ArtlessJet
he/him
5.0
(6)
Timezone
Language
Identity
About ArtlessJet
I am a passionate Dungeon Master with over 24 years of experience, specializing in D&D’s official campaign modules. My journey began when my mother brought home a tote of 2nd Edition books, and that passion has come full circle as I’ve passed the love of the game to my daughter, who now DMs her own sessions. As a disabled veteran, I have transformed my love of this craft into a full-time pursuit. Going professional allows me to support my family while engaging in a career I excel at. This game serves as a healthy mental outlet for me, and my schedule offers the significant free time required to prepare high-quality sessions. For years, I ran games for family, friends, and strangers for free. After repeatedly hearing, "You should be getting paid to do this," I decided to bring my expertise to the professional space. I have spent the last 14 years mastering the online environment, which offers the best flexibility for scheduling and a high-production experience. I am happy to provide testimonials from long-term players who have experienced our table firsthand. I use TaleSpire with HeroForge and D&D Beyond integration as my virtual tabletop. It was rough around the edges at first but has recently begun to shine. I also utilize Discord for communication and music, along with Obsidian for organizing notes. My goal is to make professional games feel like the best home games. I want to provide friendly, fun, and collaborative storytelling experiences. To me, that's the heart of D&D.
At a glance
Less than a year on StartPlaying
Highly rated for: Inclusive, Storytelling, Teacher
Featured Prompts
I became a GM because
Initially, none of my friends wanted to dedicate the time towards running a game. However, over the years I grew fond of making my own worlds or taking pre-existing worlds and making them my own. I found a passion in the creative process, the improvisation, and the community as a whole.
I got started GMing...
When I was 14, my mom did those storage bidding things and found a tote full of 1st and 2nd edition books, dice, and miniatures. In those days, I recall playing D&D all weekend long with my friends. They'd come over Friday night, and we'd play all weekend until Sunday night.
My favorite system of all Time is
D&D 5th Edition, I really enjoyed this edition because it focuses on what I find most interesting and important about D&D. Yes, there's room for improvement, but I feel it's objectively the best edition of the game. I really appreciate the 2024 ruleset as well. There are a lot of welcome changes.
How ArtlessJet runs games
I balance exploration, roleplay, and combat, preferring to put my own spin on official modules like Curse of Strahd or Storm King's Thunder. These provide a shared community baseline while allowing me to personalize the setting for each group. That being said, I am creating my own world from the ground up with new schools of magic and a new class. I like to use rich, sensory descriptions to create deep immersion, helping players lose themselves in the narrative while exploring the world. In combat, I favor multi-stage sequences to keep combat chaotic and dynamic. When the party feels they have a handle on the situation, I throw a wrench into the mix or offer strategic alternatives to direct confrontations. For roleplay, I try to lead by example with voice acting, ranging from deeply solemn to over-the-top characters. I really act and try to stay in character; I put myself out there and am not afraid to embarrass myself. This allows players to feel they can do the same. If I am the most eccentric person at the table, it gives players the freedom to loosen up in our games. What separates me from other GMs is my patience for teaching new players. I refuse to give up on someone having a hard time learning the game. I believe this hobby is for everyone, from all walks of life. I often ask for feedback to ensure everyone is having fun and plan future content around player interests. I listen intently and take notes on small details to weave back into the story. For every hour of gametime, I spend at least an hour of prep outside the session. D&D is a lifelong passion, and I treat every game with that level of care.
Featured Prompts
My games focus on...
I always find a balance of Roleplay, Exploration, and Combat. All are essential to telling the kind of stories, I enjoy sharing. Often, I find players prefer one feature over the others, but my goal every game is to have each of them find each aspect enjoyable in ways they didn't expect.
Rules are...
They exist for a reason, but don't always facilitate a group's needs. The Dungeon Master Guide mentions this explicitly and I whole heartedly agree. That being said, there are a few homebrew rules I like to incorporate that, I feel, enhances the game. These will all be made clear, before we start.
When it comes to voices
I love voice acting. It’s a craft I’ve studied and practiced for years; I enjoy analyzing a character’s background to develop unique accents, inflections, and mannerisms. This helps distinguish each character from every other NPC the players encounter.
ArtlessJet's ideal table
I love shows like Critical Role and Dimension 20, but most games aren't as dramatic. They're typically just a couple of people sitting around playing make believe and having fun together. We can strive to create provacative moments of ecstasy and lows that bring you to tears, but we're not all actors and that's 100% okay. Some of my best experiences have been with newer players. I love teaching the game to new players and guiding them towards a better overall TTRPG experience going forward. It doesn't bother me that I may need to explain a rule or how a spell works many times over. I will encourage players to master their own characters over time. All that being said, I enjoy playing with players of all experience levels. Whatever your background, we can have a great time playing if you're willing to be patient and tolerant of others. We all have different levels of understanding and familiarity. I find that players very rarely do not work well together as time goes on, but should this be the case I will politely request a player to leave the group, offering to seat them with a more compatible party instead. Often, I explain how I DM well enough in the beginning, that everyone knows what to expect and drama is very rare. I also really like feedback, I have no ego about being called out for my mistakes or when adjustments need to be made. As much as it pains me to say, I'm only human. ^_^ The general vibe of our table will be harrowing high-stakes heroics with light humor sprinkled in and always your actions have consequences. I'm always respectful to my players and I expect that same level of respect in return, not just towards me, but towards your fellow players. Overly problematic or disrespectful players will be ejected without hesitation. I love voice acting for my characters, but I do not require anyone to voice their character in any specific way they're not comfortable doing. Some people find it embarrassing, but I'm often the most idiosyncratic person at the table, so typically players feel comfortable getting into character and cutting loose. If you never want to voice your character in that way, it is perfectly fine. Just don't expect me to be a monotone narrator, voice acting is part of the fun for me.
Featured Prompts
I am for a vibe that's...
It's all about having fun. If you're engaged with the material and your goal is to include everyone in on the fun, you're going to find a home here at our table. D&D is a collaborative storytelling game. When everyone is engaged and having fun, there's nothing else like it in the world. I love it!
I love it when a player
I love it when a player feels so immersed in the game that they forget they are playing D&D. Being transported to another world allows their character to really come to life. I also value player feedback. It is not rude to say, "I wish this had happened" or "I didn't like that." I welcome it.
I think it's a red flag when players...
Don't try take agency away from others. We all need our moment in the spotlight and we all approach challenges differently. I like it best when each player gets their time to shine and find their own solutions to challenges. That being said, if a player asks for help, then by all means help them.
ArtlessJet's Preferences
Game Mechanics