Benjamin
he/him
5.0
(9)
Timezone
Identity
About Benjamin
I live in Indianapolis, but I grew up in the Appalachian Mountains. I spent a lot of time camping out deep in forests and high on mountain tops. When I moved to Indy, the landscape was quite different, and I became more of an indoor person. I was introduced to tabletop RPGs by a coworker, and the sense of adventure they gave helped to fill that void left from leaving the mountains. I started DMing six years ago and use my experiences in the mountains to help weave vivid narratives from simple travel through the wilderness, to titanic battles between clashing armies. (I used to be a Civil War reenactor.) I also have a love for the Golden Age of Piracy, and the maritime history of that era. I am currently developing my own pirate TTRPG. The game will be primarily a historical game with some elements of light fantasy that would relate to sailors' beliefs and superstitions of that era. It is a simple base d10 system and combines elements of both classic RPG and wargame playstyles. My scheduling for games is very open. But I do have a biweekly work schedule. For example, if I work Monday, Tuesday, Friday and Saturday one week, then the next week I will work Sunday, Wednesday, and Thursday. So, if you want to play weekly, we would have to stagger the days a little like. Tuesday one week, then Thursday the next. However, if you wanted to play at 7:00 pm or later EST, then this would not matter, I would be free any day that I do not have any games scheduled.
At a glance
1 year on StartPlaying
10 games hosted
Highly rated for: Creativity, Storytelling, Sets the Mood
Average response time: Under 1 hour
Response rate: 100%
Featured Prompts
I got started GMing...
I started DMing because I was too insecure to find a group of new people, so I decided to start my own with a few friends. I've been the forever DM ever since.
My favorite books are
Jurassic Park, is my favorite book, and favorite movie of all time. I also love Batman No Mans Land, by Greg Rucka, and The Demon Wars Saga by R.A. Salvatore. Lord of The Rings, Dracula, and many others.
When I'm not running games I'm...
I'm usually prepping for games. I watch movies pretty regularly and play video games when my son will let me. I also like to draw and paint paleo art and have been a dinosaur nut ever since I was a little kid.
How Benjamin runs games
I typically run balanced games, though at times may focus a little more on story and character development than combat. I have my own set of house rules for certain situations. I will share these house rules once a group is established. I typically run homebrew campaigns in a homebrew world, but I can run established modules if the group prefers. However, I do tend to homebrew them as well just to offer some surprises for those who may already be familiar with said modules. I also allow my players to homebrew or customize their characters as long as the alterations are not game breaking, and they fit within the narrative of their story. You want to make a rogue that is more of a smooth talker than a thief in the shadows, I'm all for it. And I love characters that break those traditional archetypes, even if it is only aesthetically. I usually prefer the "rule of cool" over rules lawyering. And I require that any rules disputes be handled after the game, unless it is something critical, such as leading to the death of a PC. There could potentially be situations where a PC, or a creature could be killed instantly, depending on certain circumstances. For example, if an ancient dragon dives down from high in the clouds and lands on a player character, there is no saving from that, the player would instantly be killed. These instances are rare, but they can happen. And while I know most of these worlds are fantasy, and not realistic, I do include realism. I prefer to run games with more serious themes, so I require my players to keep me informed on their updates during their character creation to ensure that characters match the theme of the game. For example, if we were playing the Alien RPG, which is a sci-fi horror, I am not going to allow you to create a goofy clownish character. An outlandish character can ruin immersion for other players, and I insist that all players consider their comrades at the table. No one is the main character; everyone will have a chance to shine. Lastly, I have a zero-tolerance policy for disruptive, and disrespectful players. The social and political climate that we are in today is a mess. And I insist that we leave that mess out there where it belongs. When you come to my table, you come to forget all of that and immerse yourself into whatever fantasy world I bring you into. So, once here, everyone is to be courteous to me, as well as your fellow players. You will likely be playing with people who have many differing opinions. Liberals may be playing with conservatives. Christians may be playing with atheists, and many ethnicities may be playing together. So, lets respect each other's differences, and enjoy the game.
Benjamin's ideal table
Featured Prompts
I love it when a player
Comes up with a clever way to defeat or circumnavigate an enemy without simple hacking and slashing. And I love creative ways to interpret character classes, rather than the cookie cutter book outlines.
I think it's a red flag when players...
Don't communicate with me not only when it comes to the game, but also when it comes to their schedule. Or when they continuously have to be on their phone.
My table is not the place for...
Arguing or debating political and social issues. The outside world is a struggle for all of us, leave it out there.
Benjamin's Preferences
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