Ross
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About Ross
Introduced to tabletop gaming at an early age, I've played many RPGs over the years and have always gravitated towards crafting a narrative within these spaces. While nowadays I play mostly D&D 5E and Warhammer 40k, I have experience with other RPG systems and universes. While I don't have an affinity with any particular setting in D&D, this doesn't mean that I don't like world building and collaborative story-telling with my players; in fact I prefer to use D&D as a way to craft a world without feeling too restricted by existing historical events, factions and named characters. My claim to fame is that my Dad is listed in the original Fiend Folio as a co-creator of the Flumph! A much maligned and divisive creature, it has yet to appear in any of my campaigns, but never say never!
At a glance
Less than a year on StartPlaying
Featured Prompts
When I'm not running games I'm...
Playing video games Reading Painting Warhammer minis Walking my dogs At the gym
How Ross runs games
I have a reasonable grasp of rules, but at the end of the day most games are just that - games. If you aren't enjoying yourself then there isn't much point. To that end, I am not a rules lawyer, but will be rigid only to avoid disagreement on gameplay matters. The rule of cool will usually surpass this though, so provided my players are inventive enough to think of a plan of action that is even slightly within the realm of possibility, they can certainly try! While I like to use homebrew settings, I treat them as something to be shared and built collaboratively with my players. The aim of this is to allow players to be who they want to be, but to provide them with just enough structure to enable them to feel invested in the world around them, not just someone passing through. With regards to Roleplay vs Combat and tone, this is again up to the players, as I feel it is a priority to ensure that everyone is getting what they want from a game. However, if there is disagreement between the players as to what is and isn't appropriate or within their comfort zone, I will make every effort to ensure that the game remains a safe space for all involved.
Featured Prompts
Rules are...
There to help games run smoothly. They aren't something I adhere to rigidly, especially if this impacts the flow or fun of the session for my players. They are bendable for the sake of fun or a particularly outlandish idea/action, but not to the extreme!
Ross's ideal table
My table is fairly laid back, welcoming to players old and new and a space for creativity and collaboration. My long-running in-person group is a mix of neurodivergent people who often get distracted, go off on tangents or hyper focus on unforeseen aspects of the game. As such, I'm used to giving people the space to relax and to enjoy their time at the table, but also to guide them back to the game. Questions, hypotheticals and out of character discussions between players are all welcome, should they be something my players need to organise their thoughts or talk through next steps.
Featured Prompts
I think metagaming...
Is a bit of a red flag. Sometimes it's helpful to metagame for the purpose of helping the group - e.g., playing a tank or healer class to support the group. However, when it becomes a case of "I want to create the most powerful/broken/cheesey combo" then it is definitely a red flag.
Ross's Preferences
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