DM Mike
he/him
5.0
(8)
Timezone
Language
Identity
About DM Mike
Greetings and Salutations! My name is Mike and I'm a Film and Media Studies Professor by day and a Dungeon Master by night. I've been playing DnD for several years now and love it just as much as I ever did! The first time I ever played was as a DM and since then I've never looked back. Playing a character is obviously a lot of fun, but my passion has always laid behind the DM screen! I love introducing new players to the game just as much I love running games for seasoned players. It's the teacher in me. I'm of the mind that anyone can play TTRPGs and should at least give it a shot at some point. What's the worst that could happen? (I mean, aside from your character potentially getting robbed, stabbed, beaten, possessed, wooed, tricked, cursed, charmed, and so on...). The days of gatekeeping are long gone! My games emphasize collaborative storytelling, character arcs, roleplaying, and a healthy combination of preparation and improvisation (though that pendulum often teeters back and forth). I tend to err on the side of "the rule of cool" (within reason of course). Rules Lawyers take note: if something isn't QUITE up to mechanical snuff, I'll do my best to make it work! I welcome One-Shots, Mini-Campaigns, Pre-Written Modules, and/or full-on, years-spanning Homebrew Campaigns!
At a glance
Less than a year on StartPlaying
Highly rated for: Creativity, Storytelling, Rule of Cool
How DM Mike runs games
My games emphasize collaborative storytelling, character arcs, roleplaying, plot-driven combat, and a healthy combination of preparation and improvisation (though that pendulum often teeters back and forth). I tend to err on the side of "the rule of cool" (within reason of course). Rules Lawyers take note: if something isn't QUITE up to mechanical snuff, I'll do my best to make it work if it's just too good! I welcome One-Shots, Mini-Campaigns, Pre-Written Modules, and/or full-on Homebrew Campaigns! My own Homebrew world of Quin'Vastria is set in a High Fantasy Magocracy where enigmatic Wizards rule, Sorcery is forbidden (though players are most certainly ENCOURAGED to play these forbidden Sorcerers known as the "Scourge" if that tickles your fancy), planar barriers are often shaky at best, and geographic locations vary between snowy peaks, arid deserts, dense jungles, ruined temples, small towns, bustling urban centers, and so on. I am a sucker for silly voices and trying to give my NPCs depth, weight, and recognizable personalities. I encourage all of my players to immerse themselves in their characters as much as they're comfortable doing. In that vein, I will also "Yes, and" with you as much as you'd like. If you'd like to do a silly voice, go for it! If you'd like to wear Elf ears and a cloak, I'm here for that! These things are certainly not required by any means though. If you're more on the side of crunchy combat and speaking for your character in the third person, i.e. "My character says something inspiring. Then he hits the bad guy with his greataxe. What do I need to roll?", my table may not be the table for you. I certainly enjoy combat and try to provide challenging and unique encounters for my players, but that's certainly not all that I'm focused on. I try to make my combat encounters have real, plot-driven stakes, opposed to simply and consistently presenting hoards of monsters-of-the-week to slaughter and plunder.
DM Mike's Preferences
Systems