4e - Dungeon Master Screen Review?

renau1g · 19th August 2008, 03:48 PM

Has anyone purchased the Dungeon Master's Screen: A 4th Edition D&D Accessory? I saw it and for $10 CDN it might be worth it to save time looking up rules, but I don't know what's actually on it.

So I turn to the community:

Does anyone own/seen it and does it seems worth it to order?

Thanks!

chaotix42 · 19th August 2008, 04:53 PM

I bought it yesterday and I LOVE it. Very thick and sturdy. The tables printed on the DM side are done up in 4e style with red-colored headers for each table - very easy to read at a quick glance. The info found on the DM side is going to save me from having to glance at the PHB for little things like conditions, what grants combat advantage, various light source information...

The PC side displays a wide spread of monsters in some sort of cavern or Underdark setting - drow, drider, beholder, undead, fire giant w/ hell hounds, black dragon, bugbears - all ready to munch some PCs. The art is good quality and sports a nice glossy finish.

The only downside is that the skill DC tables have to be changed to match the errata (if you care to use it). Thankfully, WotC has provided a printable PDF that you can just slap over the table - hopefully you're like me and have access to a color printer!

All in all I'd say this is a product worthy of my money. It's time to retire my 3e Eberron screen.

Ktulu · 19th August 2008, 05:30 PM

It is sitting on my desk right now, mocking me and my workday.

I printed off the .pdf and I'm going to use a laminator (is that even a word, or is it just spelled wrong?) on it before attaching later today.

renau1g · 19th August 2008, 06:24 PM

Thanks for the info! I've gone ahead and ordered it with the Forgotten Realms CS and an Against the Giants booster to get that free shipping.

Scribble · 19th August 2008, 06:28 PM

Anyone care to give us a listing of which charts are on there?

Obviously we have:

Conditions
Skill DCs
Light Sources

Vael · 19th August 2008, 06:31 PM

I picked it up and I'm looking forward to using it next game day. It's definitely worth the loonies, the quality is excellent, and the information is well laid out and concise. It's got all the conditions, all the factors that grant combat advantage, some common skill DCs ... yeah, I'm glad I got it.

renau1g · 19th August 2008, 07:07 PM

From another site:

It has the following tables:

XP Rewards (DMG 120)
Damage by Level (DMG 47)
Food, Drink, and Lodging (PH 222)
Light Sources (DMG 66)
Character Advancement (PH 29)
Actions in Combat (PH 286)
Combat Advantage (PH 279, but it has a listing of a variety of conditions granting CA and their page numbers)
Attack Modifiers (PH 279)
DCs to Break Most Common Items (PH 262)
Target DCs (DMG 42, this is the one that wasn't updated)
Fall Severity by Character Level (DMG 44)
DCs for Commonly Used Skills (just a list of some DCs compiled from some skills - Athletics, Perception, Arcana, Heal)
Cover (PH 280)
Concealment (PH 281)
Conditions (PH 277)
Healing a Dying Character (281)
Death and Dying (PH 295)

Jack99 · 19th August 2008, 11:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by renau1g

Has anyone purchased the Dungeon Master's Screen: A 4th Edition D&D Accessory? I saw it and for $10 CDN it might be worth it to save time looking up rules, but I don't know what's actually on it.

So I turn to the community:

Does anyone own/seen it and does it seems worth it to order?

Thanks!

Best screen since the 80'ies, as far as I am concerned. Do please note that I have never owned anything but the DM screens produced by TSR/WotC.

renau1g · 19th August 2008, 11:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jack99

Best screen since the 80'ies, as far as I am concerned. Do please note that I have never owned anything but the DM screens produced by TSR/WotC.

Thanks! That's quite the glowing recommendation

Grimstaff · 20th August 2008, 01:06 AM

I picked this up today, and love it. It doesn't hurt that 4E has a simpler ruleset: makes it quite easy to put everything you need on one screen.

My three favorite things about the new DM screen?

1. The awesome chart from DMG pg42! (this one chart is 4E in a nutshell,imo)

2. All the conditions listed and described.

3. This is hands down the sturdiest DM screen ever. Its as thick as the PHB cover.

juggler434 · 20th August 2008, 01:33 AM

I am very impressed with the DM screen. I just got it and its incredibly sturdy. Its also very easy to read and is well orginzed with all the info I kept wishing I had readily available.

questing gm · 20th August 2008, 01:31 PM

Positive Review

Darkwolf71 · 20th August 2008, 01:40 PM

Indeed. As I said on the Wizards board, best GM screen I have ever used/owned. The overall quality is awesome and it has all the information that has constantly halted my games as I look up this rule or that table.

Big thumbs up from The Wolf.

Ghaerdon Fain · 20th August 2008, 01:50 PM

In terms of sturdiness, it gets an A+++. It really is the best configuration and product in DM Boards ever. The art is dark and yummy, but not immature.

The content is as always, 95% previously published stuff with a little bit of DCs for "commonly used skills": climb, escape, find tracks, detect magic, heal and listen, each with a number of DC options/levels.

I don't understand why add in exp rewards, damage by level and char advancement? So many other things could have been added there.

A screen for me is something to ease my mind and keep me from referencing the books every round. 75% of it I will use until I am completely familiar with 4E, but that first board seems dumb for quick reference in the middle of gameplay... I'm probably going to create a single sheet to clip on to that section.

All in all, buy it! It's worth the price. Overall a solid A- imho :-)

Holy Bovine · 20th August 2008, 01:53 PM

As thick as the PHB cover?! I must have this baby! The one thing I always hated about my old DMs screens (3E era) was that they were flimsy and wouldn't stay up with all of the extra stuff I like to pin on them (index cards, pictures of NPCs etc).

One question - it is landscape format?