Tales From the Tavern – Mat “Role Play Chat” Copelli – Shadomain

Welcome to another Tales From the Tavern mini-interview! Today we talk to Mat “Role Play Chat” Copelli (He/Him). Let’s hear from Mat!
Hi! I’m Mat. I’m a TTRPG podcaster, host and writer! I can be found hosting Role Play Chat, a TTRPG advice podcast, live every other week on all major podcasting platforms. You can also connect with me on:

Twitter https://twitter.com/Role_Play_Chat
Insta- https://www.instagram.com/role_play_chat/
Mastodon – https://dice.camp/@Role_Play_Chat
Hive – @roleplaychat
Linktree – https://linktr.ee/role_play_chat

Do you prefer GMing or Playing, and why?
I love both so so much but if I had to choose I would pick GMing! GMing offers me a creative outlet that facilitates collaborative creation like no other hobby I have tried. It lets me build worlds and places, and characters and share what I’ve done with my friends in a dynamic way that feels fun and engaging. I also really love crafting and painting miniatures which I find bleed into my creative process for homebrewing. It sparks my imagination in fun and interesting ways by setting visual and physical queues that I and my table can work off of!

What other hobbies are you interested in?
I’m a general nerd and love all forms of nerdom! I’m a big fan of TTRPG adjacent things. This includes things like miniature painting, terrain making, board games, video games, and card games. If I can’t play a TTRPG, I often look to draft magic cards with my friends, play a round of Overwatch or crack open Pandemic Legacy (I’m working my way through season 0 right now). I’m also a TTRPG podcaster and LOVE hearing about (and amplifying) other people’s contributions to the hobby. I do all the editing and whatnot for the show too, and when I’m in the right mood that can be loads of fun! Outside of that I’m a big hockey and soccer fan. I love to travel and love to eat!

Describe your favorite TTRPG character you’ve created
One of my favourite TTRPG characters is Ambrose the Shalia Priest. Ambrose is a very eager and boisterous person who rushes head first into a problem with the best of intentions. He however is also a broken man, filled with regret and sadness. He often acts quickly in an effort to be the first to solve a problem, doing this in search for positive validation from the party. He aims to learn about healing and resurrection in an effort to bring back the love of his life, someone who he lost due to his inaction. He can be a bit of a handful but his charade of “fun and eagerness” is very enjoyable to play after a long work week and his depth and insecurities add a wonderful layer for drama when me and my table are feeling up to the task of dissecting.

What celebrity would you like to GM or play an RPG with?
Patrick Rothfuss, the author of the Kingkiller Chronicles, is someone who I have wanted to play Tabletop RPGs with for a very long time. I admire the worldbuilding in his books and would love to get the chance to play a game set in the same world, run by him! I would also love to get to talk to him about world building one day!

What do you think is absolutely essential in creating a safe space for all in a TTRPG game?
I think many things go into creating a safe space but I think one of the key ingredients is trust. Players and GMs need to trust one another to respect each other’s boundaries and trust that the other people at your table have your best interest at heart. Fostering that trust takes time, and the use of tools and communication can help garner it!

Thanks, Mat!