𖤐 Rob | Grimfun™ DM 𖤐

he/him

5.0

(12)

Timezone

Europe/london

Language

English

Identity

Voice Actor

Game Designer

About 𖤐 Rob | Grimfun™ DM 𖤐

Hi, I'm Rob, the Grimfun™ DM. (I haven't actually trademarked that... maybe I should.) Grimfun means that I run games that embrace the darker, more dangerous side of D&D. Villains who do truly terrible things. Horrific, nightmare-fuel monsters. Dark, grown-up themes such as cults, slavery, tyranny, dark magic, and character death. High risks, high stakes, and high rewards. It's the opposite of "cozy" (now THERE'S a word that makes me shudder...). So why not just call it "Grimdark" and be done with it? Here's why. My tables are a fun place to be part of. While the themes we explore together are dark, the stories we weave around them will be exhilarating. Expect laughter amidst disaster, breathless moments where everything hangs on a single roll, and victories that feel earned because the danger was real. That's Grimfun. A little more about me... I've been playing fantasy games for more than 30 years, starting with the wargaming club at my school. I live in the North of England, a few minutes' walk from the cold and mysterious North Sea — though I have not yet seen a Kraken.

At a glance

Less than a year on StartPlaying

3 games hosted

Highly rated for: Storytelling, Inclusive, Voices

$25 per session

Average response time: 2 hours

Response rate: 100%

Featured Prompts

I got started GMing...

Because I loved creating interesting backstories for my characters, but felt a little limited by the scope. As a DM, I get to create whole campaigns, stories and worlds!

My favorite books are

I'm heavily inspired by Joe Abercrombie's First Law' books. His writing is Grimdark but with a sense of humor, which is a vibe I emulate in my games.

My favorite system of all Time is

D&D! I have dabbled with other systems, but nothing beats it for versatility, lore, and the sheer depths of materials available.

How 𖤐 Rob | Grimfun™ DM 𖤐 runs games

I run D&D (5.5e) campaigns that fully embrace a Grimfun™ vibe. That means: 𖤐 Dark, high-stakes stories. Expect murder, madness, and mayhem, plus plot twists aplenty. 𖤐 Scary, skin-crawling monsters. Some are old D&D favorites. Others come from the depths of my own warped imagination… 𖤐 Complex, interesting villains you’ll love to hate. Sometimes you might need to work alongside them to survive. 𖤐 Crunchy, challenging combat, including epic boss battles that will push you to your limits. 𖤐 Moral murk and ambiguity. Expect hard choices, grey areas, and having to sometimes pick the lesser of two evils. 𖤐 Bad things happening to good people. Nobody is safe, and don't expect to save everyone. I build tables where everyone is involved, everyone is engaged, and everyone feels like an important part of the group and integral to the story we create together. I use maps for almost all encounters (not just combat), with maybe 5% theatre of the mind.

Featured Prompts

My favorite trope is...

The double cross. The backstab from the trusted ally. The rug being pulled out from under the players' feet.

Rules are...

Important, but can always be stretched! RAW works 95% of the time, but I'll always consider 'rule of cool' if it's going create a fun and memorable moment.

When it comes to voices

I deploy a wide variety of voices, which I know my players enjoy! Sometimes I feel like I can't control them. Why do Fey always come out Irish and Orcs and Hobgoblins end up as cockneys? Who knows...

𖤐 Rob | Grimfun™ DM 𖤐's ideal table

Playing online with people you may never have met before can be daunting. But it's also a great opportunity to make new friends, encounter new playstyles, and get inspired by the creativity and awesome ideas of other players. I set up my tables to encourage a fun, welcoming, and immersive experience. The themes in my games are often dark, and there are certainly serious and emotional moments. But personally, I always play with a smile on my face, and the same goes for my players! So expect laughter, teamwork, and creative play.

Featured Prompts

If you're into ___, you're going to love my table

Epic boss fights! My most memorable experiences as a player have involved crunchy, high-stakes battles against bosses I loved to hate. All of my campaigns are built around these kinds of climactic moments.

I think metagaming...

Is sometimes unavoidable. There can't be many players who start CoS not knowing Strahd is a vampire! But doing it deliberately to gain an in-game advantage is not cool.

I think min/maxing...

Is OK within limits. It's fine to want a powerful, effective character, and part of my job is making sure I rise to meet the challenge. However, deliberately trying to 'break' the game makes playing less fun for everyone.