Jeff

he/him

5.0

(7)

Timezone

America/vancouver

Language

English

Identity

Neurodivergent

Artist

Game Designer

About Jeff

I am a long time GM and player of dozens of different systems over dozens of years. Over the years I have migrated from extremely crunchy AD&D 2E/BX style games, towards more tactical games, towards entirely theatre of the mind style games, and finally settling in on the new era TTRPGs in the Mork Borg variants, Shadowdark, Vagabond, Nimble. I still enjoy 5E on occasion. I have a long history in table top wargaming, and enjoy dozens of table top games, social deduction games, and light beginner friendly games. I am new to digital and virtual table tops, but eagerly learning new tricks as I go. I started back in the way before, playing AD&D 2E, and then running them for a small group. Later, we tried GURPS, Hackmaster, the Warhammer RPG system, and then settled for along while in Shadowrun. After a bit, I moved on to 3E/3.5E, then onto Pathfinder, then oddly enough had a great time with D&D 4E. There was something to it that clicked at the time. Along the way, I tried out several World of Darkness games. I got deep into the Dungeon/Apocalypse World games, and hacked the *World system extensively for several years, before returning to 5E. In the last few years, I've been pushing for systems that bring back the almost nostalgic play of my early days, and that's where I've really come to love Shadowdark, Nimble, and Mork Borg. Outside of games, I work with the under/unhoused populations, practice martial arts, and try to be the best dad I can to my kids.

At a glance

Less than a year on StartPlaying

Highly rated for: Storytelling, Teacher, Creativity

Featured Prompts

I got started GMing...

Back in the 90s after finding an old 2nd Edition AD&D GM guide and redbox hidden on a shelf in the basement (Yeah, from 1983!). I still have that old GM guide. I got the bug back then, and while I do love to play, I've always enjoyed running games.

My 3 systems I'd bring to a desert island would be

Today, right now, this very instant: Nimble, Shadowdark, Vagabond. A mix of different spices for different niches, while keeping the core of what I enjoy most in my gaming experience thriving.

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

Drawing, Writing, chasing my kids around, cooking, cleaning, working my real life job, teaching martial arts.

How Jeff runs games

My goal at every table is to find what you love most about playing games and bring that to you, along with some alternative samples to try. I try to think that there's no wrong way to play, as long as the whole table is having a good time. I am happy to run one-shots, longer form structured campaigns, and longer games involving hexcrawls and strongholds. My favourite genres include science fantasy, heroic fantasy, gritty pulp adventures, and gothic horror. I enjoy both high and low magic settings, broken worlds, and points of light in darkness. In my games, I want everyone to have their moments in the spotlight, and a meaningful sense of progression and accomplishment throughout the game. Together we make these worlds and stories come to life. The players and their characters are the performers upon the stage, and I view my role as providing you with the best possible set dressings and props I possibly can. I like to think of GMing as building the framework for the house, but letting the players decide on the important details. What they don't fill in, I add to as needed, and we collectively end up with a unique experience shared just by us.

Featured Prompts

My games focus on...

Finding the right balance between tension, impact, humour, combat, roleplaying, randomness and the structured chaos that drives collaborative story telling forwards. I want to make sure the game is moving, and everyone has their time to shine.

Rules are...

a framework for us to have a shared, collaborative experience. They can bend, sometimes they break (intentionally/unintentionally), sometimes they're not the best, sometimes they're awesome. But by agreeing to that framework we are allowing our shared fiction to have all those exciting moments!

When it comes to voices

I'm not a voice actor. I do my best to give characters their own life and depth, but years of being in a rather terrible metal band ravaged my dynamic range. I've still got plenty of my own techniques to help set the NPCs and the foes and fiends apart.

Jeff's ideal table

Every table is different, but ultimately I want everyone to have the mutual respect of one another's time and energy. That's my number 1 ask. In ages old, when rocks were hot, I used to be extremely "rules as written, down to the details" but that style of GMing really didn't sing with the stories I wanted to see at the table. I love systems with lighter rules, and creative solutions to the many trials and tribulations that characters encounter. I am looking for players that want to engage with each other, with the story we're building, and treat the shared world as a shared world. I don't run super tactical games, I don't run super roleplay heavy games. I try to focus on both, with a bit of resource management and a bit of time management, to keep things flowing. If you have a brilliant idea on how to solve a challenge, riddle, or quest, I want to hear it. If you have an idea of what is going wrong in the kingdom, tell the table! What players conjure up is almost always more thrilling than whatever I planned. If you come to the table, looking to play and have an adventure, we're going to get along great. If you come wanting to somehow "win", I don't think I'd be the right GM for you. I don't like "kiss and curse" reward systems. I do want players to have a sense of real progression and power and agency. I also hate telling players what to do, I want you to explore and learn and have the best time you can. Character deaths do happen, but if there is no risk, there isn't really a game happening.