Red GM Presents: Choose Your Own Adventure

Creating your character

Character creation takes place during Session 0, and the whole group builds their characters together. As a team, you’ll vote on which stat method you want to use: Point Buy or Standard Array (15, 14, 13, 12, 10, 8). This keeps everyone on equal footing and supports a collaborative start. You are welcome to create your characters together as a party, establishing relationships, shared history, rivalries, or bonds before the campaign even begins. If you prefer to arrive with a character concept already in mind, that’s perfectly fine too—I will help tie your backstory into the chosen campaign. All official D&D species and lineages are allowed, with no restrictions on where you place your ability score bonuses (+2/+1 or +1/+1/+1). Whether you want to play something classic or something unusual, you’re fully supported. I’m happy to help you develop starting relationships with NPCs, integrate personal quests, or build motivations that connect directly to the adventure the group selects. If you need character art, I can also generate custom artwork for your character at no cost—just give me a description. By the end of Session 0, you’ll have a character who fits the world, fits the group, and feels meaningfully connected to the story we’re about to begin.

Preparing for the session

Before we begin, all you need is a sense of what excites you. Come prepared with one, two, or even three campaigns you’d be interested in playing—this helps the group narrow down the vote during Session 0. You don’t need to commit to anything yet; just bring the ones you’re open to. A couple of character ideas—even loose concepts—are helpful too. You don’t need a sheet ready, just a spark: a personality, a class you’re curious about, or a role you might want to fill in the party. We’ll build everything together during Session 0. For tools, please have: -A Discord account (for voice and communication) -A Roll20 account (our virtual tabletop) -A working microphone That’s it. No rule knowledge is required, and I’m happy to explain Roll20, character building, or D&D 5e basics if you’re new. Just bring your ideas and excitement—we’ll handle the rest as a team.

What Red brings to the table

As your GM, you have my full support and undivided attention—this is my job, and I take care of my players. You can message me anytime about anything: class questions, spell recommendations, character ideas, art requests, rules clarifications, or any concerns you’re facing. I’m here to help you enjoy the game, inside and outside of sessions. I love roleplaying and I enjoy doing character voices, and I fully encourage players to try voices or express their characters in whatever way feels fun and comfortable. My games lean into the Rule of Cool, rewarding creativity and memorable moments while still keeping the mechanics smooth and fair. Every scene includes ambient music to set the tone—tense, emotional, mysterious, heroic, or whimsical—helping bring the world to life. And whether you’re experienced or brand new, you can rely on me to guide the rules, manage pacing, teach Roll20, and make sure everyone has their moment to shine. You bring the character; I’ll bring everything else.

Homebrew rules

----------- Bonus Action Boosts ----------- To keep combat fast and exciting, Lay on Hands, drinking potions, giving potions, and Vicious Mockery can all be used as bonus actions. This gives everyone more flexibility in tense moments without slowing down the fight. ----------- New Reactions ----------- Players gain access to additional reactions such as Block, Cover, and Protect, allowing you to interact more during enemy turns and support your allies in cinematic, tactical ways. ----------- Action Point System ----------- Instead of being limited by strict action types, we use a light Action Point system that gives players more tactical freedom. This helps combat feel dynamic, customizable, and heroically responsive. ----------- Spell Point Casting ----------- Casters can choose to use the Spell Point system (and it’s recommended!). This gives spellcasters cleaner resource management and opens up more strategic decisions during play. ----------- Custom & Evolving Spells ----------- Magic is personal. You can custom-flavor your spells with new damage types, names, and visuals. If you have a “signature spell,” we can evolve it over time—unlocking stronger effects as your character grows. ----------- Reworked Feats & Spell Tweaks ----------- Some feats and spells receive gentle reworks to make underused options more viable. We may adjust effects, durations, or ranges if it improves clarity and fun without breaking balance. ----------- Heroic Beginnings ----------- The party begins a little stronger than usual to create a high-heroic tone from the very start. This helps early encounters feel impactful and rewarding without being overwhelming. ----------- Sentimental Items & Trinkets ----------- Characters can start with or earn personal items that carry emotional or story significance. These trinkets may gain small benefits over time as the narrative develops. ----------- Flanking Options ----------- The group chooses their preferred flanking style during Session 0. Options include no flanking (recommended), half-flanking, or a custom hybrid rule if the table wants extra tactics. ----------- Survival Rules (Group Choice) ----------- The party decides how intense they want survival mechanics to be—light, moderate, or gritty. This lets the group dial in the tone of the adventure together.

How Red creates a safe table

Your comfort and enjoyment matter. Players are always welcome to approach me with any concern, question, or issue—publicly or privately—and I genuinely encourage it. This game is meant to be a fun, positive experience for everyone at the table, and if something isn’t feeling right, I want to know so we can adjust it together. Open communication helps us keep the game exciting, welcoming, and safe. I have a strict zero-tolerance policy for abuse, harassment, or negative behavior of any kind. Everyone deserves respect, and everyone’s fun is important. After each session, I’m always available to check in, talk things through, or make changes. This is a team experience, and I’m here to make sure it stays enjoyable, comfortable, and supportive for all players.