TarionzCousin
Second Most Angelic Devil Ever
After all of the recent changes, how much of my 4E DM Screen is usable? What do I need to change to bring it up to date?
D&D 4E 4E DM Screen - Worthless or Salvageable?
- Thread starter TarionzCousin
- Start date
Almacov
First Post
Well, the illustrated side is very usable. Whether for gaming room decor, inventive gift wrapping, fun captioning games with post-it notes, or inserting new characters into the scene with clingy stickers, there's still a lot to appreciate there!
It's also glossy enough to be used as a mirror in a pinch, and hard enough to function as a fine writing surface, when you'd prefer one that's lighter than a hardcover book and more portable than a table.
Depending on the size of your motor vehicle (if applicable) and the climate in which you live, you may also consider affixing it to a bumper to add an extra bit of visual pizazz. (Taking care not to cover a license plate)
In terms of the actual rules content... there's been enough errata to this game that I'm no longer dilligent in following it. I've heard at least one person suggest the possibility of affixing the new DM's Kit screen to the inside of the old hardcover one, if... that... helps.
Otherwise, it still conceals die rolls and notes as well as before. (Which, being so short... well, YMMV.)
It's also glossy enough to be used as a mirror in a pinch, and hard enough to function as a fine writing surface, when you'd prefer one that's lighter than a hardcover book and more portable than a table.
Depending on the size of your motor vehicle (if applicable) and the climate in which you live, you may also consider affixing it to a bumper to add an extra bit of visual pizazz. (Taking care not to cover a license plate)
In terms of the actual rules content... there's been enough errata to this game that I'm no longer dilligent in following it. I've heard at least one person suggest the possibility of affixing the new DM's Kit screen to the inside of the old hardcover one, if... that... helps.
Otherwise, it still conceals die rolls and notes as well as before. (Which, being so short... well, YMMV.)
fanboy2000
Adventurer
Excellent question.
Taking a look at mine, and numbering the panels from left to right 1-4 this is what I notice:
1. Damage by level. This was quickly errated (and quickly became the poster child for 4e's rapid rules updates) and is fairly outdated.
Everything else on this panel is, to my understanding, correct. Neither errata, nor essentials has changed Experience Point Rewards, food and lodging prices, light sources, and character advancement tables.
2. Near as I can tell, the only changes on this panel are “"Ready or stow a shield" should be in the Standard Actions table" and “'Ready or stow a shield' should be in the Standard Actions table."
Panel two concerns the basic structure of the game: what actions fall into which action categories. That hasn't really changed.
3. There's a minor bit of errata in the DCs for Commonly Used Skills table, but I suspect Essentials might have slightly different DCs in general. DCs have typically been subject to severe DM fiat, so how much a change to a DC in Essentials is up to you.
On the DM's Kit DM screen this panel has the DC's by level table. I consider this table the most useful table on the new screen.
Back to the original screen. Fall severity by Character level is still useful. As is the cover and concealment table, AFACT.
4. There's some minor errata on the healing tables, but the big thing is the list of conditions.
IMHO, the conditions list is the heart of the screen. I refer to it the most. I don't have all the various changes to the conditions. They're small, but pervasive. Also, some things have "graduated" to conditions. For example, grabbed is a condition now. Nothing about it has changed, per se, but it being considered a condition and having a listing as a condition on the DM's Kit screen is I think important.
Conclusion: the only time you would be wrong and likely be called on it is with a condition. Players are likely to look-up conditions they are subject to or know what a condition they impose is. So, you might run the risk of being called out for getting a condition wrong.
By contrast, skill DCs are acknowledgedly the domain of the DM, so what table you use is pretty much a non-issue. That said, the DCs were changed for reason. So, if you've been having issues with the DCs on the screen, you my want to change. If not, then there shouldn't be problem.
Also, the effect of new damage expressions varies widely from group to group. Some people had sever problems with the old methods (used in the MMI), others, like me, have never had a problem with them. If the old values are causing you problems, change them.
Getting the screen up to snuff: I'd create print out a new conditions table, then affix it to the old screen. That would do it for me.
Then again, I'm using the screen from the kit.
Taking a look at mine, and numbering the panels from left to right 1-4 this is what I notice:
1. Damage by level. This was quickly errated (and quickly became the poster child for 4e's rapid rules updates) and is fairly outdated.
Everything else on this panel is, to my understanding, correct. Neither errata, nor essentials has changed Experience Point Rewards, food and lodging prices, light sources, and character advancement tables.
2. Near as I can tell, the only changes on this panel are “"Ready or stow a shield" should be in the Standard Actions table" and “'Ready or stow a shield' should be in the Standard Actions table."
Panel two concerns the basic structure of the game: what actions fall into which action categories. That hasn't really changed.
3. There's a minor bit of errata in the DCs for Commonly Used Skills table, but I suspect Essentials might have slightly different DCs in general. DCs have typically been subject to severe DM fiat, so how much a change to a DC in Essentials is up to you.
On the DM's Kit DM screen this panel has the DC's by level table. I consider this table the most useful table on the new screen.
Back to the original screen. Fall severity by Character level is still useful. As is the cover and concealment table, AFACT.
4. There's some minor errata on the healing tables, but the big thing is the list of conditions.
IMHO, the conditions list is the heart of the screen. I refer to it the most. I don't have all the various changes to the conditions. They're small, but pervasive. Also, some things have "graduated" to conditions. For example, grabbed is a condition now. Nothing about it has changed, per se, but it being considered a condition and having a listing as a condition on the DM's Kit screen is I think important.
Conclusion: the only time you would be wrong and likely be called on it is with a condition. Players are likely to look-up conditions they are subject to or know what a condition they impose is. So, you might run the risk of being called out for getting a condition wrong.
By contrast, skill DCs are acknowledgedly the domain of the DM, so what table you use is pretty much a non-issue. That said, the DCs were changed for reason. So, if you've been having issues with the DCs on the screen, you my want to change. If not, then there shouldn't be problem.
Also, the effect of new damage expressions varies widely from group to group. Some people had sever problems with the old methods (used in the MMI), others, like me, have never had a problem with them. If the old values are causing you problems, change them.
Getting the screen up to snuff: I'd create print out a new conditions table, then affix it to the old screen. That would do it for me.
Then again, I'm using the screen from the kit.
deadsmurf
First Post
there is going to be a new DM screen (other than the DM kit one) in February (I believe) anyway with all that stuff updated, new art, and it's going to be the thicker cardboard like the original 4E screen.
I'm buying it - I luckily haven't gotten a screen for 4E yet (continued using my 3.5 one, with new panels taped into it)
I'm buying it - I luckily haven't gotten a screen for 4E yet (continued using my 3.5 one, with new panels taped into it)
TarionzCousin
Second Most Angelic Devil Ever
I'm not buying the Essentials DM Kit, so I think I'll wait for February and get the thicker screen.
