D&D General Best DM Screen

[Burnside]

I have to ask - the spray bottle on the table - was that to keep the cat off or spritz one of the players when they tried to do something dumb that’d get the party killed? I needed the latter at some of the games I ran...

lol!

It looks like they have a wet-erase grid on the table, so it's probably for wiping off the marker

 

[el-remmen]

I have to ask - the spray bottle on the table - was that to keep the cat off or spritz one of the players when they tried to do something dumb that’d get the party killed? I needed the latter at some of the games I ran...

I still have one in my current game room! It is for quickly wiping off the battlemat, of course! There is a stained dishrag that goes with it.

 

[jasper]

I think that the best screen serves two purposes-

1. The DM's side. This is obvious. The original 1e DMs screen had everything you could need. It was invaluable for a game so reliant on tables and matrices.

2. The player's side. You can't overlook this. For the most part, players aren't looking at your screen for information. But it does set a mood. And nothing has ever set the D&D mood like the original screen. Sure, there was the iconic Otus piece (spear, critter) that people still remember. But if you show either of the two panels to anyone who played at that time, it triggers something deep and primal, from the hours, days, and weeks of seeing that image and thinking about it, and having it deeply associated with D&D.

The Trampier two-panel piece may not be the best image in D&D, but it is certainly one of the most iconic images. And that's not wasted space.

I loved the old 4 panel, 2 panel screens for 1E. Today I make my own. Inside is DM information. Outside is player information.

 

[el-remmen]

Here is my current screen front and back:

 

[R_J_K75]

Here is my current screen front and back:

View attachment 135296View attachment 135295

Really nice. Howd you make it, what materials did you use?

 

[R_J_K75]

Outside is player information.

Does that really help players, can they read it from across the table?

 

[el-remmen]

It is a store bought folder-thing - made of faux-leather plastic with built in sleeves. I found the art online with a creative commons license and had them print it out on nice stock at office depot and slipped it in the front. The sheets on the DM side came with the product.

I might try another really homemade screen now that I am running 5E regularly and am more familiar with it. I got this screen when I first got back into D&D and was not sure how engaged I'd get.

 

[R_J_K75]

Found this last night browsing for DIY DM screens. Its Wyrmwoods Magnetic DM screen. Sure its expensive but really looks nice. I emailed them asking if they do special orders and they dont at the time but are planning another kickstarter for them in the not too distant future.

Wyrmwood: Quality Gaming Supplies - Wyrmwood

 

[RealAlHazred]

I've gotten a lot of mileage out of my The World's Greatest Screen from Hammerdog Games. I had used the Savage Worlds Customizable GM Screen for some time, but I like 4 panels vs. 3 panels so I was very happy when I found TWGS. I used the landscape format one, then left it in my car on several hot summer days in a row. Like any thin plastic, I saw the hinges were cracked when I took it out; I cursed and bought another one I've taken better care of. On the other hand, I taped the hinges with packing tape and the damaged screen has held up remarkably well considering the abuse it's been through.

I also own one of the TWGS Mini screens, and I've never seen anything similar. It's ideal for certain gaming areas, where I've had to use tiny coffee tables; for example, when I used to run weekly games in a coffee shop, the Mini screen was ideal. And the hinges on the Mini are minimal and seem to be less vulnerable to cracking due to extreme heat.

 

[jasper]

Does that really help players, can they read it from across the table?

The first four can read it. Or they just grab the screen, read it, make a note and return the screen.