Don

he/him

5.0

(9)

Timezone

America/los Angeles

Language

English

Identity

Artist

Game Designer

About Don

Game mastering has become the creative passion of my life, with 20+ years of experience doing it, I'm looking to add another 10+ years before I run out of steam. Lately I've fallen for Mutants and Masterminds so I'm particularly hyped to bring it to as many players as I can this year along with the fourth edition when it hits the shelves. I've clocked more hours of D&D 5E than any other system, and have bent that thing into so many genres it makes my head spin to think on it. Mostly I do custom worlds and settings that fit the vibes my players are after. I've done scifi-fantasy cross overs, cowboys and dinosaurs, modern era super heroes, high fantasy global politics, holiday specials, everyone is a dog... Suffice it to say I like variety and I like to keep it light. Not trying to win an oscar for my NPC performances over here. Game mastering to me is about having fun with real people, expressing ones creativity, and making friendships that last.

At a glance

Less than a year on StartPlaying

1 games hosted

Highly rated for: Knows the Rules, Storytelling, Teacher

Average response time: 11 hours

Response rate: 100%

Featured Prompts

I got started GMing...

Way back when I was living in a house with five guys, the games we were playing were over crowded and went nowhere. I really loved the potential we had going, so I made a smaller group of roommates and friends and started running games I felt would be much more fun. Been at it ever since

My favorite system of all Time is

While I've put the most hours into D&D 5e over the years, nostalgia always keeps D&D 3.5e above it on the tier list. Recently I've become obsessed with Mutants & Masterminds 3e though, so the race to the top is heating up.

When I'm not running games I'm...

On the hunt for opportunities to make animation and games. These days the hustle is real. Finding animation work to do has become something of a ground up, make your own opportunity sort of thing. Aside from that, long walks and playing Magic the Gathering with my neighbors.

How Don runs games

Weekly games are fast paced with a focus on player directed schemes and goals over "a mysterious wizard in the corner beckons you" type of questing. You might get a job from an NPC, but aside from a few key points, it'll be up to the crew how to pull it off. I keep battles breezy, not getting bogged down by rolling attacks for every kobold in the room. I prefer battle encounters with goals to accomplish and my NPCs tend to flee when their morale breaks. Not as sharp with the voice acting as I used to be, but when a particularly juicy NPC enters the story I can get pretty invested in making them shine. There are more random ad lib NPCs than written ones in my games. Role play in my games tends to be pretty loose and comedic until we hit those big moments, or are confronted with the horror, or are doing a more mysterious, investigative, local adventure. I prefer to push shopping trips to the group chat between games. Magic items are either found, earned, or crafted by the players to suit their needs, not shopped for in stores. Been around a long time, had many players come and go over the years, so I've seen and managed a modest amount of drama. I've learned how to keep a game emotionally safe and congenial, and have learned to handle beefs at the table without alienating players or kicking them out.

Featured Prompts

I deal with rules issues by...

If no one in the group knows the rule off the top of their head I'll make a call in game and look it up afterward for next time. I lean toward what'll make the current story most exciting, and avoid getting bogged down into rules lawyer debates during the game.

I prep by

I keep it light. Before the game starts I'll concept a world in general, the starting location in more detail, and pepper the land with a few hooks. Once we get rolling I prep only for the next 2 or 3 session ahead of us. This way I only burn 2-4 hours between games rather than burn out hard.

When it comes to voices

I'm here for players who wanna do big voices, but I don't pressure anyone into it. My own character voices are always in flux. Random NPCs can start with an Irish accent and ending the scene with a Texas drawl. I need to focus in and rehearse an NPC's voice ahead of time if it's gonna stick.

Don's ideal table

My table is open to all, welcoming and focused on make people feel safe and included. I'm flexible with the content and imagery of the games, aiming to suit everyone's needs and avoid triggers like phobias and traumas. For one long running crew I'm still playing with I remove every tentacle from our D&D games, which is wildly more challenging than you might think. I try to keep the pace up, not get bogged down in minutia like ammo counts and item shopping trips if it's not pertinent to the story. I aim to draw people into the scene if they've been quiet, but don't force the spot light on someone if they're not into it. My table is more about personal stakes and found families over world ending threats and chosen heroes. I try to foster player driven story arcs, usually centered around backstories, or whatever hooks the players bite on rather than foisting my will upon the group.

Featured Prompts

I love it when a player

Players who can lift up the others in the group, who can take the spotlight, enjoy it, and pass it along are my favorite crew. Players who aim for teamwork and slick combos in combat over rushing to be the big hero every time.

I think it's a red flag when players...

Not a fan of players who put the moves on party members, either player to player or PC to PC. It can be a fun running gag in a long standing group, but it's not cool in the sort of ad hoc pick up groups we put together on Start Playing Games. It takes a lot of trust to go full Baldur's Gate 3.

I think min/maxing...

I do not fear the min maxers. I don't focus much of my time on difficultly balancing my encounters, so an over powered swordsman is often just what the party needs to get through. On the flip side, there's nothing a min maxer can build that I can't counter with a creative twist or sudden reveal.