What am I doing wrong with D&D 5e LFG?

I apply to 2 or 3 games/day, and never get into any of them. I'm not doing any homebrew bullshit, I'm not some cringy creep or anything, and I know what I'm doing in-game. Shit, I've put more time into thinking about my druid than actually playing him, because I end up with no group to play with. It's been weeks now. I used to play 3.5, I loved my druid based Vermin Lord. I switched to 5e to find people to play with after my group fell apart. Is there even a community here? Should I even bother trying to play D&D anymore? There's adventurers league, but I want a lighthearted group: not 3 DMs debating on a ruling for 30 minutes while I sit there on my phone.

Not really related but I've never had AL DMs argue on a ruling for 30 min. Your local store must have too many DMs and not enough players. Even with four DMs on-hand every Friday, we kept them too busy to talk to each other until after the game was over. o.O That being said, I doubt that you're doing anything wrong . There is a huge 5e community on Roll20 and other sites, and from what I've seen far more players than there are DMs to handle them, so it seems most likely that you're up against a lot of others competing for slots in campaigns. It could also be an availability issue, as you never said in your post when you're available, what time slots you're searching for, etc. Have you gotten to the point where DMs are actually interviewing/doing a Q&A with you? If you are and still not getting picked up it could be a personality issue. Some DMs, myself included, are really picky about the people they bring to their table, especially if that person is joining a group that's already established to some degree. One of the worst things that can happen is for a new player to join and have the wrong personality type and end up running off established players. Last but not least... are you only applying with your druid? Have you tried asking what classes they have and what might work best to compliment the group? I've found that Druids can either be an excellent addition, or a redundant and mostly useless edition, depending on the group build. It could also be an issue that your druid just doesn't fit the world as the GM envisions it. Being willing to let go of a pre-set character and adapt to group needs/openings can be really helpful and show you're down for being a team player.

As a GM I would first check your profile, which currently is completely empty. That means a lot to GMs, especially when you take into account that any game that is posted gets 10-20 and more applicants per spot available. Especially for the more popular systems. The GM won't bother answering to every person that applies, just going to check what he's interested in and pick people he feels like will fit best for what he plans. Don't lose patience just because you can't find a game. Keep applying and eventually you will find a game.

Most games I apply to have very little applicants. I've given up trying to compete with a flood of applications, and so I just apply to new player games: usually there is just a handful of applicants. If the flood of applications is so intense, why would they then go the extra mile to check profiles? You're not making much sense there. It's like you are saying the profile is more important than the application that provides the relevant information. That would just make this a social media-esque type of cool kids club thing. Hey, even worse than I thought.

Maybe you are a bit angry and frustrated and some of that seeps into your applications? Post a typical application and I can tell you how I (as GM) would think after reading it.

When I run games, I take several things into account: - Is their application filled out, and does it show that they've actually read the campaign description? - Does their profile contain any information? - Is the character they are submitting compliant with the campaign I've outlined? i.e. I often limit classes and source books that can be pulled from. If they create a character from outside that scope? - Do they show up with an attitude?

If you are copy pasting your druid character on every application without taking into account what the DM actually posted in the game's description, thats your problem right there. (Source: I am a DM trust me) Most DMs are scanning applications for people they want to play with, not characters .

zerosius said: Most DMs are scanning applications for people they want to play with, not characters . So much this.

The first thing I personally check is game time, avatar and description. If someone does not even take time personalizing their things I feel like they would show the same level of care for in-game. I also had literal trolls join one of my game and they had empty profile with no hours and such. It does give a weird vibe.

zerosius said: Most DMs are scanning applications for people they want to play with, not characters . This. Most Dm's do want to know a bit about the player. As the player is more important than the character he will be playing. One example a character might die and the player makes a new. Do you provide anny personal information when you apply or is it just character facts? As mentioned a Dm usually want to get some sort of feeling about the player behind the character. and as you profile is Totally empty it tells them nothing at all. and if your application does not bring any personal information or very limited like only name and "i like to join" then why would any Dm take you in? A well worked out profile is not needed but if the profile does not tell anything about you as a player it gets even more important that your application has that. I havent seen your applications so i dont know but if i would be DM looking for player i would not even concider an application that is only a character description and nothing more. It would get thrown in the trash at once so to say And also just because there is not many applcation on the game forum it does not have to mean its that few. if its not stated in the game info that the Dm does NOT want any private messages with application there can be several people that have applied in private. maybe providing more information than they want to chare openly to give the Dm a better feeling for who that are. or providing contact information they don't want to share openly like skype or discord. and also make sure to read the info about the game to see if your character idea is fitting for the game. These are some things i did think about. Hope it helps and good luck with the future applications

zerosius said: Most DMs are scanning applications for people they want to play with, not characters . Again, this .  Speaking of profiles, check the GM's. There are hundreds of games that get posted, recruited for, set up, and then  go absolutely nowhere.  It takes ambition to run even a one-shot, and serious commitment to run a campaign. Potential GMs realize they've bitten off more than they can chew right before the first session is about to run. Then when you try to inquire you might get dead silence. So really, you may have missed out on nothing. Multiple times.   In the mean time, take the advice above. I never even ask for a character idea in an application. It doesn't illustrate whether someone is difficult or moody, and that is what the GM needs to know.

One thing to keep in mind when it comes to the things mentioned above is this If an application provides enough information about the player the Dm might not even check the profile out. But if the information given on the application is not enough for the DM to get a feeeling about the player he will check the profile and if it is totally empty. Then it is usually a one way ticket to the trashcan so to say :)

The fact that many of the people here responding are DMs tells the score. we exist. we are here. we give a damn. "If the flood of applications is so intense, why would they then go the extra mile to check profiles?" To see how long the player has been playing. What systems. The game group is destroyed most times if you have female players and one male player who won't take no for an answer shows up and starts hitting on players...outside of game. Yours as of this post, literally says : " Bio:  I drink beer, eat ass, and play RPGs. " I do not need to survey my normal cadre of Female players to see that it might become a problem. The applications also provide relevant information but DMs I know will also often ask for a 2 page application to see if someone fills it out...And sort of casually regards anything written, because the sheer fact that the player wrote 2 pages to apply shows that they are going to be a dedicated, detailed player that has their stuff organized.   Someone who tells that DM.. "2 Pages? ??!! Pfft, I will go somewhere else!" is self-selecting out. "You're not making much sense there." There was a question answered. Yet you are arguing, because... why? not because you want to hear the answer, because you just do not understand it.  Or cannot respond in a way that comes off as polite. "That would just make this a social media-esque type of cool kids club thing. Hey, even worse than I thought." Not cool kids club. But a hobby based on social groups, that are pleasant and social to inhabit as a member. It happens that very few players are willing to take the time and effort to be a DM so what is normally 5 to 1, is 20 to 1, because of sites that drive traffic here, like critical role, yet few players feel that they have what it takes to DM. Perhaps examine what you do not like about social media.  There are 20 players to each DM here. If 20 apply, and 5 are hired, those 5 are typically going to be the top applicants. That leaves 15 left, who didn't get  in to a specific game, that then adds to the pool of other players trying to get into a smaller pool of available DMs. I like players that: - Are easy to get along with. - Have read the briefing document, if the DM wrote one. - Respond without malice to direction from the DM. - Fit the times and days mentioned as the play target time. - Can or are willing to learn how to get a character that fits. - Has a style that fits the game setting, and characters, and group. - Will not come off like it will be an uphill battle against aggression in dealing with them. - Respect that my keyword for getting into a group is not "Character" or Class" but HARMONY. Good luck and welcome to Roll20. -

I say keep trying until you find one; it's a lot like not getting hired for every job you apply for. I'm not saying you aren't, but I would certainly recommend reading (and comprehending) all the information the DM has posted in regard to the game. If the details for a Mutants & Masterminds game say that the game begins at PL12, you wouldn't believe the number of people who will still ask, "What PL are we starting with?" Application ignored due to failure to process the most rudimentary of information. Are you just sticking a character sheet up there and saying, "Here's my druid," without making any concessions or regard to the campaign itself? Do you complain about aspects of the campaign that you don't like before you've even been accepted? Complainers likely get ignored, too. Finally, there's my biggest pet peeve: today's entitlement mentality. Telling the DM what you are and are not going to do in the game they are running, and then whining about it when they say that's not allowed. I would probably block that person after I suitably ignored them. No one of value wants to waste their time with people they know they won't get along with. If you've successfully navigated the pitfalls that everyone else has touched upon, then again, I say keep trying. A by-the-book druid is already leaps and bounds ahead of that player who keeps showing up with the half-dragon, half-drow, vampire warlock in a game that clearly states "humans and elves only," or the one who asks if they can play a kobold disguised as an elf, you know, just because they look like an elf   in a game that only allows elves and humans, and then gets all butthurt when the DM says no. Ignored for sure. Good luck!

Another thing i came to think about is the Apply with a specific character thing. One thing that could be pointed out is that there is a rather big difference between a character idea and a complete character. I have not yet been DM here on Roll20 but i have Dm experience. And i tend to look over many applications to the games i trie to get into. And i have seen that many apply with very complete character where pretty much everythign is already set, alignment. personality, bulid and so on and on.  This does not have to be a bad thing. But several do it in such a way i get the feeling they are set in stone, like "this character is what i want to play. no matter what the rest of the group looks like the setting and so on" They give me the feeling they are NOT willing to compromise or change things if needed. basically they give me the feeling they lack of variation.  And i have encountered players that have a favorite character, race, class archetype and only want to play that so every character they make is basically a copy of this. And such a player i would not like in my game, so if i somehow get the feelign someone might be such a person i would not invite them to a game. And in the games i played i have rarely seen any of those that have an application that fits above description beign accepted into the game Some have a very detaild character they apply with but they also mention that its a character IDEA. Making the DM know that they are willing to change and adapt to make it fit into the setting or/and group or even make something else if needed So i think there is a big difference between applying with a character and applying with a character IDEA I am not sure this make any sense. English is not my first language so nut sure how to explain it :)

@ HUnter M. Do you have an example of an application you posted somewhere? If the LFG is still alive and the link is viewable we can give you some retroactive tips on whether you are doing it wrong or not. Also, what is your time zone? The games you applied might not have been of your time zone. @Other DMs posting here Please refrain from posting your own opinions on how you accept players, each one of us has different methods of accepting players and this is not the place to talk about that. It might possibly give OP the wrong idea. The thread might end up getting closed due to going off topic, which in the end will not help OP, because we do not have any clue as to how he applied.

I run 3.5 homebrew. I have a game on Sundays at 12 pm EST that I want one player for and I'm setting up a weeknight game atm. If you are interested, check out my post. <a href="https://app.roll20.net/forum/post/4963534/lfp-d-an" rel="nofollow">https://app.roll20.net/forum/post/4963534/lfp-d-an</a>... PM or email me if you have any questions.

OP is asking what he is doing wrong. &nbsp;To avoid TLDR..."Eats ass" in his profile is an out of left field wild guess.

Pardalis66 said: OP is asking what he is doing wrong. &nbsp;To avoid TLDR..."Eats ass" in his profile is an out of left field wild guess. His bio is fine. Again, that is purely your personal opinion. I have had people in my games who have had a huge variety of profiles going from no profile at all to "I worship Hitler". Yet I judge players by other factors, as I would be a hypocrite if I did that while having minimal info on my own profile. We need OP to provide how he applies. We have no basis to help him with what has currently provided.

Brother Sharp said: Pardalis66 said: OP is asking what he is doing wrong. &nbsp;To avoid TLDR..."Eats ass" in his profile is an out of left field wild guess. His bio is fine. Again, that is purely your personal opinion. I have had people in my games who have had a huge variety of profiles going from no profile at all to "I worship Hitler". Yet I judge players by other factors, as I would be a hypocrite if I did that while having minimal info on my own profile. We need OP to provide how he applies. We have no basis to help him with what has currently provided. Their personal opinion, and probably not an uncommon reaction from anyone who reads it, as it comes off as sounding (at the very least) quite bizarre and (at the worst) as either offensive or highly schizotypal. &nbsp; I've vetted enough players over the years to recognize the warning signs. &nbsp;And if you really want to play with someone that worships Hitler, well... right... you see where I'm going with this, I hope. The OP could improve his odds of getting a game by following the advice previously posted. &nbsp;Beyond that, it's simply a matter of perseverance.

I think he got the point, team. I'd say this one could be closed.

As a player &nbsp;here.... I'd like to thank all the pointers from the many DM's who've replied. Obviously I'm not the one who asked, but it's still a good bit of useful info. also if i were given a vote on which player to accept into a group, i gotta say the guy with "i eat ass" in his profile wouldn't be my first choice. i don't care what you like (or dislike) doing in the bedroom, but why would you think we need or -want- to know that for gaming?

I have to agree with what someone said earlier. While i've had little luck on LFG because I can't camp my inbox, I can say that as soon as I moved to DM a game i've received a lot of messages. It's probably more so a timing thing, and that a lot of people who think DM'ing will be a breeze suddenly get nervous when it comes time to actually run the game. It's actually pretty hilarious because i've DM'd games on and off since Pathfinder, and started DM'ing 5e for a IRL group as soon as the playtest material was out. But everytime I think, "hm.. maybe I should try running a game on Roll 20.", I get cold feet lol.

Brother Sharp said: @Other DMs posting here Please refrain from posting your own opinions on how you accept players, each one of us has different methods of accepting players and this is not the place to talk about that. It might possibly give OP the wrong idea. The thread might end up getting closed due to going off topic, which in the end will not help OP, because we do not have any clue as to how he applied. Yes, because my opinions based on past experiences telling me that I should just ignore "drinking beer and eating ass" and automatically accept him because my thoughts don't mean anything in a game that I run and have other players to think about and make sure that they have opportunity to have fun and not be made uncomfortable. But whatever though right? Eating ass and drinking beer must obviously mean that he's the best gamer out there and that he would never ever possibly cause a problem in the group. Eating ass and drinking beer must obviously mean that he's an outstanding citizen and he should obviously be put in a leadership position. Because who cares about the other people in MY game that I'm running for OTHER people that should feel COMFORTABLE with who they play with. My selection process obviously means jack f'img shit.

As this question has been answered thoroughly and excellently, I'm going to close this thread. Good luck with finding your groups!