Ashley

she/her

5.0

(6)

Timezone

America/new York

Language

English

Identity

DMs Guild Writer

LGBTQ+

Queer

BIMPOC

Black

Neurodivergent

Women/Femme Identifying

About Ashley

👋 I love to run beginner-friendly tables! I'll teach you how to play! 👥 My tables are anti-racist & LGBTQA+ friendly 🐉 I run mostly D&D 5e 2024 👾 I also run rules light sci-fi settings! I've been a Dungeon Master for 18 years, and in all that time, my greatest joy has been introducing new players to the magic of Dungeons & Dragons. I especially love helping those who may have had frustrating or unwelcoming experiences in the past, including women, BIPOC, and LGBTQIA+ folks, find a welcoming and safe space to play. My table is built on a foundation of zero tolerance for antagonism and a genuine desire to create a supportive environment where everyone feels comfortable and respected. My passion for storytelling began as an imaginative kid in middle school, which is when I first discovered TTRPGs. After a break, I returned to D&D at the height of 5th edition and haven't looked back. I've been running games ever since, and my campaigns span across many genres—from classic high fantasy to tense sci-fi horror. I love weaving together deep, character-driven narratives with intense, tactical combat to create compelling and accessible gameplay. Whether you're a complete beginner looking to learn the ropes, a seasoned player wanting to try out a new build, or just in the mood for a fun one-shot, my table is the perfect place to roll some dice and tell an amazing story together.

At a glance

1 year on StartPlaying

23 games hosted

Highly rated for: Inclusive, Teacher, Creativity

Average response time: 4 hours

Response rate: 100%

Featured Prompts

I became a GM because

I wanted to create a safe space for people who haven't had a good experience learning the game elsewhere. The TTRPG space still isn't very safe for women, BIPOC and queer people, so the more I can do to make space for us, the better.

My favorite books are

Lots of very obvious fantasy (LotR, ASoIaF, The Earthsea Cycle, Narnia Series), sci fi (Foundation, Dune, anything by Becky Chambers) and a mix of both (The Broken Cycle series).

My favorite shows/movies are

lots of sci fi, fantasy, and sci fi fantasy. Foundation, Dune, LotR, House of the Dragon, some Marvel, some Star Wars, some Star Trek.

How Ashley runs games

📖 I love storytelling, and helping players develop their narratives and background. I'm always available for fleshing out your character, and working it into the larger plot of the game, including published modules. ⚔️ I also love combat! I often save crunchy combat for one-shots and arena type things, but if players love it too, I can include it in the game! I do my best to dial combat back a bit when I'm teaching, because it can become overwhelming. I'll always be clear about the combat level in any game I run so you know before joining! 📏 Because I mostly run learning tables, I'm not a fan of rules lawyers popping up in that environment, or people who have main character syndrome. At the heart of any tabletop game is improve, teamwork and patience for our learners. My tables are a safe space for new folks and people who have had a rough time elsewhere. I have a very low tolerance for poor behavior, which includes rules lawyering, spotlighting, and tantrums - you'll get one warning. This is a game, we're here to have fun, if you're ruining the fun for one person, it eventually ruins it for everyone.

Featured Prompts

I deal with rules issues by...

assessing the situation. Rules as written can be suffocating and disallow something cool a player came up with. If we're not dealing with a cool thing, I'll check the book to clarify and make my ruling. Then not argue about it.

Rules are...

guidelines, but they exist for a reason. I manage games in a rules as intended fashion, more so than rules as written. Some rules are poorly written and some people like to take advantage of that.

When it comes to voices

I mostly don't do them. I'm not a voice actor, and I'm bad at being consistent. I promise it won't break your immersion. We're not here to be the next Critical Role.

Ashley's ideal table

Most of my tables are learning tables. I'm here for beginners who haven't felt comfortable learning elsewhere. I really want to welcome in women, BIPOC, and queer folks who haven't had good experiences at other tables to come here, learn, have fun, and make new friends! Everyone is welcome, but understand that this is intended to be a safe space, and I have a 0 tolerance policy for bad behavior. Because I tend to run beginner tables, everyone playing needs to be patient. Learning takes time; there are lots of rule explanations or reviews, and it can be very tedious for people with more experience. If you have more experience and enjoy teaching, I'd love to have you at the table!

Featured Prompts

I am for a vibe that's...

fun and patient. Most of my tables aren't going to be for people who want to go go go.

I love it when a player

feels comfortable asking questions. We're learning, if you don't feel safe doing that, the table isn't working as intended.

I think min/maxing...

has its place, but not at beginner tables. If you're playing a level 10+ game, the min/maxing can help with survivability, but it can also get boring and frustrating if you've silo'd yourself into being a one trick pony.