Sam
he/him
Timezone
Language
Identity
About Sam
Hi! I'm Sam! I'm a role play and combat heavy GM who has been a suffering artist, forever GM for nearly 25 years now. I have run over a dozen long running campaigns, from Eberron to Homebrew to Forgotten Realms. I've run games at GenCon for Pathfinder 1st Ed. five years in a row in the 2010s and have run a vast number of Pathfinder and Starfinder Society scenarios and modules. I teach Middle School Literacy, run the Dungeons and Dragons Club for my school, and have run a local club at our town's Library. I am a strong believer in sharing the spotlight (and yes, I will enforce that with in game violence). I reserve the right to counter power gaming with power gming. I love high stakes, cozy stakes, and every type of stakes in between (looking at you, Strahd). Hope we can game together sometime!
At a glance
5 years on StartPlaying
$20 per session
Featured Prompts
I got started GMing...
When I was 10 years old, bought the 3E Monster Manual by mistake (thought the pretty pictures meant it was the most important) and then reverse engineered the ruleset.
My favorite books are
The Lord of the Rings, The Expanse Series, and the Foundation Series.
The three words my players would use to describe me are...
Engrossing, laid-back, understanding.
How Sam runs games
I prefer heavy roleplay, in depth world/character building and background, detailed descriptions, and lots of player interaction with each other and NPCs. I also enjoy deep, tough, cinematic battles with crunch. I believe that combat should never be the main focus of a campaign, it should be just one of the three spices: roleplay, combat, and skill encounters. I love high fantasy, cyberpunk, grimdark, cozy, steampunk, magitech, and a little horror in my storytelling and above all else: I think choices matter.
Featured Prompts
Rules are...
secondary to the story. Always.
When it comes to voices
I have one for almost every character. And their family. And possibly their cat.
Sam's ideal table
This is a table for players who want to be in the story. I run high-engagement games. Expect deep NPC interactions, tense skill sequences, and combat that actually challenges you. Sometimes too much (running is always an option). I make paying attention to everyone at the table top priority and balance the experience accordingly. I expect the same energy back. You'll fit well here if you enjoy character-driven storytelling as much as action, like having real impact on the world, and can share the spotlight generously. You don't need to be a rules expert but you do need to show up ready to make decisions and own them. The vibe is collaborative, a little intense, and a lot of fun. Come ready to engage and I'll make sure you have something worth engaging with.
Featured Prompts
If you're into ___, you're going to love my table
acting/roleplaying, happy little accidents, and annoyingly reoccurring villains
I think it's a red flag when players...
think hurting other people is the default answer to everything
My table is not the place for...
living out dark fantasies, insulting or intimidating others, or pushing negative world views (genocide, racism, sexism, homophobia especially transphobia, etc.).