If hours spent watching Critical Role have inspired you to start playing Dungeons & Dragons again or to pick up the Player’s Handbook for the first time, you’re in luck! Finding a group of your own has never been easier.

You can play in a group every week at the game store, find a dedicated group that meets in someone’s home, or even play online without ever leaving your favorite chair. Here’s how to find the perfect group for you.

D&D Adventurers League

If meeting in a stranger’s house makes you uncomfortable, start by looking at the weekly D&D nights hosted by game stores that are part of the official D&D Adventurers League. Games are played in sessions for different levels of experience at participating game stores.

All you have to do is get in touch with the store staff to sign up and find out more, but they can usually fit you in at any time in the campaign. If you’re new to D&D, simply begin by creating your own character. You don’t even need to buy the Player’s Handbook: Wizards of the Coast provides online resources for making and printing your first character sheet.

The LFG (Looking for Group) Subreddit

Whether you’re new to D&D or a longtime player, or if you want to play in person or over Skype, you can find what you’re looking for in the LFG subreddit. Browse for groups recruiting players in person (“offline”) or over video chat (“online”), and most listings will let you know the game type and rules edition.

You can also let others know about yourself and what you’re looking for in a tabletop group. Just be sure to use the post format on the right side of the page for your best chance to find the group of players that fits you.

Facebook Groups

Use a basic search on Facebook for Dungeons & Dragons groups to start looking for your next adventure. You can also search for “dungeons & dragons [city]” and click Groups to see if there’s a local gathering nearby.

And of course, if you’re feeling particularly brave, you can also create a group of your own to get the party started yourself.

Meetup.com

Not only can you find board gaming groups on Meetup.com, you can also search for D&D players that congregate nearby. You may have to expand the search to over 5 miles beyond your city or town, but groups motivated to invite more members will have their info ready and waiting for you.

Now What?

You’ve done it! You’ve found a group that looks promising and is open to taking new players. So… now what?

Get in touch with the Dungeon Master and ask some basic but important questions if they’re not already mentioned:

What’s the expected time commitment (every Monday night, etc)?

How would he/she describe their play style? Is the group encouraged to be casual and chatty, or do they have a serious mindset with only a little joking around?

How much role-play is expected? This could be a deal-breaker if staying in character for a long time makes you uncomfortable, so decide if the group matches your style and comfort level.

As one final tip, try to give the group more than one chance to get a good feel for the dynamic. But don’t be afraid to admit if the group isn’t the right fit for you!

Do you have any other tips for someone looking for a new D&D group? Let us know!

Top image courtesy © Wizards of the Coast

Photo: Kelly Knox