D&D 5E DM: overwhelmed with creatures

[animal chubs]

Last night I was DM'ing a session and I was overwhelmed with creatures hp I had to keep track of. I was wondering how other dm's keep track of them. I normally use a grid and just white, black, clear or red counters. (I use them for MTG) but I found my self more focused on trying to keep track that I missed some of the story I was supposed to give them. Any advice is appreciated.

 

[The Human Target]

I write/print them on paper something like this.

Kobold Slinger A- 20-
Kobold Slinger B- 20-
Kobold Dragonshield C- 30-
Etc..

So enemy name, a letter to quickly differentiate them, total hit points (and bloodied value if I'm using 4e), and a space to keep track of numbers with a pencil as they take damage.

I've also started to track monster HP loss in reverse. So I start at zero and add the damage as they take it with the monster dying when it reaches its HP total rather than starting with the total and subtracting. It's faster for most people.

 

[KarinsDad]

I keep a list of each creature on paper (and I use miniatures). Sometimes the miniatures do not match, but I just write down a clue. So for a room of Orcs where I only have one Orc miniature, I use other miniatures that are humanoid:

1) Red Cloak 5 12 17
2) Axe 9
3) Gnoll 8 22
4) Orc

I cross off the old damage total and write down the new damage total. When the new damage total is greater or equal to hit points, I cross out the entire row.

I could see putting the total to the left of each row, but I've never found a need to do that since I have the MM open to the monster page most of the time.

 

[KarinsDad]

So enemy name, a letter to quickly differentiate them, total hit points (and bloodied value if I'm using 4e), and a space to keep track of numbers with a pencil as they take damage.

I don't actually write down bloodied value for 5E, but we do indicate it on the miniature when it happens because there is a section of the PHB that indicates that the DM should tell the players when an NPC is half damaged (i.e. bloodied).

 

[doctorhook]

I use numbered tokens, and then use a notepad to write down HP and damage taken.

 

[Wik]

I have the players keep track of the damage they inflict. If the monster has resistance or whatever, they know it as a result, but I see this as a feature, not a bug. Players SHOULD get this information quickly, and this guarantees that they're getting it (Jon Snow knows that the ice zombie thingy can't be hurt by swords that well, but finds that fire does the trick quite quickly!).

Anyways, this means that the players keep a running track of damage. Every now and then, I ask them what it's at, and if it's around bloodied value, I tell them that. They have old 4e counters that they then put under the mini that indicates it's bloodied, and we're good to.

It's a great system, and hugely reduces my bookkeeping.

 

[The Human Target]

I don't actually write down bloodied value for 5E, but we do indicate it on the miniature when it happens because there is a section of the PHB that indicates that the DM should tell the players when an NPC is half damaged (i.e. bloodied).

I didn't know that, I'd for sure list the bloodied value next to the hp on my sheet in 5e. If for no other reason than as a reminder to tell players/place a token under a mini.

 

[KarinsDad]

I have the players keep track of the damage they inflict. If the monster has resistance or whatever, they know it as a result, but I see this as a feature, not a bug. Players SHOULD get this information quickly, and this guarantees that they're getting it (Jon Snow knows that the ice zombie thingy can't be hurt by swords that well, but finds that fire does the trick quite quickly!).

Anyways, this means that the players keep a running track of damage. Every now and then, I ask them what it's at, and if it's around bloodied value, I tell them that. They have old 4e counters that they then put under the mini that indicates it's bloodied, and we're good to.

It's a great system, and hugely reduces my bookkeeping.

So do you tell the players the monsters' total hit points as well, or do you just sometimes not drop a monster when it should be dropped (due to you not knowing that enough damage was done)?

 

[Wik]

So do you tell the players the monsters' total hit points as well, or do you just sometimes not drop a monster when it should be dropped (due to you not knowing that enough damage was done)?

Not at all. Every time they hit a monster, I ask what it's at. If it's now at zero, I describe it dying. Last session, the PCs were fighting goblins, and trying to figure out how many HP each goblin had. There was a lot of guesswork, and couldn't figure out where it was bloodied (3? 5? Speculation flew, because they only knew how much damage had been DONE). They had no idea how many hp they had, until the players finally figured the number was 7, and that was only after 20+ goblins had died in the name of D&D science.

Way I see it, it doesn't really rob the game of too much mystery. Players can keep track of damage anyways, and I personally don't believe they should ever be kept in the dark regarding immunities or anything unless there's a special reason.

For what it's worth, in solo-style monsters, or other situations where I want to keep the info to myself, I do so, and the players have no problem with that.

 

[KarinsDad]

Not at all. Every time they hit a monster, I ask what it's at.

Got it. I thought when you wrote:

Every now and then, I ask them what it's at

that you didn't ask all of the time.