D&D 4E 4e DM Cheat Sheet

Ferghis · Jun 30, 2011

Quickleaf said:
I was thinking this could be a double-sided sheet, but I wasn't sure what I'd put on the reverse side... maybe encounter XP budgets by level?

Two ideas:
- condition effects
- skill check crunch for things like knowledge skills, athletics, endurance, and other skills that have "numbers" involved.

Truename · Jun 30, 2011

Kzach said:
I think you could get rid of the 'updating pre-MM3' monsters table altogether as a sheet like this is for when you're improvising, not when you've got tools at the table to draw on. Plus it would make room to add in the initiative modifiers for the various monster types.

The 'updating pre-MM3 monsters' section is my favorite part--I'm pretty good at improvising, but I can never remember what needs to be changed with monsters.

bargle0 · Jun 30, 2011

Ferghis said:
Two ideas:
- condition effects
- skill check crunch for things like knowledge skills, athletics, endurance, and other skills that have "numbers" involved.

This, including a summary of the monster knowledge check rules.

Kzach · Jun 30, 2011

Truename said:
The 'updating pre-MM3 monsters' section is my favorite part--I'm pretty good at improvising, but I can never remember what needs to be changed with monsters.

You could simply write it on a post-it note and stick it to the front page of your MM3.

Truename · Jun 30, 2011

Kzach said:
You could simply write it on a post-it note and stick it to the front page of your MM3.

Sure, and you could write the improv stuff on an index card and glue it to your DM screen. :hmm:

.daeherof rouy rO

Quickleaf · Jul 1, 2011

Ferghis said:
Two ideas:
- condition effects
- skill check crunch for things like knowledge skills, athletics, endurance, and other skills that have "numbers" involved.

So it sounds like you'd like to see info that would be on a DM screen replicated on this sheet? I guess it makes sense if this were the only thing you played with, but I was hoping to make this just as useful to DMs who have a screen or lots of the skill stuff memorized. Its just that skills and conditions take up a lot of space.

Ferghis · Jul 1, 2011

I was just throwing ideas out because it sounded like you were looking for fillers for a second page. I don't think the skill check details are on the regular DM screen, though. I could be wrong.

Alphastream · Jul 4, 2011

I can see some use of this sheet for when I am "winging things", but more likely is that I would use it when I craft adventures. I tend to look at XP cost for monsters by level (minion cost is useful) and the budget for the party of 5. I look at the list of skills when designing skill challenges. Major/minor quest rewards are used at times. Running a game I like the list of knowledge skills for different creature types.

Reference-wise, it would be awesome to have a list of material that provides traps, terrain, monster themes, and templates. A mention to the article in DDI with all the rituals would be useful.

Thinking out loud...

Quickleaf · Jul 4, 2011

The page number thing is probably outside what I'm going to tackle because (a) my collection of 4e books is modest, (b) I'm no longer a DDi subscriber, and (c) besides the DMGs most of that stuff is in Dragon/Dungeon which IMO need their own searchable database, especially now that they've stopped collating individual articles into PDFs :erm:

Maybe I could put together 2 versions of a back side: One a DM screen on a page with stuff like skills, conditions, item prices, light sources, etc? And the other session prep notes/guidelines?

As for encounter XP budgets and monster XP values...would a list of encounter templates (with numbers, roles, and approx levels) be more useful? I ask because that covers role synergies and is quick & easy in play. Also it would free up space for rough level ranges for monsters (eg. Displacer beast is level 9) and maybe a list of sample monster powers by level.

I'll keep brainstorming, all ideas are welcome.

Rune · Jul 4, 2011

For a 2-page format, I think it would be quite handy to have one side be focused on adventure/encounter-building and the flip side be focused on on-the-fly rulings/encounters.