Sam
he/him
5.0
(22)
Timezone
Language
Identity
About Sam
Hi there and well met! I’m Sam, a GM and documentary filmmaker from Germany. I’ve been playing TTRPGs most of my life and running games regularly since 2020. I love running fantasy, science fiction, and horror games. I draw a lot of inspiration from my work in documentary film: I think in scenes, images, and character moments, and I build stories around the people at the table rather than just the plot. At my table, you’ll often face hard choices and moral questions, but always within the safety of the game. I enjoy teaching new players, explaining rules clearly, and giving everyone space to push their characters and leave a lasting mark on the world we create together. I’m looking forward to having you at my table!
At a glance
1 year on StartPlaying
15 games hosted
Highly rated for: Sets the Mood, Teacher, Creativity
Average response time: Under 1 hour
Response rate: 100%
Featured Prompts
I got started GMing...
...because I missed playing after moving cities. Then lockdown hit, cramming me and my eleven flatmates into one house for months with not much to do. I taught them D&D and Call of Cthulhu, started running games, and haven’t stopped since.
My 3 systems I'd bring to a desert island would be
If I’m alone, I’d bring SoloDark. If I have company, Ultraviolet Grasslands and the Black City for its open, wildly creative writing, and Tribe 8, because I love sourcebooks written from the perspectives of the people who live in the setting.
When I'm not running games I'm...
...usually thinking about running them, learning new systems, exploring settings and lore, and discovering new creators. I also make documentary films about people and their work and labor, go field recording, and read older, often darker science-fiction novels. I also play videogames.
How Sam runs games
My games are all about roleplay and shared storytelling. Most of the time we play in our imaginations (“theater of the mind”), but I’ll bring out maps when it helps make a fight or location clearer. I use music, ambient sound, and sometimes even my own field recordings to set the mood, and I like to show images or scene art so you have something to picture while we play. The people you meet in the game, whether friends, rivals, or villains, are meant to feel like real characters with their own voices, quirks, and goals. Encounters are not just about rolling dice to kill monsters; they are chances to make choices, talk, negotiate, and see what kind of person your character becomes. I will always encourage you to add your own ideas and help shape where the story goes. If you are new, you are very welcome at my table. I am used to teaching beginners, I explain rules step by step, and I never expect you to know everything. Your job is just to bring your curiosity; I will help with the rest.
Featured Prompts
If my games were Movies they'd be directed by...
Ridley Scott, Jon Carpenter, and David Lynch.
My games focus on...
a curated, lived-in world where your PC matters. I encourage active interaction with locations and NPCs, and I pace growth through fair, meaningful challenges.
When it comes to voices
At my table you will hear a lot of voices. I play with tone, rhythm and accents so NPCs feel alive and different. That is my job, not yours: you never have to do funny voices unless you want to.
Sam's ideal table
If you sit down at my table, we will care a lot about the characters. I love players who are curious, who ask questions, poke at mysteries, and think about how their characters feel, not just what they can roll on the dice. Most of the time we play by talking. We speak in character, react to each other, and let scenes grow from that. You do not need acting skills or funny voices, only a bit of imagination and a willingness to listen and respond. I enjoy teaching, I am happy to explain rules as often as needed, and your questions are always welcome. I like darker, more serious worlds, but the table itself is fun and relaxed. There is room for laughter, cheering each other on, and sharing the spotlight. Newcomers and veterans play together at my table, learning from one another and helping each other have a good time.
Featured Prompts
I love it when a player
draws another into roleplay and together they create the sense that everyone shares equally in the fantasy. As a GM, that’s when I’m most moved and proud.
I think metagaming...
can be useful. I run OOC syncs to align quests, NPCs, leads, and hooks, especially in sandboxes. Safety tools are a good example for useful metagaming too. But don't use player-only knowledge or read monster stats or modules. If things are unclear, ask for a check; I’ll telegraph or call for rolls.
My table is not the place for...
players chasing the latest overpowered build. If your concept exists only to max DPR, this isn’t your table. It’s also not a fit for lone wolves or egotism. We play as a team with story, fairness, and fun at the center.
Sam's Preferences
Systems
Platforms
Game Mechanics