Best Playing Aids: Nominations

[(Psi)SeveredHead]

The Flip Matt is so cool that when the new one came out, a forest type pack, I bought it with no reservations. The price is easy and it's a great little tool.

I could definitely use that! What is the website?

Edit: ok, found it at www.steelsqwire.com

There's something I don't get about the flip-mats. Most of them look kind of plain, sadly enough. The forest path: front image has terrain on it, but the rest looks like you have to draw the terrain yourself. As I already own a dry erase sheet, I have to wonder what this does for me.

 

[JoeGKushner]

The forest path is one I'm going to use for 'generic forest encounter x".

Completely optional and more limited by the graphics than the blank one.

 

[francisca]

The Flip Matt is so cool that when the new one came out, a forest type pack, I bought it with no reservations. The price is easy and it's a great little tool.

The Fiery Dragon Battle Boxes are also awesome. I use those little reference cards all the time and they're very handy.

I'll second both of those.

 

[(Psi)SeveredHead]

The forest path is one I'm going to use for 'generic forest encounter x".

Completely optional and more limited by the graphics than the blank one.

Ok, that's good to hear. I think I'm going for that one. I've already got something blank.

 

[wmasters]

Now, I'm nominating an entire product group as the most useful playing aid in d20, and something we (presumably) all have at the gaming table.

Dice.

Most particularly the d20, but I'd go with the d6 and others as well. Possibly even the d12, although that's maybe stretching things a little.

 

[Festivus]

These I find help speed up play:
The Other Game Company - Spell Cards (Since I didn't see anyone mention it, this is my nomination)
The Game Mechanics - Initiative Cards
Steel Squire - Wire Spell Templates

These don't really help to speed play but I find them useful:
Johnn Four - GM Mastery Book I : NPC Essentials (and his weekly tips email)
Paizo Publishing - Game Mastery Item Pack I

 

[Asmor]

I could definitely use that! What is the website?

Edit: ok, found it at www.steelsqwire.com

There's something I don't get about the flip-mats. Most of them look kind of plain, sadly enough. The forest path: front image has terrain on it, but the rest looks like you have to draw the terrain yourself. As I already own a dry erase sheet, I have to wonder what this does for me.

I can't imagine why someone would want a mat with terrain already on it. I just ran my first real dungeon after getting my flipmats (I only used one, but bought two), and it was awesome!

Plus, it's a hell of a lot easier to store than a rollup mat. After you unfold it, just fold it back on the creases and it sits on the table fine, doesn't curl up or anything like that.

 

[Ghostwind]

I get far more use out of a battle map with miniatures and extra bits of terrain here at home than I do anything else. Although the spell templates that come with the monthly RPGA D&D kits have proven to be very useful too.

In terms of minis that I use, in order of preference:
- Magnificent Egos
- D&D minis (for monsters)
- Reaper
- Games Workshop

 

[Umbran]

There's one item I've wanted for some time, that I've not gotten around to buying...

If you're the sort that runs things in many different systems, there's the Customizeable GM Screen

 

[Mercule]

- Magnificent Egos

How do these work? You send 'em a write-up of your character and $500 later, you have the perfect mini?

Probably about the right price for what it takes to produce it, but, wow, that's a lot of pocket lint.