Gareth banner

Gareth

n/a

4.9

(12)

Timezone

America/denver

Language

English

Identity

Indigenous
Hispanic/Latinx
Veteran
Disabled
Artist
Game Designer

About Gareth

Hey there! I’m Gareth, and I’ve been rolling dice and building worlds for most of my life. My first brush with TTRPGs came through Dragon Dice by TSR—I didn’t know the rules, but the magic of it hooked me. That fascination turned into dungeon-crafting with Hero Quest, and eventually led to a lifelong love of storytelling and tabletop adventures. Over the years, I’ve played and explored a wide variety of games: Pathfinder 1e, D&D 3.5, Vampire, Werewolf, and more. I’ve been actively DMing since 2015 with the release of 5e, and I haven’t looked back. I see myself as both narrator and fellow player—we’re building the story together, not just playing through a script. I love improvising when the players go off the rails (which they always do), creating immersive environments with music and narration, and making sure everyone at the table is engaged—whether they love combat, RP, exploration, or just rolling shiny math rocks. I primarily run 5e, but I’m not bound to just one system. I pull from a wide range of 5e-compatible content, especially third-party publishers like Kobold Press. I also run Shadowdark, Vampire, Werewolf 5e, and dabble in Numenera, Blackbirds, Wrath & Glory, and Coyote & Crow. If it has cool mechanics and a great setting, I want to bring it to the table. Let’s roll some dice and tell a story worth remembering.

At a glance

1 year on StartPlaying

Highly rated for: Creativity, Voices, Rule of Cool

Featured Prompts

I got started GMing...

After D&D 5e was released in 2014. I hadn't played much before that or gm'ed at all, but it drew me in and helped me express myself and create the worlds I've always wanted to.

My 3 systems I'd bring to a desert island would be

The three game systems I would bring with me to a desert island are Shadowdark, Daggerheart, and Dragonbane.

The three words my players would use to describe me are...

I think the the words my players would use to describe me are animated, immersive, and exciting.

How Gareth runs games

I run cinematic, player-driven games with a balance of combat, exploration, and roleplay. I believe the best sessions are the ones where everyone at the table gets a chance to shine, whether they’re solving puzzles, cracking skulls, or uncovering ancient mysteries. My style includes: “Rule of Cool” over Rules as Written Immersive narration and descriptive scenes Character voices and ambient music to bring the world to life Fast, interactive combat that keeps everyone engaged Improvisation that keeps the story fluid and responsive to player choices I’m here to make sure everyone has a good time, whether you're brand new or a seasoned veteran. Expect memorable moments, high stakes, and a few laughs along the way.

Featured Prompts

Rules are...

More like guidelines instead of rules. I would rather have my players do something cool even if there are no rules to support or that allow it, instead of telling them they can't.

Gareth's Preferences

Systems

Dungeons & Dragons 5e
Pathfinder 2e
Dungeon Crawl Classics
Call of Cthulhu
Kids on Bikes
City of Mist
Lancer
The Black Hack
Warhammer 40,000 Wrath & Glory
Blades in the Dark
Vampire: The Masquerade 5th Edition
13th Age
Genesys
Vaesen
Swords and Wizardry
Zweihander
Mothership
Numenera
Cyberpunk Red
Tales From the Loop
Symbaroum
Coriolis – The Third Horizon
Achtung! Cthulhu 2d20
Old-School Essentials
7th Sea
Mörk Borg
Five Torches Deep
Traveller
The One Ring 2e
Spire: The City Must Fall RPG
Heart: The City Beneath RPG
Mutant Crawl Classics
Degenesis
Fabula Ultima
Mausritter
Marvel Multiverse Role-Playing Game
Pirate Borg
Coyote & Crow
FIST
Dragonbane
Cairn
Shadowdark RPG
Torchbearer 2E
Tales of the Valiant
Candela Obscura
Runecairn
Old Gods of Appalachia
Salvage Union
Outgunned
Werewolf: The Apocalypse 5th Edition
Xcrawl Classics
BREAK!!
Electric Bastionland
Black Sword Hack
Crown and Skull
Legend in the Mist
Deathbringer
Blackbirds
The Electric State Roleplaying Game
Knave 2e
:Otherscape
Nimble
Lamentations of the Flame Princess
Grimwild
Daggerheart
Tales of Argosa

Game Mechanics

d20 System
OSR
d100 System
d12/d6 System
d6 System

Game style

Roleplay Heavy

Combat Heavy

Dungeon Crawl

Rule of Cool (RoC)

Sandbox / Open World

Gareth's games