Nate

he/him

5.0

(51)

Timezone

America/new York

Language

English

Identity

Veteran

Teacher/Educator

Game Designer

About Nate

You want to play some roleplaying games? Me too! Way back in the late 1900s a buddy of mine got a D&D starter box for his birthday and got us all hooked. One of our parents caught wind of it and shut it down (thanks, satanic panic), but hilariously we managed to fast-talk them into letting us play White Wolf games instead and the rest is history. I come to the table with two decades of military experience and a background in formal wargaming, but don't be scared! My number one priority is creating a safe and inclusive environment (especially for marginalized folks), so if you don't know the first thing about tactics then I am happy to help your character become the kind of hero that ignites your imagination. On the other hand if you're hankerin' for a challenge then I am more than happy to make your hero earn their happy ending. I am a fervent believer that there is a table out there for everyone and that the right game can change your life in a real, meaningful way. My goal is to create a game where your choices matter in determining the outcome of the story. Is there a campaign you're itching to try or a system that you've always been curious about? Shoot me a note and let's see if we can't get it off the ground! Most of all I'm just freakin' excited to play!

At a glance

2 years on StartPlaying

512 games hosted

Highly rated for: Creativity, Storytelling, Knows the Rules

Featured Prompts

My favorite shows/movies are

Movies: Sinners (seriously, it's so dang good), The Departed, Princess Mononoke Shows: Blue Eye Samurai, Invincible, Castlevania

How Nate runs games

I love playing the game to find out what happens. Sure, there are big things moving in the background (because few things are less fun than an empty sandbox), but my goal is for the game to be driven by your characters and the awesome stuff they do at the table. Whether we're doing an open world or a focused plot, I like to keep the momentum flowing and the spotlight on the cool choices that you're making. While I think of myself as a storyteller and a roleplayer first, I can absolutely bring the heat in combat encounters. If you love your characters but still put them into harm’s way for the sake of the story then we’re going to get along just fine!

Featured Prompts

I deal with rules issues by...

Taking no more than 1 minute to see if there's a quick reference handy, otherwise making a ruling and moving on. If a player has a reference handy then I'm happy to defer to them - I've been wrong before, and I'd rather get the answer and move on than get stuck in an argument that kills the vibe.

My games focus on...

Story. I want players to feel that they are taking part in a story that matters, one with personal stakes where their backgrounds are a meaningful part of what happens. And that story is driven by them! Sure, I have plenty of tools at my disposal, but we all share the story together.

When it comes to voices

I do my best! No, I'm not a trained voice actor, but what I lack in skill I try to make up for with enthusiasm. I think that consistent characterization and effort can make an NPC really come to life in play, so I'm always willing to put in the work to make it happen.

Nate's ideal table

My ideal table can best be described as "controlled chaos": players who are roleplay first and focused on telling a great story running characters who are more than a pile of numbers on a sheet. I want a table that leans into risk and chooses drama over "safe" choices, while still respecting the safety and comfort of all the players at the table. I love a good combat, but I want fights to be fast and dramatic, where the coolest move wins out over the "optimal" one. Most of all I want a table of people who are cool to each other and the GM, who genuinely get excited about playing together, and want everyone to shine.

Featured Prompts

I love it when a player

Spotlights the cool stuff that the other players are doing. Yes, you can make your own character look awesome and should totally get the chance to do so, but it's really special when players lift each other up at the table - it helps break down barriers and really get the roleplay going.

I think min/maxing...

Gets a bad rap, honestly. There's nothing wrong with wanting to be awesome, and you should want your character to succeed in whatever system you're playing! The trouble comes when the character is a bag of numbers and tricks but doesn't have a soul - Superman is OP, but he's still a character first.

My perfect party mix is

A group that is playing characters they're excited about. I don't want players to overthink "group balance" - that's my job! If everyone is enthusiastic about their own character and working together as a team, everything else will sort itself out (or at least tell a good story).