Carpathia

Vincent excels at providing a tactical challenge in combat that pushes players to innovate and to work as a team. No other DM that I've played with has done a better job of making battles feel terrifying and deadly without being unfair, punitive, or close-minded about what players can try. He delights when we come up with surprising tactics and rewards us by letting it work (when it makes sense). While death saving throws are common, if your character dies, it's probably because you tried something risky or got in over your head. The second area where Vincent stands above the rest is with his worldbuilding. He excels at crafting complex campaigns that make sense. I'm on my second campaign with him, and this one taking place in a Drow city under threat from Illithids really showcases his ability to create a culture with myriad layers in a way that doesn't feel like you're drowning in lore. While you can count on combat each session, each battle gains purpose and meaning from the broader context and each poses a novel challenge. He has helped each of us to locate our characters within the society in ways that make the context more meaningful. I would absolutely recommend Vincent to a friend looking for a premium combat-focused experience, but I might steer a player looking for Critical-Role-like character development in a different direction.

Scott combines the attributes that I find most important in a DM. He deftly employs visuals, a spellbinding voice, and scene-setting narrative flourishes to heighten the dramatic tension, and yet his support for the players and eagerness to see them have a fantastic time is never in doubt. For example, while a more heavy-handed DM might emphasize Strahd's strength as he arrived to interrupt our battle, Scott instead described Strahd casually pausing to toy with the wax of a candle in a way that sent chills down my spine. Scott is constantly working to improve his craft so that we will have the very best experience possible and always seems well prepared for our sessions. He does use some house rules, but he lets the party decide whether or not to employ them. I've found him to be patient, supportive, and responsive. I'm having such a BLAST that I'm already wondering what other adventures he may offer.