Krystal
she/her
4.9
(37)
Timezone
Language
Identity
About Krystal
The first time I walked into a game store in 1992 and learned to play D&D, I was immediately hooked. Not on the game--that came later--but on the energy of the place, on the shared community, and on those beautiful, clicky-clacky dice! TTRPGs quickly became my favorite form of entertainment, and within a couple of years I was running games of my own. I continued running them through college, marriage, and the start of my family, but after my second child was born we moved away and I hung up my GM hat until 2020. I later discovered 5th edition online, and it re-ignited my passion for the hobby. This version of D&D is closer to the way I like to play than any other, so I started DMing again in 2021. I jumped on board with SPG in 2023, and I love having this chance to connect with new players, start new games, and tell new stories together!
At a glance
2 years on StartPlaying
254 games hosted
Highly rated for: Creativity, Teacher, Inclusive
Featured Prompts
I got started GMing...
In the late 90s, running D&D and 7th Sea for friends. That table stayed together until my husband and I moved two hours away. Much later, I was in a D&D Discord server for women with ADHD. I started DMing again with the greatest group, and haven't stopped since!
My 3 systems I'd bring to a desert island would be
Daggerheart D&D 5e FATE-- lots of free time to learn something new!
When I'm not running games I'm...
Hanging out with my family, thinking about games, watching videos and reading books to improve my GMing, and dealing with the paperwork of being a freelancer. Sometimes I also get to play in games!
How Krystal runs games
Here is what is most important to me to provide in a game experience: - deep character development - social interplay among characters - creative combat solutions - as much freedom as I can give the players as possible, while making sure that no one else at the table is overshadowed. That said, my "training" was in old-school D&D: early dungeon-crawling editions where the emphasis was on survival--and I love the tension and excitement that brings. So I'm always looking for great tweaks from older editions and other systems that will support the type of game my players want--whether that's gritty and grim, light and cozy, or somewhere in between! I work hard to cultivate a custom experience for my players in three ways: - developing characters they actually want to play, even if we have to stray outside of the official books - thoughtfully tailoring the adventures around the theme and tone my players want to explore, and character backstories where possible - constantly improving my ability to immerse them in the story by creating or curating descriptive scenes, music, voices and artwork. I have up-close and personal experience with social anxiety and neurodivergence, so I don't expect or demand that players use different voices or "act" their character. Instead, I provide an environment where players feel safe and encouraged to step outside of their comfort zone and experiment with play acting and character interaction. I'm not a trained voice actor, so we're all experimenting together. My favorite part of all of this is seeing players gain confidence in their characters and in themselves as the game goes on, and watching the bond between the party grow! I have a heart for teaching beginners and especially love bringing women into the game. If it sounds like my games are the type of experience you're looking for, book in one of my open games or shoot me a message and we'll find a time that works for you!
Featured Prompts
I once ran a session...
That dug into the character's deepest fears, darkest secrets and desires. By the end everyone was crying, and the players declared that it was the best session ever. I only ran this with a group that was together for a long time and built that level of trust; it can be too heavy for a new table.
Rules are...
Like a scaffolding to support the story that is being told. They should not get in the way of the fiction, but rather build a way for the story to unfold.
When it comes to voices
I usually have some sort of a different voice for each NPC, but if the conversation goes on too long, I'll often subconsciously drop it and just use my normal voice. I don't expect players to use a different voice or accent. I want players to improve their RP skills at their own rate.
Krystal's ideal table
I can be a bit of a chaos monster. Unpredictability makes me very, very happy. I love it when players come up with exciting ideas and when the story goes somewhere I didn't expect. I love to teach and love having beginners at my table! I believe a good table is made up of different types of people, but I do usually say that if tactical combat is the most important part of the game to you, I'm probably not the GM for you.
Featured Prompts
I think it's a red flag when players...
Come to a table with a fully created character. I want players who develop their characters after learning about the setting and the premise, and will have a conversation with the other players about the relationship they will have at the beginning of the campaign.
I think metagaming...
can be necessary to make sure the game goes smoothly. There are times when I have to clarify to players above the table what the characters would know, and times where insisting on relying solely on in-game knowledge will only slow things down.
My table is not the place for...
"adult" relationships to be played out beyond a bit of light flirting. It's also not the place for deliberate, frequent innuendo, or for being disrespectful to each other. And at my table, PC conflict is only played out with consent of the players.
Krystal's Preferences
Game Mechanics