Jacob Sheldon

he/him

Timezone

America/kentucky/louisville

About Jacob Sheldon

I have been playing Dungeons & Dragons for around 20 years. I learned the 3.5 edition, transitioned to the 5th edition, and landed on the new 2024 5.5 edition. I have been a Dungeon Master for local friends and coworkers since 2021, slowly collecting hard copies and digital copies of every Dungeons & Dragons book. I have a current in-person game that has been going on for over two years. I am well-versed in running in-person games and over Discord using VTTs. I always encourage creativity and certain homebrews in my games. I want the players and characters to grow in my games, creating a dynamic atmosphere. I always start with a session zero where I go over my house rules and discuss any restrictions with players and character creation. I also use this opportunity to get to know each other and talk about YOUR own rules, things you don't want in your games, your triggers, pet peeves, etc., to facilitate a good time for all. Dungeons and Dragons is a game that should be enjoyed by everyone at the table, and if it isn't, then we as a party and DM are doing something wrong. Let's do it right and have fun and make amazing memories and friends along the way!

At a glance

Less than a year on StartPlaying

$25 per session

Featured Prompts

I ran my first game...

The first game I ever ran was an old Pathfinder module known as Rise of the Rune Lords. I was far too young to manage any amount of players, but it did start that creative passion. I was 10 at the time, so you can only imagine the difficulty.

I started running games because...

I loved to see the odd ways that players bond and make memories together. As a DM, you have to be good at improv, and you can never plan for every eventuality, and seeing how players learn to love each other is something that can never be planned.

My favorite books are

Fantasy and historical fiction. Lord of the Rings, The Arc of Scythe, and The Mythos books by Stephen Fry are all on my personal bookshelf. That and Shakespeare.

How Jacob Sheldon runs games

I love a good balance between combat and hardcore roleplay. There can be sessions without any combat; I don't think that is a negative. Let's fall for traps! Let's solve puzzles!! Let's get through that dungeon alive and have laughs and tears. I love when my players get attached to the adventurers they create. I encourage my players to develop a voice different from their own; I don't expect perfection, since I'm not the best at it with the load of NPCs you will encounter. Communication is key, and I think I am a very flexible DM; if there is a rule you don't like that ruins the fun, then let's talk about it! If you want to homebrew a spell or item, let's talk about it. It is a game of imagination, so let's fuel that creative fire. I have had players create entire pantheons because their cleric didn't like the book versions. Flavor your spells and attacks.

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I once ran a session...

That lasted over 12 hours. Scheduling is always the bane of Dungeons & Dragons players. We have missed sessions here and there and decided to make up time by gaming all day long. We met for breakfast, discussed lunch, and then set the table for rolling dice!

My games focus on...

Development of people. I want your characters (and you as players) to be different from when you first created them. Does the stoic fighter learn to love? Does an orphan track down their family in odd ways? Do you as a player lean into a new voice that you have never done before? Let's do it!!

Rules are...

There is a reason, but it can also be guidelines. It all depends on how conversations go during session zero. I can be a strict DM, but "Everybody should be having fun" needs to be the most important rule to follow. If rules as written prevent that, then throw the book and its rules out the window.

Jacob Sheldon's ideal table

I like my table to constantly shift focus. There is obviously a spotlight when adventures begin, and players have made their characters' arcs. There are times when the spotlight isn't on you, and being a good audience member is important because eventually, and possibly soon, that spotlight will be on you, and you would want that same respect for your moments. I like fast combat and good roleplay. Plan your turns because nobody likes the wait; talk about what you do on watch and on travel. "May you bring your players tears from laughter and joy but also heartbreak and sadness."

Featured Prompts

I love it when a player

Falls in love with the world and the party within it. Get passionate and attached to what's going on around you. Forge strong bonds with people that make a friendship last a lifetime. I love when a session ends; it feels like that is all you can talk about for the next week until we play again.

I think min/maxing...

Can take fun away from players. You never want to be a one-trick pony; the dumb barbarian has been played out too many times. I usually use the standard array because those Feats of ASI become a very important decision.