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3 years ago ::
May 24, 2010 - 1:40AM
#1
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Status effects, savings throws, ongoing damage, action points, etc. Whats the best way to keep track of it all and NOT delay the pace of the game? Advice please.
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3 years ago ::
May 26, 2010 - 4:38AM
#2
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Date Joined:
Feb 13, 2010
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There is a wipeboard with magnetic tabs that I have seen other dm's use recently but I just rely on good old pencil and paper.
"Well that encounter was easy....er, guys, why is the DM grinning?" (party members last words) It's not a party till the screaming starts!
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3 years ago ::
Jun 11, 2010 - 3:13PM
#3
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Date Joined:
Jun 11, 2010
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We usually try and keep track of ourselves, usually with another peice of paper where you jot down, 4 points of damage per round for 6 rounds, and then cross out 6 and put 5 when the next round comes along but our group has found that a giant sheet of paper on the wall opposite of the DM is a great way of jotting down the important stuff For example a player will write his characters name and beside it his HP, AC, Fort, Reflex and Will, and Init bonuses for a quick reference, both for the players and the DM It also helps to use a computer for some other things like initiative, (the person in change of telling who is on deck and so on is know as Initibitch) I know I didnt tackle your main question but I thought some other hints would be nice  Game on Friend -Frosty
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3 years ago ::
Jun 22, 2010 - 2:17PM
#4
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Date Joined:
Aug 27, 2009
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When it comes to DMing I find that writing down on paper next to my monsters is a good way to remember everything for the monsters. I expect the players to keep track of their own problems. For bloodied, quarries, marks and oaths, I find getting different colored bingo chips for under the minis is a good way to keep track of those. Another good way is getting your players involved with stat taking. It won't work for every group, but it helps players remember that ongoing damage they caused, if it means getting an extra 5 damage to their name.
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3 years ago ::
Jul 07, 2010 - 8:38AM
#5
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Hmmm my group tends to expect me to keep track of everything which is a bit of a pain however my solution was to track everything using a spreadsheet program on my laptop. It is effective not necessarily the fastest way but effective.
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3 years ago ::
Oct 29, 2010 - 9:42PM
#6
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Date Joined:
Oct 14, 2010
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I tried something that I think works well. I make index cards, 1 for each player and 1 for each group of monsters. So for example I have 4 player cards and maybe 2 monster cards (one for, say, kobold skirmishers and another for the wyrmpriest). Then I put them in initiative order, with monster hit points on them. I rotate cards and it works ok. But when they take damage I have to pull them out and change their hp. I just lay them down and slide them up so they don't lose their place in order. I can use one index card for many many encounters till they get filled up.
But yeah, the players keep track of their own.
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3 years ago ::
Dec 12, 2010 - 11:05AM
#7
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Date Joined:
Mar 21, 2010
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I use hangtabs for statuses and initiative on my dm screen, I think they work excellently and are really easy for both my players and me. Check them out here c/o Sly Flourish on youtube (he has so many good DMing ideas): www.youtube.com/user/mshea01#p/u/4/-vhD2...
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2 years ago ::
Feb 02, 2011 - 10:59PM
#8
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Date Joined:
Jun 24, 2007
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I'm now running games from my laptop using DnD4e Combat Manager.
Honestly, I'm not sure how i managed it all w/o it. It's a Crit!
http://wiki.rpg.net/index.php/DnD4eCM
You can import from the old/offline Monster Builder & Character Builder.
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2 years ago ::
Feb 24, 2011 - 8:36PM
#9
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Date Joined:
Jan 27, 2011
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I use hangtabs for statuses and initiative on my dm screen, I think they work excellently and are really easy for both my players and me. Check them out here c/o Sly Flourish on youtube (he has so many good DMing ideas):
www.youtube.com/user/mshea01#p/u/4/-vhD2...
I watched that video and thought that was such a great idea I went ahead and made some up. You can check them out here:
community.wizards.com/go/thread/view/758...
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2 years ago ::
Feb 27, 2011 - 6:24PM
#10
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I use Virtual Combat Cards, an open source, cross platform program not unlike Qumullus' DnD4e Combat Manager. Version 1.5 was just released, and I think it's great! www.exnebula.org/vcc-DS the DM
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