Michael Tofte banner

Michael Tofte

he/him

5.0

(8)

Timezone

America/new York

Language

English

Identity

Queer
Neurodivergent
Teacher/Educator

About Michael Tofte

I have played TTRPGs for 15+ years (from play by text to Zoom to bar/cafe games to home games) and a DM for 2.5+ years with home games, bar/pub games, youth games, and free lancing! I love the creativity, story telling, character creation, and personal self-exploration & social bonding that TTRPGs bring! As a D&D player, when not a DM, I am a perpetual cleric player aka I love supporting, highlighting, and spotlighting my crew while also able to handle business when needed! I have fallen in love originally with the Marvel Heroic RPG & Mutants and Masterminds originally before some COVID Dungeons and Dragons obsessions. Upon moving to NYC, I began using D&D at Hex & Co as my go-to third space and helped found Uptown Enclave. Then as a DM became obsessed with all things Free League/Fria Liga to this day (and Triangle Agency)! My educational and work experience includes a trauma-informed care degree and expertise as both an interreligious logistics coordinator and a resident director: thus, I center player safety, trauma-informed safety tools, and fullness of player identity and inclusion in my games and desire to see the same from my players! I love cozy tea/coffee/books vibes; serious academic study and religious/philosophy/mystery exploration; spooky ghost telling; and guilty pleasure obsessed with heists! Thoughtful and cooperative chaos is welcome and encouraged! And always excited to be a Midwest Princess-vibe of a supportive DM/GM!

At a glance

Less than a year on StartPlaying

Highly rated for: Creativity, Inclusive, Teacher

Featured Prompts

My 3 systems I'd bring to a desert island would be

Vaesen, Dragonbane, and Triangle Agency! A little bit of solo play from horror folklore mystery to speedy and chaotic action and a little bit of meta-comedic corporate ghostbusters would entertain a solo-self or any failed rescue attempts now turned into a new campaign

My favorite shows/movies are

The Expanse, Gilmore Girls, The West Wing, Firefly, B99, Parks & Rec, Community, Andor, Delicious in Dungeon, Invincible, Frieren, Cells at Work Knight's Tale, LOTR, KPDH, American President, Ocean's Eleven, Star Wars Empire Strikes Back-New Hope-The Last Jedi-Rogue One, The Dark Knight

When I'm not running games I'm...

Either studying for my MDiv for chaplaincy work or being a coffee/tea snob or spending money I shouldn't at a used bookstore with a cat or catching up on DropoutTV, Netflix, YouTube, etc. (occasionally a concert or choir rehearsal)

How Michael Tofte runs games

I love narrative games! Especially those such as Vaesen with something like a non-combat resolution to a mystery or challenge, a heist, character relationships, intense negotiations, solving greater mysteries to the ecosystem/world/setting. I love role-play and creative solutions to a challenge. Combat is welcome as well! I love games that feature characters (even if only a few in a party) interested in religion, philosophy, education, detective work, code of ethics, etc. and how they play with characters interested in the mundane or earthy! Roleplay is encouraged though my voices are inconsistent! I love games in which the DM is both the greatest supportive cheerleader of the players while also creates an environment for dramatic monkey paw moments! I love both brooding, thoughtful, pensive, "spiritual" games but also loud, colorful, brash, and chaotic games. Fullness of character/player identity, creativity, passions, hyperfixations, interests, etc. are welcomed and encouraged to bring your full player and character self! For combat, outside of Dragonbane, I usually prefer adjusted theatre of the mind! I prefer characters with tension with other characters but recongition to the cooperative nature and especially players who desire to rejoice when their own character fails (both upward and downward) and pushes all of the buttons and doesn't play it safe/like a weasel/too meta!

Michael Tofte's ideal table

Featured Prompts

I am for a vibe that's...

Supportive and collaborative. Telling intense stories if so desired by the community but also telling whacky or heartwarmingly cozy stories if that is also the mood. I really appreciate when players move from a solo RP to RPing with relationships and shared goals!

I love it when a player

Both in-real life understands an obvious threat or concern to his character but within in-game logic, follows the story-beat to a dangerous situation and also relishes in that adrenaline thrill of pushing that button or opening that door!

My table is not the place for...

Too much meta-IRL knowledge into character play, cautious/not button pushing, and lack of an interest in both following and co-creating a story/in-world narrative together!

Michael Tofte's Preferences

Systems

Dungeons & Dragons 5e
Blades in the Dark
Vaesen
Gumshoe
Scum and Villainy
Tales From the Loop
Forbidden Lands
Coriolis – The Third Horizon
Ten Candles
The One Ring 2e
Things from the Flood
Wanderhome
Marvel Heroic Roleplaying
Dragonbane
Triangle Agency
THE ZONE RPG
Teatime Adventures
ink
Daggerheart
Coriolis: The Great Dark
Invincible

Game style

Roleplay Heavy

Theater of the Mind

Rule of Cool (RoC)

Puzzle / Mystery Focused