Best DM Aids?

[cfmcdonald]

What supplements/aids have you found most useful for DMing D&D, both at the table and in prep?

I'm looking for other useful stuff like the Dungeon Alphabet or d30 DM Companion.

 

[pdzoch]

You might find this thread useful.

 

[was]

... I love the Initiative Trackers that are magnetic.

 

[Hand of Evil]

AEG's Toolbox books, just books of tables
Farmers Almanac, you just need one. Use it for moon rises & sets, weather, special events. Surprising how much information it has.

 

[Imaculata]

... I love the Initiative Trackers that are magnetic.

I'll second that.

 

[Razjah]

For prep:

• GM Blogs. The Angry GM is probably the one I find most useful.
• Eureka: 501 Adventure Plots
• Masks
• Never Unprepared
• Wikipedia
• Dungeonscape for any dungeony game, even non-D&D

Gameplay:

• Note Pad- scratch notes are way easier for me.
• Index cards- organize and hand out stuff
• Poker ships- stat conditions, fate points, bennies, whatever
• Physical Copy of the book- doesn't crash, doesn't need a password to read, no battery, no problems. I always want at least one physical copy at the table
• Name List/Book/Generator- I'm not good at random names, having something on hand helps me not worry. If culture or influence or whatever matters, I can keep verisimilitude with lists.

 

[Psikerlord#]

Low Fantasy Gaming RPG has quite a few GM useful tables in the back - encounters in cities, terrain types, etc, as well as improvisational chase rules which would easily port to other systems.

Free PDF or print on demand: https://lowfantasygaming.com/

 

[Lanefan]

What supplements/aids have you found most useful for DMing D&D, both at the table and in prep?

Prep:
- graph paper, coloured pens/pencils, various other drawing and drafting supplies
- adventure modules of all kinds - even if I'll never run it as is, any module - no matter how bad - can still be mined for maps or ideas or whatever
- hard copies of any books or other materials I need
- pre-printed forms (character sheets, xp and finances tracking sheets, etc.) in quantity - if players use a standardized character sheet, finding info on it is much easier for you-as-DM
- coffee
- time

At the table:
- a big-ass table - no table is too big
- a handy place to store what I'll need, be it shelves behind me, a small table beside me, a box on the floor, or (like me) all of these
- DM screen with all my notes/charts/maps/tables paper-clipped to my side of it
- chalkboard, chalk, eraser (for drawing out maps of what they see)
- minis in vast quantity - no matter how many you have you'll all too often find you don't have the one you need - and of course dice
- a pointer (low tech: long stick; high tech: laser pointer) for indicating something on the board/map you can't reach from behind the screen
- in case questions arise, some version of an Arms and Equipment Guide and a Castle-Builders Guide are often useful
- note paper - large, for you to make your game notes; and small, for you to send hidden info to a player when required
- beer

Lan-"by no means is this a full or comprehensive list"-efan

 

[Razjah]

Lanefan makes a good point about maps. You can prep better encounters if you know the map beforehand. Sometimes you can have an encounter ready and just throw together a map at the table. But to make the best use of the monsters and PC abilities, you should have maps as you build the encounter. Plus you can then teach the players things.

Lizards that have a leap attack for extra damage, in one encounter they just hit hard. When fought somewhere with cramped quarters, they are an easy fight. Then when fought at a broken bridge, the ranged PC can pick the off on the far side; but if they leap across a PC is going to get hit hard. The players can learn about the monsters and change tactics to better meet the situation. But that won't happen without mapping.

 

[cfmcdonald]

I actually prefer to play without maps and just to "theater of the mind". You can still do all the stuff you describe without maps.