Mateo
he/they
5.0
(5)
Timezone
Language
Identity
About Mateo
Hi! I'm Mateo, resident Warlock addict, tavern-goer, and storyteller. It might be par for the course to tell you I've been playing and DMing long enough to earn a college degree in it, but I cannot overstate that TTRPGs are my favorite singular thing of all. I've been doing theater and improve since I was ten, and I've been writing stories and drawing comics about mythical heroes and legendary feats since I was able to use a pencil (and even before that!). Dungeons and Dragons combines everything I love (storytelling, art, improv, board games, fantastical heroes, and good company, amongst many other things) into one neat package, and if I can share this passion with others, all the better! I adore magic and all things esoteric, host a collection of over 750 dice, and spend a disturbing amount of my free time scribbling homebrew ideas and penning characters I'd want to play (someday)! I am a firm believer that the story should be directed by the players: Rule of Cool is the number one rule, and tweaking the bounds of the system to give everyone their moment to shine and sink their teeth into what they love about the game is worth everything to me. I strive to fulfill and give players the stage they need to make something amazing. Take a seat, open a playlist, grab a snack, and let's make dreams into reality.
At a glance
Less than a year on StartPlaying
Highly rated for: Storytelling, Creativity, World Builder
Featured Prompts
When I'm not running games I'm...
making art of D&D characters, worldbuilding, and playing Baldur's Gate 3!
How Mateo runs games
I am a huge proponent of fantastical powers and high fantasy: the Barbarians should be larger than life, the Bards cunning and well learned, and the Wizards sharply attuned to a fundamental aspect of reality. I like to give players immense, epic powers and flexibility for incredible feats, and to make the foes they face proportionate to their legends. I am well suited to both one shots and long form, emotional campaigns; the campaigns I have run center around the players and their personal battles: which may or may not tie themselves into existential threats. I am very much a "player first" DM, and I do everything in my power to give everyone at the table their "moment" every game. I take pride in my ability to pace encounters and keep both the narrative and combat flowing smoothly, even when the inevitable unexpected event occurs where the player conjures ten stone wolverines to shred the boss into confetti (true story). I don't punish players for creativity or using what they have: I endorse it fully. I can adapt to the unexpected, and even welcome it: that's what the game is all about. Finally, I adamantly and irrevocably avoid any AI input into my Game Mastering. It will come from the heart or a random table, or not at all.
Featured Prompts
I prep by
Making sure every character (even the players) have a core motivation or aspiration. I strongly feel like desire or fulfillment is the skeleton upon which all worlds are strung, and the intersection of conflicts is where the most captivating stories are told.
My games focus on...
Fulfillment, personal in-character motivations, and meaningful connection with both the world and other characters. A seamless balance of narrative, exploration, and high stakes combat is what I aspire to, though my central focus is the wants and needs of my players.
Rules are...
Something that should be both well studied and flexible. Most importantly, I try to encourage rules that give all players an equal opportunity to do something cool, and diminish rules that make players feel like their creative outlet has lost it's potential.
Mateo's ideal table
I try to keep a very lax, "yes, and", beginner friendly vibe, while still paying respect to game balance. I work to ensure everyone compliments each other well and shares a common goal, both in character and above table. I always seek to fulfill everyone's "vision" of their perfect character, even if it stretches the bounds of balance. Despite this, I put my utmost faith in the player's ingenuity to navigate my world and challenges, instead of making any kind of railroads.
Featured Prompts
If you're into ___, you're going to love my table
Fitting your character backstory, motivations, and details into an essay format! The player character is EVERYTHING to me!
I love it when a player
Comes to the table with FLAVOR! I adore hearing about the littlest quirks about your creations, from how they cast spells to their favorite books to what they do around a quiet campfire.
I think min/maxing...
Is only a bad thing when it takes precedence over sharing the narrative. I am all for a character that is spectacular at a niche set of tasks, as long as they appreciate others' roles and stories as well. No matter how your character is built, the party is strongest when they work well together.
Mateo's Preferences
Systems
Game Mechanics