I would like to propose a feature to help out DMs when giving out monster info or magic item details. Perhaps a button to show a player-version or a DM-version of the item in question.
For example, if I wanted to give out Demon Armor (a cursed item) in a treasure hoard, I could tell my player to look up just the player-relevant stuff (bonus to AC, extra abilities the armour grants etc.). Then when the curse becomes relevant (disadvantage vs. demons in combat), reveal the full extent of the item.
Maybe this could be an option while searching, or a setting you pick on your profile. Opinions?
Nothing is going to stop them from looking up the information elsewhere to get all the stats. Trying to hide information from players these days is pointless, unless you create a brand new item from scratch and never share it with anyone else on the internet.
Possibly include descriptive text to help build the campaign such as destinctive features that you can give to your players without telling them what its called.
Of course, if someone wants to specifically cheat they can just download the SRD and read the Monster Manual. What I'm proposing at least gives non-metagaming players the opportunity to not see stuff they shouldn't be seeing. I trust my players enough to not seek this stuff out. They can't avoid seeing it if there is just one version.
Maybe handle it like reddit and other blogs do for "spoilers". Have a player/DM switch of some kind, when flipped to "Player" it hides the stats and abilities and formats it into a printable "card" or somesuch so the DM could print it out and the players could hang onto and make their own notes as campaigns progress, etc.
Once homebrew is available, you could use that as a workaround. Create something like 'Armor of the Demon', copy over all the info you want the player to know, and send them that item. Then reveal the real version at the dramatic moment.
That's the danger of this type of tool and turning P&P games into more technical beasts. You're running the risk of this becoming WoW on paper, everyone looking for stats and the best builds.
The simple solution is .. don't tell them what it's called. Why would a random armor drop have the same name in every instance of every world? Just tell them they found armor. It looks good. There's some strange etchings or runes on it, etc etc. Try .. oh I don't know .. roleplaying??
If they insist on trying to guess the name of it .. oh no . .it fell to ashes while you were wasting time. ...
A technical solution would be to just allow DM's to disable player access to manuals while in game, and remove names & stats from items and creatures if necessary.
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The difficulty with this conversation is that it's very different from most of the ones I've had of late. Which, as I explained, have mostly been with trees. ~DA
But I like seeing the picture and hearing something about it. Right now my DM does this for us, but just a thought of why people would do this.
See a picture and hearing about it is exactly what you need. Stats? A pre-defined loot name? ...If your party is only interested int loot/xp grinding then that's fine. I prefer games where roleplay actually happens, and sadly those are few and far between.
This tool could easily facilitate roleplay by providing the DM tools to restrict players knowledge during a session to only a picture and brief description. Sure, they could "look it up" in a book or another site (if you're playing online), but I'm not really fond of unimaginative stat trolls in my groups. Them and rules lawyers don't last long.
The difficulty with this conversation is that it's very different from most of the ones I've had of late. Which, as I explained, have mostly been with trees. ~DA
I have started to create new names for the armor and weapons that I give out so that they cant look up the stats. I would say leave the content as is, but allow for your creativity with it
@Grepniir The point of being able to link my players directly to an item is so I don't have to spend more time dancing around what it actually is with descriptions. Not every group is the same & mine would rather have an easy reference card for the item I just gave them. The "roleplaying" comment was more than a little condescending.
@Grepniir The point of being able to link my players directly to an item is so I don't have to spend more time dancing around what it actually is with descriptions. Not every group is the same & mine would rather have an easy reference card for the item I just gave them. The "roleplaying" comment was more than a little condescending.
Yes, it was very condescending. But not in response to you. I actually support this idea, though my comment doesn't seem very clear on that. My point was, the ability to provide a DM version of the item and Player version of the item should include not telling the player the true name of the item. They'll figure it out, maybe. And if they don't ... much the poorer are they.
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
The difficulty with this conversation is that it's very different from most of the ones I've had of late. Which, as I explained, have mostly been with trees. ~DA
Edit: forgot to quote. " See a picture and hearing about it is exactly what you need. Stats? A pre-defined loot name? ...If your party is only interested int loot/xp grinding then that's fine. I prefer games where roleplay actually happens, and sadly those are few and far between. This tool could easily facilitate roleplay by providing the DM tools to restrict players knowledge during a session to only a picture and brief description. Sure, they could "look it up" in a book or another site (if you're playing online), but I'm not really fond of unimaginative stat trolls in my groups. Them and rules lawyers don't last long. "
That is what I mean... My DM gives us a little story about the monster, but no stats or anything. A picture to show us what we see and then the description normally matches what we might know based on common knowledge in the world. I don't want more than that, so I can see a separation of DM and player info as nice.
I would like to propose a feature to help out DMs when giving out monster info or magic item details. Perhaps a button to show a player-version or a DM-version of the item in question.
For example, if I wanted to give out Demon Armor (a cursed item) in a treasure hoard, I could tell my player to look up just the player-relevant stuff (bonus to AC, extra abilities the armour grants etc.). Then when the curse becomes relevant (disadvantage vs. demons in combat), reveal the full extent of the item.
Maybe this could be an option while searching, or a setting you pick on your profile. Opinions?
That sounds like a great idea!
Maybe have a setting allowing you to choose if you are a player or a DM and that will limit the info given out regarding items!
Nothing is going to stop them from looking up the information elsewhere to get all the stats. Trying to hide information from players these days is pointless, unless you create a brand new item from scratch and never share it with anyone else on the internet.
Possibly include descriptive text to help build the campaign such as destinctive features that you can give to your players without telling them what its called.
Of course, if someone wants to specifically cheat they can just download the SRD and read the Monster Manual. What I'm proposing at least gives non-metagaming players the opportunity to not see stuff they shouldn't be seeing. I trust my players enough to not seek this stuff out. They can't avoid seeing it if there is just one version.
I'm a player and I agree. I don't want to know the stats of every monster I encounter, for example. It's more fun being surprised.
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Maybe handle it like reddit and other blogs do for "spoilers". Have a player/DM switch of some kind, when flipped to "Player" it hides the stats and abilities and formats it into a printable "card" or somesuch so the DM could print it out and the players could hang onto and make their own notes as campaigns progress, etc.
@BenDunno Sounds good the idea but there could be unseen problems here though...
Try not to lean to much on tech, imo.
Once homebrew is available, you could use that as a workaround. Create something like 'Armor of the Demon', copy over all the info you want the player to know, and send them that item. Then reveal the real version at the dramatic moment.
That's the danger of this type of tool and turning P&P games into more technical beasts. You're running the risk of this becoming WoW on paper, everyone looking for stats and the best builds.
The simple solution is .. don't tell them what it's called. Why would a random armor drop have the same name in every instance of every world? Just tell them they found armor. It looks good. There's some strange etchings or runes on it, etc etc. Try .. oh I don't know .. roleplaying??
If they insist on trying to guess the name of it .. oh no . .it fell to ashes while you were wasting time. ...
A technical solution would be to just allow DM's to disable player access to manuals while in game, and remove names & stats from items and creatures if necessary.
The difficulty with this conversation is that it's very different from most of the ones I've had of late. Which, as I explained, have mostly been with trees. ~DA
But I like seeing the picture and hearing something about it. Right now my DM does this for us, but just a thought of why people would do this.
The difficulty with this conversation is that it's very different from most of the ones I've had of late. Which, as I explained, have mostly been with trees. ~DA
I have started to create new names for the armor and weapons that I give out so that they cant look up the stats. I would say leave the content as is, but allow for your creativity with it
This would likely be a feature that would belong in the campaign manager. Great idea!
@Grepniir The point of being able to link my players directly to an item is so I don't have to spend more time dancing around what it actually is with descriptions. Not every group is the same & mine would rather have an easy reference card for the item I just gave them. The "roleplaying" comment was more than a little condescending.
Add my vote to those in favor of separate player and DM content display, if anyone's counting.
The difficulty with this conversation is that it's very different from most of the ones I've had of late. Which, as I explained, have mostly been with trees. ~DA
Edit: forgot to quote. " See a picture and hearing about it is exactly what you need. Stats? A pre-defined loot name? ...If your party is only interested int loot/xp grinding then that's fine. I prefer games where roleplay actually happens, and sadly those are few and far between.
This tool could easily facilitate roleplay by providing the DM tools to restrict players knowledge during a session to only a picture and brief description. Sure, they could "look it up" in a book or another site (if you're playing online), but I'm not really fond of unimaginative stat trolls in my groups. Them and rules lawyers don't last long. "
That is what I mean... My DM gives us a little story about the monster, but no stats or anything. A picture to show us what we see and then the description normally matches what we might know based on common knowledge in the world. I don't want more than that, so I can see a separation of DM and player info as nice.