Your Story Gaming (Graham)

he/him

5.0

(5)

Timezone

America/chicago

Language

English

About Your Story Gaming (Graham)

After semi-retiring two years ago, I've combined my two favorite hobbies of storytelling and tabletop gaming by becoming a professional GM! Collectively I have 8 years of experience as a GM with the bulk of that time taking place during my college years. I rediscovered TTRPGs after attending GaryCon with a friend. Over the past year I’ve created two adventures for two different systems, run 28 hours of games at three conventions, and run numerous hours of games for family and friends both in person and online. I’ve really jumped back into TTRPGs with both feet! And there are a couple of reasons for that. First, I was enamored with the simplicity of many of the TTRPG systems available today. Second, I embraced the concept of player agency. Put together these two things make my job as GM much easier allowing me to focus more on creativity and making the adventure/setting/world really come alive.

At a glance

Less than a year on StartPlaying

Highly rated for: Inclusive, Teacher, Storytelling

Featured Prompts

I became a GM because

I love creating stories with my players. Player agency is important and encouraged. Epic moments are amazing! Silly moments are amazing! Random tables are incredible! I have LOTS of game content I can't wait to use.

My favorite books are

The Dresden Files / Jim Butcher The Gentlemen Bastard series / Scott Lynch The Discworld books / Terry Pratchett The Long Way to a Small Angry Planet / Becky Chambers The Murderbot series / Martha Wells The Silo books / Hugh Howey John Dies at the End book series / Jason Pargin/David Wong

My favorite system of all Time is

Pirate Borg!!!! A rules light system with a pirate theme AND tons of random tables to create some of the most memorable moments?! What's not to love?

How Your Story Gaming (Graham) runs games

I want players at my table to have fun and tell their story! I accomplish this by leaning into the concept of player agency, making the world come “alive”, and approaching player’s ideas with “Yes, and…”. To me player agency means: * The world reacts to the players actions * There are multiple ways to overcome a challenge * Players are free to choose their own direction (no railroading) A world can come alive using descriptions that we can all relate to. So to the extent possible I like to use the five senses when giving descriptions. I also LOVE using random tables to generate NPC/Monster actions and reactions, items, encounters, loot, events, you get the picture. Rolling on a random table has created some of the best gaming moments for me as a player and GM. What do I mean by “Yes, and…”? It’s best described with a scenario. Player: I want to get past the Ogre guard by painting a small boulder as a ball and engage it in a game of “Who can kick it further” so it will stub its toe. Then we can run past while it's jumping around in pain. Me: My answer to that outside the box idea is…Yes! And how will you convince the Ogre to play? Nothing makes me more happy than players coming up with creative solutions to the challenges they face! Other aspects of my GM style: * Doing voices for NPCs * Theater of the mind * Using pictures and props to up the “cool factor” * Use maps for dungeon crawling but not combat * Avoid long tactical combats (combat is deadly)

Featured Prompts

My games focus on...

Allowing my players the agency to create their own story. Providing creative problems that require equally creative solutions. Caution and planning over brute force and combat. Theater of the mind over battle maps. Most importantly, HAVING FUN!

Rules are...

The guardrails of a game that allow everyone at the table, players and the GM, to have fun. When necessary they can be bent and on rare occasions broken in order to create incredible moments. The "soil" but not the "tree".

When it comes to voices

I'm all in!

Your Story Gaming (Graham)'s ideal table

I strive for a table that is FUN! Fun for the players and fun for me as the GM. How do WE do that? First, by creating a safe space for EVERYONE by employing safety tools and quickly correcting any behavior that violates any part of the established social contract. Starting with a session zero so we all get to know one another and determine if we're a good fit. Second, allowing player agency. It's the players story not mine. I strive to determine how the world reacts to the players, not railroad them into situation after situation. Third, encouraging creative solutions to challenging problems. If it doesn't break the game or detract from the other players having fun, then let's play it out and see what happens. Combat is rarely the solution but when it happens, it should be short. Fourth, creating memorable moments. I love epic and silly equally! Use of random tables are GREAT at nudging these moments into existence. I use them liberally!

Featured Prompts

I love it when a player

Offers a solution that catches me off guard. Leans into their character. Makes me laugh out loud. Laughs when I describe a ridiculous situation. Asks me if they can do ______, and my response is "Yes! And _______? Decides to just " Go for it!" Has an "A-HA!" moment.

I think min/maxing...

Makes for a boring game. Players want their characters to survive and become powerful but doing so at the expense of creating good story is boring. A party that can win every encounter isn't fun. Characters should struggle with encounters that are over their head. Defeat is part of the story too.

My table is not the place for...

Racism Sexism Ageism Bigotry Stereotyping Harassment Lengthy tactical combat Min/Maxing Always using combat as the solution Sticking to the ultimate letter of the game rules Putting another player's idea down no matter how outlandish it is Playing as a lone wolf Railroading storylines