same voice. You won't always be prepped for every path players take. Sometimes an encounter won't be as fun as you'd hoped. And you know what? Good. You've got a life to live and shit to do. GM because it's fun, not because you feel like a slave to how perfect your table could be if you only had this or did that. Always strive for improvement, but accept imperfections.
At the end of the day, TTRPGs work best as a medium when everyone is as concerned about each other's fun and experiences as they are about their own. GMing is unpopular due to the obstacles in front of new GMs and how the role currently functions in TTRPG pop culture, but both GMs and players can take steps to make running games less daunting.
Stay tuned for more writing about TTRPGs in the near future!
