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<blockquote data-quote="bardolph" data-source="post: 83928" data-attributes="member: 2304"><p><strong>Bardolph's handy-dandy DM tricks</strong></p><p></p><p>I bought several packs of "toy" poker chips. These chips are exactly one inch in diameter, and come in packs of six different colors.</p><p></p><p>I went to STAPLES, and bought a sheet of tiny sticky-labels and a thin permanent marker.</p><p></p><p>For PC's, I use the WHITE poker chips, with a little sticky-label, on which is written the PC's name.</p><p></p><p>For friendly NPC's (henchmen, hirelings, etc), I use BLUE poker chips, also with little sticky-labels, if necessary.</p><p></p><p>I use the other colored chips for everything else. DM: "Orange chips are zombies, yellow chips are skeletons, and that red one is a tall robed elf."</p><p></p><p>Alternatively, you can also use 1-inch diameter miniature bases, and cut up mailing labels and write on each one what it is. Again, for large numbers of similar creatures, don't bother labelling them. Just pile them on the map and say "these are all orcs."</p><p></p><p>The <em>Dungeons and Dragons: the Adventure Begins</em> boxed set comes with plenty of cardboard counters to represent many of the basic monsters, and <em>Dungeon</em> and <em>Dragon</em> magazine regularly publish sheets of counters.</p><p></p><p>Personally, I prefer the colored poker chips method the most.</p><p></p><p>Sometimes I used dice to represent light sources (yellow chips would do well, too). This made it really easy to tell who could see what.</p><p></p><p>For maps, I have a giant plastic map with one-inch squares (bought from my local hobby store), and a pack of colored wet-erase markers. Seems to do the trick, but the mat set me back thirty bucks.</p><p></p><p>Alternatively, you can use a small whiteboard to draw maps on. I use a whiteboard to track initiative and spell durations (VERY nice).</p><p></p><p>Before I used either of these methods, I just used blank printer paper and a black permanent marker, and drew all map areas to the 1-inch=5-feet scale. Of course, my drawings were <em>approximate</em> instead of exact, but it worked out really well. This was cool, since I could re-use the same sheet of paper any time the PC's went back to the same area. To be honest, this method is the favorite among my players. The only drawback is that an 8.5 X 11 sheet of paper can't represent any outdoor area very well. For this, I bought one of those GIANT sketch pads, and made the scale 1"=15 feet. Seemed to work pretty well.</p><p></p><p>INDEX CARDS.</p><p></p><p>The 3x5 index card is my FRIEND. My players and I use them to pass secret notes to each other. Every time a player picks up some loot, I write the loot down on an index card and hand it to the player. I also write the room number or original owner on the card, too, so when the player casts <em>identify</em> or uses Appraise or some such, I can remember where they found it. At that time, I simply write any additional information they learn on the same index card.</p><p></p><p>If I'm feeling particularly creative, I will bundle a group of "loot" index cards, and stick them in an envelope, then label the envelope "OAKEN TREASURE CHEST," or "ORC's BACKPACK," or some such. The player can then have that warm, fuzzy feeling of opening up the envelope and finding a stack of treasure inside!!</p><p></p><p>Another boon with the 3x5 index card: if the player loses the card, then the character lost the item. If the players are arguing over which character actually picked up the item first, I simply ask them who has the card. Ownership is nine-tenths of the law. If the player sells an item, I require the player to give me the card back, at which time I rip it up and throw it away, and give them a card with "250 gp" written on it, or some such.</p><p></p><p>When characters see strange symbols, glyphs, tapestries, or whatever, I can grab a card and draw a crude illustration with a black permanent marker, and the PC's can pass it around. Almost as good as those "ImageQuest" modules published for Kalamar.</p><p></p><p>A couple of times, I even took a card, folded it up in a little impromptu origami, and created a 3D model of an overturned cart! These are small touches, but players REALLY appreciate this kind of stuff.</p><p></p><p>I use 4x6 index cards as NPC character sheets, and keep them in a little index-card file.</p><p></p><p>Hope this stuff helps!</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="bardolph, post: 83928, member: 2304"] [b]Bardolph's handy-dandy DM tricks[/b] I bought several packs of "toy" poker chips. These chips are exactly one inch in diameter, and come in packs of six different colors. I went to STAPLES, and bought a sheet of tiny sticky-labels and a thin permanent marker. For PC's, I use the WHITE poker chips, with a little sticky-label, on which is written the PC's name. For friendly NPC's (henchmen, hirelings, etc), I use BLUE poker chips, also with little sticky-labels, if necessary. I use the other colored chips for everything else. DM: "Orange chips are zombies, yellow chips are skeletons, and that red one is a tall robed elf." Alternatively, you can also use 1-inch diameter miniature bases, and cut up mailing labels and write on each one what it is. Again, for large numbers of similar creatures, don't bother labelling them. Just pile them on the map and say "these are all orcs." The [i]Dungeons and Dragons: the Adventure Begins[/i] boxed set comes with plenty of cardboard counters to represent many of the basic monsters, and [i]Dungeon[/i] and [i]Dragon[/i] magazine regularly publish sheets of counters. Personally, I prefer the colored poker chips method the most. Sometimes I used dice to represent light sources (yellow chips would do well, too). This made it really easy to tell who could see what. For maps, I have a giant plastic map with one-inch squares (bought from my local hobby store), and a pack of colored wet-erase markers. Seems to do the trick, but the mat set me back thirty bucks. Alternatively, you can use a small whiteboard to draw maps on. I use a whiteboard to track initiative and spell durations (VERY nice). Before I used either of these methods, I just used blank printer paper and a black permanent marker, and drew all map areas to the 1-inch=5-feet scale. Of course, my drawings were [i]approximate[/i] instead of exact, but it worked out really well. This was cool, since I could re-use the same sheet of paper any time the PC's went back to the same area. To be honest, this method is the favorite among my players. The only drawback is that an 8.5 X 11 sheet of paper can't represent any outdoor area very well. For this, I bought one of those GIANT sketch pads, and made the scale 1"=15 feet. Seemed to work pretty well. INDEX CARDS. The 3x5 index card is my FRIEND. My players and I use them to pass secret notes to each other. Every time a player picks up some loot, I write the loot down on an index card and hand it to the player. I also write the room number or original owner on the card, too, so when the player casts [i]identify[/i] or uses Appraise or some such, I can remember where they found it. At that time, I simply write any additional information they learn on the same index card. If I'm feeling particularly creative, I will bundle a group of "loot" index cards, and stick them in an envelope, then label the envelope "OAKEN TREASURE CHEST," or "ORC's BACKPACK," or some such. The player can then have that warm, fuzzy feeling of opening up the envelope and finding a stack of treasure inside!! Another boon with the 3x5 index card: if the player loses the card, then the character lost the item. If the players are arguing over which character actually picked up the item first, I simply ask them who has the card. Ownership is nine-tenths of the law. If the player sells an item, I require the player to give me the card back, at which time I rip it up and throw it away, and give them a card with "250 gp" written on it, or some such. When characters see strange symbols, glyphs, tapestries, or whatever, I can grab a card and draw a crude illustration with a black permanent marker, and the PC's can pass it around. Almost as good as those "ImageQuest" modules published for Kalamar. A couple of times, I even took a card, folded it up in a little impromptu origami, and created a 3D model of an overturned cart! These are small touches, but players REALLY appreciate this kind of stuff. I use 4x6 index cards as NPC character sheets, and keep them in a little index-card file. Hope this stuff helps! [/QUOTE]
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