Rolldark GM Spotlight - JC
JC has been put on silly voices for our Rolldark players since November 2019. With 7 regular weekly games running between 4 and 6 hours each, he is a Dungeon Mastering machine! We somehow managed to catch up with him to find out what exactly it is that drives his passion for funny-looking dice…
Hey JC! So you're one of Rolldark's most prolific GMs. What would you say is the level of prep that you put into each game?
It truly depends on the particular session and the party's aims for that day! If we're expecting a lengthy combat encounter or a lot of RP at a single tavern, then prep might only take an hour in order to sort a few stat blocks and design the environment. If the players are given free reign inside a sprawling city or are spending the session exploring an untamed wilderness, then it might take me four to six hours to flesh out all the possible places they might go and the things they'll encounter. I'll sometimes spend whole days prepping for a single session if that particular game will cover a lot more of the story! Doubly so if you're running an online game and need to worry about properly setting up maps, tokens, lighting, music, handouts, ambience, and everything else. The most important thing to remember, of course, is that even the best-laid plans won't survive your party. Whether it takes one week or five minutes, your prep is only as good as your ability to improvise on the spot- and to take notes when you do.
For all the games you run, what do you enjoy seeing the most from your players?
I think the best sign for any GM, especially if you're running an ongoing game for a group of strangers, is to watch them plan and cooperate. Epic combat is always fun, and roleplaying with their characters is also great, but nothing is quite so rewarding as listening to a party animatedly plan their next move in the adventure, or trying to solve a particular narrative conundrum together. It not only means that they're invested in your story, in your world, and in their characters, but it also shows that they've reached some level of trust and camaraderie with each other, and have learned how to balance their strengths and limitations as a group. Plus it gives you the chance to sit back and give your voice a break!
Your accents are amazing. What advice would you give players seeking to give their character a unique voice at the table?
Thank you! There's lots that goes into coming up with memorable characters, and it's a skill that gets better over time. To start, I'd boil it down to the three P's:
* Physicality. Think about what your character looks like, physicalise their features as much as you can, and let that inform your voice. Are you a old, hulking half-orc with broad tusks? That might mean a lower-pitched voice with a jutting lower lip. Or are you a young and slender Dragonborn who breathes fire? That might mean a higher pitch with a slight coarseness to your throat. Even a toothy goblin might have to widen his mouth when speaking to compensate for all those extra teeth! For all the anthropomorphic races, feel free to embrace their animalistic nuances, like a Tabaxi who purrs when content, or an overly-sibilant Lizardfolk. I often hear "but what if I'm just a boring human?" Humans can be so diverse in looks, ages, and especially sounds- use all that to your advantage.
*Personality (and background). Spend a little time thinking about where your character came from, both geographically and metaphorically. Where have they been, what have they seen, what have they done? If they're a war-weary soldier from southern deserts who's used to commanding troops, they might have a brusque tone more suited to giving orders and leading from the front. If they're instead a cloistered Northern noble who's used to showing off for rich friends, they might exaggerate their speech with longer, drawling syllables with more nasality than most. If they're on a quest for atonement after committing a horrific crime, then they might be more reserved and with a quivering timbre that betrays their nervousness.
*Practicality. A ridiculous voice might be fun for a few hours, but it can start to annoy others, or worse, tiring to keep up. Make sure it's something that you can do comfortably and repeatedly with exhausting yourself- or the other players at the table!
*Bonus round: (im)Personation. What are some of your favourite voices from characters you've seen or heard in movies, TV, or video games? It's always fun to borrow a particular quirk or quality if you're looking for a little extra spice. Maybe they emphasise the wrong syllables and take awkward pauses a la Christopher Walken, or they talk in the sing-songy, carefree vocal slides of Julia Child. They could communicate with the short, monotone phrases of Schwarzenegger, or reverse their sentences like Yoda. This is my favourite thing to do with eccentric NPCs the party might meet, and it's always brings a laugh to the table!
You run a weekly game for teens. How does that game compare with running for adults?
Expect the unexpected! The creativity can and always will surprise you. Whereas a "normal" activity like walking through the woods while looking for some ruins might not spark the imagination of some adults, younger players will pepper you with a dozen questions and requests before you even get close to the objective. They might start making checks to look for a stick they can sharpen into a backup spear for their ape companion, or collect a bunch of leaves in a bag to use them later as a distraction against enemies. I often find myself saying, "Why have I never thought of that?" Also never assume that kids won't be as bloodthirsty as your average murderhoboing adults- when I say they get creative, that definitely applies to combat as well! The most important things about D&D, though, apply at any age- kids can be just as invested in a good story and in their characters as long as they know they're a part of it all.
A lot of players are often put off by all the rules in D&D. Do you have any advice for those players that are perhaps hesitant to get stuck in?
My best advice is to find a good group and take the leap. It will be worth it. D&D is a game best learned through watching, listening, and practicing. As you observe others in combat and roleplay, you start to get the gist. And a good GM (especially a Rolldark GM) will patiently walk you through everything, helping you figure out what you can do each turn, what dice to roll, and where on your character sheet to look for something. I usually tell new players that D&D is a boundless world where you can do anything you can describe. It's my job to teach you, and your job to enjoy. The rules are secondary to everyone having a fun experience and leaving the table with the craving for more. Of all the new players I've hosted a session for, not one of them has left saying this isn't the game for them- everyone loves the chance to play out a fantasy.