Austin

he/him

5.0

(6)

Timezone

America/edmonton

Language

English

Identity

Teacher/Educator

About Austin

Hey there! My name is Austin Simmons, and I have been consistently running weekly TTRPGs for the last several years. I started as a player in a Tomb of Annihilation game back in 2017 at a local game store and I have been hooked ever since. In my desire to play as much as possible I picked up the mantle of the DM and the rest is history. I have run groups through Phandelver, Curse of strahd, Tomb of Annihilation, and more. I have run a few powered by the apocalypse games, my favourite of which is easily monster of the week. I am also a college student entering my final year in the bachelor of education program at my school. I currently hold the position of TTRPG leader which entails organizing events for people to access these wonderful games, teaching them, running them, and playing them.

At a glance

Less than a year on StartPlaying

Highly rated for: Inclusive, Teacher, Storytelling

Featured Prompts

I got started GMing...

I got started GMing for the same reason that many DMs do; I wanted to play more. I was in a game at my local game store and just wanted to bring more of my friends into the hobby. I was having a tonne of fun, why shouldn't they?

My favorite system of all Time is

Sorry Dungeons and Dragons die-hards, while I love high fantasy adventure and the chaos of the d20, my favourite system of all time has got to be Monster of the Week. It is just a beautifully written system that does what it does SUPER well. Still love running anything though.

When I'm not running games I'm...

When I am not running games I am usually practicing close up magic, lesson planning, skating with my son, or hanging out with my partner.

How Austin runs games

I'm a big believer that the best stories are told together. My games are heavily focused on roleplay, character development, and a living, breathing world that reacts to your choices. I love building intricate plots with lots of lore, and I'm a huge fan of player backstories influencing the main narrative. Combat is certainly part of the fun, but it is at its most fun when it truly matters. When it is both a reward and a consequence for player actions. If you love getting into character and seeing your decisions shape the world, you'll feel right at home at my table.

Featured Prompts

I deal with rules issues by...

making a call that seems fair, then moving on. Usually we will look it up later but I don't want the game to grind to a halt. Often though, if it is something we are actively learning and it is something that we will be bumping into a lot, I have no problem looking it up then and there.

My games focus on...

the player characters. The players are the main characters of the story. Some characters are better at certain things than others and I prep with the characters in mind.

When it comes to voices

I do my best lol they aren't required but I do find them entertaining. I love doing them, but I would never expect anyone to do them especially if they were uncomfortable doing so.

Austin's ideal table

I like to think that the table style is pretty casual and fun. I want to cultivate a warm atmosphere for as many players as possible. I want both new players and veterans alike to feel like they can have fun and be treated kindly.

Featured Prompts

I am for a vibe that's...

engaging, dynamic, and accepting of others. There is a chance that you might be playing with people you dont really know in daily life and everyone has an equal right to a good time at my table.

I love it when a player

asks clarifying questions, but also contributes to the story in dynamic and interesting ways. "I want to run up a table, jump off, and land on the cultist's back, stabbing him as we fall to the ground" is way more for me to work with than "I stab him... Sneak attack."

I think min/maxing...

is fine to an extent. I dont have a problem with min/maxing, but I do have a problem with min/maxers who feel as though EVERYONE at the table should be making mechanically optional choices all the time. Making your roll higher or giving yourself a greater chance to succeed isnt the only way to win.