Dungeon Master’s Screen
I once read that Dungeon Master's Screens are one of the best-selling accessories for D&D. Looking at my collection of screens, which range from the earliest for AD&D up to the present day, I can well believe it. In theory, anyone can make their own DM's screen. After all, it's only painted cardboard with some useful tables on one (or both) sides. However, we tend to like the professional publications, whether official or 3rd-party.
D&D 4th edition is not as dependent on the tables on a DM's screen as 1st edition was, where the screen held the combat tables that were necessary to play the game. However, there are a few tables that it still needs, and I'm glad to say that they are printed on this screen.
The most essential is the list of conditions, which takes up most of the right-most panel of the screen. The other extremely useful tables are the "Damage by Level" and the "Target DCs", both from the DMG's page 42. A table giving DCs for commonly used skills, such as Climb, finding tracks, detect magic and healing, is also provided.
I've also found myself frequently using the "Experience Point Rewards" and the "Character Advancement" tables, the latter of which gives the XP required for each level. Having both on the screen save a lot of page-flipping at the table.
The full list of tables is as follows:
Unfortunately, Wizards changed the values of the Target DCs just before the release of the screen. Thankfully, they released printable errata for it even before it was released, most commendably. That revised table is now attached to my screen.
The players' side of the screen contains a single (long) painted image of various foes they might fight, most of which are iconic to the game: drow, a drider, a dragon, an umber hulk, a mind flayer, a beholder, and giants in addition to several more creatures. The artwork is by Francis Tsai.
Unlike many previous DM Screen releases, this release is nothing but the screen: no additional booklet containing an adventure, character sheets or anything similar. However, I find it the most impressive official DM's Screen I've seen. Why is that?
It's because the physical quality of the screen is so impressive. The screen, at fullest extent, is 104 cm (41 in) wide by 22 cm (8.7 in) tall, using the landscape format introduced in the late 3.5e DM's screen but with all four panels being of full size. And then the screen is thick: certainly the thickest of any official screen, including the old AD&D screens. The quality of materials used is quite astonishing, especially when you compare it to the relatively flimsy 3e screens. Wizards have excelled themselves here, and I give them the highest mark for production values as a result.
If you play D&D 4th edition, this is a screen you should investigate. For those who play other systems, I hope you have screens as impressive.
I once read that Dungeon Master's Screens are one of the best-selling accessories for D&D. Looking at my collection of screens, which range from the earliest for AD&D up to the present day, I can well believe it. In theory, anyone can make their own DM's screen. After all, it's only painted cardboard with some useful tables on one (or both) sides. However, we tend to like the professional publications, whether official or 3rd-party.
D&D 4th edition is not as dependent on the tables on a DM's screen as 1st edition was, where the screen held the combat tables that were necessary to play the game. However, there are a few tables that it still needs, and I'm glad to say that they are printed on this screen.
The most essential is the list of conditions, which takes up most of the right-most panel of the screen. The other extremely useful tables are the "Damage by Level" and the "Target DCs", both from the DMG's page 42. A table giving DCs for commonly used skills, such as Climb, finding tracks, detect magic and healing, is also provided.
I've also found myself frequently using the "Experience Point Rewards" and the "Character Advancement" tables, the latter of which gives the XP required for each level. Having both on the screen save a lot of page-flipping at the table.
The full list of tables is as follows:
- Experience Point Rewards
- Damage by Level
- Food, Drink and Lodging
- Light Sources
- Character Advancement
- Actions in Combat
- Combat Advantage
- Attack Modifiers
- DCs to Break or Burst Common Items
- Target DCs
- Fall Severity by Character Level
- DCs for Commonly Used Skills
- Rolling Attacks & Checks
- Cover
- Concealment
- Conditionsh
- Healing a Dying Character
- Death and Dying
Unfortunately, Wizards changed the values of the Target DCs just before the release of the screen. Thankfully, they released printable errata for it even before it was released, most commendably. That revised table is now attached to my screen.
The players' side of the screen contains a single (long) painted image of various foes they might fight, most of which are iconic to the game: drow, a drider, a dragon, an umber hulk, a mind flayer, a beholder, and giants in addition to several more creatures. The artwork is by Francis Tsai.
Unlike many previous DM Screen releases, this release is nothing but the screen: no additional booklet containing an adventure, character sheets or anything similar. However, I find it the most impressive official DM's Screen I've seen. Why is that?
It's because the physical quality of the screen is so impressive. The screen, at fullest extent, is 104 cm (41 in) wide by 22 cm (8.7 in) tall, using the landscape format introduced in the late 3.5e DM's screen but with all four panels being of full size. And then the screen is thick: certainly the thickest of any official screen, including the old AD&D screens. The quality of materials used is quite astonishing, especially when you compare it to the relatively flimsy 3e screens. Wizards have excelled themselves here, and I give them the highest mark for production values as a result.
If you play D&D 4th edition, this is a screen you should investigate. For those who play other systems, I hope you have screens as impressive.
