Jim the GM

he/him

5.0

(8)

Timezone

Europe/amsterdam

Language

English

Identity

Published Writer

Teacher/Educator

Game Designer

About Jim the GM

I'm a British writer, former teacher and stage performer living in Switzerland. The first time I ran a game of Dungeons & Dragons for children, it began with a bar fight and ended with a dragon being punched in the face. I've run RPGs for hundreds of people, but the violent urges of grown adults never compare to the seven-year-old boy playing a dwarf who lived in the woods with his army of bunnies. Playing RPGs can make you more creative, more empathetic and more confident, but sometimes you just need to punch a dragon in the face. I run games for players of all ages and experience levels in every system under the sun, including D&D, Mothership and Avatar: Legends. I am a qualified English teacher and an amateur standup and improv comedian, and I bring that same energy (and patience) to my games. As your GM, I make it my mission to tell a story that truly belongs to you. So if you’re looking for games where you really get to dive into your character’s backstory and their relationships, where discovering your character arc is as important as saving the world, then you’ll love my games. Sometimes, the real prize was the friends we made along the way.

At a glance

4 years on StartPlaying

Highly rated for: Creativity, Storytelling, Voices

Featured Prompts

My favorite shows/movies are

The Lord of the Rings, Avatar: The Last Airbender, Glow, Gravity Falls, Spirited Away, Up, Delicious in Dungeon

People are always surprised when I tell them

I ran a campaign every week for six years. The kids were ten when we started and now they've graduated from secondary school!

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

writing fantasy novels, editing other people's writing, hiking in the mountains or kicking back with a video game or board game.

How Jim the GM runs games

My games focus on telling stories, exploring characters and having fun whatever level of RPG experience you have. I have run games for under 18s for over six years, and for adults for over a decade. --------- I am always searching for ways to weave your characters' backstories into the narrative, and I love nothing more than when party drama gets in the way of saving the world. At the start of every campaign, I encourage players to think about how they know the other player characters, and help everyone to have at least one story hook that makes their character feel real in the world. I spend hours preparing, but I’ve learned that the best sessions are often the ones where nothing went as I expected. The great thing about RPG stories is that they aren't pre-written, so I love to use tricks like random tables and weird loot to keep sessions unique. It’s crucial to me that all players feel comfortable and have fun. Before a campaign with me, I will send you an anonymous form where you can share your topic exclusion and wish list. Want a game full of mystery and romance where spiders don’t exist? No problem! If you’re a parent, don’t hesitate to message me with questions, whether you need accommodation for special educational needs, or if you want me to focus on storytelling instead of fighting. I’ve taught children both online and in the classroom, and I’ve run RPGs for kids for six years, so you can be confident that my priority is providing a fun and rewarding experience for everyone.

Featured Prompts

I once ran a session...

where a player's recovering alcoholic priest battled the god of wine, turned down the nectar of the gods and then retired to go fishing with his dad and his own clone.

When it comes to voices

I go all in! I like to do a range of accents and I give all my energy. My neighbours (and larynx) must hate me.