Joshua Rochelle-Bates

he/him

5.0

(2)

Timezone

Europe/paris

Language

English

French

Identity

LGBTQ+

Queer

Multi-lingual

About Joshua Rochelle-Bates

I’m a narrative-focused Game Master from the UK with a deep passion for immersive, character-driven storytelling. I approach tabletop RPGs as collaborative drama where player choices, psychology, and moral tension shape the direction of the campaign. Much of my work centers on The Lord of the Rings Roleplaying (5E) by Free League Publishing. I build grounded, lore-respectful campaigns rooted in atmosphere, political tension, and meaningful consequence. I care deeply about tone consistency and designing worlds that feel alive and reactive to the decisions of the players and their playing styles. While I’m not a decades-long veteran GM, I prepare intentionally and take the craft seriously. I’m committed to learning and improving alongside my players, refining pacing, rulings, and narrative structure as we grow together. Whether you’re new to tabletop RPGs or experienced and looking for thematic depth, my goal is the same: create a collaborative story that feels cinematic, immersive, and authentic.

At a glance

Less than a year on StartPlaying

Highly rated for: Teacher, World Builder, Inclusive

Featured Prompts

I became a GM because

I am passionate about telling stories, and I feel being a GM is a dream for someone that loves to immerse themselves in fictional worlds and telling a story that matters to everyone at the table.

The three words my players would use to describe me are...

Kind, compassionate, patient.

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

Writing and playing music, playing video games, going to the cinema, going to concerts, watching cat videos.

How Joshua Rochelle-Bates runs games

My games are immersive, character-first, and character-driven. My aim is to create a Middle Earth that is alive, where factions act independently, reputations matter, and choices ripple outward. Backstories aren’t just for decoration — they shape the campaign and the challenges you will face. I prioritise emotional realism, a grounded tone, and cinematic moments that emerge naturally from player decisions. Everything has a purpose, but with the wiggle room for the dice to tell their own tales at the table too. I respect the rules and prepare carefully, but I treat them as a framework rather than a set rail-roaded thing. When interpretation is needed, I make fair, consistent rulings in service of story and table flow. The rule of cool is my guiding principle. I work well with players who value collaboration, immersion, and flexibility. If you enjoy character depth, meaningful stakes, and a cohesive narrative arc told collaboratively, my games are for you.

Featured Prompts

I deal with rules issues by...

Adopting a policy of openness, if I am not aware of the rule I will look it up, discuss with the players, and make a fair ruling based upon my judgement and that of the players.

I prep by

Spending hours and hours obsessing about a single thing a character has said or done in a game and incorporating it into the story and the world building, so it feels real and reactive to them.

Rules are...

there for a reason and should be adhered to....... for the most part.

Joshua Rochelle-Bates's ideal table

Passion for stories, an open mind, patience, and respect for eachother is paramount. As I mostly play the Lord of The Rings 5E, it matters a great deal to me that the characters behave in accordance with the ambiance and heart of what makes Tolkien's works so great. However, that doesn't mean to say that the game is totally serious all of the time!

Featured Prompts

I love it when a player

Actively engages with the story and challenges me to improvise and create things off the spot. It's during these moments that I have found some of the most natural and interesting elements to integrate into my worlds.

My table is not the place for...

Racism, homophobia, sexism, or elitists. My table is for those that want to have an escape into another world, and to feel psychologically safe enough to do so.