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Kyle O'Brien - Canoe DM

Kyle O'Brien - Canoe DM (he/him)

5.0

(8)

2 years on StartPlaying

38 games hosted

Highly rated for: Creativity, Storytelling, Inclusive

About me

Be prepared for a curated experience fitting your character and your playstyle. Role-play heavy sessions are a specialty, and crucial information that only your character knows may be the key to saving the world. Kyle has been a professional GM since 2019 at Critical Hit Gaming Lounge, a boardgame cafe. He's run 500+ games, over a dozen successful campaigns (no TPKs so far!) and multiple 36-player tournament events in the Dungeons and Dragons 5E ruleset. Kyle also runs games for DMs, to give them a chance to let their hair down and smite some goblins. He's also GM'd over a dozen games for Kobold Press at Gen Con 2022 & 2023 in Indianapolis. Whether you're a new player or had the original little brown books, there's a seat for you at the table.

GM Style

I use Alchemy RPG as a visual immersive experience with music, sound & motion effects, along with Discord for audio during games. I'm also experienced with in-person tabletop gaming, where I use a combination of theatre-of-the-mind (roleplaying) and Dwarven Forge (terrain) with miniatures to immerse my players in the setting.

Game platforms used
Game Master Reviews (8)

Proficiencies

Players say this GM is great at:

Creativity

Storytelling

Inclusive

Xaxx avatar

Xaxx

Played 2 sessions

I've been playing in a game of his for a couple years at this point. Always a good time when we get together. We are running through a custom campaign set in MTG Innistrad, so it eldritch horror and dread. Naturally we adopted dire wolf puppies :)

Kelly  avatar

Kelly

Played 27 sessions

Very beginner friendly. Open to bending rules if it makes sense and will improve or move story forward. Very much creates games where he wants the players to have fun.

Nikki avatar

Nikki

Kyle is by far one of the best GMs I've ever had. The situations and stories he creates are interesting and engaging. The world feels like a living, breathing thing that both reacts to our actions - and ticks on without us. Things are always happening, and there's never a dull moment. While Kyle seems to have mastered every pillar of GMing, my favorite part of his games is exploration. His ability to build entire cities at a moment's notice is unparalleled. Whether in the forest, the city, the ocean, or just a roadside tavern, there's always something new and unique just around the corner. But best of all, Kyle really works to incorporate your character's goals and backstory into the campaign. Whether you're a nineteen-year-old dwarf with a soft spot for puppies or a serial killer cleric returning home for the first time in three years, your moment in the spotlight WILL come. Playing with Kyle is an absolute blast, and I look forward to many more games to come!

LoserMLW avatar

LoserMLW

Kyle worked with the table to set our Lines and Veils, we developed our characters, then dove right into the story. Our first session was great and I can't wait for the next!

Xaxx avatar

Xaxx

Helpful in walking through character creation with the group, giving people time to make decisions without pressure. Good at connecting character choices to parts of the world. Safe place to play. Infinitely flexible and responsive to his players.

Lisirra avatar

Lisirra

Played 25 sessions

I have a home game that I’ve been playing with Kyle consistently for a little over a year, it’s become one of my favourite games and I look forward to it every week! He pulls inspiration and influence from many sources while putting his own spin on things to make our game engaging. I feel like we have a real impact on the world our characters are inhabiting and that our choices not only matter, but have lasting effects on the setting. He’s open to collaborating with his players and letting them try interesting things and tries to give everyone moments where they can shine. He seeks/is open to feedback and endeavours to make sure his players are having a great time!

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