Zachary Kang

he/him

5.0

(5)

Timezone

America/new York

Language

English

Identity

Educator

About Zachary Kang

I’m a lifelong fantasy nerd, dice goblin, and firm believer that the best stories happen when the party ignores the obvious door and befriends the suspicious skeleton instead. I started playing tabletop games because I loved the mix of strategy, storytelling, problem-solving, and absolute nonsense that only happens when real people get around a table. Since then, I’ve fallen in love with GMing because it lets me build worlds, create weird NPCs with questionable accents, and give players the chance to feel like heroes, disasters, or heroic disasters. My games focus on player choice, cinematic moments, memorable characters, and a good balance of roleplay, exploration, and combat. I like combat to feel dangerous and tactical, but never like homework. I like roleplay to feel meaningful, but never forced. I want players to laugh, panic, make plans, ruin those plans, and leave the session already thinking about what happens next. Whether you are brand new or have been rolling dice since ancient dragons were young, my goal is to make the table welcoming, fun, and easy to jump into. I love teaching new players and giving veteran players room to shine. At my table, you can expect collaborative storytelling, clear communication, respect for player comfort, and at least one NPC who absolutely did not need a name but somehow becomes everyone’s favorite.

At a glance

Less than a year on StartPlaying

Highly rated for: World Builder, Inclusive, Sets the Mood

$20 per session

Featured Prompts

I got started GMing...

Just looking around for other gamers and have so much stuff from my yonder years that was so, so much fun.

My favorite shows/movies are

Invincible, Marvel & DC movies

When I'm not running games I'm...

Playing with daughter and son

How Zachary Kang runs games

My GM style is story-first, player-focused, and lightly haunted by my need to give every goblin a personality. Players at my table can expect a strong mix of roleplay, exploration, and tactical combat. I like building encounters where choices matter. Sometimes the best move is drawing a sword. Sometimes it is talking your way past danger. Sometimes it is throwing a bag of flour at an invisible enemy and somehow becoming a tactical genius. I enjoy character-driven games where backstories matter, NPCs remember what players do, and the world reacts to the party’s decisions. I want players to feel like they are shaping the story, not riding along in the cart while I yell “plot” from the driver’s seat. Combat in my games is clear, fair, and dramatic. I like meaningful stakes without trying to “beat” the players. I cheer for the party, but the monsters still read the evil employee handbook. I also care a lot about table comfort. I use safety tools, set expectations early, and keep communication open. I want everyone to feel welcome, respected, and excited to play. The vibe I aim for is heroic fantasy with big laughs, tense fights, strange NPCs, cool character moments, and the occasional emotional gut punch delivered by a fictional wizard with unresolved issues.

Featured Prompts

I prep by

The campaign is shaped by player choices. As the story evolves, the GMs design encounters and scenarios that reflect the party's decisions, ensuring the experience remains engaging, challenging, and tailored to the group's unique makeup and playstyle.

Zachary Kang's ideal table

Much like a sports broadcast team, our game uses a two-GM approach. One GM serves as the "play-by-play" lead, handling narration, combat management, and rule-of-cool decisions that keep the action moving. The second GM acts as the "color commentator," managing AI systems, websites, software tools, NPCs, and NPC interactions behind the scenes. Players who enjoy technology-enhanced gameplay and action-heavy combat will find plenty to love. The campaign emphasizes adventure, conflict, and epic good-versus-evil struggles (or sometimes the reverse), all within imaginative and engaging scenarios. The setting is entirely original, and the GMs strive to create as open a world as possible, giving players meaningful freedom to explore, influence events, and shape the story.