I'm continually drawn to variety. Always picking something different from what I picked before. Usually I try to come up with some sort of personality hook to play that will make the character fun and engaging--something that will make it fun to roleplay with my teammates. Over the past couple years, I've played a Rogue inspired by The Punisher, a Wizard inspired by a noir detective, like Humphry Bogart from the Maltese Falcon, a Bard who was inspired by Oscar Wilde, a Barbarian who is mostly inspired by my ancestry choices--she's a Dhampir; a half-elf reborn as a half-vampire--she's a somewhat emotionless loyal warrior fascinated with death and undeath...kind of goth and dark but matter-of-fact.

So I think you can see, I'm all over the place!

Hello all!

I recently signed up to be a Professional DM on Start Playing Games, to run my original (homebrew) world campaign for D&D 5e. The same campaign I've entered in the contest here on LiveTale, Heroes of Yggdrasil, the One Tree

Unlike running modules, I'll be customizing the campaign around the characters. It's a mix of horror, wacky humor, roleplaying, strategic combat, exploration and social encounters! I'm planning to be open to both experienced and beginner players.

I have a background as a fiction author and a stage actor and improvisor, so I enjoy personifying NPCs for you to play with.

Please take a look at my profile for a little bit more about me: https://bit.ly/Pr0GMddk

If you are looking for a longterm campaign, please check out the times and days that I currently have listed! I need one more person for the Thursday time to start running it!

Thursdays: https://bit.ly/YggdrasilThurs
Fridays: https://bit.ly/YggdrasilFridays
Sundays: https://bit.ly/YggdrasilSundays
Tuesdays: https://bit.ly/YggdrasilTues
Wednesdays: https://bit.ly/YggdrasilWeds

Feel free to ask any questions you have here! I will be using X, N, O safety cards and Lines & Veils.

I've been playing 5e with my friends for about 5 years now. Playing and DMing, we rotate responsibility. Recently due to the OGL fiasco, we all got a kick in the pants to start exploring new systems. I ran a session of Shadow of the Demon Lord for my team, and they quite liked it so I think we'll keep bring that in periodically. When I was a kid, I loved playing Champions, the superhero system, and I'd like to get up-to-date on the last rule set 6e at some point and run a few games for my team, but it's rather complicated to get a handle of. I'd be open to playing almost any system and I have interesting in Pathfinder, 13th Age, Mythras, Numenera, Spire, Warhammer 40k, Ars Magica, and Worlds Without Number...but I don't know the systems to any degree to run them. They are on my to-read list to learn eventually!

@Ezra When it comes to NPCs, sometimes I plan them in advance but when my players meet someone random I just improv a name off the top of my head--usually it's something kind of goofy or funny. My players expect randomness. When I think about it more, like for an important NPC or my own character--I'm inspired by the tone. What type of personality the character has and try to express the personality as letter sounds. Jarring, aggressive, silly, elegant, etc.

@SwampCreature said in How do you choose names?:

Choosing a name is typically the very last thing I do with a character and usually by then I have a feel for what they're like. I played a no-nonsense warrior and gave her a short, guttural name. I played a Tabaxi rogue and named her Felix......after Felix the Cat. In my current game I'm playing a bard who always has her guitar with her. Her name is Ruby Soho. A little on the nose maybe but I like to have some fun with my characters' names!

My current Dhampir Barbarian is named Nocturna Deep. She's obsessed with death and undeath...the named felt like a perfect fit. My players current prime nemesis is named Funguul Rastaack. Well suited to a cowardly liar and priest of the cult of Loki.

@Mariano said in What anime are you watching this season? (Spring 2023):

@AGreaterMonster I haven't watched any of the rest of your favorites! I'll have to check them out (though some are admittedly in my Plan-To-Watch list which just grows longer and longer ) Some 9+/10s for me include: Cowboy Bebop, Angel Beats!, Log Horizon S1, Dr. Stone S1, and Death Note (this last one is just insanely nostalgic and so easy to watch for anime noobs like I am, but also was in 2009 when I first saw it)

@SwampCreature Uzumaki sounds so good! I usually try to stay away from scary stuff but I feel like I have to make an exception for Junji Ito

@Ezra Yooo, I have to watch Yu Yu Hakusho, especially since I love HxH so much. And I was the dragged partner in watching Fruits Basket, since it's not my usual type, but I thought it was actually really good! A bit too many characters since I watched it week-to-week every season, so I kept forgetting side characters' names, but that's it.

You've given me some new ones to add to my list! Cowboy Bebop is da shit. So classic and still good. The live action version was just sad though, unfortunately. Same thing with Fullmetal Alchemist. Great anime, another one I forgot to mention, but the live-action version was hot garbage. The acting was just dreadful.

@mianngu said in Critical Role yay or nay?:

@AGreaterMonster

I'm sure they do get tired and receive lots of stuff, but your whole business is contrived on the love of your fans. If they were having a rough day, there are still ways to convey that while still being appreciative. It can be so disappointing when people don't live up to the hype.

Agreed. I don't want to put them down too hard with my personal reactions. But after feeling brushed off multiple times, the "We love our critters" line they pushed so frequently...it just stuck in my craw. Again, I don't mean to say they are bad people, just that they are celebrities now as well as a multi-million dollar business. That combined with the lackluster campaign interstitial caused me to drop them from my schedule after the the second season. It feels like it's become more like a TV show than a D&D game.

@mianngu I would have suggested letting them choose from pre-built characters instead of building them from scratch. And just let them know that once they get into it after a while, you can rebuild new ones. They can choose classes and species and that's about it. There are pre-built characters now in the D&D Beyond system to choose from.

Probably too late now from the sound of it!

@mianngu it does make it a lot easier for beginners! Then you can focus on the roleplaying and gameplay.

@SwampCreature I also started watching Blood of Zeus, which is written by the same folks who did the Castlevania anime. I like it so far! If you liked Castlevania, you'd like this I think.

@K-O said in Gen Con:

@AGreaterMonster Yes, they are booked in advance! I did check them out before deciding maybe I should just wander (@Faye and @Hanzilla were much more organized than I was and did this much earlier), and most were already full by the time I had checked (in May or so). It's really exciting to see SO many enthusiastic people into a similar hobby as you are, all in one place. I am trying to remember in the AMA if you mentioned where you live now; I know you said you lived in Chicago at one time. If you're close enough, you should come to Gen Con next year, it was totally worth it, and with your DMing and acting/writing/art expertise, I bet you would be a hit!

That would be a blast! I would do it for sure if I can find a sponsor who wants me to DM some games.

@K-O Super cool. I think I heard that all the game sessions were completely booked in advance! But it looks like you saw some really great stuff anyway. I think the Blade Runner rpg won "Best Art" in the Ennies Awards.

@K-O I heard it was one of the biggest conventions ever. Did you get into some rpg sessions? What game systems did you play?

@SwampCreature It's very good! Dark and bloody, but with great characterizations and moral grey areas. I believe most of it was written by Warren Ellis who is an excellent comic book writer. Transmetropolitan, for example.

@SwampCreature I also started watching Blood of Zeus, which is written by the same folks who did the Castlevania anime. I like it so far! If you liked Castlevania, you'd like this I think.

@Mariano

I just started watching Uncle from Another World on Netflix. It's really fun! It's a clever satire of classic anime tropes, and it's really good at making fun of itself. I'm enjoying it.

@mianngu it does make it a lot easier for beginners! Then you can focus on the roleplaying and gameplay.

@mianngu I would have suggested letting them choose from pre-built characters instead of building them from scratch. And just let them know that once they get into it after a while, you can rebuild new ones. They can choose classes and species and that's about it. There are pre-built characters now in the D&D Beyond system to choose from.

Probably too late now from the sound of it!

@mianngu This is true. But at the same time, reading new rule systems can be really inspiring and can trigger unexpected ideas. The offer some new possibilities for how to play that aren't apparent when you only know one system. Plus, it can be just kind of refreshing. Although my team plays 90% D&D, our 3 sessions of Shadow of the Demon Lord have been a fun change of pace. SotDL is D&D adjacent so it's not a huge leap, but I'm also learning Champions 6th Edition (Hero System 6e) and it's soooo different from D&D or Pathfinder, it's like another world. There's fun in just learning a new rule system.

@mianngu Agree and thanks! There's really nothing like roleplaying games. I wish I had the time to learn how to play and run dozens of other rule systems, too!