Bookkeeping powers, actionspoints and hitpoints?

[harmfulguy]

I'm thinking it would have to be a multi-dial counter (ones, tens, maybe hundreds) to be able to track more than a couple levels' worth of HP. I like the general idea of the strip-based DIY life counters (scroll down) from Healing Fireball Publications, but would prefer a wheel-type implementation.

 

[bardolph]

I'm not pleased with my current system of keeping track of which encounter I've used in a fight. Curently it usually means making a erasable mark on my charachter sheet in the fight - and when the fight is over I erase the marks. As I haven't got hold of a good and clear character record sheet that is supposed to support the marking/reasing procedure, it gets messy after a few fights.

Combat Cards all the way. I actually made my own, and printed on 4x6 cardstock. However, the ones at the back of the DMG work great, too.

I'm telling you, once you use Combat Cards, you'll never look back. They're that good.

 

[Obryn]

They did have big tubes of buttons that were a lot cheaper, but they were too small and weren't flat.

It's been a while since I've been to CM, and Google turns up several forums with that name. Do you happen to know the url, or enough that I can narrow it down?

Here you go!

http://www.unclesgames.com/product_info.php/products_id/1886

 

[James McMurray]

Thanks!

 

[bardolph]

Here you go!

http://www.unclesgames.com/product_info.php/products_id/1886

Hah! That's exactly what I use!

 

[NeoNick]

Combat Cards all the way. I actually made my own, and printed on 4x6 cardstock. However, the ones at the back of the DMG work great, too.

I'm telling you, once you use Combat Cards, you'll never look back. They're that good.

Hmm, I'm willing to try this also. Are there any official pre-printed combat cards for each class? (Would be a snug gift from me to at least one of my groups, if there are.) I'd prefer to buy neat ones than to make and use my own (as they would be ugly due to my lack of skill in painting/drawing etc).

And thanks to all for sharing your ideas.

 

[KarinsDad]

They did have big tubes of buttons that were a lot cheaper, but they were too small and weren't flat.

It's been a while since I've been to CM, and Google turns up several forums with that name. Do you happen to know the url, or enough that I can narrow it down?

The plastic rings from the top of plastic soda bottles work better than mini-poker chips.

The three main advantages are:

1) They are real cheap (effectively free). People tend to buy soda in plastic bottles a lot.

2) One does not need to move the miniature to put a chip under it (the ring just fits or hangs on the miniature).

3) A given player from a given angle does not need to move a miniature (or ask another player) to find out what chips are under the miniature behind it. Since the rings are basically draped onto the miniature, they tend to be visible to every player at the table from any angle.

 

[bardolph]

Hmm, I'm willing to try this also. Are there any official pre-printed combat cards for each class? (Would be a snug gift from me to at least one of my groups, if there are.) I'd prefer to buy neat ones than to make and use my own (as they would be ugly due to my lack of skill in painting/drawing etc).

And thanks to all for sharing your ideas.

See Attached. Print on Card Stock, and cut out with scissors. (I have a Visio doc that I can print directly on to 4x6 cardstock, but I haven't figured out how to convert it to a correctly-sized PDF).

 

[bardolph]

The plastic rings from the top of plastic soda bottles work better than mini-poker chips.

Those are great if you use miniatures. I actually use mini-poker chips INSTEAD of miniatures. Using sticky labels and a permanent marker, you can also use chips to represent status effects, monsters, PCs, terrain features, really anything you want.

And it's cheap.

 

[James McMurray]

The plastic rings from the top of plastic soda bottles work better than mini-poker chips.

The three main advantages are:

1) They are real cheap (effectively free). People tend to buy soda in plastic bottles a lot.

Unfortunately, nobody in our group drinks from bottles. We buy sodas 4-6 12-packs at a time. Away from the table most of us drink cans or fast food fountain drinks.

I'm going to give the poker chips a try. At $3 for 30 they're cheaper than changing drinking habits, and if they don't work out I'm not out a lot of cash. We all sit right next to the mat, so hopefully seeing them won't be an issue.

If those fail, I'll break down and buy the Litko pre-printed ones.