Mike the DM

he/him

4.9

(7)

Timezone

America/los Angeles

Language

English

Identity

Streamer

Podcaster

Cosplayer

About Mike the DM

They say to be a true "Master" at a craft, one must have more than ten thousand hours of practice. With me, what you see is exactly what you are getting: a smart-assed, irreverent (cheeky) cosplay nerd with a love for all things Dungeons and Dragons that has fuelled my thirty-five-plus years in this hobby! ... a veritable MASTER Dungeon Master! I am experienced both in playing and running many different systems - from Palladium (TMNT) to Marvel (FASERIP) Superheroes to decades of experience captaining the flagship of the TTRPG industry: Dungeons & Dragons (all editions). At my table: I work with each of my players to create vibrant backgrounds that allow them to be awed and surprised - and to surprise the other players with - twists, turns, plots, macguffins and red herrings! I strive to work with my players individually and collectively to mesh their characters into the greater backdrop of the campaign world, and to weave enchanting and exciting tales of adventure and danger that will keep them - and any viewers - on the edges of their seats! I am openly friendly to BIPOC, LGBTQ+, and neurodivergent players and creators and feel that **everyone** deserves a chance for their voice to be heard - for their tale to be told... and I do my level-best to help them achieve that.

At a glance

3 years on StartPlaying

Highly rated for: Inclusive, Creativity, Storytelling

Featured Prompts

I got started GMing...

A LONG time ago. I am an ancient silver dragon... birthed in the dark times of the Mentzer boxed edition and the (1e) AD&D books without the orange spine.

How Mike the DM runs games

I love roleplay and encourage it with my players... I try to do voices... and have even expanded my dwarves to NOT have Scottish accents (well... SOME of them, anyway)... I like using theatre of the mind to describe events, encounters, monsters and settings and envoy graphic and visceral descriptions, as I find it sets the mood... that said, I am very much a supporter of consent and respect boundaries and will absolutely want to conduct a "Session Zero" to ascertain safety levels, no-go subjects and player style preferences... we ALL want a table that we can sit at and enjoy and I want to make sure that all my players take enjoyment away from each and every session. I look forward to working with my players to develop and flesh out their character backgrounds... and to work with the entire party to create memorable adventures with the group... my style is a combination of "tapestry" and "sandbox" where players will be given clues, plot-threads to pull on, offered opportunities and granted capacity to do a thing or find their own adventure (with dozens of paths and "side-quests" to undertake)... all while somewhat within the confines of 'realism'... one can't take a flying ship to another continent until one actually finds one... that sort of thing. Also... to me, "NPC" often stands for "Not Particularly Cooperative" Haha!

Mike the DM's ideal table

My ideal table has a diverse mix of players who bring their interest in playing the character they want to play, while at the same time having an openness and willingness to work WITH the other players in crafting an exciting and enjoyable chronicle for everyone involved. (You will not fit well at my table if you adverse to the word 'diverse') I encourage moderate-heavy roleplaying, I work with the players to incorporate their characters into the overall metaplot as well as to give each of them some uniqueness in their character backgrounds to allow them a "personal" stake in the adventure. Heavy focus on player choices & consequences, while at the same time maintaining a safe and inclusive environment to allow the players to be themselves. Humour is great... PVP is STRONGLY discouraged.