John

he/him

5.0

(10)

Timezone

America/new York

Language

English

About John

A dungeon master for 14 years among friends, I started playing on a D20 system modified to run a Mass Effect game before getting into mainstream D&D. I followed the game from 3.5e through 4th edition and into 5th edition. Until it closed, I would volunteer to run beginner's sessions at Meltdown Comics. I'm a lifelong sci-fi, fantasy, and comic book geek. A deep well of pop culture knowledge. New players are my favorites - they can't be constrained by rules they don't know - but I've seen players I introduced to the game master the rules and reach 20th level. I like action and comedy, drama and intrigue, wonder and surprises. GMing is my favorite activity, I wish I could make money doing it - oh wait!

At a glance

2 years on StartPlaying

1 games hosted

Highly rated for: Creativity, Storytelling, Inclusive

Average response time: 13 hours

Response rate: 100%

Featured Prompts

I became a GM because

I've always wanted to tell stories, and through tabletop games I can do so with little to no overhead. I can send my players on the grandest of adventures, in worlds built by my hand, and I still get to be surprised by how they turn out.

How John runs games

I do love roleplay! I do love tactical, high-stakes combat! As a comic book fan, I'm after high melodrama and action-packed setpieces, yet also the comedy of living in a world where wonders and fantasy are day-to-day occurrences. I love a good battlemap, one that creates opportunities for players' imagination. I love players even more, especially the kind that can think of angles I hadn't considered. At my table, you're less likely to fall into a dungeon's trap and more likely to face the consequences of your actions. If you're into that kind of thing.

Featured Prompts

My games focus on...

Characters and set pieces. I like to play with relationships between NPCs and PCs, challenging you, and giving you opponents that warrant a whooping. I also obsess over battle maps in a mission to keep combat interesting. A fight's environment should shift with the stakes and create opportunities.

John's ideal table

Escapism is the name of the game. I'm happiest when my players want to roleplay with my world and challenge me to fill in the blanks. But no matter how dramatic the narrative may be, we're here to have a good time. Crack jokes - in or out of character. Just treat that character's goals as if they were real. Play the part and you can expect to be rewarded.