Cool Boy Shane (he/him)
5.0
(9)
2 years on StartPlaying
157 games hosted
Highly rated for: Sets the Mood, Visual Aid, Voices
About me
Hello fellow nerds!!! I'm Cool Boy Shane! ✌😎 I'm an artist, animator, and music producer with a decade of experience playing and DMing 5e D&D! I specialize in running a particular adventure: 🧛♂️CURSE OF STRAHD!🦇 My primary goal for any game I run is to give my players a one-of-kind experience that's immersive, fair, and fun! I put a *ton* of effort into the polish of my games to help make them even more immersive. Aside from doing my best acting to make NPCs feel real and alive, I also make comprehensive music playlists that play during our sessions, create customized art for the tokens, and use high-quality battle maps! Most importantly though, I work WITH my players, not against them. I want us all to tell a story that's engaging and fulfilling for everyone at the table. If you place your trust in me, I will give it my all to give you the best experience I can!
GM Style
I do voices as best I am able, and I play music during sessions using RPG Sounds to help set the mood. I also make all of the character tokens, and will create custom tokens for PCs based on your illustrations/descriptions! Session 0 will guide players through character creation, as well as set expectations. I use several house rules, but I've tested them and streamlined them to be clear and sensible. I've also consolidated the majority of them into a few documents for easy reference! The Roleplay/Combat ratio can be anywhere from 60/40 to 80/20, respectively. I find that roleplay without any combat feels lackluster, but combat without any roleplay feels tedious. So when there is an encounter, I try to make it feel important (or at the very least entertaining) for the players. When it comes to lethality, I try to walk a careful line. Some encounters can be solved non-violently, while some fights are inevitable. Deadly encounters keeps stakes high, and makes players more careful with the risks they take. The choices you make in these scenarios are that much more meaningful, and will create incredible moments for your characters to act in the midst of danger. And while some enemies may be unintelligent or predictable, there will always be foes that are smart and will do whatever they can to win - so be careful! That said, I sincerely wish to avoid TPKs, and I am always rooting for the player characters to overcome challenges - seriously! I'm certain I will grow to love your characters like you do, and I want to see them succeed! As a DM, I will do my best to give ample hints and chances for you to pause and consider your options so that you can make the best possible choices given the information available. Finally, my main goal is for you to have a good time. Not every session will be perfect, but if you feel that there is a way we can improve your experience, then I encourage you to let me know!
Games played
Game Master Reviews (9)
Proficiencies
Players say this GM is great at:
Sets the Mood
Visual Aid
Voices
Jerry Th
Played 29 sessions
Shane is an awesome DM that pours so much amazing work into his campaigns. I've been playing with him for a little over a year and can give him a total vote of confidence.
Arthur
Played 30 sessions
Shane is a master at his craft, creating compelling stories that leave the players intrigued, in awe, and ultimately hooked to the game. His gameplay systems revolve around fun and the focus on not just the story of the campaign he is running, but also the story of the player characters involved throughout. Watching all of my co-players' stories unfold and reach new heights and conclusions is very inspiring and gratifying. Shane also employs personal art, gifs, and draws your character art as well in his campaigns! His storytelling combined with his homemade art and gripping musical soundtracks leave you immersed in the world of his game.
Theo
Played 54 sessions
I've played a few sessions with Shane by now and even booked him to GM a one-shot for me as a result. Shane is a deeply dedicated GM who cares very much about crafting a rich, thrilling experience in his games. His devotion to highly polished materials, crafted with love and cohesion makes playing in his worlds deeply satisfying. Playing with Shane, you can expect customized art for scenes and all of his NPCs. Places and people in his worlds feel deep, rich and thoughtful. He facilitates both striking combat and puzzle scenarios as well as giving room in the flow of the campaign for roleplaying and character bonding. People, places and individual player characters in Shane's world have customized music and his soundscapes always really carry the moods of a scene for me, be it through emotional cues or the amazing voice changers he uses. Shane is a GM to appreciate deeply as a player and I would play at his table any day!
Firarrion
Played 49 sessions
Takes a lot of care to make sure to understand and include your character. Only on the first session but so far this is the best campaign I've played in in a while!
Damien
Played 85 sessions
Amazing Art, voices, story, characters, and is great with incorporating your characters backstory into the campaign. Absolutely amazing.
Eli
Played 89 sessions
Everything always feels fresh, new and exciting! Unique & interesting NPCs, monsters, and challenges every week. This game is a safe space and the GM works hard to make the game more inclusive. Integrating technology with his natural talents raises the quality of the game to new levels. In addition, his mechanical knowledge of the game system is unmatched. Also more than willing to work with a player whose character is a little bit weird and/or has a complicated backstory.
What's StartPlaying?
Tabletop Roleplaying Games Run by Game Masters
Find a game to join solo or search for a professional game master for you and your friends/coworkers/family.
Book your session and wait for the Game Master to approve you.
If you don't have a blast with your first game, your next game is on us.