StartPlaying logo
game master profile header image
Michael Ross

Michael Ross (he/they)

1 year on StartPlaying

About me

I'll keep it simple. I love D&D, and I love DMing. I've been doing both for years now. My games have a focus on small-scale, character-driven plots and tough decision making, intertwined with grand spectacle and background world-building. I stay as true to the rules as possible, but am a huge fan of OSR-style improvising situations. Combats shouldn't always be kill-them-all; a variety of objectives will be available in major skirmishes! That's the short version. If you like what you see, read on to find out a little more about me. I've been a DM and a player for around 7 years now. I've sat at many different tables - crunchy, power-gamer campaigns. 40 sessions of mystery that all took place in a single, tiny town. Grand epics spanning nations and eras, the fires of rebellion against the crushing forces of maniacal megalomaniacs. From level 1 to level 20, I've played for and led every tier of characters. I've introduced beginners to the system, and worked alongside those far more versed than me. Needless to say, D&D is an extremely versatile system. But for me, its greatest strength is in its ability to tell a compelling narrative. In my campaigns, there are 3 agents in this game; - The DM, - The Players, - The Dice. I, as the DM, want to have the least agency in this entire setup. It may be counterintuitive, but it's my promise to you as players. I will facilitate a world, and its consequences, but you will all have direct impacts on the direction of a story. It will largely be influenced by your decisions, your aspirations, and your successes and failures. Which leads me to my final point; we are all beholden to the dice, and we must roll with whatever we are given by them. A level of trust is needed at the table when it comes to using dice, for both players and DMs. As such, I intend to roll in front of the table for crucial rolls, and ask you all to do the same with me! That's all from me. Happy dragon slaying, and hope to see you at my table soon :)

GM Style

-Character-focused, not backstory-focused. Players should expect their characters to grow as a response to the events in front of them, rather than falling on their past. -Roleplay. The bread and butter of my games. -Character voices. Between accents and tones, I aim to make my world feel real for you.

What's StartPlaying?

Tabletop Roleplaying Games Run by Game Masters

  • Find a game to join solo or search for a professional game master for you and your friends/coworkers/family.

  • Book your session and wait for the Game Master to approve you.

  • If you don't have a blast with your first game, your next game is on us.