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Cid S.

Cid S. (he/him)

5.0

(29)

Artist
Game Designer

1 year on StartPlaying

337 games hosted

Highly rated for: Creativity, Storytelling, World Builder

Average response time: 4 hours

Response rate: 100%

About me

A foul-mouthed asshole with 20+ years of experience running games that are bloody, brutal, and insanely satisfying—and loving every second of it! I got my start playing with a bunch of grognards, and so I bring an old-school sensibility to new-school rules—or running classic systems if that’s your thing. I enjoy creating bloody, brutal adventures where every victory is hard won and oh so satisfying. Expect my games to push you to your limits with gruesome creatures, complex choices, and victories that are STUPID satisfying when you claw your way out of the depths of a dungeon drenched in BLOOD AND GLORY! You’ll claw, confess, and sometimes curse my name, but you’ll never forget you played here. If you’re looking for gritty, hard fought adventures, you’ve already found your match!

GM Style

[My Philosophy:] I aim to provide a DM experience unlike any other! My table is a respectful and inclusive space for players of all walks of life, where everyone feels welcome and can trust me to deliver on the game's intense promises. However, let's be clear: the games themselves are designed to be brutal, pushing characters to their limits and exploring themes that aren't for the faint of heart. Player agency is sacred; your choices don't just matter, they actively shape the brutal realities of the world and make your hard-earned victories (or defeats) profoundly personal and memorable. I'm also open to experimenting with unique builds and homebrew rules—if it doesn’t work, no harm, no foul. I treat everyone equally and fairly, making logical rulings even when they suck for everyone involved. I work with players to tackle challenges and earn their stripes as veteran dungeon crawlers, forging exciting, unforgettable stories along the way. While I've earned a reputation for a high player kill rate, believe it or not, I WANT you to succeed. [What I Run:] I’m a major fan of violence, complex characters, gruesome creatures, and grim atmospheres. That said, I’m equally happy running a cozy life sim or a magical girl story. My favorite genres—grimdark, horror, and fantasy—often shape my stories into thoughtful explorations of themes like overcoming adversity, morality in gray worlds, power, sacrifice, loss, legacy, and destiny...with some really bad dad jokes sprinkled in for good measure. [Voice Games:] We use Discord, complete with music, ambiance, and sound effects to bring the game world to life. I also provide reference photos, maps, and backgrounds to immerse you even further. For big, important battles, Roll20 is our go-to. Cameras aren’t required, but they’re always appreciated! [Play-By-Post Games:] Leveraging nearly two decades of dedicated Play-by-Post experience, I craft deeply immersive, sandbox-style games on Discord, using a dice roller bot to track the brutal ebb and flow of combat and skill checks. Expect epic group quests seamlessly woven into a dynamic, player-driven narrative. My expertise ensures a consistent pace and a rich, evolving story, perfect for players who love to sharpen their writing and dive deep into ongoing, asynchronous adventures. So, sharpen those writing hands and rev up those typers—the story's waiting. [My Weekly Prices:] - Live Games: $20 per player - Play-by-Post Games: $12 per player [Custom Game Prices:] - Custom Live Games: $30 per player - Custom Live Duets: $50 per player - Custom Play-by-Post Group Games: $25 per player - Custom Play-by-Post Duet Games: $50 per player

Game Master Reviews (29)

Proficiencies

Players say this GM is great at:

Creativity

Storytelling

World Builder

Scotty avatar

Scotty

Played 129 sessions

Cid has truly mastered the art of storytelling in this Neo-Babylon campaign. His world-building is phenomenal - from the detailed descriptions of environments like Elysium Heights and Nexus Central to the complex political dynamics between corporations like Zenith and Sophit. Every location feels alive with sensory details that make it easy to visualize the setting. His character development stands out especially with antagonists like Killer Crone. Rather than creating a one-dimensional villain, Cid crafted a complex character with a tragic backstory that connected organically to the world's corporate politics. The way he revealed her history through Resonance's power absorption was brilliantly executed. The pacing of combat encounters deserves special mention. The battle against the Cauldron and later the Killer Crone herself had perfect tension, with moments of triumph and setbacks that kept everyone engaged. I appreciate how he incorporates each character's unique abilities into the narrative, making our powers feel consequential to the story. His prose is vivid without being overwrought, creating atmospheric scenes that capture Neo-Babylon's cyberpunk aesthetic. The way he describes technology merging with magic creates a unique setting that feels both familiar and fresh. Perhaps most importantly, Cid responds well to player agency, adapting the story to accommodate our choices while maintaining a coherent narrative. He's created a world that feels alive and responsive, where our actions as characters genuinely matter. Overall, Cid's storytelling elevates this from a simple game to an immersive collaborative narrative that I'm excited to continue exploring!

Shea avatar

Shea

Played 113 sessions

Cid is an amazing storyteller and world builder in the play by post game I am in. His ability to balance risk and create a sense of stakes in each scene is phenomenal. Even though he has great control of the worlds he builds, he is always open to suggestions for making the game better. I get excited each time I see a post come through.

Athanasia avatar

Athanasia

Played 112 sessions

Cid does a fantastic job of making an immersive and ever growing world for our characters to be a part of. He looks for feedback and is very considerate in adjusting the game to fit our needs and comfort level while still keeping it challenging. Teamwork and creative solutions are encouraged and he does a wonderful job incorporating it into the story. He's been a warm and welcoming GM and I've really enjoyed playing in his game. Hope to play in more games in the future and for sure would recommend!

Night avatar

Night

Played 61 sessions

I've been playing with Cid for a few months now, and this is officially the longest I’ve ever committed to a game—and every moment has been worth it. His worldbuilding is nothing short of spectacular. As you explore different locations, it’s clear how deeply he understands his setting, creating an immersive and engaging experience. Beyond that, he continuously introduces new events and creative ideas, keeping the story fresh and exciting. His descriptions of actions and dialogue are vivid, and he seamlessly integrates your character into the world, ensuring their presence and choices feel meaningful. Overall, it has been an absolutely epic experience!

Devin avatar

Devin

Played 61 sessions

Cid’s worldbuilding is spectacular. As you read through the different places you can tell he is very knowledgeable about his setting, making you feel immersed. In addition, he can drop new places in the setting without breaking the immersion, feeling like they were always there to be discovered. This feeling carries over into his storytelling. He is great at describing the actions and dialog that takes place, and he can help enhance describing any actions you may come up with if you are not used to doing so. He is supportive of trying new things and making your character feel important. One of the things I appreciate about his storytelling is there are consequences for actions and non actions. For example, if we as heroes avoid a situation this week to take care of another, it usually escalates to something bigger to take care of the following week. I don’t know many GM’s that can make their world/environment feel that organic and alive. I highly recommend you give his games a try.

Alvin  avatar

Alvin

Played 49 sessions

Started playing on Cid S’s Marvel Faserip Quantum Zero Play-by-post game and it’s been great from the start. Cid is very approachable and helpful both to new players and people familiar with the game. The Faserip system is great in many ways but the rules often do need both clarification and updating as the system was designed in the 1980s. Cid does that very well and is also fair in his rulings. He also gets the views of the party as to what they feel is fair or what they want for the game before doing this. The updated rules are posted in a separate channel for easy reference. In terms of the PbP, Cid is responsive to questions asked and the game moves at a good pace. There’s 1-2 large posts per day from him and smaller responses to queries as well. For combat, Initiative is done individually but then you can post your character’s actions out of order and he will then rationalise it after. That’s helpful for a PbP game. Overall, I would definitely recommend others try Cid and also this campaign. It’s great to be able to play an old favourite but also be part of its updating and evolution. Contrary to his profile description, there’s not actually been any foul mouthed rants to date….

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