Daniel
he/him
5.0
(6)
Timezone
Language
Identity
About Daniel
I have been running games since 2019, first for my family and then for a larger and larger circle of friends. I started with D&D 5e and then seeded it with lore and mechanics from earlier editions, primarily 2nd ed/AD&D. Since then I have branched out into a lot of different systems, from Ten Candles (tragic horror oneshots) to several Year Zero Engine games like Tales from the Loop and The Electric State. I prefer running narrative heavy games where your characters really exist inside a world that feels real. I try to balance simulation and game-feel with stories that we create together.
At a glance
Less than a year on StartPlaying
Highly rated for: Inclusive, Storytelling, Creativity
Featured Prompts
My favorite books are
Anything Jeff VanderMeer: The Southern Reach Trilogy + Prequel and Dead Astronauts, Jason Pargin is my guilty pleasure: Cosmic Horror/Comedy. A Lot of nonfiction: teching myself code and software design for fun.
My favorite system of all Time is
Honestly I like the Year Zero Engine used by most Free League Games, as it is the right balance of Crunch and Narrative Momentum. I run a Tales from the Loop game and really want to run a lot more of their library especially Mutant and Coriolis. Currently getting an Electric State Campaign going.
When I'm not running games I'm...
Spending time with my Wife, Stepdaughter, and 6mo son, Tattooing/Drawing, Reading, Drinking too much Coffee, Playing sandbox survival video games, working my side gig at the Hospital.
How Daniel runs games
How I Run Games Player-Driven World Building - Hook Integration: We start by developing enough of your backstory to reveal your character's hooks, which I then weave directly into the world. - Investment: I prioritize using your ideas about your characters to develop the NPCs, Factions, Themes, and Subplots you encounter. - Backstory Warning: Please do not include something in your backstory if you don't want me to play with it—everything you provide is fair game for the narrative. - The Element of Surprise: I love building in surprises, easter eggs, and callbacks; even if I use your backstory as inspiration, expect to be surprised by how it eventually pops up in-game. Campaign Structure and Pacing - The Long Road: My preference is for medium-to-long-form campaigns that strike a balance between a sandbox feel and linear progression. - Organic Scenarios: I sketch future scenarios based on the current state of affairs, but I only fully develop what is impending so I never feel the need to push the party in a specific direction. - Hybrid Material: I alternate between completely homebrewed content and "store-bought" modules that I disassemble and reassemble to fit our specific needs. - Bespoke Settings: I know how to take existing settings—like Pacifica—and make them feel personal and built specifically around the needs of our game. Player Support - Note-Taking Assistance: For players who find it difficult to keep track of every detail in a persistent world, I provide a version of my notes to ensure no one loses the thread of the story.
Featured Prompts
I prep by
I always get the Party's temperature. I lean heavily on "What are you planning on doing next session?" and prep accordingly. That's not to say that I don't have my own plans and ideas...but I try to get as much inspiration as possible by the ideas my Party brings to the table.
My games focus on...
Agency, Choice, Consequences. Deep narrative, large world connected by spiderweb of relationships and motivations. Combat is aggravatingly realistic. NPCs make realistic decisions, they flee and call for help. But many situations call for more subtlety than Combat. Maybe Most. That's up to you.
When it comes to voices
I'll be honest...I'm not GREAT with voices. But when I can nail one, I nail it. Otherwise I have other methods for making NPCs feel unique. I think voices are fun, but not everyone is a voice actor. Not everyone wants to be. Roleplaying is about making decisions as a character. Nothing more.
Daniel's ideal table
Pay Attention to the Web The players who have the most fun at my table are the ones who really lean in and get invested. I put a lot of work into building a complicated web of people, each with their own thorough motivations. Even the "background" characters are part of a larger network. If you’re paying attention to the NPCs and the shifting vibes of Pacifica, you’re going to notice the levers you can pull. You'll figure out who actually matters, who can be co-opted, and who actually gives a damn about the goal you're chasing. The "How" is the Game The fun part isn't me giving you a quest marker—it's you realizing exactly what needs to happen based on the world state and then having a blast figuring out how the hell you’re going to pull it off.
Featured Prompts
If you're into ___, you're going to love my table
Feeling like your character belongs in the World I have built and want to help me make that happen,
I love it when a player
Surprises me! Figures out a plan that works! Participates in planning and analysis. It isn't required but the players who have the most fun in my games are invariably the ones who are the most engaged in between session game conversations.
I think it's a red flag when players...
Expect a game without reasonable consequences for their actions. There is always a consequence, a response, or an outcome.
Daniel's Preferences
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