Carlos (he/him)
5.0
(44)
3 years on StartPlaying
395 games hosted
Highly rated for: Visual Aid, Sets the Mood, Knows the Rules
Average response time: Under 1 hour
Response rate: 100%
About me
Take a sneak peek at my games with this highlight compilation: https://youtu.be/JGthJQk8gVo I have been GMing since I was 14 years old. Me and my friends pooled some money to buy the Player's Handbook for D&D 3.0. Someone had to GM, I seemed to be the most excited about the game so I volunteered. The rest is history. Over the course of this twenty-something-year journey, I have played not only D&D, but other game systems like World of Darkness (Vampire), DCC, Pathfinder and, more recently, Five Torches Deep and Cypher System. Throughout the years, I have gained extensive experience conducting games both face-to-face and online, learning to adapt on the fly to the players’ ideas. I have learned to use a variety of techniques to create a sense of full immersion through storytelling. I have mastered the art of creating challenging tactical combat that will make you sweat. Overall, I believe in delivering all aspects of the game with balance and excellence. My preference lies within dark fantasy genre and roleplay-heavy games, often with faction-based conflicts and mystery plots, as well as Old-School style games. Official modules, third party campaigns or custom games — I can do it all. If you are interested in a game that I don’t currently have listed, please feel free to reach out to me and let me know what you would like to play. I always look forward to meeting new players and creating amazing, epic moments and stories we will never forget. At the end of the day, that’s what Tabletop RPGs are all about!
GM Style
⚖️ Accountability: • I always roll in the open and make sure to be fair and objective • Mistakes happen, and I will always take responsibility for any errors I make. I hope to inspire the same behavior in my players. 🤝 Flexibility: • I am open to players' ideas and encourage creativity • I customize my games to make sure your characters feel like part of the world by incorporating their backgrounds and backstories • I encourage most types of character concepts or builds, combos, races and classes • Restrictions are kept to a minimum and are only there to help us stay faithful to the game’s mood or setting 🤩 Immersion: • I create interesting descriptions and dynamic situations that spark your imagination • A diverse cast of complex NPCs further helps the world come alive • I like having an appropriate atmospheric soundtrack playing in the background to facilitate the mood • For most scenes, I will have a backdrop or a battlemap prepared — and I even make my own maps! ⚔️ Challenge and danger: • Combat is often very tactical and will present a real challenge even to veterans of the game • I will roleplay the enemies, making sure they act as they should in accordance with their personality, attributes, as well as the story and the context • I make sure to remain impartial and detached from NPCs and monsters. If they die, they die.
Game platforms used
Game Master Reviews (44)
Proficiencies
Players say this GM is great at:
Visual Aid
Sets the Mood
Knows the Rules
Carlos runs a relaxed and fun game. He has an excellent mastery of all the bells and whistles of Foundry and it's modules and even crafts his own beautiful bespoke maps to fit the adventure. He is a good manager of large groups, excels at juggling the various needs of the players whilst making sure the adventure flows well and is patient and accommodating with less experienced players. Carlos' games have a feeling of verisimilitude, feeling fair and balanced whilst still remaining challenging and engaging for the more experienced players. He has managed our groups transition from 5e to the new 2024 rules very smoothly. Carlos runs the sort of game you look forward to every week and I can't wait for more!
I'm 14 sessions into Carlos's Descent Into Avernus campaign. He is an excellent DM. He has a great sense of pacing -- every session is lively and interesting. He's also great at keeping all of the players involved in the campaign. He rewards clever play and works with players to weave in individual backstories so that the characters really feel like a part of the setting. When it comes to this particular campaign, Carlos has done a masterful job of adapting the source material to be compelling and to dig into the party's motivations for doing what they're doing. The result has been a really fun table that I can't wait to attend each week. Highly recommend!!
Carlos is an amazing DM. His use of Forge/Foundry is top notch, runs smooth like butter. The additions to his games (such as appropriate music and lovely backgrounds) ties in the world of Baldur's Gate, truly making you feel like one of it's many residents. I cannot recommend his games enough!
Carlos runs an excellent game with stunning visuals and in depth narration and descriptions. He is very accommodating to player choices and had all the tools to bring available to run a smooth game. I felt welcomed by the other player's at his table and would join another session.
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