James
he/him
4.9
(17)
Timezone
Language
Identity
About James
Hello, I've been a GM since 2010 starting out using World Of Darkness, which became Chronicles of Darkness for a good 8 years, and eventually settled into running Dungeons And Dragons 5e for the remaining time. I've branched out a little bit, toying with more obscure systems like Blades In The Dark, and Paranoia as a player, and have run a few one-shots with Panic At The Dojo. I've run several adventure modules as well as custom campaigns I fell in love with TTRPG's and the sheer amount of expression you can put into them, and I've always wanted to share my ideas and creations with people which led me to becoming a GM rather than just a player. I've even managed to create a custom system from Chronicles Of Darkness to play battle royale styled games via play-boy-post that became so popular that even after I've stopped running them myself, an old player continues to run the custom game themselves and has kept a niche community around it. I've been a huge fan of video games and anime my entire life, and much of my custom content is based on the many games I've enjoyed and shows that I've watched. I'm a huge fan of subverting tropes and expectations, and love juxtaposing themes such as cute anime girls being embroiled in dark, heavy, and edgy themes. I'm also a furry who owns two fursuits with two sonas, with the main one being "Daiquiri" Doug who is my profile icon. Despite his nickname, he doesn't actually drink, and is usually the one serving drinks.
At a glance
2 years on StartPlaying
3 games hosted
Highly rated for: Creativity, Rule of Cool, World Builder
Average response time: 24+ hours
Response rate: 100%
Featured Prompts
My favorite shows/movies are
Mob Psycho 100, Katanagatari, Space Dandy, One Piece, Scavengers Reign, Scissor Seven, Inferno Cop, Thunderbolt Fantasy, and Gravity Falls.
The three words my players would use to describe me are...
Accepting, Insane, Hypeman
When I'm not running games I'm...
Playing video games, hanging out with friends, or fur-suitting.
How James runs games
I am what one would call Lawful Neutral as a game master, in that I always want the players to have a good time, but I will always strive for consistency in the worlds that I present, and give (relatively) realistic consequences for actions to maintain that consistency. Of course, many times the world I'm presenting is perhaps a bit more nonsensical compared to our own, but rest assured they all always follow their own sense of logic. I prefer a healthy balance of Roleplay and Combat, trying to get as even of a 50/50 split as I can. A good session or two without combat is always welcome, but when it's time to throw down I try to keep combat mechanically interesting without overwhelming players with big numbers or waves of creatures. I like the make my players sweat, but it's never my intention to kill them in a planned encounter. However, if a player makes the conscious decision to get in over their heads and bite off more then they can chew, I will show no mercy. I try my best to incorporate my players' backstories into whatever campaign I'm running, whether it be a custom world of my own creation, or a world from an adventure module that I'm running. I've become proficient at making quick changes on the fly to material to keep things running smoothly. I try to make sure each of my players has their time to shine in the spotlight without letting one player hog all the glory, unless a particular player doesn't want the spotlight of course.
Featured Prompts
My favorite trope is...
Characters who are characteristically pre-dispositioned towards evil, but are smart and logical enough to parse out why doing good things is better for them in the long term. I love a character who consistently does the right thing for the wrong reasons.
Rules are...
made to form a foundation, and are meant to be followed to keep a sturdy foundation. At times rules can be bent or changed to better fit where things are building towards, but they should always be there, and held firmly in regard.
When it comes to voices
I don't know if I have the range that I wish, or believe that I do, but I always make an effort to keep all my characters distinctive in how they sound. If not necessarily in the pitch or tone of the voice, but in at least the cadence in which they speak. I also do a fantastic hag voice.
James's ideal table
My table is equal parts silly and serious. I enjoy fun and games at my table, and try to put enough low stakes content in a game so that the mood can always come back down for a reprieve when necessary. I love players who come up with funny and cartoonish ways to deal with problems. I also love to weave an overall story that has a serious narrative and real stakes within the world. It isn't too uncommon to go from playing in a fun carnival all of one session, to an emotional gut punch in the next. Players who like to take initiative and create their own goals and fun, while still following the narrative fit in the most at my tables. I run combat as tight encounters, and my custom content can get a bit crunchy, as I expect players to use tactics to come out ahead the further they get into any campaign that I run. I'm of the mind that when I make magic items and powerful spells available, I should give you challenges that require the use of those resources.
Featured Prompts
I love it when a player
Finds a creative way to deal with a problem that they have, especially if it's something I hadn't considered using established rules within the world I've built.
I think min/maxing...
In and of itself is the best way to play, no one wants to play a weak character and feel like they aren't contributing as much as the other players. There is a degree that can become too much, and powergaming can get toxic, but min/maxing to your character or class strengths should be encouraged.
My table is not the place for...
Attention hogs and protagonist syndrome. We're all telling a story collaboratively, you're not the only person at the table. Also trolls, please go somewhere else if you're looking to make others mad on purpose.