Roll for initiative. 
1. Favorite campaign or one-shot you've ever run?
Favorite campaign is Signs & Wonders, my current long-running Saturday game.
Favorite one-shot is The Lawful, The Chaotic, and the Ugly, a western themed game.
Favorite campaign is Signs & Wonders, my current long-running Saturday game.
Favorite one-shot is The Lawful, The Chaotic, and the Ugly, a western themed game.
2. Campaign you want to run - a Star Trek/Spelljammer mash-up that I've had brewing for a while.
3. Favorite encounter to run: exploration, combat, or social? I'm going to go with combat because the challenges as a game runner are more interesting.
4. Favorite NPC I've ever created?
Awesomer Gossamer, the Aasimar ASMRtist.
Awesomer Gossamer, the Aasimar ASMRtist.
5. Favorite NPC villain?
I decline to answer on account of spoilers.
I decline to answer on account of spoilers.
6. Favorite ally NPC?
Grigl & Snert, Attorneys at Law. Two goblins freed from bondage and moved into the PCs; town, which doesn't have many laws on the books so they make things up as they go according to the principles of common law and precedents of long-vanished empires.
Grigl & Snert, Attorneys at Law. Two goblins freed from bondage and moved into the PCs; town, which doesn't have many laws on the books so they make things up as they go according to the principles of common law and precedents of long-vanished empires.
7. Favorite PC/NPC dynamic?
Fierce rivals who are frequently on opposing sides but aren't necessarily enemies.
Fierce rivals who are frequently on opposing sides but aren't necessarily enemies.
8. Ever named an NPC after someone?
Not to my recollection. I don't really do that, in gaming or real life. "Be careful of being friends with authors, they'll put you in a book!" type stuff boggles me.
Not to my recollection. I don't really do that, in gaming or real life. "Be careful of being friends with authors, they'll put you in a book!" type stuff boggles me.
9. Ever cameoed a character from another campaign?
Not really.
Not really.
10 Favorite dungeon you've ever run?
I don't really do the "dungeon run" thing, per se.
I don't really do the "dungeon run" thing, per se.
11. Favorite monster you've ever run?
If we're going by the books, I like doing Beholders.
If we're going by the books, I like doing Beholders.
12. A monster you haven't run but want to?
4th Edition had stats for fighting an evil star, as part of its (brilliant, in my opinion) take on cosmic horror that moved away from generic Lovecraft pastiche and into fresher territory. I'd love to run that fight.
4th Edition had stats for fighting an evil star, as part of its (brilliant, in my opinion) take on cosmic horror that moved away from generic Lovecraft pastiche and into fresher territory. I'd love to run that fight.
13. Favorite magic item?
Daern's Instant Fortress. This is the one I dreamed about, reading the 2nd Edition DMG. My current group has one that has been modified into a plane-shifting spelljammer.
Daern's Instant Fortress. This is the one I dreamed about, reading the 2nd Edition DMG. My current group has one that has been modified into a plane-shifting spelljammer.
14. Preferred party size?
I'd say 6. I think 5 is the real sweet spot but it's good to be a bit over for vagaries of scheduling.
I'd say 6. I think 5 is the real sweet spot but it's good to be a bit over for vagaries of scheduling.
15. Most fun levels to run for?
Eh? I find different levels fun in different ways. I think the game really kicks into a different gear at level 5, though.
Eh? I find different levels fun in different ways. I think the game really kicks into a different gear at level 5, though.
16. Most fun PC classes to run for?
I love when there's a Warlock who is there because they like the class and not because they read that it's an easy way to make a killer long-range character "and it's basically an archer with an energy bow". Great plot hooks.
I love when there's a Warlock who is there because they like the class and not because they read that it's an easy way to make a killer long-range character "and it's basically an archer with an energy bow". Great plot hooks.
17. Ever had a PC death or TPK?
Not permanent. There was a near-TPK in the first session that I reversed with an intervention by the patron of the Warlock (the first one to actually die-die while everyone was down), with a cost TBD later...
Not permanent. There was a near-TPK in the first session that I reversed with an intervention by the patron of the Warlock (the first one to actually die-die while everyone was down), with a cost TBD later...
...and she was able to take the opponent (green dragon wyrmling) out of the fight with one spell and save everyone else. Since then, no one has died in a way that exceeded the party's means to retrieve them on their own.
I don't 100% prevent PC death but I think by and large an outcome that drastic should be story-driven. You get more interesting outcomes when the consequences of losing aren't necessarily death.
Ever since that level 1 TPK with the dragon I've been giving PCs extra HP at level 1 to give it more of a "tutorial level" feel, which is what I think levels 1-3 should be like.
18. Have your PCs ever turned a minor NPC/magic item into something important?
They elected an orc they previously defeated as mayor of the town they founded. His platform focused heavily on punching and infrastructure.
They elected an orc they previously defeated as mayor of the town they founded. His platform focused heavily on punching and infrastructure.
19. Most outrageous plan your players ever pulled off?
Was it Scooby Doo hoaxing an enemy group out of the village they were occupying? Convincing all the king's hobgoblins to strike out on their own? Giving a hell dimension an existential crisis?
No.
Was it Scooby Doo hoaxing an enemy group out of the village they were occupying? Convincing all the king's hobgoblins to strike out on their own? Giving a hell dimension an existential crisis?
No.
20. Favorite improvised decision you've ever made?
I created a whole plotline involving a Goliath cultural revolution because one of the players decided to look for the world's largest ball of twine.
I created a whole plotline involving a Goliath cultural revolution because one of the players decided to look for the world's largest ball of twine.
21. Favorite voices to use?
I like characters with really flat affect but a hard edge.
I like characters with really flat affect but a hard edge.
22. Ever use accents?
Rarely. If I'd DMed continually since high school I'd probably do them more but I fell out of practice.
Rarely. If I'd DMed continually since high school I'd probably do them more but I fell out of practice.
23. Ever use sound effects?
When I ran in 4E, I had short musical cues on my phone like pastoral music ("Call to the Cows", for example) for the end of a long rest or Final Fantasy victory music for the end of combat.
When I ran in 4E, I had short musical cues on my phone like pastoral music ("Call to the Cows", for example) for the end of a long rest or Final Fantasy victory music for the end of combat.
24. What kind of music do you use?
I guess my answer for 23 applies here. I don't really use background music, it's a toss-up whether it will add anything for a given player or be distracting.
I guess my answer for 23 applies here. I don't really use background music, it's a toss-up whether it will add anything for a given player or be distracting.
25. Own lore, or pre-existing?
My own. Worldbuilding is to DMing as character creation is to players, in my opinion. I do incorporate bits of the 4E theology/cosmology. I really like their pantheon and interplanar balance.
My own. Worldbuilding is to DMing as character creation is to players, in my opinion. I do incorporate bits of the 4E theology/cosmology. I really like their pantheon and interplanar balance.
26. Grids and miniatures?
You know, I like them, I like the avenues of tactical thinking they open up, but in terms of space constraints (storage and during play) and added cost, I don't use them that often. I don't see them as better than theater-of-mind, just different.
You know, I like them, I like the avenues of tactical thinking they open up, but in terms of space constraints (storage and during play) and added cost, I don't use them that often. I don't see them as better than theater-of-mind, just different.
27. Do you prefer DMing or playing?
If I could only do one, I'd DM, but I'd like to play more than I do.
If I could only do one, I'd DM, but I'd like to play more than I do.
28. Favorite thing about DMing?
The chance to tell a story without having to come up with everything by myself.
The chance to tell a story without having to come up with everything by myself.
Okay, I'm going to answer 5 because I guess it's not much of a spoiler. It's a trio of enforcers for a (hopefully) upcoming project I'm still trying to put together: Vectaur the Dragonborn Warlock, Scala the Lizardfolk Ranger, and Dot the Kobold Monk.
Dot is built using the Astral Self UA subclass and their astral parts manifest as a red dragon overlaid on their physical body.
