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Chris

Chris (he/him)

4.8

(6)

1 year on StartPlaying

Highly rated for: Inclusive, Storytelling, Creativity

Average response time: 13 hours

Response rate: 100%

About me

GM since 1980, I run games you haven't heard of. Indie and non-Hasbro games are my gig! I wrote 'How Humakt Learned to Grieve' for the Jonstown Compendium. I run Star Wars, RuneQuest and other non-Hasbro games. I use safety tools such as lines and veils, X-card, brief and debrief, bleed management tools and others. My table is an explicitly safe BIPOC/ND/Queer/Trans/LGBTIA+ space as I am queer and nuerodivergent myself.

GM Style

Collaborative, 60% rp/drama and 40% simulationist, with an emphasis on creating emotional scenes with player buy-in. Firstly, I run a safe, inclusive table. BIPOC, queer and femme folks always have a place at my table. I use safety tools, always run a strong session zero, and I do everything I can to get player buy in. I love developing PC backstories and during session zero and thereafter I love using backstory details. Your player characters are the stars of the show in my games, not NPCs! I use funny voices, and I adore incidental roleplaying and a lived in world. Players generating plot collaboratively with me is essential. I also love slice of life and healing RP. Finally, I run games that other people don't. Horror games, strange indie titles, and all that stuff like WOTC won't touch with a 10 foot pole (that's a DND joke son) I am ready to run for you.

Game platforms used
Game Master Reviews (6)

Proficiencies

Players say this GM is great at:

Inclusive

Storytelling

Creativity

Quarie avatar

Quarie

Very clever storytelling, makes me laugh on a regular basis, but also gives some really emotional moments that have an actually made me shed tears. I thoroughly enjoy our sessions, and I’m always looking forward to the next one

dipri avatar

dipri

Chris is an immersive storyteller who puts things across both with vivid worldbuildng elements and the ability to convey urgency, wonder, and a myriad of other things through turn of phrase and tone of voice.

Alexei Hreczuck avatar

Alexei Hreczuck

I have played a few games with Chris before, and he does his best to accommodate his players. Though there are times when he gets a bit of tunnel vision with specific plots or characters, he still makes things fun and engaging, whether in one setting or a combination of two different ones. I recommend you try one of his games when offered just to get acquainted.

Simon Phipp avatar

Simon Phipp

Chris is very creative, especially regarding using myths in storytelling

Vanessa  avatar

Vanessa

I played in three game systems with Chris. Star Wars, Pathfinder, and World of Darkness. He's really good at encouraging players to create a compelling backstory and family members, working with them one-on-one when they make characters. You need to be somewhat familiar with the genre expectations, but you don't need to know all of the game rules. Expect 85 percent combat and 15 percent character development in Pathfinder, and about 70 percent character development and dialogs in Star Wars and World of Darkness. Star Wars focuses more on the group character goals, while World of Darkness can take a little while for all of the characters to be on the same page - because he allows lot of individual character development scenes. Good for all levels of players, and he encourages players to introduce backstory moments and find their own voice in the group. That said if you know the rules really well, please discuss any "specials" or obscure ability combinations before introducing them. GM has last word on the rules, although will consult the rule books for guidance. The balance for players is searching for ties to the other players rather than relying all on your backstory characters so that everyone can feel included. Pay attention to game ratings as well. Finally, something Chris does first, is discuss expectations of the game and possible triggers, usually in a zero session or the first session.

Shannon Keys avatar

Shannon Keys

I've run in many games with Chris as a GM. He really allows players to be creative with their chatacyers, and persue what they are interested in in the game setting. He also wants everyone to have fun, and feel comfortable at his sessions.

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