Matthew

I've had the fortune of playing various RPGs with Nick over a number of years online and in person as both a player and GM. Whether he is GMing or playing, he brings characters alive by embodying vivid and complex personalities, adding a depth to roleplaying interactions that can be hard to come by at the gaming table. A particularly poignant example that comes to mind in a recent game of Zweihander involved a night of murder and intrigue at a bustling inn, in which Nick masterfully balanced an ongoing clock of activities with a rich tapestry of NPCs with their own agendas. As we probed into individual NPC stories and the night's events, the characters populating the inn transformed into well-rounded and diverse personalities, making for a delightful evening of roleplaying. He extends this care into his game prep as well, and is enthusiastic about world building, going so far as to research medieval economies and practices in order to bring richer detail into his games beyond those laid out for GMs in sources like 5E's DMG. These trapping surround the roleplaying interactions and help the game feel truly immersive. Finally, despite all of the careful prep, Nick is quite ready to let player's really explore the narrative and go off the rails, and seems to be delighted with emergent storylines that are truly player-driven once he sets the stage. This adds a real fun-factor of player agency that makes his games a dynamic experience.

Josh is a great GM! He's invested in creating an inclusive gaming atmosphere and is both welcoming and helpful for players new to the hobby. Josh is also incredibly creative, shedding tired tropes in favor of unique approaches to worldbuilding that will have you playing through scenarios unlike those you've experienced before. One example is a recent game I joined in his custom Adrift setting. Our party found ourselves sailing in an open world of various islands that we could visit, each of which containing a miniature world with history, inhabitants, and potential useful clues or resources to meet our goals. What we experienced as a crew as we sailed was in part procedurally generated, which made for open, dynamic exploration and was a really fun and unique roleplaying experience. Josh values player agency, enabling players to both explore the history and lore of the worlds he creates and contribute to the extension of these ideas to make the game a truly collaborative process. His long history of running and playing RPGs is instantly apparent in the ease with which he navigates table dynamics, questions about the rules, and unforeseen character actions. He knows the rules well enough to make decisions and give advice on the fly, but also knows how to avoid centering them when they would impede roleplaying. Come expecting to contribute to the lore of the world, to hear characters with rich personalities in a variety of fun voices, and to have a great time!