Ian Wolfe

he/him

4.8

(5)

Timezone

America/los Angeles

Language

English

About Ian Wolfe

Welcome to the Wolfepack! My name is Ian, and I'm glad you're here. I’ve been playing DND for the last five years. I got into the game as an activity to do with my sons during the pandemic and fell quickly down the rabbit hole! I love the opportunity this game provides for community, shared storytelling, building community, and the chance to feel like an epic hero we used to dream about being as kids. I have run one-shots and longer published adventures such as Icewind Dale: Rime of the Frostmaiden. I always like to add my own little homebrew elements and give my players moments to shine. My favorite moments in game are when I get to sit back and watch the players make the game theirs, through moments of roleplay, strategizing, and making the world I’ve put before them their own. Since falling in love with DND, I’ve also begun exploring other TTRPGs. I am currently learning different systems, such as those produced by Free League, MCDM, & Critical Role. I keep up to date on DND news and new product releases. As a DM, one of my baseline principles is to remain a student of the game. I have learned much about what is to be a DM from watching liveplays, but also from my players.

At a glance

Less than a year on StartPlaying

Highly rated for: Inclusive, Storytelling, Creativity

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I got started GMing...

As a kid on a farm in Iowa with allergies, I spent a lot of time inside with my imagination. I wished I had learned then to play DND. The 2020's left us with lots of free time to spend inside again. I purchased the Essentials Kit and ran it for my sons. We loved it and have been playing ever since!

My favorite books are

Eclectic, for sure! For mysteries, I really enjoy the Walt Longmire series by Craig Johnson, the Joe Picket series by C.J. Box, & the Harry Hole series by Jo Nesbø. Loved the Red Rising & First Law trilogies. I also have a large section of patristic works on my bookshelves that I love dearly.

People are always surprised when I tell them

That I'm a pastor by trade and met my wife in seminary. I served congregations across three states for the last 18 years, until my wife's job recently moved us to California. It's given me time to spend with my family and to do fun stuff like running games for my friends, old and new!

How Ian Wolfe runs games

I love a mix of both roleplay and gritty combat that is driven by the narrative we’re telling. Many of my favorite sessions have been narrative-driven with strong roleplay between NPCs and PCs, uncovering plots, investigating various scenes, and unraveling the mysteries that are being set before them. These push the players forward toward epic moments of combat that can test the limits of their characters’ abilities. If I were to quantify my sessions, they tend towards being 60/40 roleplay to combat. I want encounters to feel authentic to the circumstances my players are in and also narratively satisfying. I plan storylines and encounters not only around what the module I’m running dictates, but also on what things the players have given me about their characters, what choices they make, and how the world responds to those choices, for good and for bad. There is a bit of hybridization that takes place in preparing for sessions, in designing around the needs and desires of both the players and their characters. I want my players to feel that they’ve had a custom experience, even if we’re running a published adventure.

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I prep by

My prep is a hybrid between the module and my players. The players and the stories they tell fill in the gaps present in modules. I use the previous session as a jumping-off point for prep. I outline as much as I can, guessing (and failing) what they might do next. I'm always surprised!

Rules are...

What makes a game what it is! The rules of music make space for improvisation! Rules of (sport) are what allow for MVPs, Hall of Famers, etc. But they are not absolute and need to flow with the game! Rules change & can be overlooked when the moment calls for it.

When it comes to voices

Not a nerdy voice actor, just a nerd who loves DND! I try to give my NPCs their own voice, but not always. I don't expect players to have a voice for their character unique from their own. It's cool when people do, but it's also cool when they don't, as long as we're all having fun!

Ian Wolfe's ideal table

The table I like to create is one of community and balance. I want my table to be a place to make friends and for everyone to have fun together for a few hours, away from the world. I want it to be a place where players know there's a pack watching their back. My tables are pretty jovial places where laughs are shared, but also where tears are permitted to flow freely. I mean, who doesn't cry at the death of a beloved NPC?!? I hope my table fosters a sense of community for my players. I also strive to find balance within my games. I am narratively driven and love rich storytelling, which is tempered and peppered with combat encounters. I love when we hit those serious moments in a game, but I also love a well-timed comedic barb! Taking the game seriously without taking ourselves seriously. I love working with players to come up with a rich backstory and implementing it in the game. But I also love giving players people and places in the game to care about if they don't have them already. I run games pretty much RAW, but also love moments when Rule of Cool is called for. I love rewarding players for their own creativity and what they bring to the game session. My table is open for beginners and for the well-learned gamers among us. As long as you're about having fun and ensuring others have fun at the table you will always have a place in my pack!

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I am for a vibe that's...

All about having fun and finding balance. I'm RAW until a player does something awesome and unexpected. I love heavy moments of roleplay accented by perfectly timed comedic breaks, being serious about the game without taking ourselves too seriously, and allowing every player a moment to shine.

I love it when a player

Surprises me! Either narratively or in the midst of combat. So much of the work of a DM is trying to plan and prepare, but my biggest joy comes from when a player steps up and engages the encounter in a way I hadn't thought of before. Freedom for creativity is what makes our hobby so awesome!

I think metagaming...

Is in some ways, inevitable. A player can never fully divorce themselves from the character they're playing. However, players should strive to restrain themselves from fully succumbing to that inevitability. I appreciate players who are cognizant of that struggle and engage with it in session.