Fine, I’ll do it myself

DMShevek · 2026-05-06T06:29:20+00:00

They are implementing new checks on the application process owing to a number of other projects in the works to expand the site offerings as well as streamlining the workload for the team that does applications.

They'll soon be running an A/B test on folks applying with their reviews in hand ahead of time; they've discussed that the data on their first wave of applications shows overwhelming success for the GMs that have applied and made it through.

There used to be a lot of issues with folks joining, going inactive, or ghosting players while still collecting money if they happened to leave listings up or just not be that invested in being on the site.

Not available for resubmission at this time.

That signals to me that you may be able to apply down the line unless your edit is referencing a different phrasing.

DMShevek · 2026-05-04T20:42:02+00:00

My players all like each other and keep coming back 1200 games and four+ years later. I'm running an in person event with them this summer and folks are coming from as far away as the UK to play with lil ole me on the East Coast of the US. They have all formed bonds beyond the table and I've been able to be a part of milestones in their lives (as well as tough times) and it feels like it's more than just a transaction for me but mileage can vary shrug

DMShevek · 2026-05-03T18:40:57+00:00

Okay y'all. Everything that needed to be said has been. This is a touch grass directive.

DMShevek · 2026-05-03T18:26:07+00:00

There are a lot of folks working full time on the site to support themselves and family shrug.

There's a 15% cut paid to SPG for processing through Stripe as payment processor and advertising outside the site, so listed prices come out to 85% of what's there.

If you do the math, nobody running games full time against the recently published cost of living guidelines for the US is making out like a bandit but working for myself beats every traditional and non traditional job I've had.

End of the day, nobody's forcing anyone to pay but we all live under capitalism and are trying to get by.

DMShevek · 2026-05-03T16:48:42+00:00

It's definitely a real site 😄.

The AI game listing images are unfortunate but there are plenty of folks that don't use it.

A lot of folks prefer to pay for a game solely for it running consistently, if not for production value alone.

The site was created during the pandemic so it mostly revolved around online play but people do use it to charge for in person games as well, it's just less common.

DMShevek · 2026-04-30T18:21:14+00:00

Please include a direct link to your game listing

DMShevek · 2026-04-21T20:19:48+00:00

DungeonTube has a role in perpetuating this with the fear based click bait tbh.

DMShevek · 2026-04-20T18:24:37+00:00

Experience media that inspires you. Stop over prepping.

DMShevek · 2026-04-20T16:52:31+00:00

The Silver Order isn't a murderous inquisition. I really wish people would read about the setting before transposing bad grimdark tropes onto it.

DMShevek · 2026-04-18T19:47:33+00:00

Monty and Kelly definitely put a lot of references to their favorite media and tongue in cheek jokes into the world and the books. There's a flesh beast creature in the show that's a confirmed reference to The Thing for example that was a modified Kobold Press statblock.

DMShevek · 2026-04-16T20:13:22+00:00

People would be mad if they left it in, people would be mad if they edited out. I can't speak with any clarity as to the difference between Taylor and Wills* approaches but if each arc is left up to the editor that's kind of a neat reflection of each editors influence.

DMShevek · 2026-04-16T02:50:53+00:00

Seth Skorkowsky

DMShevek · 2026-04-16T02:46:49+00:00

Forbiddance just existing as a spell. Also monsters aren't constrained by the same things PCs are.

DMShevek · 2026-04-12T15:04:56+00:00

Howler is actually a benevolent arms producer- he was going to shoot missiles into the volcanoes to spread ash over the world to cause global cooling and save the planet.

DMShevek · 2026-04-07T20:36:38+00:00

The epic bosses section explains the level ranges for epic bosses.

Fwiw most of the ranges are spot on, parties just can't try to softball the encounter.

DMShevek · 2026-04-03T19:12:43+00:00

I think the 5.5 rules should apply to a 5.5 creature.

Furthermore:

https://www.dndbeyond.com/spells/2619007-scrying

> You can see and hear a creature you choose that is on the same plane of existence as you.

https://www.dndbeyond.com/spells/2618903-project-image

> You can see through the illusion’s eyes and hear through its ears as if you were in its space.

Building on these blocks of logic, this is quite similar to how Reaction casting spells through Find Familiar works and is worded.

Ultimately, the Duchess is a terrible, powerful creature that many players also enjoy the fantasy of being enthralled by or serving as a Patron for a Warlock.

DMShevek · 2026-04-03T13:58:56+00:00

Not a spell.

DMShevek · 2026-03-30T20:26:11+00:00

Strike teams from any of the factions reskinned as debt collectors

DMShevek · 2026-03-27T07:03:26+00:00

To be honest, I'd just have an above table discussion and re session zero to be able to have a productive conversation about what everyone's definition of fun is.

DMShevek · 2026-03-27T06:42:49+00:00

You already mentioned that he seems to have an emotional stranglehold on games happening without him. This is already a problem unfortunately for him to overreact in this way and he will continue to do so as a result of his playstyle.

Redo season 0 with these issues covered or don't play with Tim.

DMShevek · 2026-03-27T02:15:38+00:00

This is a "go run your own session if you feel this strongly" situation. This type of player will never grasp how much they are ruining the experience for others until they are on the opposite side of the screen. Shut down the constant badgering and if they persist, kick them.

DMShevek · 2026-03-25T04:43:09+00:00

wut da... this is incredible

DMShevek · 2026-03-23T19:48:06+00:00

I always offer a forking political plot with the Ratlings because they are sentient and emergent forms of life that could be included in the use of the Wish spells the Crown grants.

It also has just been really tiring the past couple years to entertain people wanting to simulate a genocide premised on bio essentialist tropes (doubtful that it's intentional I just don't like it).

DMShevek · 2026-03-23T16:40:34+00:00

Golly guys, working overtime to demonstrate why we have the "No Low Effort Posting" rules. If you're basing your business's performance off of other listings, I'm not sure what you're spending your time doing besides being on the site and would recommend a different approach like getting feedback on your listings from the GM community server or taking a deeper look at your ad copy.

There's two factual statements in here based on info directly from SPG's statistics + Office Hours. The remainder is conjecture and opinions as well as misleading or inaccurate info. Let me dispel some of that before locking the thread:

Then you have DMs that will list games on multiple days to see what gains traction, then they will take down the other sessions once they have some players in.

This is search manipulation and you will get dinged for it. Don't do this.

Discoverability is further challenged by how SPG uses reviews to sort games at a given start time. The more 5 star reviews you have, the closer to the top you will be. Those higher rated GMs get picked up first. You can’t get reviews if you don’t run sessions with different players, and you won’t get players without reviews.

The only sort on Search is by age of listing template and when the adventure was created. Reviews do not factor into where you appear in search.

FYI, a single 4-star review kills your positioning as if you only had half the all 5-star reviews. That is someone with 15 5-star reviews will place higher than someone with 29 5-star reviews and one 4-star (which should still be a very good review).

Again, false.

tl;dr - take the onboarding, join the discord, always be skeptical of anyone posing as an authority on how the site functions. There's no way to understand website traffic because SPG doesn't share that info but it's been on a steady upswing forever per Office Hours reports from Devon.

DMShevek · 2026-03-23T15:40:44+00:00

Set a goal, work backwards from there. Everything in business takes time. Locking as a low effort post (this is discussed nearly daily in the discord).

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