DungeonmasterCal's page

About DungeonmasterCal

I've been playing D&D since 1985 when I was asked to take over the character of someone who didn't show up for a session. I was hooked instantly. I started with 1st Edition AD&D and soon became enamored with the art/science/task/madness of DMing, and that's been my primary role ever since (at least with D&D).

I've successfully carried out a 10 year long campaign arc using 2e rules that my players (many of whom that have moved away) still talk about, and have run several shorter campaigns since using 2e and 3.5 rules (an early 3.0 game got out of hand due to unfamiliarity with the rules and a mad bout of anything goes and died on the vine).

I've only dabbled in other RPG's (not because I didn't like them, it's just that I rarely had time for anything else) but enjoyed Call of Cthulhu, Torg, Star Wars d20, various Star Trek incarnations, and the original Boot Hill and Gamma World games. I did play in a 12 year long DC Heroes campaign that to this day remains my all time favorite gaming experience. That game's GM no longer plays, and it's a shame. I'd pay hard money to get him to run a new DCH game again.

I'm also very fortunate that most of my players have been with me for over 20 years now, and we're all friends from the get go. We don't get to gather much more than once a month now (and even that's a challenge sometimes), but when we do we either play D&D 3.5 or a new homebrew I'm starting using the Pathfinder rules. We looked at and some experimented with 4e and there was no interest in it from our group, plus we'd sunk hundreds of dollars into 3.5 books and decided to just stick with them, given that get together so infrequently.

Our games are fairly fast and loose, with lots of action and risk taking on the part of the players. We also joke and carry on a lot "outside" the game framework, but that's what works for us and we enjoy it. Our game nights are our "poker nights", and we're more about the fellowship and good times than hardcore "no foolin' around this is a game so let's be serious" kinda play.

My teenage son loves the game, but he's a freshman in college now and has very little time to play because of his extracurricular activities with the marching, concert, and jazz bands, and his metalcore band (he's the bass player), so he just sits in when he can.

So there...that's it. We'll take a break now. There are punch and cookies in the break room if you'd like some.

*Author's note: If you wish to reach me in person, email me at calvin.roach@gmail.com. Also, INT score varies depending on wife's mood and opinion of me at the moment.