Tommy
he/him
5.0
(6)
Timezone
Language
Identity
About Tommy
*Alright, roll to tap dance!* Hi there! I'm Tommy. I'm a teacher, a musical theatre nerd, and a gaming-geek. I've been DM-ing for more than a decade now (and teaching for even longer). I especially love working with kids and teens (and kids-at-heart). I often run games for LGBTQ+ and neurodiverse folks.
At a glance
3 years on StartPlaying
1 games hosted
Highly rated for: Storytelling, Voices, Inclusive
Featured Prompts
I got started GMing...
completely by accident. I inherited the abandoned D&D club at the school I taught drama at (of COURSE they would find the queer drama teacher.) That was more than a decade ago and I haven't looked back since.
My favorite shows/movies are
whodunnits and musicals. I feel like the movie Clue is the perfect encapsulation of the ideal D&D game – organized, with clear character motivations at the start, giving way to complete and utter farcical chaos by the end!
The three words my players would use to describe me are...
I asked one of my tables this question. Here's what they gave me (uncensored): • Such a dad-joker • Bafflingly over-prepared • Ready to roll with their bulls#@t …when I told them that was not THREE words but, instead, like, a dozen, they said, "ROLL WITH OUR BULLS#@T, TOMMY!"
How Tommy runs games
It's so hard to narrow down a specific outline of my GM style when every table seems so unique. But I'll do my best so summarize what usually shows up in my games: Collaborative World-Building: I believe the best worlds are built together. You aren't just a guest in my world; you are one of its architects. I try my best to help players work together to create our own unique, living, breathing worlds. Genre-Bending Narratives: "High Fantasy" is great, "High Fantasy+" is even more fun! I love blending, remixing, and kitbashing genres to discover unique adventures that don't exist anywhere else. Whether it’s a nanobot plague started by the Duolingo Owl, a floating sky-city inhabited by Gregs, or a flying midnight train piloted by the rock band Journey, our settings always end up unique and surprising. The "Rule of Fun": I prioritize narrative momentum and creativity over rigid rule-following. While I maintain game balance (and reserve the limited right of GM-veto), I lean heavily into the "Rule of Cool" and, even more so, the "Rule of Funny." If you have a wild, meme-inspired idea that fits the moment, I will find a way to make it work. Visual Storytelling: As a visual thinker and artist, I use tools like Owlbear Rodeo and custom art to bring the theater of the mind to life. I always enjoy inviting players to narrate specific scenes or describe the appearance of NPCs to keep the visuals as collaborative as the story. (And then it's a fun challenge to find art that matches these out-of-the-box descriptions.)
Featured Prompts
I deal with rules issues by...
…having an encyclopedic knowledge of all the official sources. Well, it's more like a thrift-store encyclopedia: we're missing books "D" and "W" and it was published in 1987…so… In all seriousness, we get hung up on the rules, I like to make a quick, kind, ruling and get back to the game ASAP.
Rules are...
important – they help keep the game balanced. Also, the most important rule is that this is OUR game and we get to do what we want. Balancing the rules-as-written with the joy of creating a fun game is a delicate tightrope I'm very good at walking on.
When it comes to voices
I've got a bunch of them! All up in my head – talking to me at the same time. …oh, you mean like character voices? Yeah, I do those! They're great – mostly. At least they're silly – mostly.
Tommy's ideal table
Inclusive & Respectful Culture: I am proactive about maintaining a safe and kind environment. I want everyone to feel like they're at home at my table and that they can be their true selves (and they're true ELVES if that's the class you pick.) Player Agency: I see myself as a facilitator of our shared story. I frequently check in to see where you want the plot to go next, ensuring the campaign evolves based on your character’s goals and the choices you make. All Skill Levels: Whether you've never played before or you've been gaming since the TSR days, I'd love to have you at my table.
Tommy's Preferences
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