Work Called!
I’m Sick!
I’m too busy!
I don’t feel like it!
I’m quitting!
Life happened!
There are several reasons to cancel a game. After more than a year of playing a few dedicated games of D&D every week, I listed my main reasons for cancellations in my games. Remember that these reasons are based on my experiences with online play only.
- A player or multiple players canceled.
- I was feeling sick.
- Schedule changes
- Players were late or unresponsive.
- I was called into work.
- Emergencies to do with the group.
- Internal Changes in the game itself.
It’s my aim today to discuss when to continue your D&D game despite these disruptions.
When Should I continue my D&D game?
The answer is not apparent because it depends on the context of your issue holding up the game. The good news is that as the DM, you have the power to keep the game moving forward at your discretion. Just make sure to be fair to your players too!
To answer this question better, I color-coded the cancellation reasons listed above to highlight the least important to most important causes. Keep in mind that this is my personal opinion:
- One player canceled.
- Schedule changes
- I was feeling sick (And I’m playing online).
- Multiple players canceled.
- Players were late or unresponsive.
- I was just called into work.
- I am feeling sick (And I’m playing at a table.)
- Emergencies to do with the group.
- Internal Changes in the game itself.
- An act of God (Power outage, etc).
Remember that, despite my opinion, it’s up to the reader to determine what should be taken more seriously when deciding to cancel their game. Some of these reasons listed in orange and red are discussed further in my article “How To Know When To Cancel A D&D Game.”
One Player Canceled.
Players have canceled on plenty of my games, and while it’s not ideal, the show should go on if only one person cancels that night. The first thing DMs should do when a player withdraws is to take control of the situation immediately. I usually ask the player if it is okay for them if we continue playing. Usually, they have no issues, and you can announce to your group about the change. If they have a problem with the game starting, make your determination after conversing with the player. That said, it’s all about talking with the player that canceled to ensure what their character needs are and to update them reliably on what happened in the game. Think of it as an opportunity to learn your player’s character better during the session. It could turn into a more exciting game because of this.
Schedule changes
Schedule changes are rare. Once someone mentions a change of schedule, it can feel like their foot is both in and out the door of the game. Hopefully, when you set up your game, you’ve already established the rules of your dedicated game, including a set schedule. Recently, one player changed their schedule and notified us ahead of time. They couldn’t be at the game at the start time due to another game they were invested in. The solution we came up with was that the player would join when they could to continue playing. I would tell them what happened to their character when they returned and what to expect in the session.
What I do not ever recommend doing is changing everyone’s schedule around for only one person. It could lead to additional cancellations by other players. Again, it’s important to use communication to unravel the beast that could be a schedule change. If more than one person is announcing a change of schedule, that should result in the cancellation of the game until a new plan is formed or the current one is enforced.
You, The DM, Are Sick (And Playing Online)
Since you are sick, it is vital to distinguish how sick you feel. After all, if you know you aren’t feeling well to play, don’t. This goes for players too.
That said, dedication is key for keeping a game going consistently. I canceled plenty of games when I was sick, but I’ve also continued playing in plenty of games despite that. It all depended on how I felt then and whether or not I could talk and speak, which is very important for DMing. From the POV of online play, I remind myself that D&D is a game. So as long as I’m having fun with everybody, it doesn’t matter if I’m sick. It’s not like I’m infecting the other players through Discord.
Sometimes sickness isn’t physical. It can be mental too! Remember to always take it easy when you need the time to collect yourself. Anxiety and unease about a social game are not worth having. Make sure to communicate with the players and let them know why the cancellation has to happen. You don’t have to go into details, but it’s your duty to inform them that you need a break. Be kind to yourself.
About Consistency
A common phrase is thrown around the D&D and roleplaying communities: “No D&D is better than bad D&D!” I agree entirely. If you need to cancel because you know that the reason would affect the mood of the game, then please cancel. That said, it’s also imperative to remain consistent when playing a dedicated game. Heavy emphasis on dedicated. Consistency matters less if it’s a simple and casual game between friends. A dedicated game can still be relaxed, but it’s run strictly due to a specific set of mutually respected rules.
How to Play Consistent D&D Games
D&D is a collaborative storytelling game, so it follows that you need to collaborate with your players. If you plan to play D&D, you must roll with the punches and not cancel every time something happens during a session. It’s a significant responsibility, but enforcing your game rules and being strict with scheduling will make your games run smoothly. –Especially when the players under you get with the program. That said, getting players to adhere to your rules requires professionalism, fairness, and the expectation that following your rules will lead to a fun gameplay experience. Otherwise, why play D&D with you?
Opinion: Consistency Means You Need To Be A Manager
You can’t be a god if you want consistency in your D&D games.
Sure, it’s the DM’s role to play as the literal world your players are dropped in. After all, I describe the scenes and play the piper leading the adventurers where they wander. It’s like being a god. But I’m not too fond of the idea that the DM is this overlord where players must cower in fear, wondering what may come next from my random and godly decisions. Surely most players don’t want the rules to change because of a spontaneous decision. They want a consistent ruleset they can anticipate that every participant follows to the letter, including the DM. –This is why playing the dungeon master should be more like a manager than a god. Especially outside of the game, the dynamics of planning it are entirely different, requiring more collaboration from everybody.
If I were a player, I would want my games to have consistent and easy-to-follow rules, encourage and reward my ideas, and provide a safe space to play without worrying about the others around me. In my opinion, you’ll find that managing your players is a much easier proposition for facilitating your game than pretending you are a god. You don’t want prayers from your players. You want an open-ended discussion for this collaborative game. When a problem occurs in your game, as the DM Manager, it’s your job to facilitate dialogue with everybody and resolve it ASAP.
So, communicate! Do not dominate!
Food for thought.
I hope this helps you determine when to keep going with your game or when to cancel. Did I miss anything? If I did, please let me know by leaving a reply below. Thanks for reading.