Johnathan
he/him
5.0
(8)
Timezone
Language
Identity
About Johnathan
I’ve been GMing for over 25 years, with experience spanning Dungeons & Dragons (from its earliest editions through 5e), Pathfinder, Call of Cthulhu, Savage Worlds, SWADE, Barbarians of Lemuria, and Everywhen. My GMing style is highly adaptive to the table, but I specialize in horror-themed storytelling—narratives that immerse players in tension, mystery, and atmospheric dread while keeping things mechanically grounded and fun. I’ve run games both in-person and online, and take pride in maintaining an incredibly high completion rate for my campaigns. I approach GMing with a strong sense of structure, pacing, and flexibility, and I actively seek feedback to continually improve the experience for my players. Most of my work involves running published adventures and modules, but I enjoy enhancing them with unique twists and player-driven developments. For me, GMing is about more than telling a story—it's about building a dynamic experience that responds to the players' actions, explores the possibilities of the system, and helps everyone at the table have fun. I find great joy in interpreting rules, making meaningful rulings, and using all those elements to help players feel like their choices matter in the world we’re creating together.
At a glance
4 years on StartPlaying
Highly rated for: Sets the Mood, Knows the Rules, Creativity
Featured Prompts
My favorite system of all Time is
Everywhen
The three words my players would use to describe me are...
fun, consistent, energetic.
When I'm not running games I'm...
typically writing, or playing music.
How Johnathan runs games
My GMing style is flexible and player-focused, shaped by decades of experience across multiple systems and genres. While I adapt my approach to suit each group, I specialize in horror-themed adventures—stories that build suspense, tension, and atmosphere without sacrificing player agency or fun. Expect rich narratives, eerie twists, and moments that reward clever thinking and emotional investment. I love a good mix of roleplay, exploration, and tactical combat. My sessions typically feature well-paced encounters with mechanical depth and narrative stakes. I’m particularly attentive to the flow of combat—challenging but fair, with meaningful choices and consequences. I run published modules, but I modify and expand them to better suit my players’ goals, personalities, and backstories. Player feedback is a core part of my style. I work hard to ensure that everyone at the table feels heard and involved. I’m not here to “win” or steer the story—I’m here to facilitate an engaging, immersive experience where rules support the story, not get in its way. Whether it’s a brooding gothic horror campaign or a gritty dungeon crawl, my goal is to make each game memorable, well-paced, and deeply satisfying.
Featured Prompts
I once ran a session...
for almost 24 hours! Hah. It was the Lost Mine of Phandelver module for 5th Edition. We began at 10 AM on Saturday, and it was intended to be a 4 hour session. At the end of the 4 hours I was having a good time and asked the group if they wanted to continue. That cycle repeated about 4 times! Lol
Johnathan's ideal table
Featured Prompts
I love it when a player
engages with the world by paying attention to details. Even something as simple as addressing a question to an NPC instead of to me as the DM makes my heart soar!
I think metagaming...
doesn't really exist. There's a difference between metagaming and cheating, and most of the times when people refer to metagaming it seems to me that they're actually just referring to flat out cheating.
Johnathan's Preferences
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