Can experienced 5e DM's let me know if you have a way to keep track of the PC background, traits, alignment, passive abilities and proficiencies? I am starting Icewind Dale and feel that this campaign would be more fun if I held the characters to every detail. Including their appearance. But how do you keep track of all of this? Do I just make a document, which I could do or is there a resource online for this?
I have a Rogue Silver Dragonborn in the party for example...meeting Trovus in Caer-Konig will be interesting...especially if there is a chance they may already have a past...any help would be appreciated, thanks!
Just create a campaign here and have them make their character sheets in the campaign. Then you can just look at them and see their skills, passive perception etc for yourself. I have several campaigns going with multiple characters, I had 9 players in one of my games. The best way is to simply trust your players though. After a few sessions you will remember the things that they do regularly, and if you get them to roll using the character sheet roller then you can see the details so they can't cheat anyway. My favourite is to connect DnDBeyond to Roll20 using the Beyond20 plug in for either Chrome or Firefox. It is really simple.
There used to be an extension for chrome that did it for you and put it all in one place.
I don't use DDB to track things anymore and my VTT lets me see passive perception by hovering over PC tokens, but... if you do a search here you can probably find the name of the extension. Sorry that the name eludes me just at the moment.
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WOTC lies. We know that WOTC lies. WOTC knows that we know that WOTC lies. We know that WOTC knows that we know that WOTC lies. And still they lie.
Because of the above (a paraphrase from Orwell) I no longer post to the forums -- PM me if you need help or anything.
I’m a weirdo in that I track this stuff on a stenographers notepad on my desk. I just put the basics of their character on it and go from there. I don’t need to know if they have a 10 or 11 str just if they have a +1 or +0 bonus to str checks.
I just pasted their character background information into a word document.
I created a few tables for which skills they had proficiency in, what their saves were, what languages they knew. Basically I could see the party's abilities at a glance through these tables when I need to decide what they might know/need to roll.
I’m a weirdo in that I track this stuff on a stenographers notepad on my desk. I just put the basics of their character on it and go from there. I don’t need to know if they have a 10 or 11 str just if they have a +1 or +0 bonus to str checks.
I do something similar. I summarize everything I think will be important for each character in a word doc, usually in just a few lines so the whole party fits on one page. Then print it out and clip it to my DM screen. Then I can also update the page when needed, hand writing updates on it during the session, and then typing them in between session, and printing a new page.
I use DDB for campaigns, so their sheets are already pretty accessible. But for the minute to minute tracking I only need passive skills, AC, and Saves. I don’t need to know their background features at a glance, it’s up to the players to remember that stuff for themselves.
It’s a lot of cognitive load to keep that all front of mind while you are DMing. In addition to the summarization suggestions above, you might consider reviewing the material and identifying some upcoming opportunities during your session planning. It’s not as organic, but you might have more luck actually following through.
In Mike Shea’s Return of the Lazy Dungeon Master, he encourages DMs to start their preparation by first looking over each of the characters. This is pretty easy if their characters are here on DDB.
At this point, I will ask how the character’s background, alignment, and other factors play into the next piece of the adventure. If it is relevant then I can make a note next to the appropriate room, encounter, or NPC.
I like this practice, because it might cause me to modify how an NPC treats one member of the party.
For my online games, I try to have my players all use DDB, and create them in my campaign. If they can't do that, I usually get them to send me a copy of the character sheet prior. Then I have a browser window open with tabs for all the character sheets so I can look at stuff if I need to - but like a lot of people said, it's a lot to keep in mind. I tend to try to remember one key thing for each player that can be bought up in game (e.g. something catches their eye in a market).
With IRL games, it's a little less elegant as I run them at a games store and they are specifically aimed at new players. So I will have new people rock up and create their characters on the night, or have players who pop in and out of the games (it's a home-brew consisting of an interconnected series of one shots). In that case I have a pad of post it notes and get them to write things like AC, HP, passive perception on it, and something they want me to know about the character, which I then stick to my DM screen. Then I can try to weave that detail into the story, again in a small way (i.e. "you remember this elf, they worked for your previous employer").
You could try a variant of the post it note strategy perhaps - I find that AC, max HP, & passive perception is all I really need. Perhaps at first you cold try picking just one or two background details / feats that you might use to add flavour in the storytelling. Asking player t give you a copy of their character sheet prior to the game, then keeping that handy in whatever format might also help you. If you have physical copies of the character sheets you could try using stickies or highlighters to colour code interesting bits. Hope this is a bit helpful.
How ironic!! Did anyone notice the new way characters are listed in your campaigns! Lol, awesome. The basic information is listed now right on the main page of characters in your campaign. This change happened within the last 48 hours...
Pieces of carboard bulldog-clipped to my GM screen.
These have: - Character name - Player name - Class(es) - Ability Scores - Skill, Tool and Language proficiencies (just the names - I don't need numbers) - Passive Perception number - Passive Initiative number
Oops, I tried to use the extension that Lyxen mentioned but thought it did not work since I had no idea how it would look. Just realizing now that it was the extension...very much covers all that I asked for! Thank you to Lyxen for the suggestion.
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Can experienced 5e DM's let me know if you have a way to keep track of the PC background, traits, alignment, passive abilities and proficiencies? I am starting Icewind Dale and feel that this campaign would be more fun if I held the characters to every detail. Including their appearance. But how do you keep track of all of this? Do I just make a document, which I could do or is there a resource online for this?
I have a Rogue Silver Dragonborn in the party for example...meeting Trovus in Caer-Konig will be interesting...especially if there is a chance they may already have a past...any help would be appreciated, thanks!
Just create a campaign here and have them make their character sheets in the campaign. Then you can just look at them and see their skills, passive perception etc for yourself. I have several campaigns going with multiple characters, I had 9 players in one of my games. The best way is to simply trust your players though. After a few sessions you will remember the things that they do regularly, and if you get them to roll using the character sheet roller then you can see the details so they can't cheat anyway. My favourite is to connect DnDBeyond to Roll20 using the Beyond20 plug in for either Chrome or Firefox. It is really simple.
There used to be an extension for chrome that did it for you and put it all in one place.
I don't use DDB to track things anymore and my VTT lets me see passive perception by hovering over PC tokens, but... if you do a search here you can probably find the name of the extension. Sorry that the name eludes me just at the moment.
WOTC lies. We know that WOTC lies. WOTC knows that we know that WOTC lies. We know that WOTC knows that we know that WOTC lies. And still they lie.
Because of the above (a paraphrase from Orwell) I no longer post to the forums -- PM me if you need help or anything.
I’m a weirdo in that I track this stuff on a stenographers notepad on my desk. I just put the basics of their character on it and go from there. I don’t need to know if they have a 10 or 11 str just if they have a +1 or +0 bonus to str checks.
I just pasted their character background information into a word document.
I created a few tables for which skills they had proficiency in, what their saves were, what languages they knew. Basically I could see the party's abilities at a glance through these tables when I need to decide what they might know/need to roll.
I do something similar. I summarize everything I think will be important for each character in a word doc, usually in just a few lines so the whole party fits on one page. Then print it out and clip it to my DM screen.
Then I can also update the page when needed, hand writing updates on it during the session, and then typing them in between session, and printing a new page.
I use DDB for campaigns, so their sheets are already pretty accessible. But for the minute to minute tracking I only need passive skills, AC, and Saves. I don’t need to know their background features at a glance, it’s up to the players to remember that stuff for themselves.
Creating Epic Boons on DDB
DDB Buyers' Guide
Hardcovers, DDB & You
Content Troubleshooting
It’s a lot of cognitive load to keep that all front of mind while you are DMing. In addition to the summarization suggestions above, you might consider reviewing the material and identifying some upcoming opportunities during your session planning. It’s not as organic, but you might have more luck actually following through.
While I do use DDB for my campaigns, I also make a google 'cheat-sheet' document for ease of use.
You're welcome to look it over here.
In Mike Shea’s Return of the Lazy Dungeon Master, he encourages DMs to start their preparation by first looking over each of the characters. This is pretty easy if their characters are here on DDB.
At this point, I will ask how the character’s background, alignment, and other factors play into the next piece of the adventure. If it is relevant then I can make a note next to the appropriate room, encounter, or NPC.
I like this practice, because it might cause me to modify how an NPC treats one member of the party.
For my online games, I try to have my players all use DDB, and create them in my campaign. If they can't do that, I usually get them to send me a copy of the character sheet prior. Then I have a browser window open with tabs for all the character sheets so I can look at stuff if I need to - but like a lot of people said, it's a lot to keep in mind. I tend to try to remember one key thing for each player that can be bought up in game (e.g. something catches their eye in a market).
With IRL games, it's a little less elegant as I run them at a games store and they are specifically aimed at new players. So I will have new people rock up and create their characters on the night, or have players who pop in and out of the games (it's a home-brew consisting of an interconnected series of one shots). In that case I have a pad of post it notes and get them to write things like AC, HP, passive perception on it, and something they want me to know about the character, which I then stick to my DM screen. Then I can try to weave that detail into the story, again in a small way (i.e. "you remember this elf, they worked for your previous employer").
You could try a variant of the post it note strategy perhaps - I find that AC, max HP, & passive perception is all I really need. Perhaps at first you cold try picking just one or two background details / feats that you might use to add flavour in the storytelling. Asking player t give you a copy of their character sheet prior to the game, then keeping that handy in whatever format might also help you. If you have physical copies of the character sheets you could try using stickies or highlighters to colour code interesting bits. Hope this is a bit helpful.
Lots of good advice...I found this which solves a lot of my issues: https://********/dmscreen.html
even when i play online i use physical DM character tents on my table - and i always include their proficiencies.
here's a free one
https://www.dmsguild.com/product/319281/Character-Tent-with-Conditions
Guide to the Five Factions (PWYW)
Deck of Decks
How ironic!! Did anyone notice the new way characters are listed in your campaigns! Lol, awesome. The basic information is listed now right on the main page of characters in your campaign. This change happened within the last 48 hours...
I am not seeing this, are you sure you're not using any browser extension?
mine look the same as always too...no magiclove that seeker is seeing.
Guide to the Five Factions (PWYW)
Deck of Decks
Pieces of carboard bulldog-clipped to my GM screen.
These have:
- Character name
- Player name
- Class(es)
- Ability Scores
- Skill, Tool and Language proficiencies (just the names - I don't need numbers)
- Passive Perception number
- Passive Initiative number
Oops, I tried to use the extension that Lyxen mentioned but thought it did not work since I had no idea how it would look. Just realizing now that it was the extension...very much covers all that I asked for! Thank you to Lyxen for the suggestion.