I have been running a weekly game now for 11 years. Transitioned to Pathfinder as soon as it came available. Group has evolved over the years, but we typically have 4 to 5 adult players plus myself. For the most part the group has been great and we get along well. Attendance is remarkably stable and players tell me that they are having a blast.
However, over the past month I have found my motivation to keep running the game ebbing. I'm struggling to retain drive.
Some days I wonder if it is time to move on.
I still love the hobby and enjoy the stories that we create, but my zeal is diminished.
I need advice on rekindling passion for the game.
Thank you in advance for your advice and recommendations.
Thank you for the suggestion. I think that it is a great idea. The only issue is finding a game. Small town, very few other Pathfinder players.
I have been running a weekly game now for 11 years
-- Impressive.
Yeah, sounds like you need a break. Pick up the dice and roll on the other side of the screen for a bit.
We cycle DM's in the group I play with, helps. Dunno if this is an option for yours or not.
I would like to cycle DMs, but two of the other players already DM Roll20 groups and have often told me that they need my game to decompress (and steal ideas - haha!).
So I will take your suggestion back to the group and appeal to them to give me a break for a while. It will mean no break for them, but since I haven't taken more than a month break in 10 years, perhaps it is time to ask them to step up a bit.
I should also mention that I have reread my favourite fantasy series, watched games being streamed, painted more minis, changed up rules, started new campaigns, tried adventure paths, and other things to try to keep motivated.
But recently those things have lost the effectiveness they once had.
I've also read every book that discusses the GM craft that I can find. Sly Flourish's stuff, Gamemastering by Brian Jamison, Kobold Press stuff.
I second the get on the other side of the screen and PC it up! That is what I end up doing when I am feeling GM scorch coming on, and it always helps me, and the better the game, the more I end up coming back to the GM seat refreshed and ready to DESTRO...errr, engage and challenge my players :).
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Two of your players PM? Play in their games. Especially if they run different styles.
I have been running a weekly game now for 11 years. Transitioned to Pathfinder as soon as it came available. Group has evolved over the years, but we typically have 4 to 5 adult players plus myself. For the most part the group has been great and we get along well. Attendance is remarkably stable and players tell me that they are having a blast.
However, over the past month I have found my motivation to keep running the game ebbing. I'm struggling to retain drive.
Some days I wonder if it is time to move on.
I still love the hobby and enjoy the stories that we create, but my zeal is diminished.
I need advice on rekindling passion for the game.
Thank you in advance for your advice and recommendations.
I'm kind of in the same boat. Been the primary GM for over 30 years now, playing with mostly the same people. Right now we're running a Mythic Pathfinder campaign. APL is level 15 with an average Mythic Tier of 5. I'm finding it harder and harder to challenge them and it's wearing me down. They're not power gamers but I'm just losing my edge I'm so tired of trying to keep the game going. I flat out told them after the last game that if I don't get to be a player in something soon (one of the guys runs a very occasional Call of Cthulhu game) I was going to have to take a really long break.
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There also isn't anything wrong with taking a break.
You can even still enjoy each others company, just rather than playing an RPG, grab some board or card games, watch a movie, get your drink on and shoot the shit for a while until you (or someone else) is inspired to run a game.
+1 for Dave, truth sir, truth!
I think most people who GM suffer burnout now and then. I know that it took less than 11 years and I only run every other week. I agree that you need a break from running. Perhaps having one of the other people running an adventure path will be okay. It's easier than running from scratch.
If not, taking a little time to do other things is good.
Thanks for the ideas. I'll have a discussion with the group at next week's game.
There also isn't anything wrong with taking a break.
You can even still enjoy each others company, just rather than playing an RPG, grab some board or card games, watch a movie, get your drink on and shoot the s&#~ for a while until you (or someone else) is inspired to run a game.
This works for most groups. Not mine. One of my friends is a avid boardgamer and has offered to bring them over for an non RPG night. Not a single one of my players had any interest. Hell, for a Cards Against Humanity game I had to recruit friends who don't play RPGs. My guys won't do anything but Pathfinder.
I recommend having a 1 shot or mini campaign with your usual group if you don't have time to join another regular game. Just ask somebody else to run it and let them take care of everything. It gives you a break, everybody gets to play pathfinder still, there's no disruption in schedule, and people get to try new stuff.
I have a pretty stable group, but scheduling is sometimes a real pain, and few things demotivate me faster than having to postpone yet another week. We're been going through another bout of that recently, so my wife has suggested restarting her Earthdawn campaign on weeks we can't get everyone together for my PF campaign. (Her game is just us and the couple we've been gaming with longest, who are also the players least like to throw a wrench in the regular group's scheduling.) I've also been filling some of those off weekends with running D&D modules for my kids, and I continue to play in PFS each week, both of which are doing wonders for my morale.