
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.
Games played
Game platforms used
Chris 's Games
Game Master Reviews (6)
Proficiencies
Players say this GM is great at:
Inclusive
Storytelling
Creativity
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.
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.
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