Ash Ely
he/him
4.9
(30)
Timezone
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Identity
About Ash Ely
I’m Ash Ely, Dungeon Master, Game Master, Co-Host of the RPGBOT.Podcast, and Contributing Author for RPGBOT.net. I am a professionally trained actor and I have a Masters Degree in Game Design. My passion is guiding players through unique experiences, weird worlds, meeting interesting characters and crawling challenging Dungeons. Combined with my training, I love fully immersing my players during sessions. I love the use of mechanics to create the ideal world, and I love the rules of the game…unless they get in the way of fun. As any good Dungeon Master should, I have mastered D&D. But I love other systems. Within my portfolio I run Powered By The Apocalypse, Call of Cthulhu and Vampire the Masquerade 5th edition. I’m adding Pathfinder 2e to my portfolio and the catalog of titles from Free League. If you’re looking for something either simple or complex, I can work with your group to craft your ideal campaign
At a glance
3 years on StartPlaying
278 games hosted
Highly rated for: Storytelling, Inclusive, Voices
Average response time: 16 hours
Response rate: 100%
Featured Prompts
I got started GMing...
Watching Critical Role when 5e first released convinced me to give the game a shot. I persuaded some of my friends to give it a shot but no one wanted to DM. So I stepped up to the plate. I’ve been a forever DM since.
How Ash Ely runs games
I believe in the first rule of tabletop roleplaying games: games should be fun. Players and roleplaying come first and are the foundation of a great experience. I love world building. I love games run in non-classical D&D settings with unique races and technology levels. I love to move beyond a Euro-centric medieval fantasy and take the opportunity to explore something new, different, and exciting. I love to focus on story and drama and emphasize the each player’s backstory and the player’s relationships. Combat is an important part of the game, but not the whole game. Combat is a vehicle that moves the story forward. Random encounters are fun and need to be part of the story. However, a random encounter should move the story forward and add to your experience. Most of all, I love working with all levels of players and welcome veterans and new players to join me at the table.
Featured Prompts
My games focus on...
Story and player characters first. I try to make every character feel like they are the star of the show. I like to make challenging combats as well but without the story stakes that characters bring to the table the battles become meaningless set dressing.
Rules are...
Be respectful of everyone at the table. Always say “yes and” whether it’s to me or one of your fellow players. Play to find out about yourself, the world and the story. Don't be dick.
Ash Ely's Preferences
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