I’m being a tricksy little hobbit with this post, not gonna lie. There is no secret to finding a great group for a game of sweet tabletop action because every group must first grow together. Here are a few tricks and tips that I’ve found, used, or heard of to help you find an awesome group of folks to crawl around dungeons with.

Welcome to Table-talk Tuesday at The Battle Blog, where I talk about Dungeons and Dragons, Starfinder, or just Tabletop Role Playing Games in general. I think there is a huge psychological benefit to playing these games, but that is the content of past and future posts on this topic.

If you are a beginner to the hobby, finding a group can be super (x10) hard. But fear not, for there are a few things you can do to find the right people to play with.

1. Check out your local game or book stores and ask if they have any games going. You’d be surprised how many places allow people to have informal sessions during the week, and it might be a good place to make friends with similarly minded folks. (Warning: you may not know these people, and this can just as easily backfire with a group of folks with views that may not jive with your own. Use your best judgement.)
2. Similarly, a surprising number of bars and breweries have game nights nowadays, with players showing up a certain night of the week to play new or established campaigns. Again, a great way to make friends, and sometimes a little social lubricant makes making said friends easier. What a wacky end of sentence that was.
3. Use Roll 20 or one of the other myriad online services. It has never been easier to find a game online, if that is more your schtick. I personally prefer in person games, but beggars can’t be choosers, and sometimes the convenience of online accessibility wins out. I really suggest going to Reddit to one of the many tabletop communities — there are entire subreddits dedicated to finding groups and sharing knowledge.
4. Put out an ad on Craigslist. Lol, just kidding. Although I’m sure a legitimately awesome group has formed this way. The world’s just too big for that not to have happened.

But for you beginners who really want a great group, and for those of you who have experience but can’t seem to find the right dynamic, there is one ultimate answer. One failproof way to maximize the value and enjoyment of your D&D experience and party dynamic.

BUILD IT, AND THEY WILL COME! YOU MUST TAKE THE REINS OF THE DUNGEON MASTER FOR YOURSELF AND LEAD YOUR NEW TEAM INTO THE ANNALS OF GLORY!

When I first started playing, I didn’t know anyone else who played in my area, but I had a bunch of friends who were dying to try. So, I decided to do the work: I bought five 4E books on sale and read them over the course of the week. As someone who writes and spends a lot of time in a creative mental space, it wasn’t hard for me to come up with the narrative aspects of the story and game, so that was a caveat. Over the course of the next three or four months, I had a rotating cast of players at my table as various friends (and friends of friends) experimented playing in a monster of the week style of play.

Over time, the players who liked it stuck around, and I got better at DMing. My knowledge of the rules increased with play, my roleplay got better, my combat got more challenging, and my players had more fun. Most importantly, we were all having a blast playing together. So, our rotating door of players closed, and the remaining veterans of the mercenary company (the players) set out on their first campaign.

Another famous example of a group growing into excellence is Critical Role. They played for a while before they ever streamed their games to the millions who now watch their show. And they had another player, one who would not remain at their table past the twenty-seventh episode of their first campaign. This person, Orion Acaba is a fellow voice actor and was a friend of the group, but his attitude and actions didn’t vibe with everyone in the party. He was a bit caustic, so eventually, he was asked to leave the table.

While that decision is never easy, sometimes it is the right one. It is sad that it ends friendships, but D&D is a very vulnerable thing, so it is hard to disconnect deep emotions from the game. And when they did that, the dynamic of their table lit up, carrying them to become the monolithic force for storytelling good that they are today. While I don’t personally watch the show, I have nothing but the fondest respect for the business and the people at Critical Role for what they have done for the hobby.

To really have the perfect table, you need to craft it yourself. Ron Swanson would probably say the same thing about woodwork, but it’s true. And perhaps within your network of friends (or players if you’re experienced) there is someone who is excited to DM but doesn’t want anything to do with the logistical planning of the sesh. Amazing! Just take on that role for yourself, like Freddie Wong from Dungeons and Daddies. Freddy edits and hosts the podcast while Anthony Burch is the Dungeon Master, leaving the DM only the responsibility of the game itself. Which is more than enough.

Hope this post helps those of you needing a little push to find a game or makes it a little less intimidating. Feel free to use this post to find a game too, that would be rad as hell. I hope you laugh from the very bottom of your diaphragm today, and that you find the time to feel the blood pumping in your hands.

Kyle, if you’re reading back over this, GET TO WORK AND EDIT THAT PODCAST BB! Foster discipline and compassion. Practice humility and empathy.

Stay radical,

Kbat