Rachel Campbell

Online Nickname: Ronnie, geekalogian

Introduction 

Hi! I’m Ronnie (he/they/she/any), a genderfluid queer gamer of over 25 years! I was raised by gaming nerds and have been in love with building stories and memories with friends since childhood. I love trying new games, poking around in the mechanics of a cool new system, and thinking about how games and adventures use the tools inside them to encourage players to have a new kind of experience!

Why do you play/run RPGs?

I play RPGs to collect with the people I love, tell cool and interesting stories, and delight in the imaginary worlds dreamed up by myself, my friends, and the ttrpg community. I love creating characters and overcoming interesting challenges in creative new ways! I love building interesting scenarios and seeing how others approach them!

The ENNIES requires a major commitment of time and energy. What resources do you have that will help you discharge these responsibilities? Will your gaming group or other individuals be assisting you? Does your family support you?

I have a wonderful group of gamers who are always willing to try something new, as well as two teenage children who are exploring gaming for the first time, and partners who celebrate the hobby with me! I have a broad support system of people who love ttrpgs excited to support me!

Judging requires a great deal of critical thinking skills, communication with other judges, deadline management, organization, and storage space for the product received. What interests, experience, and skills do you bring that will make you a more effective judge?

In addition to loving ttrpgs, I also love writing, reading, poetry, and media analysis. I have decades of experience in the community, as well as 10+ years of working with youth and adults in underrepresented populations. Celebrating diversity, inclusion, and the power of story and play to heal and transform people’s lives are the building blocks of passion that have fueled my professional and personal life.

What styles and genres of RPGs do you enjoy most? Are there any styles or genres that you do not enjoy? Which games best exemplify what you like? Do you consider yourself a fan of a particular system, publisher, or genre?

My absolute favorite RPGs are pulpy, cinematic, and fantastical, with mechanics that allow players and facilitators to be surprised by what unfolds. I have a special interest in games that have the option to be run GMless, solo, or collaboratively, because I think spreading the adventure creation responsibilities around is a powerful idea when executed properly. I am less enthusiastic about games that lean hard into despair, granular combat, or horror–but there are loads of exceptions and I can find someone valuable in nearly any genre of game!

Favorites include: thirsty sword lesbians, daggerheart, wild sea, and anything that incorporates a monster taming element!
I’m also a sucker for anything made by Rowan, Rook, and Deckard.

List (up to 5) games you’ve played in the last 2 years. What drew you to playing them? Which did you like best and why?

Daggerheart–I think d12s are underrepresented in a lot of games, and I love the unique options provided by the hope/fear system

Monster of the week–a classic and a shining example of good pbta design, every character feels dramatic and exciting and every hunt is a mystery to uncover

Midnight Muscadines–the cozy/dark vibes are incredible, and the world has just enough detail to explore while leaving lots of things open to invent and discover

Cypher–my gaming group’s go-to genre neutral system, it handles a variety of moods and scenarios with relatively easy prep and resolution

Wyrm–a fascinating and rules-lite approach to OSR, I was lucky enough to participate in a West Marches style play test of the system

 

Have you been a game master in the past 2 years? If yes, what games have you run? What made you decide to run those games?

I have been running Daggerheart for my partner and children because I thought it had enough mechanical meat for my son on the spectrum who loves strategy and planning, while leaving a lot of freedom for my more narrative-focused younger child who wants to make big, gonzo things possible in every game. We’ve had some hiccups getting everybody’s expectations right whole at the table, but I’m enjoying the challenge!

 

Summarize the criteria you would use to determine if a game deserves to be nominated for Best Game.

Does this game achieve what it sets out to do with excellence?
Are the rules, writing, and layout designed to make the game approachable and digestible for its intended audience?
Does this game contribute something new and/or meaningful to the hobby?
Is it fun?

 

How will you judge supplements or adventures for game systems whose core rules you are unfamiliar with or you believe are badly designed?

I will communicate with my fellow judges, get feedback from people who understand the genre or mechanics better than I do, learn as much about the systems as I can, and judge the work on its own merits and flaws

 

How would you like to see the ENNIEs change? What should remain inviolate?

I would love to see the ennies highlight greater diversity and a broader range of independent publishers and creators. Because the vote is a popular vote, I believe it is the judges responsibility to curate a wide variety of options to spotlight for voters. I am excited to see the solo category added this year and would love to see the categories continue to be shaped by the changing scene of the hobby.
I believe that all products evaluated should be human made and the use of generative AI should be utterly rejected in ttrpgs.