I've had a session running in a homebrew world for a while, to the extent that I have memorised every NPC and establishment that the party interact with. I'm not particularly sure what I could replace this information with on my DM screen, so any and all suggestions are appreciated.
My current layout covers more extreme combat rules (especially useful with the homebrew weapons my players have amassed) and a small reminder of the backstories of each of the characters (including the NPCs they'd have known interactions with and their certain motivations/how they've changed). This is all digital as I find it much easier to DM from behind a laptop screen where I can just dim the screen and/or fold it away, plus there's no chance for my players to hear me pulling up the combat stats during ambushes, etc.
Alongside this, I have a post-it-note wall that allows me to make brief notes to arrange my mind outside of play (often just small changes that I have made that aren't in my DM notes for the session or a reiteration of something that I have found myself forgetting) and an <A5 notebook I keep next to me at all times for the casual notes that I take (eg, if a PC says they want to explore this area, I'll note it, or if they overhear a rumour and express no interest at the time, or if they piss off an NPC, etc).
What other things do you use your DM screens for? If anyone has any digital DM screen tips as well, they'd be appreciated.
I use the top for Initiative Tracking. On the inside I have a panel with only names. Another panel has PC stats such as their passive perception, AC, Wisdom save as well as their Death DC that goes up every time they die. Thus lowering the chance for successful revival. A bit of text for the most used skills/abilities that the players forget about how it works. Such as Sneak Attack. Easy fast reference instead of always needing to look it up. A panel with the homebrew rules & agreements Other then that it has the info which came with the screen...and I don't use. Got most memorized or on pages in my binder.
But a mate of mine is moving to a larger house. Another mate is carpenter and started building our own game table...with my own wooden DM screen shaped as a castle..build into the table. On the inside I can then just use pins to put up every bit of paper I want. And a little panel to put a laptop on. Can't wait :D
I've had a session running in a homebrew world for a while, to the extent that I have memorised every NPC and establishment that the party interact with. I'm not particularly sure what I could replace this information with on my DM screen, so any and all suggestions are appreciated.
My current layout covers more extreme combat rules (especially useful with the homebrew weapons my players have amassed) and a small reminder of the backstories of each of the characters (including the NPCs they'd have known interactions with and their certain motivations/how they've changed). This is all digital as I find it much easier to DM from behind a laptop screen where I can just dim the screen and/or fold it away, plus there's no chance for my players to hear me pulling up the combat stats during ambushes, etc.
Alongside this, I have a post-it-note wall that allows me to make brief notes to arrange my mind outside of play (often just small changes that I have made that aren't in my DM notes for the session or a reiteration of something that I have found myself forgetting) and an <A5 notebook I keep next to me at all times for the casual notes that I take (eg, if a PC says they want to explore this area, I'll note it, or if they overhear a rumour and express no interest at the time, or if they piss off an NPC, etc).
What other things do you use your DM screens for? If anyone has any digital DM screen tips as well, they'd be appreciated.
I've seen some folks use the top for initiative tracking with clips or index cards.
"Sooner or later, your Players are going to smash your railroad into a sandbox."
-Vedexent
"real life is a super high CR."
-OboeLauren
"............anybody got any potatoes? We could drop a potato in each hole an' see which ones get viciously mauled by horrible monsters?"
-Ilyara Thundertale
I use the top for Initiative Tracking.
On the inside I have a panel with only names.
Another panel has PC stats such as their passive perception, AC, Wisdom save as well as their Death DC that goes up every time they die. Thus lowering the chance for successful revival.
A bit of text for the most used skills/abilities that the players forget about how it works. Such as Sneak Attack. Easy fast reference instead of always needing to look it up.
A panel with the homebrew rules & agreements
Other then that it has the info which came with the screen...and I don't use. Got most memorized or on pages in my binder.
But a mate of mine is moving to a larger house. Another mate is carpenter and started building our own game table...with my own wooden DM screen shaped as a castle..build into the table. On the inside I can then just use pins to put up every bit of paper I want. And a little panel to put a laptop on. Can't wait :D