Brian
he/him
5.0
(4)
Timezone
Language
Identity
About Brian
I have been a player and DM since 2020 exclusively using DnD 5e. I use my backgrounds in acting, psychology, and being a pop-culture fiend to make my games feel lived in and rich with people, places, and story. The narrative isn't something I or anyone get to control, it is a mutual experience that gets to be told and unfolded before us with every success and failure. I enjoy homebrewing worlds and making an adventure that feels familiar but new.
At a glance
2 years on StartPlaying
Highly rated for: Creativity, Storytelling, Knows the Rules
$25 per session
Featured Prompts
I became a GM because
I love acting, writing, doing bits, making up problems, doing a silly voice, and getting to build a world with real stakes. There is something very satisfying when a player tells me they were impacted by the story we created together, that it is not not just a game to them, its more than that.
I got started GMing...
through Dimension 20. I had been interested in DnD for a long time and offered the chance to play a few times. I did not have the time or motivation. It was during the time of watching D20 during COVID that I realized I might like to really do this.
The three words my players would use to describe me are...
Flexible, Adaptable, Responsive. The feedback I enjoy most from my players is how often I am able to integrate their characters and actions into the narrative seamlessly. I enjoy the act of live problem solving that requires me to be creative.
How Brian runs games
I like to take a balanced approach to running my games. I firmly believe people who choose to play DnD 5e prefer this style as well. There are other games with more crunch and other games that are more narratively based. As such, I like to have the major pillars of TTRPGs represented well (combat, RP, puzzles, and exploration). My philosophy is not every session needs to contain all of these elements but when looking at a handful of sessions there should be nearly an equal amount of all four things. From there I am responsive to my players, so when the table is looking or aiming to have a more social focused session or adventure I am there to supply that. My job as a DM is not to be an obstacle but a challenge. A challenge to bring in unique situations for players to best. I also believe a good DM is a good heel, aka makes those victories feel grand and earned. As such, I do not then try to put my finger on the scale and dictate what should happen or how the game should be played. I would say many of the players at my table feel trusted and trust in me, not to just provide a safe game but a game that is also connecting to their characters motives as well as their desires as a player. I use my experiences with improv to stay on my toes and handle whatever my table wants to throw at me. I believe it is most important to be responsive to the table and close to any moment as to ensure players are having a worthwhile experience.
Featured Prompts
I prep by
doing nothing and everything. When I make a specific prep I will disappoint everyone. I also cannot show up with nothing done. I do a lot of pre-prep. Think of it like "Oh I cooked bunch of chicken last week and froze it, now I just need a canned veggie and microwavable rice." If that makes sense.
Rules are...
important. Without the rules we are not playing the game we set out to play. Rules are not trivial but they are also not the game itself. I think its best to think of rules as if they were a player too, we don't ignore them or disrespect them, but we can disagree with them.
When it comes to voices
I sometimes default to an annoyed guy from Brooklyn. I got more in the bag and I tend to be pretty loose with minor NPC voices favoring the vibe for the scene rather than the exact manner in which they spoke the last time. Exceptions for the VIP NPCs.
Brian's ideal table
A table of people who are respectful above all else. We are all agreeing to spend time in our busy lives to do something we enjoy. Players will make choices you dislike and story might be too fast or slow. You respect others by how you show up and you respect yourself by speaking up. I also hope that players at my table can understand that there is always time for a bit, the seriousness will come for us all, and building mutual trust is vital for the success of the table.
Featured Prompts
I love it when a player
makes bold decisions and sticks with them. I cannot ever recall a time a player at my table made an in-universe decision driven by story or character choice that did not get them rewarded in someway. I think DnD, of all TTRPGs, is a game of swinging big. High Risk, High Reward.
I think it's a red flag when players...
are not willing to take feedback, not willing to take turns, not willing to share, not willing to listen, not willing to be in the background. PCs who must be in the room it happens every time can be insufferable. PCs who nit pick others' choices as well.
I think metagaming...
is unavoidable but can be mitigated. It is a harsh reality that we are in fact not the PCs. We are the players or GMs, as such we cannot divorce ourselves from the forbidden knowledge. I ask of you to find narrative reasons or lean into the dramatic irony of your PC not knowing.