Name: Jonathan Landry (He/Him)
General: Tabletop RPG's and Games in general have always been a huge part of my life. Like many, I was raised on stories of grand adventure, drama and action! My fate was set in stone at an early age and as soon as I realized there was a medium that allowed me to take part in those same kinds of stories, the value of that has superseded nearly all other hobbies.
To me, it's not just a hobby, but a purpose.
I have learned and grown so much (and still do!) from the stories that I have lived my life both consuming but also creating, and that ability to share those moments with others is life's greatest joy! If I can manage to sustain my other life needs, at least in some way, taking part in that joy then all the better.
Experience: I have spent nearly the last 4 years (from around mid-2017 onward) GMing a session at least once a month, but more often weekly. Before that, I found myself running sporadically at least once or twice a year for brief amounts of time as my schedule allowed after I found the hobby when I was in High School. In the past three years, I have ran the following campaigns.
Outside of these long term campaigns, I've run easily a dozen one shots or short adventures over the years.
I've read or played in a large number of other systems and games outside of these. When I'm not running, preparing to run or reading rulebooks, I'm exploring resources online and descending into understanding game design theory so that I can provide the best possible experience I can.
Finally, over the course of my experience, I've played with dozens of different people with varying levels of experience, many being entirely new to the hobby. That specifically is a great joy to me, because they often come to the table with fewer predispositions about the game and I get to see their faces as they experience what these games are capable of for the first time.
GM Style: I'll lay out my GM Goals. This will help you to understand how I approach GMing and my justification for doing so.
1.) Player Agency First: The priority of any design, whether it be for a session or the rules themselves, should prioritize giving Players compelling, meaningful choices. Players supersede characters, because if they’re not having fun there’s no point in playing the character anyway. Player Agency will always create more interesting narratives, both in character and out.
2.) Meta Is Important: Too often is the Game viewed as the enemy to Roleplay. There is plenty of room for mechanics, rules, and out of character discussion at the table. When handled by players with shared priorities of promoting fun first, this will not take away from the joy of Roleplay.
3.) Familiar, Refined: No long list of hundreds of homebrew player options or overhauling of mechanics that already serve their purpose. Player’s experienced with the game should come with some sense as to what to expect. Homebrew should be limited to the overarching mechanics that need expansion or improvement, and not just for the sake of adding options. Work within compelling limitations.
4.) Challenging, But Fair: Serious, sometimes deadly consequences for failure should always be on the table. When paired with good design and consistent mechanics, players will learn how to better face these challenges over time or die trying. Provide Drama, not Balance.
6.) Inclusive and Safe: Provide a fun and accepting place for all backgrounds, including in-game diverse representation. Also ensure safety tools are in play in case anyone ever feels uncomfortable or their boundaries have been crossed, including by other players.
Regardless of the system, setting or type of game I'm running, these goals apply across the board and striving for them are what I believe lead to better games.