Aaron Coates @DecisiveDM
he/him
5.0
(27)
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About Aaron Coates @DecisiveDM
Expect a menagerie of voices, meaningful moments, and a welcoming atmosphere from a UKGE GM whose day job is counselling. Hey! I’m Aaron. I’ve been obsessed with TTRPGs since 2020. It started when my own DM moved out of the country (RUDE!) and left me with a massive itch to scratch. These days, when I'm not running online campaigns, you can find me running games at the UK Games Expo each year. I’m a huge fan of immersive storytelling. I love creating unique NPCs and drawing on my background as a singer to bring them to life with a wide range of voices and enthusiasm. My games are definitely roleplay-forward, but I make sure the combat is punchy and keeps you on your toes. One thing that's really important to me is the atmosphere at the table. As a Psychotherapist/Counsellor, I’m very conscious of ensuring the game is a comfortable, inclusive space where everyone feels welcome to participate. We’ll do a proper Session 0 to get on the same page, and I always build in breaks to keep our energy up. I really just want to give everyone the best experience possible in the time we have together. Come have a play and see if my style is the right fit for you!
At a glance
1 year on StartPlaying
32 games hosted
Highly rated for: Voices, Creativity, Sets the Mood
Featured Prompts
My favorite shows/movies are
I love all sorts! But, anything Medieval/ Sci-Fi/ Comedy or Deep Lore Drama is my favourite: - Star Wars (Special shoutout to Clone Wars & Rebels) - A Knight's Tale - Princess Bride - LOTR/ Hobbit - The Black Knight - D&D Honor Among Thieves - Ace Ventura Damn, there's so many more I could list! <3
My favorite system of all Time is
Mausritter is such a cute but deadly TTRPG, and I love how simple and open to interpretation it is! Plus, it's genuinely the perfect entry-level game because of the light rules, physical inventory and simple character creation!
People are always surprised when I tell them
That I helped run a 70 Player game alongside 8 other hand-selected DMs and Luke Gygax.
How Aaron Coates @DecisiveDM runs games
VOICES! I’m a singer, so I love using accents and body language to give NPCs life. There is zero pressure for you to do the same, but I’ll definitely be leaning into it to keep things immersive! Roleplay is my bliss. I’m honestly happiest if a session is just us diving into backstories around an imagined campfire. That said, I still love a good stint of challenging combat or problem-solving to get the blood pumping. My Vibe: I usually lean toward Dark or Horror-esque games, though I’m comfortable running just about anything—except murder mysteries! My brain just isn't built for tracking clues, so I’d rather stick to the character drama.
Featured Prompts
I prep by
thinking about the sessions and building storylines in my mind throughout the week. I don't do much pre-prep because I enjoy giving my players many options. However, I do post-prep to ensure we get the best out of our sessions!
Rules are...
a guideline for consistency, but if they impede fun and can be fairly overruled, then they should be!
When it comes to voices
I love to do as many as possible! I won't promise consistency, but I will promise a good laugh and variety! I feel like they really help with immersion, and also building up lore lines!
Aaron Coates @DecisiveDM's ideal table
Featured Prompts
My table is not the place for...
Min/maxers or power builders, IF they only wish to *beat* the game. Powerful characters can be fun at my table if the overall aim is the roleplay and narrative progression.