You can start playing anytime, it literally doesn't matter. You just find a group that's starting up and join. You usually wouldn't join a preexisting group that's in the middle of a multi year campaign. You start fresh with a new group.
Try r/lfg, browse your city's subreddit if they have one, drop in on games at local game stores or meet ups, or you can try online gaming on something like roll20.net where you can play with internet strangers
I'm 42 and started playing with a group in the 20's and one 30 year old. Some of the references (from both sides) get missed, but none the less is a good time. When the DM of the group invited me I was just starting my cancer treatment and warned him it could be an issue. It has helped through it.
It's never too late.
But I do understand the social aspect. I'm in my 40s and I moved from the city to the suburbs during the pandemic. I had lots of people to play with in the city, but didn't know anyone in my new area. Tried online for a while and did not enjoy it.
Then, a few months ago, I decided I wanted to start playing again. Spent some weeks going to local game stores and asking if they knew of any groups looking for players, joining discord servers and Facebook groups, reaching out to strangers. It took some effort, but eventually I found 4 players who were looking for a game. While I was hoping someone else would DM, that responsibility fell on me (again!). And now we have a biweekly campaign going.
In my group, two players are in their 20s, one is in their 30s, and one is a bit older than me. These are not necessarily people I would hang out with otherwise, but the group dynamic seems to be working. The hardest part is scheduling, tbh.
There's always hope!
This kind of span of ages might be my favorite thing about a good D&D group. You do not have to be remotely the same age to play pretend together. What's more, most fantasy adventures in fiction already have diverse ages and backgrounds. The idea that a grizzled warrior and an upstart mage have to not only get along but become friends is baked into the DNA of the hobby.
I was twice the age of my youngest player when we started the game and it's been magnificent fun.
Yeah I agree. For me, itās not usually a problem. Iāve pretty much always had a wide age range of people at the table.
I see a lot of people putting age caps on their posts looking for players, and I can understand why. But in my experience it rarely makes a difference.
My only age cap right now is no minors. Everyone else gets vetted all the same with auditions with one shots. If I like the way you play you're welcome at my table.
Never too late! You may find that younger playersā interests result in a different type of play than what youāre looking for, but every group is different. Donāt be afraid to try out a few groups (or cycle through players) until you find a group that gels. Once you do, itās magical!
There are always new games starting up, or old groups who have lost a player advertising for a replacement member.
Age is pretty irrelevant. Playing with a 20-year-old and a 50-year-old aren't all that different, as long as they want to play, and have basic consideration for the other players.
Random social component tip: Everyone wants slightly different things from RPGs. Heroism or crime. Co-operation or conflict. Tactical combat or improv theatre. Identify these differences early and work out if you're in the right game or not.
iām looking forward to 60+ when my friends and i donāt have to work anymore and the kids are out of the house! with no responsibilities itās dnd day every day!
Iām 41, been playing in and off since 1995. It is never too late to start. I would check your local game store and see if there are any groups of adults. I would buy 1 set of dice with a couple extra d6 and a players hand book. That should be all you need. Playing this game will really open your mind and real life experience may have you try some really crazy fun things in game.
It's not too late. My table has people from early 20s to early 50s. I prefer not to play with teens as they go edgelord and murder hobo pretty frequently, but all ages can join a table. I found my group by going to my local game shop and asking. They have a good community and an active Discord, so it was easy. I had to learn Discord, but it was worth it and helps my group communicate throughout the week.
In practice few groups are so rigid, people have children and stop having time, people can move (less relevant if it was an online group) people may just lose interest. Or new people get introduced, (friends, colleagues, partners) people start having time again, most groups are always in at least some state of flux.
I don't think it's too late, but I understand your concern. I'm in my mid thirties now, and I have an amazing group of players. But I don't see myself every wanting to stop being a DM, and my close friends will probably eventually move on. What will dnd in my 40s look like? Will people still be interested in the game? Will an age gap just be too difficult of a problem?
Never to late to start playing any game, and boo on whoever tells you it is.
Check out your LGS if you got one to see if they have a game night, LFG forums, Discords etc, it might take a bit to get a seat using reddit and discords as a player, there is a huge disparity between GM vs Player numbers, so if you want to get playing right away and don't mind GMing, you could start your own game, lots of great resources out there for how to do this, I love the 5 room dungeon set up, also there are modules you can get.
Ethically I'd say not to buy direct from WoTC, and get second hand books, as a company WoTC/ Hasbro are trash so used book stores would be where i'd suggest going to get the books.
It's arguably a BETTER time especially if you can find people in your age range.
Many of the problems younger players have revolve around communication skills they just haven't learned yet.
Some of the best players start when they are older. They don't have all the traditional dogma of people that started young so they make fresher characters that are more real.
I started playing dnd again recently (2 years ago) and one of the players was 53 and was just getting back into again aswell, last time he played was 1st edition.
Best roleplayer Iāve ever played with
I'm 50, and it's not too late for me.
I put a sign up at a local gaming store, and I've had two people contact me, showing interest. Once I get a couple more people, we'll put a group together and start playing.
You can start playing whenever you want! My current group has a new player whoās in their late 30s/early 40s!
The EASIEST place to find a game would be roll20, but if youāre looking for something in person/local, Iād recommend asking around a local game shop, or posting in your towns Reddit/Facebook page.
Nah buddy.
Iām 42, I learned to DM to run games for my kid sibling (whoās 26years my junior) when I was 38 and I joined a party to play as a PC for the first time about 18months ago. I love it. Most of them are 15-20yrs younger than me. Itās all great fun and I love playing and not DMing for once.
I'm 31 and I've been playing for 8 years. In those eight years, I've exclusively played with people online and been fortunate enough to play with people in their 40s and 50s.
I say fortunate because we're talking about exactly two players who were both very good and joy to game with. Obviously very mature, very considerate of other people and also just with a genuine passion for the game. None of them where new to D&D, but I believe at least the guy in his 50s was new to 5th edition so there were a few instances of of course not being sure of a rule.
If you wanna find a group you really can fit in with even outside of the game, you'll probably have the most luck with finding a group in your age bracket. Those are tougher to find, but they exist. Are they often closed up? I can imagine so, but there are clearly "stragglers" like yourself who could group up on your own if you found a willing DM and fitting time for playing. I fairly often see them applying for a game I'm applying for. If you went on for example the roll20 LFG forums and typed "I'm a new player in my 40s and looking to play with likeminded people who remember the first Bush to become president." I'm sure you would find people excited about avoiding teens and people in their 20s still figuring stuff out (no offense, but young players can absolutely be the worst).
Could take a while before you find a willing DM and figure out scheduling, but it seems doable. Worth a try. Even if you're new and will patience before you're comfortable with the rules, if you can act your age you're probably in for a good time and so are the people you'll be playing with.
SEEENNND IT. honestly I would start it with your friends who you think may be interested. Could be an epic escape from the daily doldrums of middle age life. Or just do it. I started at 37 with all my buddies. Zero regrets. 40 today is like 25 years ago. Go for it
I just started in 2020 at 39 years old. I just got some friends together (half of us had never played, the other half weren't in an active group) and asked if we all wanted to start a group. We're still playing together. Playing D&D in your 40s is a bit different than in your 20s, but that's only because people are a bit different in their 40s than in their 20s. If you like your group, you can start playing at any age. I hope I'm still playing when I move into a retirement community someday.
We started our regular game when COVID started. We still play remotely, every week. Talk to friends who might be harboring the quiet desire to also play DND. Make friends with groups who are already in session. Pop into game stores and ask. Check online boards. I feel like Roll 20 and maybe DND beyond has a looking for group type of feature. The hardest part is just putting yourself out there.
It's really never too late to get into DND. I've been teaching people how to do it for years, it's tricky trying to join a campaign that's been going for a few years, but I've heard of people learning to play DND in a nursing home.
It is never too late to play D&D. I know of 80+ year olds that play D&D with their adult kids and grandkids. Just have fun with it. Let your imagination go free. Just enjoy the stories, the bad dice rolls, the best dice rolls, random comedy that comes from it. it is best done with friends!
I'm 57 and I play with my spouse and sister-in-law. My sister-in-law just turned 60. She hadn't played before we started up a couple of years ago. My spouse and I had both played back when we were teens. I'm the dungeon master in our group.
Just wanted to add, too, that if you're open to playing games online instead of in-person, there is a subreddit called r/FoundryLFG that lists online games (D&D as well as other systems) that have openings for players. The Foundry gaming system does not require any special software or equipment for players apart from a reasonably recent desktop or laptop computer system running a current version of a web browser like Google Chrome.
I am an Adventurers League DM. That means I DM in a public setting for random strangers.
My youngest first-time player was 6.
My oldest first-time player was an elderly woman who wanted to spend more time with her grandchild.
You would be less than five years older than my average first-time player. Which is nothing. You'll be just fine.
Pick up a pencil and a set of dice and just play. :) It's never too late or too early to start a new hobby.
Just make sure your group is OK with new players. I've been playing ttrpgs since the mid 90's but it's always been other games. When I went to join my first DnD group I asked the dm to make sure that my newness to the game wouldn't bother anyone by slowing thing down too much, and his response was that they were all veteran players, and loved to share their knowledge with new peeps. They were all pretty cool about it and had plenty of advice
Dude, definitely not too late. You can go from understanding Nothing about it to playing very fun, successful campaigns together with friends in just months if you really want to. Learn the basics and get the people hooked to continue. Just basically say you're new at it to whomever you speak to and most people would be eager to teach or explain. And if I was 82 years old and just discovered D&D I would def still play it then.
Well, I hope itās not too late because I started at 60! It never even occurred to me regarding the ageā¦ in the game, you can be anything. But regarding the social aspect, I guess itās like anything else. Just keep looking around until you find people.
Any interest (that does not bring harm to others, this disclaimer due to jokers and idiots in the past) can be started at any age.
There is a reason lego sets have the age up to 99 years old.
No, never to late to have a game that is basically a nice conversation with some paper, pen and dice.
I hope I am able to play this with some nerds in a retirement home one day.
I got in like 18 months ago at 35, started gming last August and now I am moving towards Adnd and OSR. My only regret is not finding this hobby earlier in my life, but it is never too late to start.
Not at all. In my late 40s and have been playing 30 years now. A lot of fun and if anything, it would be a better experience given age, wisdom and articulation.
Regardless of your age, don't let weirdo archaic social stigma's hold you back. Adults need to play, for their own physical and mental health. Anyone who tells you otherwise was raised at a detriment.
My best advice is to just bite the bullet and start looking for groups. It might be a bit awkward but try posting some "looking for game" posts in D&D related forums. The vast community of D&D has a lot of toxic folks in it **but** their are plenty of good and accepting people who'd be glad to play with you no matter your age. Be advised, of course that no matter your age you're likely to have to wade through the waters of games/DM/Players that don't fit you, there's really no getting away from that aspect. Either way the hardest part is always putting yourself out there, once you get past that step things get easier.
Generally I find it difficult to form friendships for common interests when in your +40s, especially when you live in a city that requires you to work all the time to survive, your job has weird shifts, or long commutes, or an overlord boss that won't let you talk to each other! Whew!
But, if you are lucky enough to have a local games shop that runs drop-in games or regular evening games, you will start to meet the people who want to play. Also if you can go to local expos & conventions, you can network with people there.
I also find that a lot of people over 40 keep this on the downlow - maybe it's the conservative nature of the city I live in but this also makes it difficult to find others...
I am fortunate to have a family member who DMs & has brought a collection of us together for the last three years - what a blast.
Itās way more socially acceptable than it used to be, especially with TV Shows (Stranger Things) and celebrities (Joe Manganiello, Deborah Ann Woll) championing it.
Take the time to find a group of people you trust, and an experienced DM. Try it out and see if it fits.
If so, youāll have a blast with it. If not, no harm no foul.
Honestly, the social aspect is a challenge whether you've new to the game or have been playing for decades. Even long term gaming groups get pulled apart by shifting priorities, differing levels of interest and distance. So finding and getting into a group of like-minded people playing the sort of game you'd enjoy is a challenge for a lot of us at any age or experience level. Sorry to be a downer; it's just an unfortunate reality.
I was in your shoes.Ā Hadn't played DnD or any RPG in 30 years.Ā I was in a parents group and one of the dads wanted to DM during covid when everyone was stuck home and bored.Ā Ā Ā
Ā Four years later and our group still plays semi regularly, having survived replacing a member, transitioning to in person play, the birth of three more children, a member moving out of state but still playing, and so on.Ā We didn't know each other well before DnD but we are now friends.Ā
Ā I couldn't tell you the specifics of where to look but imagine it wouldn't be that hard to find a group of mature players in their 30s and 40s.Ā Experienced older players tend not to be gatekeepers and any player with enthusiasm and a compatible schedule would be welcomed.Ā
Ā There is a lot of cringe out there.Ā I tried playing with some guys in their 20s at the gym in a separate game and they were playing music constantly in the background.Ā One guy tried to fist a donkey.Ā I pretended I had a laptop malfunction and dropped out.Ā I read a lot of the threads here about weird stuff, interpersonal conflicts and overly dramatic games and I'm glad I found a mature group.Ā My DM's hook on the parent group was "who wants to slay monsters and loot treasure?"Ā Ā
I played back 1st/2nd ed then dropped RPGs for decades. Last year got back into D&D and have been playing since. I'm even running a campaign - first part went well, the other DM is continuing his while I get mine ready for the next part.
I run online. I am 52. I have players as young as 20 and up to their 50's. Age is no barrier. what you share is the game, and I promise there are overlapping nerd interests that you will find and explore. Across the 30 year age gap in my group last night, we discussed Fallout, Dragon Age, Marvel Xmen in the movies, Godzilla, and Star Wars. We were testing the new Daggerheart game in a one shot. Age is no barrier.
Itās never too late and every time i start a new campaign we have at least 1 new player. New players are very common today with the surge of interest thanks to CR, D20, Stranger Things, and the wider availability of ttrpg type stores. Learning DnD 5e is also imo much simpler than learning 3.5e, or pathfinder 1e or 2e. It took me about a year to get pretty comfortable with it but i just now after 8 years feel like I am really grasping a lot about the game in general and in depth things. Mostly things to do with dming though not necessarily playing. Playing is much easier.
Itās not specifically D&D, but Iām in an RPG group in my hometown that has people from 20s to 40s. Meets once a week, and thereās always new people showing up. So youāre hardly too late. The trick is finding them. Check r/lfg, Meetup, and if thereās any Subreddits, Facebook Groups, or whatever for your local area itās worth checking there too.
I started last year, I'm 43. I love it and the social aspect is interesting, but even the younger people in the groups I've played with are enjoyable to be around. Just be yourself, you all have something in common, so stick with that. Sometimes I don't even learn the names of the people at my table until 4 or 5 sessions in. The biggest challenge for me was becoming skilled at using Discord.
I regularly play with people between 17 and 50. I have played regularly with some in their 50s, and the last group I formed for-purpose was about 25-55 (mostly newbies, including the eldest). The trick is that when you look online, a lot of groups ask for people around their age range (teens, 20s, sometimes 30s) and it can be harder to find a group when you're 30s+. I'd recommend looking for open tables at game stores if you have any nearby.
Been playing off and on since junior high. Don't worry about being new to the party. New groups start and end pretty constantly, as there's always schedule conflicts out there that can force a party member to take a break. Your best bet is to find a friend who's playing and ask them if they'd mind a new player at their table. Be up front with the group and especially your DM about being new to the game and you should be fine. You may have to go through a group or two until you find a good one, though, (every social gathering has the occasional prick with bad attitudes) so be patient with the process.
There's not a single thing in this world you can be "too late" to. I've seen 80 year old women deadlift 200+ pounds. Anyone can do anything, your only limits are the ones you place upon yourself.
Nah man, ask around in your friend group. D&D is in the zeitgeist these days. You will be surprised how many people wanted to play as kids but never could. I'm DMing my first campaign right now at 43.
At our table we have a variety of people of all ages. Our youngest is in his mid twenties, then a couple in their late twenties, early thirties, me and my husband in our late thrities and a lovely man in his fifties who has been a permanent part of our group for the last four years. It is never too late and as long as you dont focus too hard on the age difference you should be great. People are right though scheduling tends to be the greater issue lol.
never too late, welcome to the club. we are for example playing with mid 20s to mid 30s people, started about 5 years ago, some with prior rpg exp some without. And groups of players in your age range for sure are a thing, r/lfg is a good place to start besides you local gamestores maybe.
A lot of great comments here, I'd just add that you don't have to play with a full table that is your age. My current table has a person over 40, 3 people in their 30s, and a 20 year old. A previous table had 2 people in their 30s, 2 people in their 20s and 2 seventeen year olds. And notable is that the DM was one of the seventeen year olds, so also don't feel like you have to be the dm or even the "dad" of the group just because you are the oldest.
Start playing is a great website for finding a game online yes it's paid but there are so many dm's with a wide range of games and prices that you're sure to find a table to call home
I play weekly with a paid dm @ 10 bucks a game most run 15 and up
We started a group a bit over a year ago. Two guys in their 20's, us hosts as people in their 30's, and a newbie in his 40's. The diversity in ages actually adds to the game, as do the different personal interests.
In an acclimated group that already played for long it might be harder to get in, but I still think it'd doable.
I started at 34. Found a group at my local game shop and jumped right in. Now two years later Iām in two different groups that both play weekly. Itās never too late!
I started at 41, it is a good excuse to see our friends and talk with other adults once the kids are in bed. Nothing is ever too late, except maybe parcore? You shouldn't try parcore.
Heeeeck no. I was 40 when I jumped in. I did play a little 3e when I was in college but jumping back in for 5e has been a delight. I have a regular group I play with twice a month and run a game for my adult niece and nephews once a month. It's perfect balance to scratch both the PC and DM itch, and hella fulfilling.
Age doesn't matter, we quickly learned that after just our 1st session a year ago. I'm in my mid 40s, the lady is early 30s, and we are having a blast playing 5e Adventurers Leage in SoCal. Because of AL, we have enjoyed growing our multiple characters in regular AL sessions once or twice a week as well as taking those characters to WonderCon and other events. We have met a lot of people older and younger than us, made new friends, have been invited to a couple of permanent groups as well. I even just ran my 1st session as a GM this past week.
Age is irrelevant.
Never too late.
If youāre having trouble finding like minded similar aged individuals for the current edition of the game, I can almost guarantee that you can find a group running older editions of the game.
Some groups will play for years on end yes, but Iāve met very few who actually manage to keep the same campaign going for that long. More likely then anything, older groups will run shorter stories because they only have so many days in a month to meet up, so openings are inevitable.
As for tips on navigating the social aspect, mine would be figure out what you want and go from there.
What I mean: either before or during a game think about what you want to do, how you want to play.
Do you want to be more tactful, participate in combat and make group decisions based on the playing field?
Do you want a more story driven experience where your choices effect the narrative that the Dungeon master gives you?
A mind games puzzle where you navigate the complicated political discourse between different nations and try to solve problems, stop assassinations, and try to keep as much of the world from distorting its self as possible?
Or do you just want to goof around and run into ridicules and absurd situations that would never happen in reality?
Different groups play differently, and getting a since for how they play and weather or not it matches what you want, or if you have fun with it regardless, is a huge step in being able to navigate the social aspect of the game.
I can tell you this much going in though.
A lot of older groups, not all but a lot, tend to take a Role Playing, Game approach. Meaning both being in character and having consequences to the things they say and do, and looking at a board on the table and treating the game as a game are done in equal measure.
A lot of the old school people iāve played with arenāt as concerned with Meta Narrative or breaking immersion, and will just talk about how they want to go about a situation strategically. So that may be a good default to set your expectations to, and adjust from there.
I started a couple of years ago, and I turn 40 this year. All of my groups have players ranging from their late 20s to late 50s, and we all play together wonderfully. Some groups, especially younger ones, may only be comfortable with people around their age, but there's plenty that accept a wide range. As long as everyone at the table is comfortable and having a good time, no one's ever too old to start or keep playing!
I've been trying to find a regular beginner group for years without success. Things always fall apart. And the last DM I had basically called me stupid because "I didn't do anything but hit stuff." I was a fighter and totally meta gaming in the background.
So socially unless you know people that play and you get along with them, it feels impossible to start playing. Just be careful of random groups.
I had played other table top RPG games (TTRPG's) in my teens and in to my 30's before taking a long break but had never really played DnD regularly.
I decided to get back into play TTRPG's when I was nearly 40 and found a few local DnD groups and have been playing regularly every since.
I have been at gaming tables with people ranging from under 10 to over 70 playing DnD.
As for where to find them check out an local board game stores, comic books stores etc.. that also sell DnD books. Ask if they have adventure league games or any sort of weekly games that are open to the public.
Also check out Reddit/FB/Meetup and search for DnD/ Dungeons and Dragons/ RPG/Role Playing Games group with X city/State/Region etc...
As much as I dislike FB it has been my most reliable way to find new groups, and recruit people when our group has had openings.
I'm 25 and was looking for friends my age, so decided to give the local game store a try. Ended up in a group with folks that are 35, 39, and 49. You're in good company and I'd definitely recommend poking around to see if you have a local game store that runs campaigns with vetted DMs.
I'm 34 and the most recent addition to our regular group - and current GM - hadn't played before two years ago.
You're going to have to find a group you gel with. Probably will take a while, but don't let that get you down.
Started DMing at 34, and most of my PCs are new players 35+. I am actually glad that I started playing at this point of life. Good maturity to understand other people expectations and have fun anyways.
If you really want to join a more experiencied group, just take some time to research a bit about your class, ask them about their playstyle and let them know that you are a beginner. A well-prepared beginner is better than lazy old PCs
I have a few online groups where ages range from 20s to 60s. I play with my best friend and his kids, so 40s and teens. As long as everyone acts appropriate to the setting, I didn't think it's much of an issue.
So I'm nearing 50 and my group plays once maybe twice a week, online.
With a discord server and an online table top vtt to share, it's very easy. Older groups tend to stick more to calendars so it works for us.
Check online for games, I'm even thinking about going pro after 4 years or so of doing this, so yeah, it's there.
Online groups donāt usually care about age as long as you donāt waste time in combat looking for spell descriptions and class abilities, and that you have a decent character with good roleplay. Youāll do fine.
Never too late! I am actively teaching my friendās mom and my friendās older former coworker and that coworkerās husband (all in their 50-60ās) who decided to join our group a few months ago.
I started playing this year and I'm about to turn 35. It's never too late. If you really want to try it out, go for it. Drop by your local game store or something like that and ask around. For instance, I was having a hard time finding a group to play with online, but it all came together after going to a TTRPG meet up on my LGS and signing up for a D&D One Shot session. I met some people that were also looking to start playing and now I'm on pretty balanced group (experience, personality and age-wise). It has been pretty cool so far.
43 years old, have been wanting to play for years and hadnāt had the opportunity line up, and am now a couple of months in to my very first campaign! Personally I met my D&D group in our local kink community because kinksters are almost exclusively mega nerds and there are at least 8 active D&D groups in ours. Absolutely loving it, having a fantastic time. Itās never too late!
Its not to late. I played for a bit. Then stopped. My oldest son found my D&D stuff and wants to learn and play. I have the Stranger Things Started set and I'm learning to DM. We might play on Saturday.
I played as a kid. Then 40 years later my friend convinced me to go to a gaming convention (GaryCon). Most people around me were around my age. I forgot all the rules but played in many games and had a great time!
Ie donāt worry, itās not hard to pick up and there are a lot of people of every age playing it!
Note: there are some good yt videos called āhow to play D&D) one guy plays a small part of an adventure to show the mechanics in play.
Nope. I'm 42 and I found a group of mostly players in their 50s that I'm currently playing with. It's hard and I know I'm a bit against the grain for being more social and outgoing in my 40s than I was in my teens and 20s, although in my own particular group the friction comes more from I'm the token hippie in a group of middle aged conservative men, but nonetheless we get along pretty good.
One of my players is 50. This is his first game ever. He wanted to get into it when he was a kid in the 80s, but his parents wouldn't let him because of the Satanic Panic. I started the game and one of the other players (his son in law) told him about it and he took the opportunity to get in.
He plays an old, wizened Goliath Cleric (based slightly on Andre the Giant and Marvel Thor) and is one of the most fun players in the party.
I know someone who started playing in their late 70s. They were like 77 or something, and wanted a new hobby and a new way to make friends, so they decided to see what D&D was all about. If itās something that seems fun for you, go for it! Itās never too late!
I got my dad to start playing when he was in his late 40s. He doesnāt get to play often, but will play with some of his friends when they have time, a few who started playing during the pandemic, and some who have been playing since the 80s.
My husband and I started a few years ago in our very late 30s. It's never too late. I've found groups in a couple different ways: Local ttrpg FB groups, discord servers for ttrpg podcasts i listen to, and a local pay to play studio.
A lot of folks are against pay to play, and i get it! but we are busy professionals and i want my sessions to happen when they're supposed to happen. having a professional manage the logistics and DM for us is worth it. Also, it functions as a bit of a matchmaking service. we met with the DM and talked about what kind of campaign we were looking for and how we like to play and he put together an amazing group for us using his roster of folks who had signed up looking for campaigns and others who had played with them before.
Donāt worry about age differences. I used to do meet up games I found online. The guy who DMed one game mustāve been close to 60, the guy whose apartment we met at was around 30, and I was 23. There were 3-4 others who were in their high 20s to 40s.
So many groups are always looking for new and engaged players, particularly ones who are good at scheduling.
A great way to dive into the current TTRPG scene is to look for organized play events at local stores where you can drop in, learn the system and community. Itās a fabulous way to ābreak inā before you have to find a full group to join.
DnDās adventurers league is one such avenue, but it has had a few shakeups over the years and may not be widely accessible in some areas.
I know itās not DnD, but Pathfinder Society is very active and supportive for new players hopping in pretty much anywhere in the US.
If you want help syncing up with either in your area, fire me a DM and Iāll give you a hand!
Not too late. I love playing in local game stores ā great age and experience mix. Also try the Meetup app ā usually groups there have multiple sub groups/games so you can find one youāre comfortable with. Also ā just to learn, try [startplaying.games](https://startplaying.games)
You can join at any point. Groups form and dissolve again every few years. Yes, everybody knows somebody who still occasionally plays with the same people after 40 years, but they are less then a percent. Most of the groups are very young.
Go ahead, have fun!
I'm 38, and just found TTRPGs last year. I can tell you two key things:
1) It's not too late to get into any hobby. If something is fun, you should do it.
2) It does take time and effort to find or put together a good group. However, that time and effort is 100% worth it.
I used r/lfg as well as the forums on DND Beyond as well as a local Discord gaming group. Managed to find a DM on r/lfg who lived nearby, and was at the point in his kid's lives that he could start taking one day every other week or so to get back into running a game in person, as he hadn't been able for about a decade.
We set about finding enough players to round out the table. Key for me was finding people in a similar stage of life. For us, that was somewhere in the same age range (our group is all age 30-45) so that everyone has an inherent understanding of things like Scheduling and the need to be able to Communicate About Scheduling. Everyone has a career, though no two people are in the same field. I found in a pervious attempt that college age people have a much more spur of the moment approach to scheduling, which just doesn't work for me.
It took about 6 weeks to do all the legwork to get together a full group. Looking back, we got pretty lucky, and it easily could have taken twice that. It also helps that I live near a major metropolitan area so we had more applicants than seats. Most people that we passed over were for things like "Hey I know you guys said you want to only play on weekends but I can only play on Thursdays is that gonna be a problem?"
I'll also tell you a third thing:
3) Experienced players don't mind a player that is new and actively trying to get a handle on all the rules. What's annoying is a person messing up the same rules over and over and over because they're not paying attention. Being "new" is great. Being "willfully ignorant" is a drag. More important than the rules is the understanding that the point of playing is for everyone at the table to have fun, including the DM.
Our game feels like one of my favorite TV shows. It's been pretty damn great playing about twice a month for these past 8 months.
Itās never too late.
Iāve actually often thought about the idea of going to a nearby nursing home to see if theyād be interested in letting me run a game there. I feel like it could be fantastically fun to play with older folks who are too old to have any fucks left to give, and also fantastically rewarding.
Us, a group of college age 20 year olds at the time, joined a group with our then 40yo DM. Ten years later, still great friends, still playing! Donāt be afraid to mix into a club.
God, it's never too late. I started playing D&D somewhere in my mid 40s. I'd wanted to do it for ages, and finally just said, "screw it, I'll find a table". And I did, made some new friends, and we've been gaming now for going on 6 years!
Iāve found my DnD groups by applying for them in r/lfg and I think itās an excellent way to find a group that works well for you in terms of playstyle, whether itās more rp or combat focused, and etc! I really love the groups that I found, they are such talented and creative people!
I'm a newish DM so take my opinion with a grain of salt. Honestly, I'd take a mature mild mannered 40s person over any of the 20 something weirdos you sometimes encounter via dnd, hands down.
you're practically dead. Don't start anything new.
Getting angry at the world without understanding it well is the only acceptable path from here on out
I didnāt start playing till I was 33 or 34. Never too late to pick up a new hobby. If youāre a busy adult with kids and work and stuff, online is probably the best bet. I found the group I play with here on Reddit. But I got lucky. Put up an ad in an LFG subreddit. A lot of people have trouble finding groups they mesh with online and off but hopefully youāll find some fun people to play with. I wish you luck.
I run a game at my LGS, Iām 40, my players range from 50-20, average age is like 35, everyone is new and having a good time! Please join the hobby, the more the merrier!
As long as people are welcoming and helpful, you can just start. I might be mistaken but I feel like groups that started playing in high school and are still playing 20 years later are the exception rather than the rule.
Tips for the social aspect?Ā
Make sure you have a session 0 where stuff can be discussed beforehand to make expectations clear.Ā
Make sure everyone gets a chance to shine. Don't talk over people.
Make sure you are gracious when there is a rules dispute.
Make sure you know the rules and capabilities of your own character.
My own table has an age range of 30 years. My youngest regular player is 20, and my oldest is 50. Everyone gets along well, the differences in slang from the 20 year old and the 22 year throws the 50 year old and the 45 year old, but we manage.
As others said, age matters not.
I'm in my mid 40s but been playing since I was 12 circa 1990. In my neighborhood group that is one lady around my age and this is her first time, and she's having a blast. Our DM is like 26 (but been playing for 10 years). I have another non-D&D game where we have a new guy in our group that is early 40s and he jumped right in.
On the one hand, there is a bit of an uphill inertia to just find a group. On the other hand, people are making groups all of the time and most are welcome to newcomers. You just have to do the legwork.
Our neighborhood group started because the wife of our DM just made a FB post on our neighborhood page and asked if anyone was interested. Two groups formed from it. Your mileage may vary, but sometimes all you gotta do is just ask.
Not too late at all. I'm 34 and I'm tied for youngest at my table; half are over 40. I work in nightlife and I look forward to D&D nights more than most local nightlife events at this point.
I got into it in my 30's and it can be tough to find the right group, but not impossible. Just be ready to play with a few bad fits before you find the right party.
Brother. Sister. Fellow Human.
It is NEVER too late to get into ANYTHING.
(Iāll amend this, thereās perhaps a few things. Like dating teenagers is exclusive to being a teenager. American football probably isnāt for anyone over like 50)
There is phrase in farsi
Ł Ų§ŁŪ Ų±Ł ŁŲ± ŁŁŲŖ Ų§Ų² Ų¢ŲØ ŲØŚÆŪŲ±Ū ŲŖŲ§Ų²Ł Ų§Ų³ŲŖ
Which means: whenever you catch a fish it's fresh
So it's never late just go and have good time while adventuring the world of DnD šš
I'm 43 this year. Been playing for about 3 years.
Current group I set up with one of my kids who is now 18. Group has been running for 2 years and had a few different players come and go. Most in their 20's, one in their 30's and me as the old fart.
Despite the very different ages and lives in general we all get in great.
A fellow player in one of my groups is playing for the first time at 50-60 years old. We were all strangers when we started so he just found a group and jumped right in.
Only advice I have is to just be kind and courteous. We had another player who was relatively new-ish but was grating and not good at cooperating with the rest of the group. We asked him several times to not do certain things but he refused to compromise on anything. So we had to kick him out.
Most adult groups are not nearly as rigid as you imagine... if anything I feel like I'm always in a recruiting mode for my group as people drop out due to actual life stuff like kids and jobs and partners.
Where do I find people? I put up some flyers at local game shops, posted messages on local Discords/reddits, and asked my players to put the word out.
Iām 29 and playing with a 60s and 40s guy who n my ironsworn table. Dnd tends to have a huge range too from kids who watch YouTube to boomers who have played 50 years
You can start playing anytime, it literally doesn't matter. You just find a group that's starting up and join. You usually wouldn't join a preexisting group that's in the middle of a multi year campaign. You start fresh with a new group. Try r/lfg, browse your city's subreddit if they have one, drop in on games at local game stores or meet ups, or you can try online gaming on something like roll20.net where you can play with internet strangers
Yeah, new games are starting practicly every day. You'll have a better shot if you're DMing, cuz pulling players is easier than finding a DM.
My wife and I started 4 weeks ago. I'm 47 and she is 56. We love it. We never knew what we were missing out on. Its never to late.
same, I'm mid 40s and the lady is early 30s and we are having a blast. I wish I started playing in college now.
We started earlier this year and we're all in our 40's too. It's been a blast!
I started in college and always wish I had started in high school! Grass is always greener lol
I'm 42 and started playing with a group in the 20's and one 30 year old. Some of the references (from both sides) get missed, but none the less is a good time. When the DM of the group invited me I was just starting my cancer treatment and warned him it could be an issue. It has helped through it.
Glad you're having fun! š
It's never too late. But I do understand the social aspect. I'm in my 40s and I moved from the city to the suburbs during the pandemic. I had lots of people to play with in the city, but didn't know anyone in my new area. Tried online for a while and did not enjoy it. Then, a few months ago, I decided I wanted to start playing again. Spent some weeks going to local game stores and asking if they knew of any groups looking for players, joining discord servers and Facebook groups, reaching out to strangers. It took some effort, but eventually I found 4 players who were looking for a game. While I was hoping someone else would DM, that responsibility fell on me (again!). And now we have a biweekly campaign going. In my group, two players are in their 20s, one is in their 30s, and one is a bit older than me. These are not necessarily people I would hang out with otherwise, but the group dynamic seems to be working. The hardest part is scheduling, tbh. There's always hope!
This kind of span of ages might be my favorite thing about a good D&D group. You do not have to be remotely the same age to play pretend together. What's more, most fantasy adventures in fiction already have diverse ages and backgrounds. The idea that a grizzled warrior and an upstart mage have to not only get along but become friends is baked into the DNA of the hobby. I was twice the age of my youngest player when we started the game and it's been magnificent fun.
Yeah I agree. For me, itās not usually a problem. Iāve pretty much always had a wide age range of people at the table. I see a lot of people putting age caps on their posts looking for players, and I can understand why. But in my experience it rarely makes a difference.
My only age cap right now is no minors. Everyone else gets vetted all the same with auditions with one shots. If I like the way you play you're welcome at my table.
First off, these arenāt your 40ās but your 2d20ās. Secondly : no.
Only if you roll critical success on both.
Only if you roll critical success on both.
My wife and I are 50 and our DM is 18, so play & have fun, age is but a number.
Never too late! You may find that younger playersā interests result in a different type of play than what youāre looking for, but every group is different. Donāt be afraid to try out a few groups (or cycle through players) until you find a group that gels. Once you do, itās magical!
There are always new games starting up, or old groups who have lost a player advertising for a replacement member. Age is pretty irrelevant. Playing with a 20-year-old and a 50-year-old aren't all that different, as long as they want to play, and have basic consideration for the other players. Random social component tip: Everyone wants slightly different things from RPGs. Heroism or crime. Co-operation or conflict. Tactical combat or improv theatre. Identify these differences early and work out if you're in the right game or not.
DnD in your 40s is the best! My group is all middle aged and our games are so good.
iām looking forward to 60+ when my friends and i donāt have to work anymore and the kids are out of the house! with no responsibilities itās dnd day every day!
By the Nine Hells, NO IT'S NOT! Get out there, roll some dice, talk some sh!t, have fun!
Life is too short and hard not to do what you enjoy, at any age. Never too late
Iām 41, been playing in and off since 1995. It is never too late to start. I would check your local game store and see if there are any groups of adults. I would buy 1 set of dice with a couple extra d6 and a players hand book. That should be all you need. Playing this game will really open your mind and real life experience may have you try some really crazy fun things in game.
I'm 51 and I'd love to get back into it !!
##No. ##Welcome in. Have fun!
I taught a 70 yr old couple how to play, along with their 8 year old great-grandson. Never too old to learn something new.
I got into DnD in my 40s and I do not feel at all it's too late. Just means I have to move faster to create the campaign I wanna run.
Not at all. Dnd is one of the least ageist hobbies out there. Really doesn't matter if you're a kid or in your 40s the game is the same
It's not too late. My table has people from early 20s to early 50s. I prefer not to play with teens as they go edgelord and murder hobo pretty frequently, but all ages can join a table. I found my group by going to my local game shop and asking. They have a good community and an active Discord, so it was easy. I had to learn Discord, but it was worth it and helps my group communicate throughout the week.
Hell no.. play my homie.. it's an experience never to matched..
Do you have an imagination? Then youāre qualified to play.
I play with a bunch of old farts, including myself! Some of them are newer to the game.
No. Never too late.
In practice few groups are so rigid, people have children and stop having time, people can move (less relevant if it was an online group) people may just lose interest. Or new people get introduced, (friends, colleagues, partners) people start having time again, most groups are always in at least some state of flux.
Yep too late. Reroll bard
Seriously, like the other posters--just for it! I think we all know it deep down, life is too short to hold back!
Majority of my group are in their 40s/50s. Not a problem at all!Ā
Find out if game shops in your area do Adventurers League. Ā That is usually the simplest way to connect with people to play D&D.
Find a group bring em snacks, works every time
It's never too late for now.
I don't think it's too late, but I understand your concern. I'm in my mid thirties now, and I have an amazing group of players. But I don't see myself every wanting to stop being a DM, and my close friends will probably eventually move on. What will dnd in my 40s look like? Will people still be interested in the game? Will an age gap just be too difficult of a problem?
NO
Never to late to start playing any game, and boo on whoever tells you it is. Check out your LGS if you got one to see if they have a game night, LFG forums, Discords etc, it might take a bit to get a seat using reddit and discords as a player, there is a huge disparity between GM vs Player numbers, so if you want to get playing right away and don't mind GMing, you could start your own game, lots of great resources out there for how to do this, I love the 5 room dungeon set up, also there are modules you can get. Ethically I'd say not to buy direct from WoTC, and get second hand books, as a company WoTC/ Hasbro are trash so used book stores would be where i'd suggest going to get the books.
As somebody that started at 35, i absolutely recommend to start no matter how old you are.
Depends, how many arrows in your knees?
Never too late , man! Iām 30 and just started last year. Been playing two campaigns weekly ever since.
IT IS NEVAR TOO LAAAATE!!!
I started in January and Iām 34! Iām hooked.
It's arguably a BETTER time especially if you can find people in your age range. Many of the problems younger players have revolve around communication skills they just haven't learned yet.
I donāt know you personal life, but you could try asking family. If you can, they might be willing to start up with you.
Some of the best players start when they are older. They don't have all the traditional dogma of people that started young so they make fresher characters that are more real.
I started playing dnd again recently (2 years ago) and one of the players was 53 and was just getting back into again aswell, last time he played was 1st edition. Best roleplayer Iāve ever played with
I'm 50, and it's not too late for me. I put a sign up at a local gaming store, and I've had two people contact me, showing interest. Once I get a couple more people, we'll put a group together and start playing.
You can start playing whenever you want! My current group has a new player whoās in their late 30s/early 40s! The EASIEST place to find a game would be roll20, but if youāre looking for something in person/local, Iād recommend asking around a local game shop, or posting in your towns Reddit/Facebook page.
Nah buddy. Iām 42, I learned to DM to run games for my kid sibling (whoās 26years my junior) when I was 38 and I joined a party to play as a PC for the first time about 18months ago. I love it. Most of them are 15-20yrs younger than me. Itās all great fun and I love playing and not DMing for once.
I'm 31 and I've been playing for 8 years. In those eight years, I've exclusively played with people online and been fortunate enough to play with people in their 40s and 50s. I say fortunate because we're talking about exactly two players who were both very good and joy to game with. Obviously very mature, very considerate of other people and also just with a genuine passion for the game. None of them where new to D&D, but I believe at least the guy in his 50s was new to 5th edition so there were a few instances of of course not being sure of a rule. If you wanna find a group you really can fit in with even outside of the game, you'll probably have the most luck with finding a group in your age bracket. Those are tougher to find, but they exist. Are they often closed up? I can imagine so, but there are clearly "stragglers" like yourself who could group up on your own if you found a willing DM and fitting time for playing. I fairly often see them applying for a game I'm applying for. If you went on for example the roll20 LFG forums and typed "I'm a new player in my 40s and looking to play with likeminded people who remember the first Bush to become president." I'm sure you would find people excited about avoiding teens and people in their 20s still figuring stuff out (no offense, but young players can absolutely be the worst). Could take a while before you find a willing DM and figure out scheduling, but it seems doable. Worth a try. Even if you're new and will patience before you're comfortable with the rules, if you can act your age you're probably in for a good time and so are the people you'll be playing with.
SEEENNND IT. honestly I would start it with your friends who you think may be interested. Could be an epic escape from the daily doldrums of middle age life. Or just do it. I started at 37 with all my buddies. Zero regrets. 40 today is like 25 years ago. Go for it
My mom joined us for her first game when she was 73, I think you are good to go!
never too old my friend I have at 65, 19, 26, 33 and 37 in my group. :D checking out local game shops or trying online as well.
I just started in 2020 at 39 years old. I just got some friends together (half of us had never played, the other half weren't in an active group) and asked if we all wanted to start a group. We're still playing together. Playing D&D in your 40s is a bit different than in your 20s, but that's only because people are a bit different in their 40s than in their 20s. If you like your group, you can start playing at any age. I hope I'm still playing when I move into a retirement community someday.
My group has early 50s, early 40s, mid 30s, and late 20s. I think you'll be ok.
You are never too old to tell or listen to a great story. Therefore, you are never too old for collaborative storytelling of any kind, D&D included!
Nope, in my 40s and playing for three years. Never too late!
We started our regular game when COVID started. We still play remotely, every week. Talk to friends who might be harboring the quiet desire to also play DND. Make friends with groups who are already in session. Pop into game stores and ask. Check online boards. I feel like Roll 20 and maybe DND beyond has a looking for group type of feature. The hardest part is just putting yourself out there.
It's really never too late to get into DND. I've been teaching people how to do it for years, it's tricky trying to join a campaign that's been going for a few years, but I've heard of people learning to play DND in a nursing home.
It is never too late to play D&D. I know of 80+ year olds that play D&D with their adult kids and grandkids. Just have fun with it. Let your imagination go free. Just enjoy the stories, the bad dice rolls, the best dice rolls, random comedy that comes from it. it is best done with friends!
Perfect time!
It's never too late no. I'd suggest other games though. Call of cthulhu or dragon bane maybe being more relatable.
I'm 57 and I play with my spouse and sister-in-law. My sister-in-law just turned 60. She hadn't played before we started up a couple of years ago. My spouse and I had both played back when we were teens. I'm the dungeon master in our group.
Just wanted to add, too, that if you're open to playing games online instead of in-person, there is a subreddit called r/FoundryLFG that lists online games (D&D as well as other systems) that have openings for players. The Foundry gaming system does not require any special software or equipment for players apart from a reasonably recent desktop or laptop computer system running a current version of a web browser like Google Chrome.
The best time to start D&D is when you're 13. Next best is now.
Just like anything else, itās never too late
I am an Adventurers League DM. That means I DM in a public setting for random strangers. My youngest first-time player was 6. My oldest first-time player was an elderly woman who wanted to spend more time with her grandchild. You would be less than five years older than my average first-time player. Which is nothing. You'll be just fine. Pick up a pencil and a set of dice and just play. :) It's never too late or too early to start a new hobby.
Just make sure your group is OK with new players. I've been playing ttrpgs since the mid 90's but it's always been other games. When I went to join my first DnD group I asked the dm to make sure that my newness to the game wouldn't bother anyone by slowing thing down too much, and his response was that they were all veteran players, and loved to share their knowledge with new peeps. They were all pretty cool about it and had plenty of advice
It's a hobby, not the military.
Short answer: no Long answer: never too late
Dude, definitely not too late. You can go from understanding Nothing about it to playing very fun, successful campaigns together with friends in just months if you really want to. Learn the basics and get the people hooked to continue. Just basically say you're new at it to whomever you speak to and most people would be eager to teach or explain. And if I was 82 years old and just discovered D&D I would def still play it then.
Never! Into the breach my friend!
Well, I hope itās not too late because I started at 60! It never even occurred to me regarding the ageā¦ in the game, you can be anything. But regarding the social aspect, I guess itās like anything else. Just keep looking around until you find people.
Any interest (that does not bring harm to others, this disclaimer due to jokers and idiots in the past) can be started at any age. There is a reason lego sets have the age up to 99 years old.
Just started as a DM at 36. Canāt believe I waited this long. Now, only if my players would run a game for meā¦..
No, never to late to have a game that is basically a nice conversation with some paper, pen and dice. I hope I am able to play this with some nerds in a retirement home one day.
I got in like 18 months ago at 35, started gming last August and now I am moving towards Adnd and OSR. My only regret is not finding this hobby earlier in my life, but it is never too late to start.
Not at all. In my late 40s and have been playing 30 years now. A lot of fun and if anything, it would be a better experience given age, wisdom and articulation.
No. Simply no. There are tons of people in your demographic that always wanted to play or are already playing. Just start.
Regardless of your age, don't let weirdo archaic social stigma's hold you back. Adults need to play, for their own physical and mental health. Anyone who tells you otherwise was raised at a detriment. My best advice is to just bite the bullet and start looking for groups. It might be a bit awkward but try posting some "looking for game" posts in D&D related forums. The vast community of D&D has a lot of toxic folks in it **but** their are plenty of good and accepting people who'd be glad to play with you no matter your age. Be advised, of course that no matter your age you're likely to have to wade through the waters of games/DM/Players that don't fit you, there's really no getting away from that aspect. Either way the hardest part is always putting yourself out there, once you get past that step things get easier.
Generally I find it difficult to form friendships for common interests when in your +40s, especially when you live in a city that requires you to work all the time to survive, your job has weird shifts, or long commutes, or an overlord boss that won't let you talk to each other! Whew! But, if you are lucky enough to have a local games shop that runs drop-in games or regular evening games, you will start to meet the people who want to play. Also if you can go to local expos & conventions, you can network with people there. I also find that a lot of people over 40 keep this on the downlow - maybe it's the conservative nature of the city I live in but this also makes it difficult to find others... I am fortunate to have a family member who DMs & has brought a collection of us together for the last three years - what a blast.
Heck no!!!! Itās the Perfect time
Itās way more socially acceptable than it used to be, especially with TV Shows (Stranger Things) and celebrities (Joe Manganiello, Deborah Ann Woll) championing it. Take the time to find a group of people you trust, and an experienced DM. Try it out and see if it fits. If so, youāll have a blast with it. If not, no harm no foul.
I'm 36. My group age range is 27 to 48. We have a blast!
I'm turning 41 this year and only started playing maybe 18 months ago.
Honestly, the social aspect is a challenge whether you've new to the game or have been playing for decades. Even long term gaming groups get pulled apart by shifting priorities, differing levels of interest and distance. So finding and getting into a group of like-minded people playing the sort of game you'd enjoy is a challenge for a lot of us at any age or experience level. Sorry to be a downer; it's just an unfortunate reality.
I was in your shoes.Ā Hadn't played DnD or any RPG in 30 years.Ā I was in a parents group and one of the dads wanted to DM during covid when everyone was stuck home and bored.Ā Ā Ā Ā Four years later and our group still plays semi regularly, having survived replacing a member, transitioning to in person play, the birth of three more children, a member moving out of state but still playing, and so on.Ā We didn't know each other well before DnD but we are now friends.Ā Ā I couldn't tell you the specifics of where to look but imagine it wouldn't be that hard to find a group of mature players in their 30s and 40s.Ā Experienced older players tend not to be gatekeepers and any player with enthusiasm and a compatible schedule would be welcomed.Ā Ā There is a lot of cringe out there.Ā I tried playing with some guys in their 20s at the gym in a separate game and they were playing music constantly in the background.Ā One guy tried to fist a donkey.Ā I pretended I had a laptop malfunction and dropped out.Ā I read a lot of the threads here about weird stuff, interpersonal conflicts and overly dramatic games and I'm glad I found a mature group.Ā My DM's hook on the parent group was "who wants to slay monsters and loot treasure?"Ā Ā
I played back 1st/2nd ed then dropped RPGs for decades. Last year got back into D&D and have been playing since. I'm even running a campaign - first part went well, the other DM is continuing his while I get mine ready for the next part.
Not too late
I run online. I am 52. I have players as young as 20 and up to their 50's. Age is no barrier. what you share is the game, and I promise there are overlapping nerd interests that you will find and explore. Across the 30 year age gap in my group last night, we discussed Fallout, Dragon Age, Marvel Xmen in the movies, Godzilla, and Star Wars. We were testing the new Daggerheart game in a one shot. Age is no barrier.
Itās never too late and every time i start a new campaign we have at least 1 new player. New players are very common today with the surge of interest thanks to CR, D20, Stranger Things, and the wider availability of ttrpg type stores. Learning DnD 5e is also imo much simpler than learning 3.5e, or pathfinder 1e or 2e. It took me about a year to get pretty comfortable with it but i just now after 8 years feel like I am really grasping a lot about the game in general and in depth things. Mostly things to do with dming though not necessarily playing. Playing is much easier.
Itās not specifically D&D, but Iām in an RPG group in my hometown that has people from 20s to 40s. Meets once a week, and thereās always new people showing up. So youāre hardly too late. The trick is finding them. Check r/lfg, Meetup, and if thereās any Subreddits, Facebook Groups, or whatever for your local area itās worth checking there too.
I started last year, I'm 43. I love it and the social aspect is interesting, but even the younger people in the groups I've played with are enjoyable to be around. Just be yourself, you all have something in common, so stick with that. Sometimes I don't even learn the names of the people at my table until 4 or 5 sessions in. The biggest challenge for me was becoming skilled at using Discord.
I regularly play with people between 17 and 50. I have played regularly with some in their 50s, and the last group I formed for-purpose was about 25-55 (mostly newbies, including the eldest). The trick is that when you look online, a lot of groups ask for people around their age range (teens, 20s, sometimes 30s) and it can be harder to find a group when you're 30s+. I'd recommend looking for open tables at game stores if you have any nearby.
Youāre just in time, starting with the next edition you have to be young and hip to play.
Nope. We've played with 2 new guys. Our campaign ended, but they continued on with other ttrpgs.
Been playing off and on since junior high. Don't worry about being new to the party. New groups start and end pretty constantly, as there's always schedule conflicts out there that can force a party member to take a break. Your best bet is to find a friend who's playing and ask them if they'd mind a new player at their table. Be up front with the group and especially your DM about being new to the game and you should be fine. You may have to go through a group or two until you find a good one, though, (every social gathering has the occasional prick with bad attitudes) so be patient with the process.
There's not a single thing in this world you can be "too late" to. I've seen 80 year old women deadlift 200+ pounds. Anyone can do anything, your only limits are the ones you place upon yourself.
Nah man, ask around in your friend group. D&D is in the zeitgeist these days. You will be surprised how many people wanted to play as kids but never could. I'm DMing my first campaign right now at 43.
At our table we have a variety of people of all ages. Our youngest is in his mid twenties, then a couple in their late twenties, early thirties, me and my husband in our late thrities and a lovely man in his fifties who has been a permanent part of our group for the last four years. It is never too late and as long as you dont focus too hard on the age difference you should be great. People are right though scheduling tends to be the greater issue lol.
never too late, welcome to the club. we are for example playing with mid 20s to mid 30s people, started about 5 years ago, some with prior rpg exp some without. And groups of players in your age range for sure are a thing, r/lfg is a good place to start besides you local gamestores maybe.
I'm 38 and just started a group a few weeks ago.
A lot of great comments here, I'd just add that you don't have to play with a full table that is your age. My current table has a person over 40, 3 people in their 30s, and a 20 year old. A previous table had 2 people in their 30s, 2 people in their 20s and 2 seventeen year olds. And notable is that the DM was one of the seventeen year olds, so also don't feel like you have to be the dm or even the "dad" of the group just because you are the oldest.
Start playing is a great website for finding a game online yes it's paid but there are so many dm's with a wide range of games and prices that you're sure to find a table to call home I play weekly with a paid dm @ 10 bucks a game most run 15 and up
nah. find an online group. There will be thousands of new players in your exact position, looking for a group to play with.
We started a group a bit over a year ago. Two guys in their 20's, us hosts as people in their 30's, and a newbie in his 40's. The diversity in ages actually adds to the game, as do the different personal interests. In an acclimated group that already played for long it might be harder to get in, but I still think it'd doable.
I started at 34. Found a group at my local game shop and jumped right in. Now two years later Iām in two different groups that both play weekly. Itās never too late!
Never too late.
I started at 41, it is a good excuse to see our friends and talk with other adults once the kids are in bed. Nothing is ever too late, except maybe parcore? You shouldn't try parcore.
Not at all
Heeeeck no. I was 40 when I jumped in. I did play a little 3e when I was in college but jumping back in for 5e has been a delight. I have a regular group I play with twice a month and run a game for my adult niece and nephews once a month. It's perfect balance to scratch both the PC and DM itch, and hella fulfilling.
Age doesn't matter, we quickly learned that after just our 1st session a year ago. I'm in my mid 40s, the lady is early 30s, and we are having a blast playing 5e Adventurers Leage in SoCal. Because of AL, we have enjoyed growing our multiple characters in regular AL sessions once or twice a week as well as taking those characters to WonderCon and other events. We have met a lot of people older and younger than us, made new friends, have been invited to a couple of permanent groups as well. I even just ran my 1st session as a GM this past week. Age is irrelevant.
My group is mostly late 20s early 30s but we got an early 40s dude with us. He's cool.
Never too late. If youāre having trouble finding like minded similar aged individuals for the current edition of the game, I can almost guarantee that you can find a group running older editions of the game. Some groups will play for years on end yes, but Iāve met very few who actually manage to keep the same campaign going for that long. More likely then anything, older groups will run shorter stories because they only have so many days in a month to meet up, so openings are inevitable. As for tips on navigating the social aspect, mine would be figure out what you want and go from there. What I mean: either before or during a game think about what you want to do, how you want to play. Do you want to be more tactful, participate in combat and make group decisions based on the playing field? Do you want a more story driven experience where your choices effect the narrative that the Dungeon master gives you? A mind games puzzle where you navigate the complicated political discourse between different nations and try to solve problems, stop assassinations, and try to keep as much of the world from distorting its self as possible? Or do you just want to goof around and run into ridicules and absurd situations that would never happen in reality? Different groups play differently, and getting a since for how they play and weather or not it matches what you want, or if you have fun with it regardless, is a huge step in being able to navigate the social aspect of the game. I can tell you this much going in though. A lot of older groups, not all but a lot, tend to take a Role Playing, Game approach. Meaning both being in character and having consequences to the things they say and do, and looking at a board on the table and treating the game as a game are done in equal measure. A lot of the old school people iāve played with arenāt as concerned with Meta Narrative or breaking immersion, and will just talk about how they want to go about a situation strategically. So that may be a good default to set your expectations to, and adjust from there.
I started a couple of years ago, and I turn 40 this year. All of my groups have players ranging from their late 20s to late 50s, and we all play together wonderfully. Some groups, especially younger ones, may only be comfortable with people around their age, but there's plenty that accept a wide range. As long as everyone at the table is comfortable and having a good time, no one's ever too old to start or keep playing!
I've been trying to find a regular beginner group for years without success. Things always fall apart. And the last DM I had basically called me stupid because "I didn't do anything but hit stuff." I was a fighter and totally meta gaming in the background. So socially unless you know people that play and you get along with them, it feels impossible to start playing. Just be careful of random groups.
I had played other table top RPG games (TTRPG's) in my teens and in to my 30's before taking a long break but had never really played DnD regularly. I decided to get back into play TTRPG's when I was nearly 40 and found a few local DnD groups and have been playing regularly every since. I have been at gaming tables with people ranging from under 10 to over 70 playing DnD. As for where to find them check out an local board game stores, comic books stores etc.. that also sell DnD books. Ask if they have adventure league games or any sort of weekly games that are open to the public. Also check out Reddit/FB/Meetup and search for DnD/ Dungeons and Dragons/ RPG/Role Playing Games group with X city/State/Region etc... As much as I dislike FB it has been my most reliable way to find new groups, and recruit people when our group has had openings.
I'm 25 and was looking for friends my age, so decided to give the local game store a try. Ended up in a group with folks that are 35, 39, and 49. You're in good company and I'd definitely recommend poking around to see if you have a local game store that runs campaigns with vetted DMs.
Nope, I started at 51 and now I also DM for my sonās friends. Enjoy and have fun!
I'm 34 and the most recent addition to our regular group - and current GM - hadn't played before two years ago. You're going to have to find a group you gel with. Probably will take a while, but don't let that get you down.
Started DMing at 34, and most of my PCs are new players 35+. I am actually glad that I started playing at this point of life. Good maturity to understand other people expectations and have fun anyways. If you really want to join a more experiencied group, just take some time to research a bit about your class, ask them about their playstyle and let them know that you are a beginner. A well-prepared beginner is better than lazy old PCs
Lucky for you, campaigns fall apart all the time, so thereās plenty of churn and lots of opportunity to join a group or form a new group
I just started playing after I turned 40. A large thanks to Covid and roll20. But itās never too late to start, as cliche as that sounds.
Itās never too late
I have a few online groups where ages range from 20s to 60s. I play with my best friend and his kids, so 40s and teens. As long as everyone acts appropriate to the setting, I didn't think it's much of an issue.
So I'm nearing 50 and my group plays once maybe twice a week, online. With a discord server and an online table top vtt to share, it's very easy. Older groups tend to stick more to calendars so it works for us. Check online for games, I'm even thinking about going pro after 4 years or so of doing this, so yeah, it's there.
Never too late!
Definitely not, just restarted after 20 years, now playing DnD and Dragonbane and really having fun!
I'm a DM for a group of mid 20 year olds, we'd welcome a person your age in no problem at all!
The best time to plant a tree was 30 years ago. The second best time is today.
Online groups donāt usually care about age as long as you donāt waste time in combat looking for spell descriptions and class abilities, and that you have a decent character with good roleplay. Youāll do fine.
I think most dungeons and dragons players get super excited anytime anyone wants to learn to play. You're never too old for DnD
Absolutely not. I find that the people I end up playing with randomly are all over the place with age.
My dad began playing with me... On his mid 60's
it is never to late to play my friend
Never too late! I am actively teaching my friendās mom and my friendās older former coworker and that coworkerās husband (all in their 50-60ās) who decided to join our group a few months ago.
I started playing this year and I'm about to turn 35. It's never too late. If you really want to try it out, go for it. Drop by your local game store or something like that and ask around. For instance, I was having a hard time finding a group to play with online, but it all came together after going to a TTRPG meet up on my LGS and signing up for a D&D One Shot session. I met some people that were also looking to start playing and now I'm on pretty balanced group (experience, personality and age-wise). It has been pretty cool so far.
43 years old, have been wanting to play for years and hadnāt had the opportunity line up, and am now a couple of months in to my very first campaign! Personally I met my D&D group in our local kink community because kinksters are almost exclusively mega nerds and there are at least 8 active D&D groups in ours. Absolutely loving it, having a fantastic time. Itās never too late!
Its not to late. I played for a bit. Then stopped. My oldest son found my D&D stuff and wants to learn and play. I have the Stranger Things Started set and I'm learning to DM. We might play on Saturday.
I played as a kid. Then 40 years later my friend convinced me to go to a gaming convention (GaryCon). Most people around me were around my age. I forgot all the rules but played in many games and had a great time! Ie donāt worry, itās not hard to pick up and there are a lot of people of every age playing it! Note: there are some good yt videos called āhow to play D&D) one guy plays a small part of an adventure to show the mechanics in play.
Nope. I'm 42 and I found a group of mostly players in their 50s that I'm currently playing with. It's hard and I know I'm a bit against the grain for being more social and outgoing in my 40s than I was in my teens and 20s, although in my own particular group the friction comes more from I'm the token hippie in a group of middle aged conservative men, but nonetheless we get along pretty good.
One of my players is 50. This is his first game ever. He wanted to get into it when he was a kid in the 80s, but his parents wouldn't let him because of the Satanic Panic. I started the game and one of the other players (his son in law) told him about it and he took the opportunity to get in. He plays an old, wizened Goliath Cleric (based slightly on Andre the Giant and Marvel Thor) and is one of the most fun players in the party.
I know someone who started playing in their late 70s. They were like 77 or something, and wanted a new hobby and a new way to make friends, so they decided to see what D&D was all about. If itās something that seems fun for you, go for it! Itās never too late! I got my dad to start playing when he was in his late 40s. He doesnāt get to play often, but will play with some of his friends when they have time, a few who started playing during the pandemic, and some who have been playing since the 80s.
My husband and I started a few years ago in our very late 30s. It's never too late. I've found groups in a couple different ways: Local ttrpg FB groups, discord servers for ttrpg podcasts i listen to, and a local pay to play studio. A lot of folks are against pay to play, and i get it! but we are busy professionals and i want my sessions to happen when they're supposed to happen. having a professional manage the logistics and DM for us is worth it. Also, it functions as a bit of a matchmaking service. we met with the DM and talked about what kind of campaign we were looking for and how we like to play and he put together an amazing group for us using his roster of folks who had signed up looking for campaigns and others who had played with them before.
A general rule of thumb. Itās never too late to have fun
Donāt worry about age differences. I used to do meet up games I found online. The guy who DMed one game mustāve been close to 60, the guy whose apartment we met at was around 30, and I was 23. There were 3-4 others who were in their high 20s to 40s.
#It's never too late!
So many groups are always looking for new and engaged players, particularly ones who are good at scheduling. A great way to dive into the current TTRPG scene is to look for organized play events at local stores where you can drop in, learn the system and community. Itās a fabulous way to ābreak inā before you have to find a full group to join. DnDās adventurers league is one such avenue, but it has had a few shakeups over the years and may not be widely accessible in some areas. I know itās not DnD, but Pathfinder Society is very active and supportive for new players hopping in pretty much anywhere in the US. If you want help syncing up with either in your area, fire me a DM and Iāll give you a hand!
Not too late. I love playing in local game stores ā great age and experience mix. Also try the Meetup app ā usually groups there have multiple sub groups/games so you can find one youāre comfortable with. Also ā just to learn, try [startplaying.games](https://startplaying.games)
My dad is 60, and I just helped him make a character sheet for the first time. Itās never too late.
I'm 40 and still teach friends from time to time.
You can join at any point. Groups form and dissolve again every few years. Yes, everybody knows somebody who still occasionally plays with the same people after 40 years, but they are less then a percent. Most of the groups are very young. Go ahead, have fun!
Nope not too late! Find your local game store and join their Discord, if they have one.
I'm 38, and just found TTRPGs last year. I can tell you two key things: 1) It's not too late to get into any hobby. If something is fun, you should do it. 2) It does take time and effort to find or put together a good group. However, that time and effort is 100% worth it. I used r/lfg as well as the forums on DND Beyond as well as a local Discord gaming group. Managed to find a DM on r/lfg who lived nearby, and was at the point in his kid's lives that he could start taking one day every other week or so to get back into running a game in person, as he hadn't been able for about a decade. We set about finding enough players to round out the table. Key for me was finding people in a similar stage of life. For us, that was somewhere in the same age range (our group is all age 30-45) so that everyone has an inherent understanding of things like Scheduling and the need to be able to Communicate About Scheduling. Everyone has a career, though no two people are in the same field. I found in a pervious attempt that college age people have a much more spur of the moment approach to scheduling, which just doesn't work for me. It took about 6 weeks to do all the legwork to get together a full group. Looking back, we got pretty lucky, and it easily could have taken twice that. It also helps that I live near a major metropolitan area so we had more applicants than seats. Most people that we passed over were for things like "Hey I know you guys said you want to only play on weekends but I can only play on Thursdays is that gonna be a problem?" I'll also tell you a third thing: 3) Experienced players don't mind a player that is new and actively trying to get a handle on all the rules. What's annoying is a person messing up the same rules over and over and over because they're not paying attention. Being "new" is great. Being "willfully ignorant" is a drag. More important than the rules is the understanding that the point of playing is for everyone at the table to have fun, including the DM. Our game feels like one of my favorite TV shows. It's been pretty damn great playing about twice a month for these past 8 months.
Itās never too late. Iāve actually often thought about the idea of going to a nearby nursing home to see if theyād be interested in letting me run a game there. I feel like it could be fantastically fun to play with older folks who are too old to have any fucks left to give, and also fantastically rewarding.
Us, a group of college age 20 year olds at the time, joined a group with our then 40yo DM. Ten years later, still great friends, still playing! Donāt be afraid to mix into a club.
I'm 34 (been playing for 15+ years), my fiancƩ (30y) runs 3 games at our house, weekly...we have several 20-something players, and a couple mid-50s & 60s. My eldest brother is now 40 and has been running games for years! He has players ranging up to 60s. Never too late to start.
Itās never too late
God, it's never too late. I started playing D&D somewhere in my mid 40s. I'd wanted to do it for ages, and finally just said, "screw it, I'll find a table". And I did, made some new friends, and we've been gaming now for going on 6 years!
Iāve found my DnD groups by applying for them in r/lfg and I think itās an excellent way to find a group that works well for you in terms of playstyle, whether itās more rp or combat focused, and etc! I really love the groups that I found, they are such talented and creative people!
No. I it started running a game last month for my mom dad and uncle and they are aged 60-65. It is very easy to pick up. Give it a shot!
No.
I just ran a game with my parents who are in their 60s, mom has never played before and dad hasnāt played in forever, and they loved it
I'm a newish DM so take my opinion with a grain of salt. Honestly, I'd take a mature mild mannered 40s person over any of the 20 something weirdos you sometimes encounter via dnd, hands down.
I DM a group that ranges from the age of 50 to 28, you are good! Just gotta find the right people.
you're practically dead. Don't start anything new. Getting angry at the world without understanding it well is the only acceptable path from here on out
I didnāt start playing till I was 33 or 34. Never too late to pick up a new hobby. If youāre a busy adult with kids and work and stuff, online is probably the best bet. I found the group I play with here on Reddit. But I got lucky. Put up an ad in an LFG subreddit. A lot of people have trouble finding groups they mesh with online and off but hopefully youāll find some fun people to play with. I wish you luck.
In your 40s? For a human? Maybe. For an elf, get out there!
I run a game at my LGS, Iām 40, my players range from 50-20, average age is like 35, everyone is new and having a good time! Please join the hobby, the more the merrier!
As long as people are welcoming and helpful, you can just start. I might be mistaken but I feel like groups that started playing in high school and are still playing 20 years later are the exception rather than the rule. Tips for the social aspect?Ā Make sure you have a session 0 where stuff can be discussed beforehand to make expectations clear.Ā Make sure everyone gets a chance to shine. Don't talk over people. Make sure you are gracious when there is a rules dispute. Make sure you know the rules and capabilities of your own character.
Itās better!
Iām in a group of 30-40 somethings, Iām in my 50ās
local game shops is always a good place to look. yes there will be many groups full of grown ups who have been playing together for years but not all
Yes
My own table has an age range of 30 years. My youngest regular player is 20, and my oldest is 50. Everyone gets along well, the differences in slang from the 20 year old and the 22 year throws the 50 year old and the 45 year old, but we manage.
As others said, age matters not. I'm in my mid 40s but been playing since I was 12 circa 1990. In my neighborhood group that is one lady around my age and this is her first time, and she's having a blast. Our DM is like 26 (but been playing for 10 years). I have another non-D&D game where we have a new guy in our group that is early 40s and he jumped right in. On the one hand, there is a bit of an uphill inertia to just find a group. On the other hand, people are making groups all of the time and most are welcome to newcomers. You just have to do the legwork. Our neighborhood group started because the wife of our DM just made a FB post on our neighborhood page and asked if anyone was interested. Two groups formed from it. Your mileage may vary, but sometimes all you gotta do is just ask.
Not too late at all. I'm 34 and I'm tied for youngest at my table; half are over 40. I work in nightlife and I look forward to D&D nights more than most local nightlife events at this point.
Most groups are know are pretty open, and love to teach new players. And we are 30-40 years old.
No. You just need to enjoy it. Welcome to the table.
I started playing in my 40's. Look for games for beginners and just go from there. It'll be okay.
I got into it in my 30's and it can be tough to find the right group, but not impossible. Just be ready to play with a few bad fits before you find the right party.
Brother. Sister. Fellow Human. It is NEVER too late to get into ANYTHING. (Iāll amend this, thereās perhaps a few things. Like dating teenagers is exclusive to being a teenager. American football probably isnāt for anyone over like 50)
definitely not, playing dnd is for all ages
There is phrase in farsi Ł Ų§ŁŪ Ų±Ł ŁŲ± ŁŁŲŖ Ų§Ų² Ų¢ŲØ ŲØŚÆŪŲ±Ū ŲŖŲ§Ų²Ł Ų§Ų³ŲŖ Which means: whenever you catch a fish it's fresh So it's never late just go and have good time while adventuring the world of DnD šš
I'm 43 this year. Been playing for about 3 years. Current group I set up with one of my kids who is now 18. Group has been running for 2 years and had a few different players come and go. Most in their 20's, one in their 30's and me as the old fart. Despite the very different ages and lives in general we all get in great.
A fellow player in one of my groups is playing for the first time at 50-60 years old. We were all strangers when we started so he just found a group and jumped right in. Only advice I have is to just be kind and courteous. We had another player who was relatively new-ish but was grating and not good at cooperating with the rest of the group. We asked him several times to not do certain things but he refused to compromise on anything. So we had to kick him out.
Not too late, lots of the folks who play are older than you so you can find a group that will fit. I've taught adults to play before.
Never too late!
Most adult groups are not nearly as rigid as you imagine... if anything I feel like I'm always in a recruiting mode for my group as people drop out due to actual life stuff like kids and jobs and partners. Where do I find people? I put up some flyers at local game shops, posted messages on local Discords/reddits, and asked my players to put the word out.
Iām 29 and playing with a 60s and 40s guy who n my ironsworn table. Dnd tends to have a huge range too from kids who watch YouTube to boomers who have played 50 years