Curse of Strahd, Run by a Master of Horror! - PbP - Async

Joel is an outstanding DM—friendly, patient, and incredibly engaging. He consistently encourages players to tap into their creativity, creating a welcoming and collaborative environment that makes every session enjoyable. His mastery of Foundry is top-notch; he uses it to enhance the game without ever letting the tech get in the way of the story, and he's always happy to walk players through mechanics when needed. Sessions always start on time, and Joel does a great job of building rapport with the group, making sure everyone gets the most out of the experience. His storytelling is captivating—full of twists, vivid world-building, and memorable NPCs that truly bring the game to life. You can tell he genuinely cares about the player experience and the narrative as a whole. Highly recommended!

Joel is a phenomenal story teller. He puts so much work into each session, from background ambience to maps to voices and motivations for NPCs. He also is great at explaining the game to new players, and very kind and mindful of keeping the game safe and fun for all.

We are only allowed three tags when we do a review, but Joel hits them all, so let me start by putting them here: Allows for player creativity, Inclusive/Safe, Knows the Rules, Rule of Cool, Sets the mood (Soundscapes & Music), Terrific Storyteller, Good for beginners, Incredible Visual Aids, Amazing & fun voices, World Builder. Joel is all of these things - and he accomplishes this while putting on an amazing and highly-modified Curse of Strahd campaign, which is a feat in and of itself! He has incorporated a ton of fresh takes on the module, making it replayable even if you have played it before. I can't say enough about how thoughtful and creative Joel is, and how safe a space this is to play. I've laughed and cried at his table. He rewards players for creativity and even encourages players to give other players inspiration for great storytelling. When there are issues with a player, he addresses them thoroughly and thoughtfully. Every session leaves room for feedback, what you liked, what you didn't like, and MVP of the game gets inspiration. This is not to say that we are swimming in inspiration - let's just say the game world might be hard on our characters and we need it! I haven't played in his non-Strahd games but I am at two of his Strahd tables as I write this and experience the same quality at both games. I can't wait to dive into all the ways each game is a unique experience!

I've had a wonderful experience playing with Joel as our DM! He's a fantastic storyteller and scene-setter—attentive, imaginative, and great at matching the energy of the group. Joel clearly put a lot of thought into curating this party of brilliant players, and it's one of the most well-rounded, interesting, and respectful groups I've had the pleasure of playing with. He regularly asks for proactive feedback and genuinely implements it, which makes the game feel collaborative and dynamic. Joel also introduced clever mechanics to keep things fresh and engaging, adding his own unique twist to Curse of Strahd. It's also worth noting: this is a definitely LGBTQ+ friendly space, which adds to the comfort and inclusivity of the game. All in all, an excellent campaign experience!

I love playing at Joel’s tables. He really knows how to set a tone and atmosphere. He also is really patient with us and helps us walk through the mechanics of VTT gaming. And the story is role play driven through the campaign story arc.

He is a great DM, very considerate of his players and their personal time. Amazing at communication with his players and very fun to be a player for! Highly Recommend as a DM 11/10 great guy!