A lot of people get into Dungeons & Dragons through actual play shows – generally long-form episodes or livestreams in which a group of comedians, actors, improvisers or otherwise skilled performers play the game. Their characters are often deep, complex, and take advantage of D&D’s systems in fun and exciting ways.
Every DM out there knows that while this might be a beautiful ecosystem fostering new and curious players, it’s also the worst thing that’s ever happened in the history of the universe and nurtures a nigh-catastrophic level of misguided expectations for new gamers. For that reason, here’s six that have utterly decimated my game nights as a DM:
Dimension 20
Let’s get it out of the way: D20 was the show that got me into Dungeons & Dragons. It’s the greatest show ever made and I’ve legitimately sobbed while watching it. I’m a hypocrite – drag me over the coals. But, that doesn’t make the show immune from criticism. In fact, I would argue it only opens it up to more:
Unfortunately, Dimension 20 makes new players believe that the people in their party will be fun to hang out with.
This could not be further from the truth for at least 90% of people’s games. More than likely, your party will be made up of people who you could never in your wildest dreams imagine hanging out with. My players expect our D&D game to be a beautiful tapestry constructed by and through the close emotional bond they develop with their friends, but it simply isn’t.
More than likely, our game nights are going to feature a half-read module where three of the players are essentially there ironically and the other two are on their phones. As it turns out, showing up to a random Adventurer’s League night at your local game store isn’t going to introduce you to the kindest or most hygienic people you’ve ever met.
The Adventure Zone
When a player tells me that they love The Adventure Zone, I legitimately shudder. Out of every show you could watch, you decided to choose the one that features a DM who will bend the rules to tell a beautiful, captivating story?
Do not expect that if you’re playing with me. Whereas Griffin regularly ignores and refactors the more crunchy rules of D&D to the benefit of his players, my DMing style includes additional mechanics not even mentioned in the Player’s Handbook. Hell, I might even throw in some Unearthed Arcana.
I’m talking optional flanking rules, spell points, permanent injuries, and maybe even some weird rest variant. (How do you like 2 weeks of downtime required for a long rest, huh?) You’re going to need a binder for a single character sheet, and you’re going to like it. There’s even a chance that I’ll change the campaign from 5th Edition to Pathfinder halfway through the story. I’ve done it before, and I’ll do it again.
Not Another D&D Podcast
NADDPOD, famed for the hilarious cohesion of its four main comedian/improvisor cast members, might be one of the worst things to have struck the internet if you host a game yourself, and the tabletop community has yet to recover.
After listening, my players began to expect me to be funny.
Oh, sure – I call myself a comedy writer. But the truth is that I did stand-up once and bombed so bad I cried and threw up. It’s a distraction – all a lie! I pretend to be a comedian to desperately mask my insecurities, not because of any thimbleful of skill. So, when listeners come to my table expecting me to have the comedic chops of Jake Hurwitz, I nearly flip the table in anger.
Dungeons and Daddies
Out of all the shows on this list, Dungeons and Daddies is the one with which I have the least experience. That doesn’t mean that it isn’t a blight upon my life and a deeply problematic influence around my game table.
For some reason, my players have gotten it in their heads that I am their dad.
This has borderline ruined my life. I’m regularly expected to provide orange slices before and after each game, a Gatorade break in the middle, and I’ve been asked at least a dozen times to burp each player over my shoulder. My mailbox is filled with bills for their college tuition, and I currently owe at least two of their mothers monthly alimony payments. Admittedly, that is because I am divorced from those women.
HarmonQuest
I’m not quite sure I understand how this one is so popular. HarmonQuest was a limited-run actual play show on Seeso. Who watches Seeso? What?
Somehow, every single one of my players is a huge fan of this show, and they all expect me to be like Dan Harmon, the show’s eponymous DM. Or so I assume? Someone told me it was this other guy Spencer but I can’t be bothered to watch.
“Why don’t you regularly go on angry, borderline egoist rants about people or things that annoy you?” ask my players. “Aren’t you supposed to be the showrunner for Community and Rick and Morty?”
Critical Role
After watching Critical Role, players are made to believe the greatest fallacy of all: that Dungeons & Dragons is good.
