Alvaro Cavalcanti

he/him

Timezone

Etc/gmt

Language

English

Portuguese

Identity

Multi-lingual

About Alvaro Cavalcanti

Started GMing in January 2022, and have run games for about 10 different groups. Most of the games were online (live or play-by-post), but I also love playing in-person. D&D 5 and 5.5 accounts for 95% of those, with Shadowdark occupying the remainder. I absolutely LOVE to run games for new players, to teach them the ropes and see the glint on their eyes when they roll their first Nat 20, or when they state, surprised "I can do THAT?".

At a glance

3 years on StartPlaying

$15 per session

Featured Prompts

I got started GMing...

I wanted to play so badly that I had to GM. Friends from Brazil jumped in, but living in Ireland made live sessions too taxing after three runs. We switched to a play-by-post format and successfully ran two back-to-back campaigns over a little more than two years!

My favorite books are

I didn't think it would be so hard for me to pick those, but here it is: - The Sandman - Lord of the Rings - Game of Thrones

My favorite system of all Time is

D&D 5/5.5 I know, cliché. But still true.

How Alvaro Cavalcanti runs games

I'm a fiction-first, "Lazy GM" heavily inspired by Sly Flourish. This means I bring open-ended situations to the table, not rigid plots—we roll the dice to see how the story unfolds together! I utilize a "fail-forward" approach so a bad roll never grinds the game to a halt, only adds exciting complications. When it comes to combat, it always makes sense within the world: highly intelligent foes will absolutely use clever tactics, while mindless beasts won't. Finally, I love immersive roleplay; while I don't do wacky character voices, I pour my energy into making every single NPC memorable, distinct, and recognizable.

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I prep by

Getting ready to improvise and see what happens!

My games focus on...

Telling a fun story, not debating over rules or endless combats.

Rules are...

Great! But they should never get in the way of the fun and what makes sense at the table.

Alvaro Cavalcanti's ideal table

My ideal table is made up of respectful, collaborative players who are deeply invested in their characters and love fiction-first, emergent storytelling. If you prefer the flow of a great story and intuitive, flexible rulings over strict rules-lawyering, you’ll feel right at home here!

Featured Prompts

I love it when a player

Thinks outside of the box!

I think metagaming...

Can take away much of the "fiction-first" aspect, so I don't encourage it. But I can understand that sometimes players can get too excited by it and I try to handle it with grace. In any circumstance that it starts eroding the fun at the table, we would stop for a minute and have a conversation.

I think min/maxing...

Is totally fine, as long the player(s) in question keep their focus on their own characters. Everyone is empowered to play the way it is most fun for them, not try to impose your style on others.