Christopher
he/him
5.0
(5)
Timezone
Language
Identity
About Christopher
I'm "DM Stray", I've run everything from Fate to MAID and even that one esoteric game you think you heard about on the internet one time. It was a homebrew one-shot. Monstergirls were involved. Anyway. I've been DMing for over two decades and have never not had a table ecstatic by the end of it. I put a lot of time and passion into my games to give players something to look forward to every week. I typically prefer fantasy over sci-fi, grimbright over grimdark, and bittersweet fantasy over harsh dystopias. I'm typically very knowledgeable of rules and, importantly, when to ignore or break them in the name of fun. Nothing is so sacrosanct that we can't bend it for Rule of Cool. I draw inspiration with Final Fantasy, Cowboy Bebop, Berserk, Vagabond, Your Love Story, Weathering with You, Dress-Up Darling, Dragon Quest, and especially from Ryoko Kui's Dungeon Meshi - sometimes known as Delicious in Dungeon.
At a glance
Less than a year on StartPlaying
Highly rated for: Storytelling, Visual Aid, Sets the Mood
$20 per session
Featured Prompts
I started running games because...
Much like most other DMs I simply wanted to play in a very specific game that nobody was running. "Fine, I'll do it myself!" and from there it spiraled into a passionate hobby.
The three words my players would use to describe me are...
Passionate, Adaptable, and Earnest. I put as much sincerity and effort forth as I would expect any good community leader to do so. No need to feel embarrassed here. We'll be goofy together.
When I'm not running games I'm...
Playing video games - typically RPGs, Fighting Games, or Character Action. I find that I enjoy interactive media more than sitting to watch something passively.
How Christopher runs games
I love character-driven stories focusing on skilled characters against the world. I like to keep things constantly moving but I will always squeeze in opportunities to roleplay - even mid-combat and in megadungeon crawls - and actively seek to engage players with their world and characters. I prefer combat that's interesting and actively modify scenarios to incorporate terrain and environmental effects.
Featured Prompts
My favorite trope is...
Bittersweet! Bittersweet fantasy where the heroes overcome evil but perhaps the small, sleepy village is forever changed. A bittersweet fantasy where the heroes grow as a found family but must be separated. Bittersweet fantasy but the hero is always aching for another adventure!
My games focus on...
First and foremost this is a game meant to let players have fun. There's an agreed upon social contract that while the story is important and the reason the players are here - its ultimately a vessel to just relax after a hard week and speak to your friends.
Rules are...
Important, but not sacrosanct. I want to encourage players to really learn the system so that they have the confidence of system mastery while at the same time always trying to show them new and inventive maneuvers.
Christopher's ideal table
My ideal table is roughly 5 people, including me, sitting around and working together to tell a story. Players are actively engaged with roleplay, knowledgeable of their characters and gameplay mechanics, and not distracted. Fitting in at my table is rather easy. Be actively listening and don't wander off - I know its hard to avoid trying to Alt-Tab out in a virtual setting. When someone is speaking, give them your attention and respect. The vibe at my table is generally light, though during heavy story beats I try to use music and emotional cues to gently push people towards taking the story seriously - reminding players that others are invested in this moment.
Featured Prompts
I love it when a player
I love when a player comes to me and wants advice. It shows that they're trying new things. I love trying to get a character idea or moment *just right*.
My perfect party mix is
You got the min/max'ing spreadsheet player, the heavy roleplay person, the note-taker who is building a corkboard of clues, and the person who is almost like a Co-Dm acting like a leader.
My table is not the place for...
Being an asshole. Period. I don't tolerate PvP, insults, or other sort of disrespect. While I can be a fan of Barrens chat as much as the next MMO player, this is not the space to use your anonymity to be a dick.