I'm looking to craft a small binder of resources. Something to help me with my journey experimenting different tactics at DMing. Currently in my binder I have a list of names and personalities to pull from random NPCS. For fun I have a single page listing personality traits, positive, neutral, and negative ones I can mix 2 or 3 together to make an npc on the fly feel like his own guy if I'm stumped. Then the name list was a neat resource for me because it helped me understand the names I was picking. As an example, much of the Lizardfolk names I've come up with came from Nigeria which has a ton of cultural inspiration I can use to spin into, breathing life and personality into it. So the big question I'm asking is what other ideas can you guys think of to put into this book that can help me give my world personality or keep the game moving at a steady pace? The obvious parts of the session notes and maybe a small map or reference of the area.
I usually have a level appropriate random loot table handy.
I also keep a chart of their AC's, and passive perception values, so I can decide what happens after an attack or if they notice something without having to ask them.
Sometimes I even roll monsters initiatives (and some attacks) beforehand so make battle go faster.
That is more like battle stuff though, to keep the world building steady I like to make lists of descriptive words that appeal to the five senses. I hope those ideas are useful to you!
Hello fellow DMs.
I'm looking to craft a small binder of resources. Something to help me with my journey experimenting different tactics at DMing. Currently in my binder I have a list of names and personalities to pull from random NPCS. For fun I have a single page listing personality traits, positive, neutral, and negative ones I can mix 2 or 3 together to make an npc on the fly feel like his own guy if I'm stumped. Then the name list was a neat resource for me because it helped me understand the names I was picking. As an example, much of the Lizardfolk names I've come up with came from Nigeria which has a ton of cultural inspiration I can use to spin into, breathing life and personality into it. So the big question I'm asking is what other ideas can you guys think of to put into this book that can help me give my world personality or keep the game moving at a steady pace? The obvious parts of the session notes and maybe a small map or reference of the area.
I usually have a level appropriate random loot table handy.
I also keep a chart of their AC's, and passive perception values, so I can decide what happens after an attack or if they notice something without having to ask them.
Sometimes I even roll monsters initiatives (and some attacks) beforehand so make battle go faster.
That is more like battle stuff though, to keep the world building steady I like to make lists of descriptive words that appeal to the five senses. I hope those ideas are useful to you!
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Donjon is awesome for generating just about anything, it's digital so not the physical binder you're talking about but has so many great uses.
https://donjon.bin.sh/5e/dungeon/