OJ

he/him

Timezone

America/new York

Language

English

Identity

Teacher/Educator

Game Designer

About OJ

Professional educator and amateur roleplayer. I've been playing and running games for about 15 years. I run D&D 3.5e and 5e, Blades in The Dark, Bastards, and indies. I have an extensive historical knowledge of the D&D franchise, and I use that knowledge to create specific feels and styles in the games I run. I have also played Call of Cthulhu and Lancer.

At a glance

Less than a year on StartPlaying

Featured Prompts

People are always surprised when I tell them

5e isn't a very good game.

How OJ runs games

Maintaining verisimilitude is my highest priority. I do not fudge rolls, and I generally play RAW (usually; D&D was never supposed to be played RAW in the first place). I believe in situations over plots; that is, the story is what happens at the table. I have no character arc planned, no overarching story, etc. I want to run a dungeon crawling simulation, not write a screenplay that strings my players along as unwilling actors who don't know their lines. I also believe in the DM as a neutral arbiter. Rolling dice is dangerous. Good planning and good arguments don't require rolls. Monsters play to win, not to provide a "level-appropriate challenge." Monsters may even flee or negotiate a surrender if they think they must. I believe in challenging the players' abilities to think on their feet and not rely solely on their character sheets to provide answers for them. When not playing D&D, I play RAW, but with a wide interpretation of what player characters should be able to do. In Masks and Blades, PCs can do anything; the only factor is time and steps required. I am also a sucker for high-stakes, tactical combat. Synergies and teamwork are awesome when pulled off well.