Cory
he/him
5.0
(6)
Timezone
Language
Identity
About Cory
Building Parties ⚔️ |🤝Making Friends Hi, I’m Cory! I’ve been playing Dungeons & Dragons since 2005 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 full of mysteries, factions, and unforgettable characters. If you have any questions, please message me! I am an open book and happy to answer anything. What you can expect at my table: 🎬 Cinematic storytelling that feels like you’re inside a fantasy novel 🎭 A balanced mix of roleplay, combat, exploration, and mystery ⚔️ Tactical encounters that reward clever thinking and teamwork 🌍 Living worlds that react to player choices and evolve with the story Your decisions matter. I build scenarios rather than rigid plots, meaning the story grows naturally from what the party does. Some of the best moments happen when players surprise me and the world reacts. Table Vibe My games are welcoming, collaborative, and LGBTQ+ friendly. Whether you’re a veteran player or newer to the game, I focus on creating a table where everyone feels comfortable jumping into the story and being creative. If you enjoy immersive worlds, meaningful choices, exciting battles, and stories shaped by the players, you’ll feel right at home here. Bring your character ideas, grab your dice, and let’s create an adventure worth remembering. **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
4 games hosted
Highly rated for: Inclusive, World Builder, Teacher
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. Gotta balance the wizard and fighter levels, lol.
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 2012. 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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