One shot or campaign?

Hey y'all. I'm new here. Created an account a few years ago but didn't actually get into anything.

Recently I've been wanting to run a game but I wondered if I should run a one shot first to see how it runs. It's a 5e hack that I haven't run before. What would this community think of this situation?

I think a one-shot would be a good idea if you're just getting started as it's lower commitment and easier to bring to a satisfying conclusion.
But while I would recommend that, if you find yourself more interested in a campaign, then just go for that. Keep in mind that it's likely there will be player attrition and there's a good chance you might not be able to see it all the way through. But just do what motivates you the most.

One shots seem to have a higher success rate. Players come and go, as the winds of fate blow them hither and yither. If the one shot is successful, you'll have learned much about running games in this format. If you and your players get along, then you could springboard into a campaign.

But for many, the long form campaign is the reason we play, so either way, thank you for coming back!

Welcome to GP, GuardianRory!

One-shot will almost certainly be the consensus and that's my vote. It'll be easier to manage smaller objectives.

Welcome :)

Welcome :)
Start with a oneshot. It is still a significant time commitment.
I'm currently running a Pathfinder2e oneshot 3 months ago and I think we have a month more to go. So about 4 month for a oneshot. A campaign can take years

Play by post is slow. Even daily posting, which is generally considered pretty fast-paced for PbP, does not move quickly. What would take a good night around the table can easily take a month or more on the forums.

In that time, life happens to us all. You will almost assuredly lose a player or three. Attrition in PbP games is very real. (We lose GMs to attrition too. It happens.)

All that said...

I think you should jump in the deep end and start a full-on campaign.

This is a pretty great place, full of people who can and will help you figure out all the technical stuff for the forums if you need such help. However... I will concede that it is probably the wiser choice to start with a one-shot, to get your feet wet and get a feel for it all.

Welcome to GP!

Thank you for the warm welcomes and excellent feedback. Perhaps I'll make my idea into a series of one shots so that players can come and go if they so choose.

I've been lurking around to see what sort of advice I can find. There's a great collection of guides on this site. I hope I can put it all into good use.

Although I'm only on my first GP GM'd game, from what I've seen as a player here these six months makes me think that one-shots are a good idea, especially for people new to the particular game you're playing. But a campaign as a series of one-shots might be even better. Those eager to continue will do so. Those who dropped out of the game, fell off GP, or are interested in moving on can then be replaced by new players with new characters.

Just my two cents. The vets here may have opinions based on more data than me. :)

I will say that if you want to run a campaign my advice is to do something episodic. Make sure there are ways for people to leave and join throughout the game in ways that aren't disruptive to the overall story. Making sure no single character is vital is also a great policy, as anyone (even long-time players) can leave at any time with no warning :)

Welcome to the community, and yep -- I agree with most others, starting with a one-shot is a solid idea.

If one would try their hand at GM'ing, one could make a Vignet. What is that I hear you ask. That is where we cut right to the chase. It's a part of the larger adventure.
Adam and I have run a few. (this is Adam's trailer)

My last Vignet was the end of the Dragon Heist adventure. A small dungeon, and then meeting with an angry dragon. 1 magical trap, 1 combat encounter and then the boss fight. The party was all level 15 - but that was my take.

That is a fascinating idea, runekyndig. Thank you! I've got quite a bit to think about.