Cory
he/him
5.0
(15)
Timezone
Language
Identity
About Cory
Building Parties ⚔️ |🤝Making Friends Hi, I’m Cory! I’ve been playing Dungeons & Dragons since 2006 and have spent the last 10 years running immersive campaigns as a Game Master. I’ve run dozens of campaigns and hundreds of sessions; most set in original homebrew worlds. When I’m not behind the DM screen, I’m either at the gym multiclassing into Fighter or working in the community supporting underserved populations through mental health, recovery, and housing access 😊 What you can expect at my table: 🎬 Storytelling that weaves your character’s personal backstory into the overarching story. PC and NPC motivations are most important as they answer the proverbial “why” at the table. 🎭 A balanced mix of roleplay, combat, exploration, and mystery. ⚔️ Combat that is more than “roll initiative” and “you hit.” Narrated combat sequences, environmental effects and danger, and unique win/lose-cons. It’s important to me that the combat makes sense and adds to the story overall. 🌍 Living worlds that react to player choices and evolve with the story. Small actions can set off major events to happen. Table Vibe’s: 👥 Human first. I promise to make mistakes, fumble around, look up a rule I forgot, lose a character voice mid roleplay, and have a tech issue or two here or there. If you’re looking for a perfect game, might I suggest an AI. 🐒Laid back, laughter, making friends, active Discord. Roll dice and be merry! 🍄 Inclusivity is paramount. Whether you’re neurodivergent, LGBTQ+, brand new to TTRPGs, or a veteran player, you’ve got a seat at my table. **Please note, if there is a campaign you are interested in but, it's not at a time/day that works for you, message me! I'm available most days from 6:30pm EST on (and pretty open weekend availability). We can start an adventure when it works for you!**
At a glance
Less than a year on StartPlaying
24 games hosted
Highly rated for: Inclusive, World Builder, Storytelling
Average response time: Under 1 hour
Response rate: 100%
Featured Prompts
I became a GM because
I love deep immersive storytelling. Creating a living breathing story with other people is truly top tier.
My favorite books are
The Name of the Wind, ACOTAR, anything by Brene Brown or Mel Robbins.
When I'm not running games I'm...
at the gym, out in the community advocating for people, reading a book, sitting at the pool. Living a life 15 year old me would be proud of.
How Cory runs games
🎲Platforms: We will use Discord to communicate between us and use Roll20 and D&DBeyond as game engines, for character sheets, and maps and other artwork. 🎭Roleplay: My games are an equal part roleplay and combat. I love creating deep rich NPCs for players to interact - complete with voices, personalities, flaws and motivations to make the world feel alive. ⚔️Combat: Combat (and victories) will feel earned and impactful. Lair actions, environmental hazards, and dynamic battlefield elements encourage my players to think strategically and use their characters’ abilities in creative ways to overcome challenges. 🧭Player Agency: I build worlds, not scripts. Your character choices, backgrounds, and goals shape the story. I focus on scenarios rather than rigid plots, letting the party’s actions drive what happens next.
Featured Prompts
I prep by
obsessing over player characters. Their backgrounds, secrets, and goals shape the world around them. I build scenarios instead of rigid plots, letting players explore freely and make meaningful choices. The story grows from their actions, creating a living world where the adventure writes itself.
My favorite trope is...
My favorite trope to explore as a DM is planar travel. I love the idea of adventurers stepping beyond a single world and venturing across different realms of existence. Traveling between planes opens the door to wildly different environments, and make it feel epic!
Rules are...
as written. I love the rule of cool for things that don't effect game play but, you are not using Druidcraft to essentially cast Ensnaring Strike. lol
Cory's ideal table
Who thrives here? Imaginative, story-driven players who like flexing their character in roleplay, puzzles, and clever skill checks. Sometimes talking your way past the guard is better than stabbing him. Who won’t enjoy this table? “That guy.” No lone wolves, no jerks, no spotlight thieves doing random chaos that stalls the game. This is a team sport. Tone of the campaigns? Somewhere between Game of Thrones and Monty Python. Epic stakes, dramatic moments… and occasionally someone falls off a wagon because they tried something incredibly stupid. What does your DM secretly love? Wild plans. If you think it might work, try it. Creativity and resourcefulness are always rewarded. What can players expect? Fair rulings using RAW, a little Rule of Cool when it fits, and strong respect for player agency. Your choices matter. What’s the table philosophy? It’s not about me or one player. It’s about all of us telling a great story and having fun together. Advice for players? Play your flaws. Sure, you’re a legendary hero… but are you still a sucker for a good tavern meal? Do you hate getting dirty? Are you irrationally afraid of geese? Flaws make the story better. DM superpower? Making every player feel like the main character while still letting the whole party shine, circa 2016. Best moment at the table? When strangers become friends and the table fills with jokes, banter, and unforgettable moments.
Featured Prompts
I love it when a player
lean into flaws. Like yes, I want to see the egotistical bard throw a punch at a heckler. Yes, your 8-intelligence fighter did a stupid thing when he was trying to be smart. Lean into it.
I think metagaming...
is that it should stay as far away from a TTRPG as possible. There is always going to be some level of knowledge players bring with them from outside the game, and that is unavoidable. However, I encourage players to focus on what their characters would realistically know, feel, and do.
I think min/maxing...
has its place. If I say we are running an optimized campaign in a Session Zero, then by all means min/max. But, I truly think a lot of the flavor of story comes more from the failures rather than the successes.
Cory's Preferences
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