D&D 4E 4E DM Screen

[Staffan]

I tried creating my own for 2e and it was good, but a bit of a mess and kind awkward on the table.

I had a HUGE DM screen I made myself for 2e - 7 panels, IIRC. It had all the weapons charts from the PHB, the stat charts, spells/level for various classes, wild mage caster level variation, defiling radius, vision ranges, and a load of other stuff. I used to refer to it as my DM fortress. Too bad it's gotten lost in one of my many moves.

 

[Eridanis]

I have a MasterScreen, with four panels and slots on front and back. I use the GM side for charts and the PC side for world maps, art, etc. (In one campaign, I even used it for an Adventurer's Guild bulletin board.) MasterScreens are awesome.

QFT. One of the best gaming purchases I've ever made. (I just need to make more customized sheets for it...)

This new DM screen sounds like a huge step in the right direction for WotC. Thanks for the tip, thalmin!

 

[Pbartender]

The new screen is a 4-panel landscape layout screen. Laminated. I asked if it would take dry or wet erase markers, but the WotC employee was unsure. The screen was printed on stock one would expect for a good solid game board.

So just to be clear...

Yo're saying it's a lot like the screen that comes in the True20 Narrator's Kit?...

...But with four panels?

Assuming the charts are useful, I like it already... And I've got one of the three-panel landscape MasterScreens.

 

[SSquirrel]

I was jazzed to finally get the SLA Industries screen recently. The Changeling:The Lost and all the other New World of Darkness screens are basically game book cover thickness for each part of the screen. It's pretty awesome. I hope the new 4E screen is as good

 

[pukunui]

Of all the 3rd Edition screens, I found the one they gave out free with Dragon at the beginning of the 3.5 lifecycle was the best. Nice evocative art on the outside and all the right charts (for me at least) on the inside, plus page references and things.

I'm really liking the sound of the 4e one. I never got the landscape 3.5 one but I'm looking forward to being able to see more of my players and the rest of the table without having to stand up and lean forward or come around the side ... I also like that it's being made out of sturdy gameboard material.

The only thing I'm disappointed about is that the new DM's screen isn't coming out until August, along with the deluxe character sheets set. It would've been nice if they'd released those two products along with the core rules ...

 

[Skornn2k7]

SSquirrel, Do you GM SLA Industries or play it ? I love that game, I ran it for years. I would like to run again , I have some real fond memories of play sessions getting really good after midnight, and we play into the early hours of the morning. =)

 

[Mustrum_Ridcully]

So just to be clear...

Yo're saying it's a lot like the screen that comes in the True20 Narrator's Kit?...

..But with four panels?

Assuming the charts are useful, I like it already... And I've got one of the three-panel landscape MasterScreens.

Four panels means that the DM can hide himself from all sides! Total cover from dice rolls. I guess we have to put a hole in the middle of our gaming tables so that the DM can sit there, protected in all directions by a sturdy Masterscreen.

 

[Staffan]

I wonder who came up with the idea of three-panel DM screens in the first place. I mean, it should be obvious that a DM screen should be able to shield at least one open book from prying eyes, and preferably more than that - such as adventure notes and the like.

 

[thalmin]

The original DM screen, 1E, was 2-piece. One was a 4-panel, with all the saves and to-hit charts. The other was a 2-panel, with the psionics. But these soon became 2 3-panel screens, with the grenade/splash effects joining the psionics. Since most games didn't use psionics, most dms didn't bother with that screen, and we got used to 3 panels (instead of 6). The 3-panel just kinda stuck ever since.

 

[Doc_Klueless]

I have a MasterScreen, with four panels and slots on front and back. I use the GM side for charts and the PC side for world maps, art, etc. (In one campaign, I even used it for an Adventurer's Guild bulletin board.) MasterScreens are awesome.

When I do F2F, I use the same screen. It's fantastic because I can make up different "slips" for different games AND campaigns.