Erik
he/him
5.0
(5)
Timezone
Language
Identity
About Erik
My name is Erik. Although relatively new to TTRPGs, I have over a decade of experience in theatre, improv, and writing. As a life-long fan of mechanically demanding boss fights, I try to keep a balance between high-stakes combat encounters and light-hearted roleplay. I grew up playing video games like Morrowind and Fallout: New Vegas, and those experiences contributed significantly to my interest and study in history, philosophy, and religion. When I was introduced to TTRPGs about two years ago, I felt like I had found the means to explore the places, concepts, and characters that I loved about those worlds again for the first time. Once I took a chance at GMing a campaign myself, my enthusiasm reached escape velocity and TTRPGs had become my primary creative outlet. With any luck, I'm hoping I can share that passion here on Startplaying.
At a glance
Less than a year on StartPlaying
Highly rated for: Storytelling, Creativity, World Builder
Average response time: Under 1 hour
Response rate: 100%
Featured Prompts
I got started GMing...
I was managing and playing in a World of Warcraft Mythic Raiding guild and a few of my friends on the team asked if I would like to try Dungeons and Dragons. When I stopped raiding to pursue a Master's degree, we spun up a campaign to keep in touch. 2 years later I'm married to one of those players
My favorite books are
I like Dune and its portrayal of ritual and prophecy a lot. But objectively the book I've spent the most time with is, if you can call it a book, Republic.
My favorite shows/movies are
Mr. Robot, Andor, and Bladerunner 2049 ran a bit of a 5-year gauntlet of obsession for me around the pandemic. I also probably watched Good Will Hunting and Little Miss Sunshine a dozen times each growing up.
How Erik runs games
I probably won't be able to resist throwing in a splash of political intrigue or moral frustration into nearly any campaign, and I'm helpless against the quota of little guys with attitude problems. If I had a specialty, though, it would probably be in combat and encounter design. I honestly cannot remember the last time I ran a dungeon that had fewer than three distinct maps and a homebrewed stat block specific to its environment, narrative theme, or just a silly gag. Playing TTRPGs online comes with a unique set of challenges and constraints that can hamper the natural expression we want to lend to our characters. Fortunately, we have more natural access to software and tools to make combat a lot more simulative when playing online. I'm a big fan of leaning on those strengths of medium to help bolster the narrative and roleplay development of my campaigns.