I have a group of guys that I'm DMing for and we've been having a blast during our sessions. However, due to recent events and the fact that we are all either in high school or have just graduated, some of the guys are now unable to attend in person. What online tool can i use to move things completely digital? Most of the books and adventures I have are here on DnD Beyond, but I'm really not sure how I can run it all here.
I run a game with 6 PCs and none of us live in the same state. They all manage their character sheets here on DnD Beyond, and I'd say 90% of our game is played in theater of the mind. If a situation calls for a map, either because of combat or exploration, I use Roll20. You can pull JPGs right into Roll20 and set them as your maps, and there is no shortage of cool battlemaps all over the internet for you to shamelessly steal. It also lets you hide surprises on your own layer and reveal map areas as you go so that your PCs can't see a secret hallway or an enemy lurking around a corner before you want them to.
As for juggling your campaign material so that everything is where you need when you need it, multiple screens/monitors are your friend. I know that not everybody can do that, but it helps greatly. I try to keep the Roll20 map on the screen that i have the most control over (the one that my mouse is plugged into), and whatever content I'm reading off of on the other. If i need multiple tabs (a fight with 3 monsters with different stat blocks, for example), then I keep each stat block open in a different tab and flip over when it's that monster's turn.
Right now I'm running a level of the Dungeon of the Mad Mage, and my setup is as complicated as it's likely to get but still very manageable. I've got:
Left Screen: Roll20 map with the entire unmarked dungeon level
Right Screen: Adventure Text, monster stat blocks
In front of me: 8 x11 Printout of the dungeon map with marked area numbers (so i don't have to keep scrolling back to the top of the page to check what number area they're in)
In front of me: Paper and pen for anything else that comes up
The setup on my end isn't exactly the problem though, the problem is I am the only one with any books, digital or physical. They have their character sheets and dice, but for them that's it
Basically you use Foundry VTT, Roll 20, Fantasy Grounds or even just Discord + Avrae bot and the Beyond20 exentnsion and a few others as you see fit.
If you, the DM, have the digital maps, manuals, and adventures (probably through DDB) then you should be more than able to run your sessions online.
Your players have no need for anything but their DDB character sheets and be able to install the used extensions and log onto what ever VTT you go with.
Don't forget the benefits of a Master tier sub for you as the DM. It's $5.50 USD monthly (not including annual price discount) I want to say, and for me very worth it. Depending on how much you like the use of a grid, I also recommend Roll20 currently, either as a free user or as a Plus or even Pro member. Depending upon maybe you can get your group to toss in on that, but if not give the free features a spin and see if it works for you. There's an extension called Beyond20 I think that should work for Firefox or Chrome and effectively keeps your PC's from needing to duplicate character sheets on Roll20, but there's a lot of functionality you might want to look into that Roll20 provides. Alternatively there's Fantasy Grounds as well, but I'm honestly not as familiar there.
Edit: Also, recommend making use of Discord bots for ambient music, and maybe the DDB specific bot Avrae, you can find more about that on YouTube I think.
I have a group of guys that I'm DMing for and we've been having a blast during our sessions. However, due to recent events and the fact that we are all either in high school or have just graduated, some of the guys are now unable to attend in person. What online tool can i use to move things completely digital? Most of the books and adventures I have are here on DnD Beyond, but I'm really not sure how I can run it all here.
There's a couple options. Roll20, voice channel on Discord...
I run a game with 6 PCs and none of us live in the same state. They all manage their character sheets here on DnD Beyond, and I'd say 90% of our game is played in theater of the mind. If a situation calls for a map, either because of combat or exploration, I use Roll20. You can pull JPGs right into Roll20 and set them as your maps, and there is no shortage of cool battlemaps all over the internet for you to shamelessly steal. It also lets you hide surprises on your own layer and reveal map areas as you go so that your PCs can't see a secret hallway or an enemy lurking around a corner before you want them to.
As for juggling your campaign material so that everything is where you need when you need it, multiple screens/monitors are your friend. I know that not everybody can do that, but it helps greatly. I try to keep the Roll20 map on the screen that i have the most control over (the one that my mouse is plugged into), and whatever content I'm reading off of on the other. If i need multiple tabs (a fight with 3 monsters with different stat blocks, for example), then I keep each stat block open in a different tab and flip over when it's that monster's turn.
Right now I'm running a level of the Dungeon of the Mad Mage, and my setup is as complicated as it's likely to get but still very manageable. I've got:
You'll get the hang of it pretty quickly
"To die would be an awfully big adventure"
The setup on my end isn't exactly the problem though, the problem is I am the only one with any books, digital or physical. They have their character sheets and dice, but for them that's it
Check out this thread where we are discussing options for online + DDB.
https://www.dndbeyond.com/forums/dungeons-dragons-discussion/dungeon-masters-only/60771-vtt-d-d-beyond-question
Basically you use Foundry VTT, Roll 20, Fantasy Grounds or even just Discord + Avrae bot and the Beyond20 exentnsion and a few others as you see fit.
If you, the DM, have the digital maps, manuals, and adventures (probably through DDB) then you should be more than able to run your sessions online.
Your players have no need for anything but their DDB character sheets and be able to install the used extensions and log onto what ever VTT you go with.
Don't forget the benefits of a Master tier sub for you as the DM. It's $5.50 USD monthly (not including annual price discount) I want to say, and for me very worth it. Depending on how much you like the use of a grid, I also recommend Roll20 currently, either as a free user or as a Plus or even Pro member. Depending upon maybe you can get your group to toss in on that, but if not give the free features a spin and see if it works for you. There's an extension called Beyond20 I think that should work for Firefox or Chrome and effectively keeps your PC's from needing to duplicate character sheets on Roll20, but there's a lot of functionality you might want to look into that Roll20 provides. Alternatively there's Fantasy Grounds as well, but I'm honestly not as familiar there.
Edit: Also, recommend making use of Discord bots for ambient music, and maybe the DDB specific bot Avrae, you can find more about that on YouTube I think.
There's Astral on Drive Thru RPG too...