Current Play Throughs on YouTube
--> Tomb of Annhilation -- Hardcover and DDAL07 -- September 2017 to ????
--> Storm King's Thunder -- October 2016 to September 2017
--> Lost Mine of Phandelver -- April 2016 to September 2016
Hello!
As I tend to GM/DM games, here's a rundown of my history & style...
History
I started playing D&D (mainly AD&D) as a player in the late 70s for a few years, but also loved diving into the books (still have them :> ), understanding all the options, and reading the modules/adventures. I had an interested in recent years to get back involved in D&D, and in late 2015 decided to do so.
My GM / Playing Style
Although, as of January 2016, I'm relatively new to 5e, as well as Roll20, I enjoy helping others learn. I'm by far not an expert but I've learned with other Roll20 members, and happy to pass that along. If the gang is up for learning things as we go, I'm up for it!
Many jokes abound in my games, and I look forward to that. After all, I find D&D a social game, no different than a card game, etc. We play; there are rules; we also have fun :> ! Speaking of which...
I look for a group that is in it for the fun. Obviously rules help keep everything consistent, however IMO, if a rule gets missed but the gang is having a good time, so be it. I'd rather see people learn D&D in a fun atmosphere (assuming they are new to the game), then worry about being 100% accurate with the rules, as I believe over enough time we'll catch different rules we miss and integrate them. IMO, the other way (rules first, fun later), means a lot of people leave the game before getting to know it :< .
I can work with a group that wants to check every rule before every move (although it'll slow down things somewhat); or I can work with a group that would rather keep the pace up and worry about the exact rules at the end, and integrate them as we learn them.
Finally, ideally if it works out, we'll continue as a group with more adventures, etc., but I understand that doesn't always work out and we'll just have to see how it goes.
Roleplay
I'm certainly "Descriptive Approach" vs. "Active Approach" (see this section of the Basic Rules online, or "Descriptive Approach to Roleplaying" on p.66 of the Basic Rules, and then "Active Approach to Roleplaying" on p.67). That is, I don't necessarily 'speak in character' (e.g., 'voice acting'), but I certainly have the characters act according to their personalities, background, etc., and look forward to players doing the same if they are up for it.
If you're new to role play, I believe the Descriptive Approach method is more welcoming for newer players, and less intimidating than full on "always in character" Active Approach :> . (You can also 'graduate' to Active later if you wish... as a DM I still haven't :> , nor do I expect to ever be 100% "Active".)
Roleplay vs. Hack n Slash / Dungeon Crawl
I go back an forth. I enjoy the story aspect of D&D, and developing characters, and will certainly focus more on that if the players wish. I also know that it's a balance sometimes, and after a lot of Dungeon Crawling you may want to switch to more Roleplay; and after a lot of Roleplay, you may just want to go out a bash a monster's head in :> . If I had to put a number to it, I'd say most of my games average 50/50, although any one session could lean more to one side or the other.
Grids & Maps vs. Theatre of the Mind
I prefer grids and maps. I'm visual, and like to see where things are. That said, I have no issue doing theatre of the mind.