Riley
he/him
Timezone
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About Riley
Hi, I’m Riley! I’ve been playing Dungeons & Dragons and other TTRPGs for over 10 years, and for most of that time I’ve been my friend group’s “forever DM.” My games are a little loose with the rules — I prioritize the fun of my players and the story we create together over keeping everything strictly rules-as-written. Whether you’re a seasoned adventurer or brand new to the table, you’re welcome here. We’ll laugh, scheme, and tell an unforgettable story together.
At a glance
Less than a year on StartPlaying
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I became a GM because
My friends from high school got it in their heads that they wanted to play Dungeons and Dragons. I don’t remember what prompted them to want to play but I was excited to play again and jumped at the chance.
The three words my players would use to describe me are...
“Detailed, Organized, and Consistent” - Jones, a player with whom I’ve played and theory crafted D&D since nearly beginning of my TTRPG time.
When I'm not running games I'm...
Working on my games. I love D&D and have always leaned towards homebrew worlds and games and as such forever cursed myself to always be expanding on the lore of whichever world I’m currently running.
How Riley runs games
I value the fun of the party and the story we’re making together over more than anything. As far as what you can expect at the table I try to tailor it more to the group I’m playing with. I like a mix of combat and role play, I try to mix up my combats and keep them interesting and fresh, sometimes using altered rule sets in specific circumstances. Role play is also varied, and I keep track of how NPCs feel about the party/party members as I enjoy having recurring characters that the party can interact with and get to know.
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I deal with rules issues by...
If and when a rules issue comes up which is honestly quite rare at my tables I will usually make a call in the moment and then readdress it after the session. I try to keep things flowing as much as possible and try to avoid getting bogged down and wasting time debating the interpretation of a rule.
Rules are...
Bendy. TTRPGs are ultimately about having fun at the table and if that means bending or breaking the rules here and there so be it.
When it comes to voices
I try my best but am no Matt Mercer. I will try to alter cadence, tempo, accent, etc etc but can only do so much. As far as my players character voices are absolutely optional, I encourage you to try altering things just a little to get into character but still totally optional.
Riley's ideal table
My table is very homey, I am trying to get the feeling you get when you are over at someones house with a group of your close friends, rolling dice, slaying monsters, and having some chaotic fun. Newcomers and long time players are both welcome. As long as you value and respect both myself and your fellow players then you should fit in nicely at my table.
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I love it when a player
Roleplay amongst themselves, especially unprompted. When my players really get into and take it upon themselves to roleplay without me prompting them it shows that theyre really getting into the game and the world and feeling immersed and thats the best feeling as a DM.
I think metagaming...
Is acceptable in small doses and certain circumstances. One example being if players realized that splitting the party may heavily slow the session, its okay to metagame a little and choose to stick together even if it wouldve be “in character” for the party to naturally wander apart from each other
I think min/maxing...
is okay even in a party without other min/max’ers as long as you don’t start then thinking you're the main character. It makes sense that some adventurers would be more niche than others but that doesnt mean sub-optimal builds for a character are “bad”.