Jim
he/him
4.7
(9)
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About Jim
I run long-term Dungeons & Dragons campaigns where your character’s goals help drive the adventure. Your backstory gives you connections to the world, your choices affect what happens next, and the party becomes invested in one another’s stories. If you enjoy building relationships, pursuing personal ambitions, and seeing the lasting effects of your decisions, that is the experience I build my games around. I’ve been running D&D since 1985, and I still make time to play because I want to remember what the game feels like from your side of the screen. As a DM, I enjoy giving you situations worth exploring and watching your decisions take the campaign somewhere none of us expected. My games draw on classic fantasy with a darker edge: dangerous roads, ancient ruins, ambitious factions, and difficult choices. There is also room for humor, friendship, and the satisfaction of making things better. Towns remember your help, allies have lives of their own, and the things you build can become as important as the enemies you defeat. You don’t need acting experience, a character voice, or pages of backstory. Bring curiosity, a willingness to work with the group, and a character you want to discover through play. I’ll help you find your place in the world and give you reasons to care about what happens there.
At a glance
4 years on StartPlaying
63 games hosted
Highly rated for: Creativity, World Builder, Beginner Friendly
$20 per session
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I got started GMing...
I started in 1985 because nobody else wanted to DM, so I volunteered. I stayed because I loved watching players take adventures in directions I never expected. Decades later, those surprises—and the stories we still tell afterward—keep me coming back.
How Jim runs games
You can expect clear adventure hooks and the freedom to decide what to pursue. I prepare locations, factions, and people with goals of their own, then let your decisions shape how events unfold. You’ll have direction without needing to guess which path I want you to take. In one of my ongoing campaigns, the party has established a keep and built relationships with neighboring communities and factions. Each character has a personal goal, and the group works together to achieve them. One character’s search for answers becomes an adventure everyone shares, giving the whole party connections to people and places they might never have encountered otherwise. Sessions mix roleplay, exploration, and tactical combat, with the balance following the party’s choices. Combat generally follows the rules, with campaign-specific house rules explained beforehand. Creative plans and clever preparation matter, and talking your way past a threat can be just as rewarding as defeating it. I provide maps, handouts, shared digital resources, and written session recaps so you can stay connected to the story between games. We use Discord for voice and Roll20 or D&D Beyond Maps, depending on the campaign. New players receive help with character creation, rules, and technology, while experienced players have room to explore their characters and pursue ambitious plans.
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Rules are...
Rules give everyone a shared foundation and keep the game fair. I follow them closely in combat, while allowing good preparation, clever problem-solving, and strong roleplay to influence the difficulty—or sometimes remove the need for a roll entirely.
Jim's ideal table
My ideal table is a group of players who become curious about the world and invested in one another’s characters. You enjoy pursuing your own goals, but you also get excited when another character finds a lost relative, confronts an old enemy, or finally achieves something they’ve been working toward. You’ll fit well if you enjoy exploring, asking questions, forming relationships, and making decisions that have consequences. You don’t need to arrive with a grand ambition already written. Discovering what your character cares about can be part of the adventure. Characters can disagree, but players work together to keep the game enjoyable. Give others room to contribute, share the spotlight, and create characters who have reasons to stay with the party. Humor is welcome, alongside the quieter or more serious moments that give a campaign its heart. New and experienced players are welcome. Bring curiosity, communicate about attendance, and respect everyone’s time and boundaries. I want you to feel comfortable contributing ideas, asking for help, and helping shape a campaign we look forward to returning to each week.
Featured Prompts
I love it when a player
I love it when a player makes a decision because it is true to their character—even when it costs them something—and becomes invested in the stories and successes of everyone else at the table.