Steven Johnson
he/him
5.0
(15)
Timezone
Language
Identity
About Steven Johnson
Hey, hey people! Steven here. I am what can be scientifically classified as a "Forever GM". I have hosted games for friends I knew since high school, strangers on the internet and in one instance, even co-workers. As part of my pokemon evolution, I am now hosting games on SPG as well. I appreciate art and beauty wherever I find it, from novels to games, from music to anime. To see the passion and soul that other, much greater people, put into their art brings a tear to my eye. I got into DnD because of a song on youtube long ago. It was so emotional, so inspiring, that it lit a fire in me to try and create something similar. Then I brought my friends together, kicking and screaming, to play some DnD, and the rest is history. In my games, I try to capture a fraction of the beauty that true art has, so we can live through those moments of inspiration too, not only admire them from afar.
At a glance
Less than a year on StartPlaying
59 games hosted
Highly rated for: Beginner Friendly, Storytelling, Creativity
$25 per session
Average response time: 1 hour
Response rate: 100%
Top Game Master
One of StartPlaying's top-rated GMs, a player favorite and highly recommended.
Featured Prompts
My favorite books are
The Boxer (webtoon) HPMOR (fanfiction) Ascendance of a Bookworm (light novel)
The three words my players would use to describe me are...
Fair, funny and chaotic. I received way more praise than I deserve from them, but I strive to meet it.
How Steven Johnson runs games
I value fairness above all else in my games. Fairness towards you as the player, to enjoy the game you are playing, fairness towards your fellow players, who want to enjoy the game as well, and fairness towards the game itself, wherever the dice might lead us. I respect the rules as the foundation that helps give the game structure, but I don't hesitate to bend them if the story calls for it. I give players the opportunity to shine, but I won't ignore the rules to give you an unfair advantage. I am dedicated to let players write their own stories. The true beauty of TTRPGs is that we are living a story together and the best games I ran were the ones where the players got me by surprise. You will, however, have to face the consequences of your own actions, because opportunity comes with risk. I try keep sharp with my world-building. NPCs have feelings, ambitions and desires, locations have history, and actions have weight.
Featured Prompts
I prep by
Populating the world with lore, characters, locations and encounters. Then I let the players do their thing. You adopted the edgy assassin npc and helped her deal with her trauma and fear of abandonment so she will help you fight the BBEG? All according to keikaku.
My favorite trope is...
The Last Stand. There is something oddly heroic about the will to keep fighting even after all hope is lost and the characters stare death in the eyes.
My games focus on...
Making a great story. And I don't mean it in the superficial sense. I set the starting point of the story. The players then play out that story, create plot twists, grand triumphs and epic failures. Lastly, a diary is written so you can get a hit of nostalgia years later.
Steven Johnson's ideal table
I use the 3 guidelines below to encourage my tables to have the most fun as a team and keep the good vibes going. 🗺️ Please make an effort so that your character's goals align at least tangentially with those of the party. For example: If your character is a power-hungry wizard, they should stay with the party because strong allies will help them gather forbidden knowledge, not wonder in the dungeon alone and get picked off. ⭐ Try to engage with other's characters. I am much more generous with hero points if players work together, and this is a team game after all. 🗣️ Do not antagonize each other's characters, unless the other player is onboard with it. Do not let in-game conflict lead to out-of-game animosity.
Steven Johnson's Preferences
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