Graham Ward (he/him)
5.0
(17)
4 years on StartPlaying
69 games hosted
Highly rated for: Storytelling, Creativity, Knows the Rules
About me
I’m an actor and writer who’s spent 15 years running Dungeons & Dragons games at events, local stores, and for groups around the world via astral projection. You’ll see right away that my style is dynamic, theatrical, and imaginative. As a professional improviser, I infuse my games with a sense of wonder, and embrace the creativity of the players above all else. In addition to running D&D with Baldman Games at the most high-profile hobby events (Gen Con, D&D Celebration, Origins Game Fair, SHUX, PAX, and more), I’ve published content through Kickstarter and DriveThruRPG and am the Content Manager for Ghostlight RPGs, producing live-streamed games for charity. I highly prioritize safety and accessibility. I’ll do everything in my power to preserve your comfort and consent at game time.
GM Style
As a professional improviser, responding to players’ creativity brings me joy. I like to think that I have a writer’s sense of pace with an actor’s instinct for developing characters. My games use both “theater of the mind” and elaborate maps. Each story and scene calls for something different, but with all of them, I emphasize visual and verbal aids, whether that’s a simple handout or a gorgeous piece of terrain. These kinds of tools are all about enhancing and supporting the game, not getting in the way of fun. Whether it’s horror, an epic quest, or a fanciful romp, you will be the center of our marvelous story!
Games played
Game platforms used
Game Master Reviews (17)
Proficiencies
Players say this GM is great at:
Storytelling
Creativity
Knows the Rules
James
Graham is an incredibly creative and supportive GM. He is always working to get players involved in the story and give them moments to shine. At the same time, he is great at managing challenging combats and making them fun and exciting.
Aaron
We've played with Graham a number of times, and he is hands-down our first pick for a GM to run cool content. I'm always amazed at how well he balances immersion, storytelling, improvisation, and catering to our desired level of challenge.
Ninja
Graham is able to develop the scene and draw engagement out of all the players. The story and world created are co-authored by the entire table, and the immersion is excellent.
Andy
Graham has a great feel for pacing and an incredible ability to adapt to his audience. His best qualities are probably his ability to deliver the most important story beats with gravitas and his ability to give life to NPCs (while also good at avoiding the trifles when time is running short). Our regular group leans tactical and we appreciate a DM that will push us -- Graham is good at getting close to the line. We tend to play caricatures more than characters, and Graham is great at accommodating that. I've seen him run RP focused tables and those groups also seem to appreciate his skill set.
John Beck
Played 12 sessions
Great dm who has curated a great table of players who are invested in the story and in seeing each other enjoy the game. All levels of experience and ability welcome, and engaged creative role players are rewarded
David Oppenheimer
Played 35 sessions
It's great to have the ongoing storyline, well played NPCs, and room for the players to put their own spin on the game.
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