Sawyer

he/him

4.5

(15)

Timezone

America/los Angeles

Language

English

Identity

Streamer

Podcaster

Queer

Cosplayer

Voice Actor

About Sawyer

I'm Sawyer. Pleased to meet you. I'm a writer and voice actor who specializes in world-building and character relationships. As a player and game master, my storytelling is driven by curiosity; I both plan and improvise plot points based around questions I and/or my players want to pursue. I am inclusion- and diversity-minded in my games, and I not only welcome but want BIPOC, LGBTQIA+, and neurodivergent players at my tables. I hope we can play together.

At a glance

4 years on StartPlaying

74 games hosted

Highly rated for: Storytelling, Voices, Inclusive

Featured Prompts

I got started GMing...

Because my friends wanted to play Dungeons & Dragons during the beginning of COVID-19, and I volunteered. Best decision I ever made. That same campaign is almost four years old now, and one of my players started running a game of his own with the same friend group. So, I get to be a player too.

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

Hard to pick just three, but if I absolutely have to, I'm going with: - Dungeons & Dragons 5e - Star Wars: Saga Edition - Star Trek Adventures 2e

My favorite shows/movies are

Avatar: The Last Airbender The Blacklist Daredevil Doctor Who Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves Good Will Hunting Hook Kingdom of Heaven The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen Lord of the Rings Lucifer Once Upon a Time Pirates of the Caribbean Star Trek Star Wars Superman

How Sawyer runs games

As a voice actor, I really enjoy roleplay, and as a writer, I delight in worldbuilding and lore. But what I love most is the discovery of character, and there's nothing like collaboration to bring it about. To that end, I encourage my players to indulge their curiosity and follow where their characters lead, applying the Rule-of-Cool and a willingness to "Yes, and..." in-game. My favorite story beats have been those I did not expect, either because a player's choice forced me to improvise or because my own character wanted something I had to play honestly. I take those moments and I build around them. I hope you'll come build with me.

Featured Prompts

I deal with rules issues by...

With the Rule-of-Cool in mind, I encourage lateral thinking. That is to say, I won't reject an idea unless I have to, but if it's possible to achieve the same effect with a different approach or skill, I'll encourage that first.

Rules are...

To me, a game is a go-kart track. As the game master, I determine where the track begins and ends, and where the important turns are. If the players are the drivers, then the rules are the bumpers. They don't force the drivers to do any more or any less than stay within the boundaries of the track.

When it comes to voices

There's no such thing as too many voices.

Sawyer's ideal table

My ideal table is one in which each player understands that the best way for their own character to shine is to support their scene partner(s). I ask for and emphasize trust in each other and in me as the GM to provide those opportunities to stand out, to be aware of safety tools, and to speak up when needed. Additionally, I make a point to set up a "writer's room" for each game, so that players can discuss narrative/character ideas ahead of time so that we can set each other up for success, rather than "It's what my character would do" leading to real conflict in the moment. Having said all of that, and I know it's a lot, the other most important thing is fun. If we're not having fun, then what's the point, right?

Featured Prompts

If you're into ___, you're going to love my table

Anticapitalism and leftist sensibilities. Greed and bigotry are always bad guys in my games.

I love it when a player

I love it when a player looks for opportunities to share or outright give the spotlight. If you make your scene partner look good, everyone benefits.

I think metagaming...

Metagaming has its place, and only through a character's lens. If the character does not know specific information and cannot reasonably deduce where to seek it, then it warrants rejection or further conversation. Context is key, I would say.