About me

Yes, my initials are really GM and that's actually what I've been called for my entire life. I guess D&D was inevitable for me. I have been playing D&D since 2nd edition in 1998, and DMing on and off since then as well. While I loved the old-school game, the new 5th Edition, which focuses on roleplaying, story creation, and character depth, speaks to my background in theater and writing. I'm an English teacher by trade, and I went to journalism school. My style is Theater of the Mind - no hex maps, no minis, just people sitting around a (sometimes virtual) table and creating compelling stories together. I'm good with both newbies and long-timers. The games I run are mostly published adventures for D&D 5e, with some Dungeon Crawl Classics and other published adventures for previous editions mixed in. Of course, those are just guides, and as our story evolves together, I may alter things, combine modules, or throw in some homebrew content from time to time if it makes the story better. As a teacher, I'm an empathizer and harmonizer, but I'm also in it to challenge you to raise your game. I'm happy to teach and guide players along to make sure they are having fun, but I will also challenge you to make difficult, meaningful decisions. If you have a question, please ask! My answer is most likely to be, "Let's figure out how we can make that happen." But I also know how to set limits and structure an environment in which we can all have fun.

GM Style

While I grew up on the tactics-heavy, battle mat D&D games, that's not really where my interest lies anymore. Are you close enough to hit that monster? Sure! Unless you said you were standing far back. Being "just out of range" is no fun. Players want to DO things and use their awesome abilities to tell a great story - I mean, that's what we're all here for, right? That's the kind of game that brings me joy. If it brings you joy, too, I'd be happy to run the adventure for you. I have always done character voices and expressive roleplaying myself - I love to get into character, though as a teacher, I do have a calm, neutral, narrator tone that contrasts well with the colorful personalities you'll meet. Whether you feel comfortable talking in character or not is up to you. I won't push you to do it, but perhaps you'll be inspired by the world we create together. As for magic items - they're fun! Battles are no good if it's just rolling d20s and counting hit points. While I don't give out Wish Rings like candy, some magic items for roleplay and for battle will free you up to use your imagination and try interesting things. I'm all for that. If you know who Matt Colville is, I enjoy his style immensely and try to emulate it. His advice made me a much better DM.

Games played

Game platforms used