Justin

I've played alongside Kit for a few years in a biweekly D&D game, and been a player in a few one-shots where they sat behind the GM screen. And by God can they tell a story. Kit finds the right balance between humor, drama and sheer worldbuilding. So much so that I've been trying to copy that balance in my own games. They've taken me for a few surprising twists as a GM and a LOT of character twists as a player. I know to expect something interesting from them, but never how it will turn out. Kit gets points for inclusivity and cultural sensitivity too, but I know that more from the kind of person they are than from any experiences at the table. Those kinds of things were warded off before they ever became a problem. I as a straight, white, cis-male felt just as welcome at Kit's table as my LGBTQ and PoC friends. Do yourself a favor and sign up for a game under them. Your future self will thank you.

Steve was my first DM, and I played an entire Tomb of Annihilation campaign under him starting as a complete beginner. The more I learn about tabletop gaming and different GM styles, the more thankful I am that he ran my first campaign. You won't find a more patient and fair person to guide you through your first time. At the same time, my veteran teammates were having just as much fun as I was. With Steve, it's the players' story; he's there to make sure it's a good one. He runs Tomb of Annihilation as a sandbox and is on board with whatever shenanigans you throw at him — and boy, did we some up with some big ones. He build up some incredible NPCs that were fun to engage with, but never hogged the spotlight. And he knows when to shift the mood: he'd make us laugh, cry and scream, at times all in the same session, but every one of those emotions felt earned. I will say that you should come to Steve's table with motivation and buy-in. He does a good job of laying out the ground rules and setting you interesting scenarios, but he's not the kind of DM who will railroad you through exploring them. Just like the adventure, Steve's skills are balanced between worldbuilding, social roleplay and engaging fights. If you're just looking to kill stuff and get rich, there are probably better DMs for that.