Daniel

Really fun theater of the mind experiences plus amazing to see minis on a real map for combat. Very inclusive and conscientious.

Fun GM, willing to entertain all kinds of creative solutions. Good understanding of the rules.

Keep in mind this is for a Barovia campaign so this is scary horror vampire land where you're probably going to get eaten or driven mad or both! I've referred to this game as recreational anxiety or more stressful scooby-doo to my friends. It's tense, but in the same way that watching a scary movie can be intense yet enjoyable since you know ultimately you're safe. This is like having remote control of one of the characters in the scary movie so you can try all the things you think your (hopefully smarter and more perceptive than mine) character would do to win or escape and see how it works out (or doesn't) in real time. The threat of PC death or injury makes the decisions feel more impactful but Friday still leaves room for funny hijinks to relieve some pressure. Your character won't feel safe, but you certainly will!

Ryan is so good at setting the scene for you with his descriptions, it's nice enough you can close your eyes and enjoy a little mental Bob Ross painting. Ryan is also not intimidating at all for new players, very easy to work with and helps you thrive with the collaborative story-telling aspect of DnD. He is also really good at quickly and simply explaining game mechanics that could otherwise interrupt the narrative flow and weaving dice rolls into the story structure in a way that feels like being in a quick-time sequence except each party member controls one button they can press.

Kenzie does a good job helping you get set up as a new player. She also has great maps and virtual tabletops. You'll have a great time.