Since late 2012, I’ve basically been a “forever GM.”

I started with 4th edition, then migrated through the D&D Next playtest to D&D 5e.

During the same time I expanded into other systems, running the Dragon Age RPG and dipping my toes into games like Numenera, 13th Age, Dungeon World and more.

And all along I was firmly planted in the GM’s seat.

I would devour rulebooks for different systems thinking, “Oh, these games would be so fun to run, ” and just hoping that they would be fun for my players.

But I had been on my side of the screen so long, that I really forgot what it was like to be a player.

There’s plenty of advice out there for GMs recommending they take a turn as a player every once in a while and when I had the opportunity at conventions, I would definitely take it.

Playing in one-shot games and once-or-twice a year convention games is good to help see the perspective from the player side but it doesn’t give you the experience of being a player for a long-term campaign.

Enter my second child.

When they were born, all my gaming stopped for several months. My group knew this was going to happen and so we pivoted to other members of the group taking up the mantle of the Game Master.

One of them ran a Pirate Borg campaign that I got to jump into once or twice and then the hat passed again, and a D&D 5.5 campaign began.

That game is now nine sessions in, and I’ve been able to play in seven of them and it has been an eye-opening experience.

Not only have I relearned what it’s like to be a player and how difficult it can be to thwart or try to fend off all the distractions that present themselves to you (especially when you play in an online game like I do) but also, taking notes on how my friends act as GMs. The things they focus on and don’t focus on in their prep, in their world building, in their encounter design and management is often quite different from my own and I’m finding it incredibly novel.

It is absolutely setting my brain on fire with new ideas and new approaches to running a TTRPG game and a long-form campaign.

I can’t wait to get back into that seat, as I do think it is my preferred role when playing TTRPGs. But I am having a lot of fun as a player just letting the story unfold in front of me, not knowing what’s coming next, and just going along for the ride.

I don’t know how many sessions this campaign will be, but when it’s over I know I will have played through my first campaign in over 30 years.

And that’s exciting for me.

See you next week.

– Mike.