
Bencompetence (any/all)
5.0
(123)
4 years on StartPlaying
861 games hosted
Highly rated for: Creativity, Inclusive, Teacher
Average response time: 2 hours
Response rate: 100%
About me
Hello! I’m a GM that has been hosting adventures for well over a decade. My current love is Dungeons & Dragons 5e, where I’ve been hosting paid games for over 4 years now. My style of GMing is a friendly one, where I seek to help the players connect to the adventure in the way that speaks to them. Whether you want a brutally challenging dungeon or a fun roleplay night, I will seek to make that happen. The secret to this dynamic approach is to get to know each player, their character, and what that character means to them. I’m not your rival; I’m your teammate on this quest to tell your story. Don’t think this means my campaigns are walks in the park, though. When players want a challenge, I’m ready to bury some PCs, and my shovel has seen its fair sure of use. For reference, my favorite types of adventures to create are those with deeply immersive settings and memorable characters, such as Curse of Strahd or Odyssey of the Dragonlords. These give me a chance to build and flesh out a world of meaningful encounters, threats, and victories. The last thing I’d like to mention is that I entirely love the chance to teach games to people. Helping them to enjoy and draw the most out of storytelling is a special thing to me, and I take great pride in introducing people to the world of roleplaying. So whether newcomer or veteran, combat-grizzled or deep roleplayer, I’m here to make your adventure happen, and I can’t wait to meet you!
GM Style
ROLEPLAY: I love roleplay and immersive worlds where the players get a chance to realize their characters. I greatly enjoy "tone matching" the players' characters, giving huge moments of challenge and victory to those that seek glory, while players who roleplay or enjoy their character will get consistent character moments to realize their vision. As long as players are getting to carry out how they want to live in the world, I'm happy. COMBAT: My preference for combat is to keep it flowing as quickly as possible in order to maintain the dramatic, theatrical mood of it. To that end, I tend to discourage rule variants that strongly emphasize tactics (such as Flanking). As well, I will sometimes institute soft timers on each turn for players that agree to this, in order to keep the game moving. For players that are newcomers or otherwise wish to take their time, however, I have no qualm matching their pace. VOICES: While my voices aren't great, the personalities are! I am still strengthening my voice acting delivery, but I pride myself on my characters being fully realized, with nuances and behaviors that make them feel real. If you meet someone, they're ready to be a part of your world. STORYTELLING: No railroading. This is your world and your story. I won't hesitate to hold you accountable for your choices, but they are YOUR choices. You are not playing my game. I am hosting your adventure. Come create the story you want to see happen.
Games played
Game platforms used
Game Master Reviews (123)
Proficiencies
Players say this GM is great at:
Creativity
Inclusive
Teacher
Ok. I have a LOT to talk about; I’ll make it as comprehensive as I can. Ben is great! We had a little back and forth before the session to talk about what I wanted from it and they were very nice to read my characters’ backstories (I already had a lot down so Ben was so sweet to read what I had about them). I love that they made me feel comfortable and we were able to chat a little before we got down to it. Being someone with aphantasia, I can’t see things with my mind’s eye, but the way they described things and with a little help from The Forge, I was able to grasp enough of the scene to understand what we were doing. They captured my character’s love interest’s personality and they brought out a facet of her that I only grazed on my own. This was a character study – a form of back and forth that really help me get a better feel of both these characters. I also really appreciate that they were able to send me a copy of the session that we had so I could go back and write it up. Wonderful person to talk to; I would totally do it again!
So far it has been marvelous time playing in Ben's game. There hasn't been a single moment where I or another player haven't felt like we couldn't throw out an idea that wouldn't be met with enthusiasm and a willingness to see how things play out. The time and care taken to make sure the story being told together and various NPCs encountered as fun and entertaining for everyone involved very clearly shows. Getting to be part of a story where everyone, no matter the difference in personal experience playing TTRPGs, is actively engaged and asking questions has been an absolute joy that I hope everyone gets to experience. If you are looking for a Game Master that gives 110% in regard to making sure everyone at the table feels welcomed, seen, and excited to see what will happen next time you play, I can't recommend Ben enough.
Ben is incredibly keen on creating a story WITH his players. He cares about what his players need to fully embrace that story-teller part of themselves and he's willing to help guide them there. Also, if you give him a little warning beforehand, he is willing to let you get absolutely unhinged. It's great!
Ben is a the perfect dm for new players. They're patient and knowledgeable about the rules and have a good handle on how to describe them to new players without being pedantic. They accomplish this without alienating players who are very familiar with the rules. They bring great maps, music, and effects through foundry, and are patient about teaching that as well, which is great because their game is the first I've ever used foundry for. They bring a very welcoming and inclusive atmosphere, which definitely leads to feeling safer and enjoying play more when you're a queer person who is often the odd "man" out in D&D tables. Safety tools are in full use, and are encouraged rather than just tacked on as an afterthought. They have a talent for integrating your character into the story. I joined their game after a few sessions had passed, but they shaped the story in such a way that my character seemed like he had always belonged. Very satisfying for a player who is jumping in mid-campaign. Highly recommended!
What's StartPlaying?
Tabletop Roleplaying Games Run by Game Masters
Find a game to join solo or search for a professional game master for you and your friends/coworkers/family.
Book your session and wait for the Game Master to approve you.
If you don't have a blast with your first game, your next game is on us.