DD DMs

he/they

5.0

(6)

Timezone

America/los Angeles

About DD DMs

My name is DD. I have been running Dungeons and Dragons for fifteen years, across 3rd, 3.5, and 5th Editions, and I'm experienced with multiple simple, low-prep TTRPG systems, the kind that contain their entire ruleset on one page. I always try to play to make sure everyone in the game has as much fun as possible. Often, that means embracing the chaos that comes with playing TTRPGs, knowing when to set the rules as written aside in favor of letting someone or something shine, or letting the dice tell a story that's more compelling than anything I could have come up with. At the same time, I have learned that sometimes, in order to make sure everyone is having fun, I have to act as an arbiter of behavior at the table, shut down a storyline that isn't working, or put a stop to play entirely in order to check in on my party. My top priority is my players and my table, and in order to serve that priority, I take the time to craft a scenario and an environment that will make every session fun, immersive, and engaging.

At a glance

Less than a year on StartPlaying

Highly rated for: Creativity, Voices, Storytelling

Featured Prompts

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

5th Edition Dungeons and Dragons, something I've never played before, and enough pencils and paper to build my own system from the ground up.

I got started GMing...

Around a firepit during a house party. No dice, no sheets, just creativity. That turned into a full campaign with dice and sheets, and then I taught myself more and more in depth. I still try to replicate that feeling with my games: it's all about sitting down to create a story together.

My favorite books are

Star Trek: Best Destiny: a young Kirk has a fateful encounter with space pirates. Soon I Will Be Invincible: a superhero and supervillain give their perspectives on the same attempt at world domination. All The Weyrs Of Pern: A fantasy story with light scifi elements runs headlong into spaceships.

How DD DMs runs games

I focus heavily on roleplaying and storytelling. You can expect voices and accents (some of them even good) for the large roster of unusual characters you'll meet. My games are diverse, inclusive, and sometimes veer into the philosophical. You're as likely to have a long discussion of ethics or politics with a dragon as you are to fight her. That said, I'm not afraid to get creative with puzzles and combat. I believe that there's plenty of space for a puzzle or a fight to tell a story, and just as much space for a story to be a great excuse for a puzzle or a fight. I may enjoy the lofty and high-minded acting and story-focused play that many modern enthusiasts love, but I'm just as happy running a dungeon-crawl or a boss rush. I'm especially experienced with classic sword-and-sorcery games, but I tend to borrow from other genres, and will include elements of science fiction, horror, and superhero fiction. I may also nod to more obscure genres, from anime to noir to nature documentaries. Inspiration can come from anywhere, and a believable, entertaining game world should be full of the unexpected. My non-D&D games will usually be centered on science fiction, horror, or superhero stories. I'm very good at horror one-shots in a multitude of different settings, and I'm always happy to develop a game around an idea one of my players might have.

Featured Prompts

Rules are...

The foundation of the game. You can build whatever you want with them, but some things are easier to build on a specific foundation. They're also a tool to help build your campaign, and a guideline when you aren't sure what should happen next.

I once ran a session...

Where a character had the power to peek into the future at will. Making their visions come true was my favorite GMing challenge ever, and was the first time I really felt like I had the chops to run the game.

When it comes to voices

I approach it as an actor. Nervous tics, vocal quirks, and even body language can make a character really stand out.

DD DMs's ideal table

I like to run a table where everyone feels invested in the story of the campaign. Storytelling and character development are my biggest strengths, and players who are interested in those things for themselves will thrive. I also love an unexpected character concept: a mobster who faints at the sight of blood, a germaphobe in a zombie apocalypse, the expendable redshirt who dies halfway through every episode of Star Trek. I'll do whatever I can to help you make your idea work. But don't come in expecting everything to be deep and serious all the time. For every discussion of philosophy, you're liable to encounter an extended Monty Python quote or elaborate pun about a monster. After all, your characters are meant to be heroes, and heroes won't be very motivated to save a world without any fun in it. I do run a second type of table, though: my one-shots and my hack-and-slash campaigns are often a lot tougher. Sometimes I'll even run a game where one of the main themes is character death, a meatgrinder that can (or is even designed to) end in a TPK. These games can be dark or funny, horror, adventure, or war epic, and are best for those who want to play with a unique build, have a really epic death scene, or just want to get the chance to play a bunch of different characters (because their other ones got eaten by something).

Featured Prompts

I love it when a player

Does something I genuinely had no plan for. If there's a bed, a chair, a table, and a window, I usually have a plan for all of them. I love to be surprised by someone prying up the floorboards or trying to steal an entire wall.

I think min/maxing...

Can get in the way of having fun. The most successful characters in my games will have good chemistry with their party and engage with the world in interesting ways. Also, I WILL make you play that dump stat.

I am for a vibe that's...

Friendly and supportive. It's understandable to feel nervous, or silly, or sad or frustrated. TTRPGs can be intense, and as the GM, I'm helping to deliver that experience, and I want it to go well for everyone at my table.