This was my first foray into a paid campaign. Despite how daunting it was take the leap and to join a well established group, Aez made it sooo incredibly easy. Aez is super friendly, accommodating and very knowledgeable. They let me listen in on a session before committing, which let me get to know the other players (also rockstars) and suss out the vibes of the group. Aez gave me a crash course on the setting, and let me flesh out my character. I was shocked how easily and cool they made my entrance to the game. Aez's game sessions have something for everyone, great roleplay, interesting combat, freedom of choice. The world feels real, and so do their npcs. I think one of the best measurements to test if your game or DM is great, is how actively you yourself feel the emotions of your character. Before playing with Aez, I could say that I hadn't felt connected to my character on a true emotional level. They make the game open to you whole heartedly so that you can experience this art on a personal level. Multiple times now I have left a session fully in awe of the raw emotions that come out during play. If you have read this far into the review, just know that Aez is an amazing DM. Look no further for a great DM. P.S. if you're into it, they can make some hot npcs, even if that wasn't the intention.

Aez is, by far, one of the best GMs I have ever had the pleasure to play with and co-create a story. From the very start, they have provided an inclusive space to play, using consistent individual check-ins and to the group. On top of that they are FUN! Inclusion: I reached out to play their gender-bent version of Strahd and thought, “yea, lets play around with that idea!” I came into a long-term and established group campaign, 7 months I think. Aez took me through a very in-depth session zero covering all the basic DnD stuff plus their well-developed checklist of comfort levels, while then filling me in on the group consensus “yays and nays.” Aez then followed up with the style of campaign and really helped me decide what kind of character I wanted to play and how he would fit into the already established game. Integration: Joining an already established game, especially one where it seems like everyone is already friends, can be intimidating, but Aez reassured me that participation in the Discord chat is optional. Eventually, with the help of Aez and their players, I was able to integrate into the group nicely. Storytelling: My character’s introduction to the group was an ABSOLUTELY EPIC story piece that shook the party to it’s core. I thought that maybe this was a one-off, killer writing, but Aez continues to impress me with their story-telling. While Strahd is a very well-established game, Aez’s delivery and additions to the story feel so natural and are always really well done. Aez’s ability to create a story and environment is definitely top-notch and the best I have ever experienced while playing D&D. Technology: My rinky dink laptop cannot keep up with the level of detail Aez’s Foundry has in it! They provide amazing music, art, and effects during gameplay that really help with immersion, but unfortunately, I have to lower all the quality so that my laptop doesn’t burn up on me. Knowledge: Aez’s knowledge of how the game works, the technical aspects, and the lore of it all is awe-inspiring. I honestly do not know how they retain all the information. It is impressive. They are very good at providing options and allowing you to play your own game, but when they say, “there will be consequences…” take that to heart! If you are looking for a fun and engaging GM who genuinely cares about you and your character. Choose Aez as your next GM. I thoroughly enjoy our sessions and look forward to our Tuesday games!

I've only been playing for a few sessions as of writing this, but so far I've been greatly enjoying their style. Even when using a module they've been really enthusiastic about implementing player's backstory elements, which I appreciate. It really makes playing through even an older module unique. Aez has been doing a really wonderful job at making sure their play environment has been inclusive and safe as well. Just a solid, cozy experience all around really. 10/10

If you enjoy roleplaying, high quality narrative, Foundry VTT, and D&D 5e, you needn’t read any further, Aez is the DM for you. Foundry VTT technical competency – Aez’s technical competency with Foundry VTT is very good. Maps and art assets are beautiful high-quality third-party creations. Dynamic lighting (candles, fire places, magical light, etc) and environmental effects (rain, mist, ambient sound, etc) are all implemented into Aez’s package. Aez’s excellent knowledge of player key-board commands (and how to operate the Foundry VTT in general) make for an incredibly streamlined experience both in and out of combat. For example, when I was unsure of how to cast Bless / Emboldening bond on multiple party members, Aez explained the process quickly and clearly. I held the appropriate keys while selecting my fellow party members, pressed the “cast spell” button, and voila: buffs applied to other party members and the combat continued! Aez’s technical proficiency with the VTT system also extended to inventory management, trading equipment between players, acquiring new treasure, leveling up, organizing session notes, etc. Ultimately, Aez’s proficiency with the Foundry VTT minimized the more cumbersome aspects of D&D 5e and maximized meaningful time spent interacting with the game environment. D&D 5e Rules – Aez’s understanding and running of the D&D 5e ruleset is very good. Aez maintained a good balance between the RAW and exercising thoughtful augmentation when contextually appropriate. I appreciate this because it addresses some of the “mechanistic / unintuitive” aspects by which all TTRPG’s suffer. For example, instead of having the party barbarian make a roll to see if they could kick open a rotted wooden chest, the DM simply narrated the feeble rotted chest was easily destroyed under an angry boot. Some might argue having the players roll for small details like that could lead to interesting roleplay itself (and indeed, Aez does utilize rolling for the outcome of such seemingly simple actions for that very purpose), but what I’m trying to articulate here is that: Aez maintained a reasonable balance between calling for a dice role and forgoing a dice roll (occasionally even allowing the players to narrate their own outcomes to simple actions) for the sake of game flow. In combat, Aez utilizes a good approach to balancing RAW, logic, and fun. For example, a player wanted to try attacking a creature while avoiding a negative effect caused by looking directly at the creature. The player described “I want to use my blade edge to try and see the reflection of the creature and then try aiming a sacred flame in the creature's general direction” (à la Perseus vs Medusa). Aez allowed the player to attempt the action with a heightened DC appropriate to the other environmental circumstances (dungeon lighting, size of the creature, etc). In contrast, Aez is still strict enough with the D&D 5e rules system to not undermine tension or make combat too easy. Essentially, the “rule of cool” isn’t going to be a scapegoat to a difficult combat encounter. Players still needed to make intelligent decisions in order to succeed. DM Conduct - In this category, Aez’s performance was excellent. The following fundamental DM traits are all applicable to Aez: Professionalism, dedication, thoughtfulness, compassion, contentiousness, and enthusiasm. I unfortunately do not have time to describe each trait to the level they deserve. Instead, I hope that the following examples convey my sentiment: - Aez made “custom in depth dream sequences” for each PC in an effort to support player immersion. The dream sequences were constructed in a way that fostered tension and set the ominous tone for the campaign's dark psychological setting. - Aez routinely linked the PC’s previous actions (performed by PC’s during the course of the campaign) and PC background details to the current context of the game. Because of this, the game world felt very alive and reactive. - Aez conducted a session zero so far beyond reproach that I’m mentioning it as a highlight in the review section of a review. It was so good that I would pay to do it again. For those of you reading this, think for a moment about the prospect of a session zero that was so good, you would pay to do it over again…As a DM myself, it’s beyond comprehension! Of particular importance, during session zero Aez communicated the most open-ended approach to DMing I’ve ever personally experienced or even heard of. To try and give perspective, of all the DM’s offering "good DM advice” on YouTube, reddit, or any other online source, Aez checked almost all of the boxes. I still remember the various sources of "good DM advice" appearing in my mind's eye as Aez worked through their checklist. It was really a surreal experience. - Aez has diligently crafted their own wiki covering things like general thoughtful character creation, roleplay advice, concepts and primers specific to the campaign setting, house rules, etc. Aez’s efforts in this made me feel as informed as I’ve ever been in paying for a service and it spoke volumes to Aez’s capacity and dedication as a DM. - Aez’s Discord has specific channels designed to support PC development and the game itself. For example, there is a group that poses “in character” questions that specifically target PC psychology (e.g., How would your character respond to the question “What makes a monster?”). Participation is voluntary. - Aez encourages open discussion about any and all aspects of play amongst the player group with the goal of: fostering the most harmonious “group” driven narrative possible. - Aez's response to player concerns or questions is beyond reproach. - Aez is highly proficient at making sure everyone gets their time and the spotlight. I could go on, but in summary, Aez is an extremely competent DM who excels in the areas of narrative, game immersion, role play, and thoughtfulness. Thinking hard, Aez’s most delectable skill as a DM is their ability to motivate players to: engage in a deliberate and meaningful way with both the game world and one another. Final disclaimer – The campaign I’m playing with Aez at the time of this review is by nature a heavy role-playing setting (CoS).

Aez is, in a word, incredible. In two words, wholly inspiring. In three words, unbelievably astoundingly unforgettable. Aez started out by giving us a full wiki to welcome us into the world of Barovia, giving us the perfect way to craft characters that fit the tone and themes of the world. They've worked closely with us at every step of the way to support each of our character's personal arcs along with our relentless ability to "make them worse." Through every curveball we've thrown at them, they come out swinging with something incredible. I cannot speak highly enough of their ability as a GM, and if you are looking for fun, impactful storytelling with a GM who will make you feel accepted for who you are, there is no better place to look!!

Aez does an incredible job of creating an atmosphere. As a player, they took the time to understand my character intentions and the development path to set them on. Their voices were well done and understated, and their presence as both as GM/narrator never felt overbearing. Their instruction and GM determination felt as natural to the world as gravity.