Lex
he/him
5.0
(5)
Timezone
Language
Identity
About Lex
Running TTRPGs is a longtime favorite hobby of mine. I've been GMing for over 35 years. I started out with AD&D 2nd ed. I’ve run a lot of games and systems through the years. My latest favorite system is Daggerheart, as it provides the kind of narrative-focused, player-directed gaming I enjoy. I appreciate a table of players who will put some thought into their character and backstory and give me hooks I can weave into the narrative to pull their character more directly into the story. I shape the adventures and campaigns I run around the player characters, and the decisions they make matter and can lead to changes in the world itself. I've also produced a number of podcasts about gaming and GMing specifically, including the shows Game Master’s Journey and GM Intrusions. I've also GMed some actual play campaigns of various games on my YouTube channel podcasts. Between running games at local game stores and running games at GenCon, I have a lot of experience running games for strangers of diverse backgrounds. I also have a lot of experience teaching new players RPGs. I really enjoy it. I ran my first games in high school, and most of the players I recruited then had never played a TTRPG before. I've found new players to be some of the most fun players I've gamed with. In recent years I've run a lot of games online using a virtual tabletop or theater of the mind in Discord. I've recently started using Foundry and I really enjoy it, and it can provide an even better experience to the players. I’m a science fiction author and podcaster, and I have just published my debut novel. I've found that being a writer and a GM use a lot of the same mental muscles, and I love doing both. I’ve also published some D&D supplements that are available on my website. I'm wanting to get a few different Daggerheart games going. If you'd like to play in one of my games but the listed day or time doesn't work for you, feel free to message me and let me know your availability. I might be able to get another group going at a time that works for you. I want to help as many players play this wonderful game as I can.
At a glance
Less than a year on StartPlaying
2 games hosted
Highly rated for: World Builder, Inclusive, Creativity
Average response time: Under 1 hour
Response rate: 100%
Featured Prompts
My favorite books are
The Wheel of Time by Robert Jordan The Murderbot Diaries by Martha Wells The Radch Trilogy by Anne Leckie The Book of the New Sun by Gene Wolfe Children of Time by Adrian Tchaikovsky Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir The Culture Series by Iain M. Banks
My favorite shows/movies are
Murderbot Pluribus Severance Stranger Things The Expanse The Witcher Supernatural Star Trek the Next Generation Star Trek Deep Space Nine Star Trek Strange New Worlds Cowboy Bebop
When I'm not running games I'm...
Reading, writing, watching TV, playing bass, cooking, baking, hiking, knitting.
How Lex runs games
I’m a GM who first and foremost is a fan of the players. I will take elements and hooks from your backstory and weave them into the campaign. I will follow the story and adventure where you take it. I enjoy a balance of roleplaying and combat in a campaign overall. My main focus, though, is on the narrative and story. Not only do I bring in hooks from the player character’s backstory, but I also keep a lookout for anything the PCs mention they’re interested in or curious about during play. Not only don’t I mind when the PCs go somewhere unexpected or do something unexpected, I love it. Those are of the best moments of a campaign, when the PCs do something I totally didn’t see coming. Whatever game I run, I only call for a roll when it’s dramatically appropriate, when failure is very possible and failure would be interesting. I’m not a GM who will make you roll for every little thing you want to do. I'm usually a fan of "the rule of cool,” and I’ve been known to let players bend (or sometimes even break) the rules when they have a really cool idea. I do keep verisimilitude in my games, though. That said, some good humor at the table is always appreciated. At the end of the day, I’m a very fair GM. I'm a strong believer in doing my best to give the players what they want as far as the game experience. In our session zero I will ask questions to determine what kind of game you want, if there’s anything specific you’d like to see (or not see) and I'll do my best to deliver that. Personally, I tend to prefer light-hearted games with a lot of humor and fun, but also with serious, high-drama moments. I like a balanced experience.
Featured Prompts
I deal with rules issues by...
I usually know the rules of a system well enough that I can make rulings on the fly that are within the spirit of the system, even if I don't remember the particular rule. I'm willing to look a rule up if the players want and it doesn't interrupt the flow of the game too much. Above all I'm fair.
My games focus on...
everyone at the table having a good time and feeling safe to be themselves and be creative without judgment, on telling an interesting, exciting, and compelling story together. I focus on the player characters and their backgrounds and motivations, using these for springboards for story & adventure.
Rules are...
the beginning not the end, guidelines not laws. Rules can't cover all possibilities. I'm willing to improvise and go beyond the rules. However rules help to maintain fairness at the table, and I always carefully consider the consequences before changing a rule.
Lex's ideal table
My idea table is one where the players all respect and genuinely like one another. I like a vibe of cooperative storytelling. I love players who focus on making decisions based on the story, their characters' personalities, and what they would do in the situation, and leave it to me to worry about the rules. I really appreciate players who try to make sure everyone gets their turn in the spotlight. I love players who get into the game, the setting, and their characters. I appreciate players who support one another and everyone's ideas. I love it when a player puts their character into danger because it's the right thing to do, even if it may turn out badly for their character and even the whole party. I love it when PCs are heroic and take risks to do the right thing.
Featured Prompts
I love it when a player
makes sure all players are contributing to the story and getting a chance to shine. I love it when a player values the ideas of the other players. I love it when they follow the story and their characters' personalities and motivations as opposed to metagaming or following a plot.
I think metagaming...
has its place. Sometimes metagaming can be a distraction and detracts from the story and experience. Other times metagaming helps everyone at the table to communicate and get what they want out of the game while avoiding player conflicts and hard feelings.
I think min/maxing...
is kind of missing the point. I get wanting to play a capable and powerful character. But if you have a good GM and you trust them, you'll get there without min/maxing. I think it's much more fun for everyone to focus on making an interesting and entertaining character who's fun for you to play.
Lex's Preferences
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