The Wizards Community

Perithoth

Date Joined: Aug 30, 2008

Posts: 294

Here is the thread to post your DMs Tools.

Brayn's Magic Item Cards w/ Alternate Treasure Table (v 1.1):

Please let me know of any errors or additions that are needed.

Thanks,

Bryan Blumklotz

Perithoth

Date Joined: Aug 30, 2008

Posts: 294

Here is a link to the Standee thread by GnomishMagicMisshle:

community.wizards.com/dungeonsanddragons...

Since he is maintaining his own thread I figured that folks would want to know where to go.

Alphastream1

Dragon Slayer
If only he would apply himself
Dammit Jim, this is Star Trek, not D&D!

Date Joined: Jan 31, 2006

Posts: 4,642

I'll add some from my previous threads:

Tracking Initiative with Initiative Tents
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This is a favorite of mine for speeding up play. As described here, take construction paper and cut into rectangles about 3" wide and 6" long. Fold in half and on one half write in large print a number. You want numbers 1-12 at a minimum, with 15 being a safe number of cards.

When initiative is rolled, ask for initiative in chunks. "Who is above 20?" "Above 15?" and so on. Each time, hand out the numbers in order, starting with 1. Include your monsters. The end result, shown below, is every PC and monster has a tent showing when they will go. This speeds up play, helps players know that their turn is coming up, and helps everyone have equal tactical footing.

Maps and Tiles
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The supplied maps work really well. The only down-side is really the presence of fold marks, which you can alleviate if the store can keep them unfolded (or rolled in a tube) between sessions.

In addition, you could recreate them with Dungeon Tiles if you have them. I don't recommend using alternate tiles without your serious consideration, as authors often really look at room size and layout to match the monsters.

It can be really cool to represent elevations and features. For elevations, craft stores usually have cheap 1" wooden square blocks you can use to represent high areas. If you have dungeon tiles, you can place the tile over them, to keep the same look. You can do the same thing with some features, such as putting blocks under a tile for a dresser or pillar. Pillars can also be found in wood from craft stores. An example is show here:

It can be fun as a DM to add some three-dimensional terrain. Naloomi's workshop has really nice terrain (available painted or unpainted for reasonable prices). The first picture I posted for initiative tents uses ruins from Naloomi. You can also find sites that provide paper 3-D elements (though these are time and ink intensive), cast mold plaster terrain, and even plastic pieces. Used here and there they can really make for interesting combats and help set the scene. My suggestion is to use a few pieces at a time so you become comfortable with using them without blowing your budget or making the combats too complicated.

Minis
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Feel free to post ideas on minis (with spoiler blocks).

There are many fine places to purchase miniatures. First, consider supporting your local gaming store - they are hosting D&D Encounters, they are local (support the local economy, be green), and they will only be around if they make a profit. For hard-to-find minis from older sets, there are various places to shop. This site can be useful for comparing prices. This site is also useful.

PC/Monster Table Tents
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A table tent is a folded piece of paper (looking like an old fashioned triangular camping tent) upon which you write information describing your PC. They are used by many RPGA living campaign players. They provide a quick capture of what the PC is and often contain a picture. You can read more about how I use them here. An example Word PC tent can be downloaded here. You can find others online or use the ones that come with the kit (depending on the Encounters season).

One fun (though time-consuming) option is to create tents for NPCs and Monsters. Search the galleries on DDI, and any other digital material (including image searches) for each monster. Paste them in Word, and under them write the name of the monster (if desired). I use two-column format for the page, so that one image is on one column. Then I add spaces so that the images and name are in the bottom half of the page. When you print, cut the page in half vertically so you have each image/name at the bottom of a long strip. Fold in half, and this makes a nice tent. A pro-tip is to also write the name on the top half (in recent versions of Word it is easy to take this second name and flip it upside-down. This way, when you fold the tent the players will see the image and name and you will see the name as well. If you leave a bit of space at the bottoms you can fold the tent over, making it sturdier. This works even better on a heavier weight paper or card stock.

This works well with tracking initiative. You can make tiny tents and place numbers on them (12 is about all you will ever need, but 15 is the safest). During combat, you can put these tiny initiative tents on top of the monster and PC tents. The nice part about this is that everyone knows when each creature will go. "That undead is going to go next, kill it!" And, as a DM, you also know when PCs will act. This puts everyone on equal footing, speeds up play, and enhances tactical play.

If you really want to speed up play, consider placing monster defenses on the monster tents. This is not a practice for everyone, but it means players can easily tell you if they hit or not. This works best if you can trust your players.

Handouts for Use at the Table
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This 4E D&D Combat Cheat Sheet is pretty good at providing useful information on just one page.

For altering encounters, it is really useful to know the expected values for monsters and the skill ranges for each level. It helps you adjust damage down or up on monster powers or add skill challenge steps. The SlyFlourish cheat sheet is great at capturing these standard values.

For new players I really like the Think Outside the Box power card. It really encourages them to try out different things and not just use powers.

On Scaling Down Encounters and Ensuring Fun
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The threads for previous Encounters seasons underscore that there are a lot of DMs out there that feel they must run what is in the adventure very literally. There are also more than a few DMs that want to run the combats as harder than they actually are written.

This is an introductory program. The authors and WotC have made it clear on the forums that the point is to be fun and to attract and retain players. DMs should make sure that they are making this fun and that any increase in challenge is actually desired by the players.

Here is an article that was sent by WotC to all stores running the second season of encounters. It specifically states that DMs are empowered to make changes in the name of fun.

There are a number of ways DMs can scale encounters, even on the fly. If during prep a DM sees that the encounter seems rough, or if the DM knows the table is low on resources, then one of these methods can be used to lower the difficulty. The exact method that works best will depend on personal style. Most DMs employ various methods depending on the situation.

Methods for adjusting the challenge level: Show

Before starting, think through what will play best. Will the party appreciate another hard fight? Will they enjoy a medium fight? Will they enjoy an easy fight? Depending on that answer, employ one or more of the following.
Treat the party as a "weak" party as listed in the adventure, removing a foe of the level of the fight. You can do this twice if the party is already a weak party (table of 4, for example) and also low on resources. Alternately, apply the scaling rules from the DMG to lower all the monsters by one level. This is done by applying a -1 to attacks and defenses to all monsters and removing 8 HPs from each monster. (Technically, the HP value is based on role, but 8 is a good average).
Another way to reduce difficulty is to look at monster powers that might be overly strong. These tend to be powers that do multiple dice of damage or have strong effects (daze, stun). If the power recharges, increase the rate of recharge (make a tough power that recharges on 4-6 only recharge on 5-6). If the power is at-will but very strong, consider giving it a 3-6 or 4-6 recharge.
An alternate way to deal with strong monster powers that deal damage is to reduce the damage by one die. If a creature normally does 2d10+4 and that seems too brutal, bring it down to 2d8+4. You can instead remove the static modifier (2d10+4 becomes 2d10). Each has slightly different mathematical outcomes, which you can get a feel for over time or do the math on average, minimum, and maximum damage if desired. (2d10+4 is 6-24dmg, average of 15. 2d8+4 is 6-20, avg of 13. 2d10 is 2-20, avg of 11.)
If your players lost all their dailies or surges, consider using some method to refresh them. The equivalent of the DMG2's Energy Node terrain power (p59) can be fun. A free action arcana check can identify that the square(s) will recharge an encounter power or 2 healing surges with a minor action - this can make a big difference. If your party is really hurt, it could even be used to recharge a daily... but make sure this is needed.
You can always be less efficient with monsters. Don't use the best power every time. Move to a dangerous position. Provoke OAs. Communicate what the monster will be doing next round via a challenge. These minor steps give the party the breathing room to get back into the fight.

Using Minions Effectively
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This blog by Chris Sims is a very good read on how to use minions well in your encounters. Because DDE DMs can alter encounters with minions, this guidance can be useful in determining how best to shape a session with minion so it will be fun for your players. It also provides guidance on the common feeling a DM can have that minions die too easily vs. how players often feel empowered by minions dying.

Understanding Disease as a Mechanic
A review of how disease work: Show

Certain monsters have diseases. As part of a power, they inflict disease. In a single combat you could easily have more than one disease and players could be infected by several diseases. Lycanthrope encounters are a great example.

A disease has no effect when it first affects you in a combat. This can be hard to understand from a reading of the DMG. Because of the way the rules work, the disease is only a factor for later combats and never for the combat where infection took place.

At the end of the combat where you were infected you make a saving throw and apply the Initial effects of the disease if you fail. This then affects the next combats/encounters.

Once the party takes an extended rest, you check progression. Everyone makes an Endurance check (a PC can also make a Heal check to help one PC throughout the extended rest). Any disease has two DCs. The lower one is the one you have to hit to stay at that level and not worsen. The second DC is to improve. (Several MM1 and DMG1 diseases have received DC Errata). It is very easy for diseases to see-saw back and forth over many extended rests. You might get worse on the first roll, then back to Initial, then back, etc. Eventually you either are cured or reach the Final State. Once you reach the Final State, there is generally no cure outside of a Cure Disease ritual.

Specifically to DDE, the encounter may have rules that override these general rules. Check the text of the encounter and use these rules if no exceptions are presented.

On the Nature of Posting on Forums and Helping DDE Develop:
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It is really easy to post scathing reviews of things we don't like. The sad truth is that such posts tend to do the following:

The people you are trying to reach will be defensive, instead of receptive
You portray the program as negative, discouraging others that have yet to try it from being involved
You encourage others to be negative instead of positive

The bottom line is that negative posts often accomplish little. Also, keep in mind that the RPG industry is a fragile one. The history of RPG companies is one of them losing a lot of money and struggling to find ways to create profit. The following articles may help provide perspective.

Important insight into the crazy creatures we are...
A fantastic series on the history of major RPG companies. This one is specific to WotC/TSR.
An article on the size of the industry and a follow-up on internet behavior. A related one on RPG gamers being an undesirable demographic. (Note: These blogs sometimes include swearing).

If you want to help something be better and bigger, be positive and help it grow.

General DMing Threads
In addition to the above, here are some useful threads for DMs.
Useful Links for Dungeon Masters
A WotC group for trading ideas on Skill Challenges. You can also share ideas relevant to D&D Encounters here.

Follow my blog and Twitter feed with Dark Sun campaign design and DM tips!

Dark Sun's Ashes of Athas Campaign is now available for home play (PM me with your e-mail to order the campaign adventures).

Perithoth

Date Joined: Aug 30, 2008

Posts: 294

Thanks alphastream! Great links.

Here is another, if you are learning the game or have newbies at the table, here are some awsome condition cards by Weem (photoshop master and cool D&D geek)...

www.theweem.com/2010/10/25/weems-updated...

These have been updated to the rules compendium changes...

Perithoth

Date Joined: Aug 30, 2008

Posts: 294

Here are all the pre-gens as single page sheets:
www.4shared.com/file/dh9ixmc-/Season4_1-...

Also, Character Builder now has the pre-gens on the opening page, look for the first six images with the E image on them. Just click on them and it will import them to your save area.

Bryan Blumklotz

Perithoth

Date Joined: Aug 30, 2008

Posts: 294

ArmyVetDM posted some fine initiative and condition tracking goodness:
community.wizards.com/dungeonsanddragons...

BTW, anyone with a tool can post up here.

Thanks,

Bryan Blumklotz

GnomishMagicMisshle

Date Joined: Feb 9, 2011

Posts: 58

Ok, I finally got everything done. Because I interpret the module such that the jellies turn into medium creatures when they split, I've included four of those. If you want to do otherwise, you can print two sheets, cluster the four mediums together to make one creature, or grab some large monster tokens.

Once again, since the encounter is simplified to the point where it's pretty nonsensical to simpli/complexi-fy the fight as per the normal rules, I've opted to add/subtract about a fifth of their health since that's pretty simple and also translates well into something to put in the rest of the whitespace (whereas more creative ideas would require a whole new page or more, which you probably don't want if you're just like, "Hey! I want my standees! And I want my HP tracker! And I want them now!")

Also, because all the non-standee parts of the standee page are pretty much le horrible this week (and maybe also because you all are such cool kids), I've included a special suprise for everyone. You guys have been asking for it, so there you go. Pay no attention to the mossy yellow-green grass standing out against the bluish fields of Inverness (oh, and that whole fountain thing, too I guess. Yeah...) nor the lines and reflections you may see as a result of scanning textured tiles. All of this comes to you thanks to the wonderful people person over at PyMapper and its tileset creation feature, which unfortunately didn't want to play very nice until I managed to snatch his stuffed bunny rabbit and hold it hostage over a barrel fire.