D&D 5E Dm cheat sheet

[Stalker0]

Ac, saves, and passive perception covers the vast majority for me

 

[JSexton]

I just keep a basic stat block for each character handy, in case I want to know a number without telling them about it. Doesn't happen all that often, but I've been thinking about doing more secret Insight/Perception checks and just not saying anything if no one passes. I dislike the "well, we'll keep trying since the DM made us roll once, there must be something there!" approach.

 

[robus]

I'm leaning towards keeping track of conditions and other temporary effects (like concentration) because my players seem to become quite forgetful of the negative effects imposted on them but remember the positive effects with no trouble at all.

It is most peculiar...

 

[JSexton]

I use soda bottleneck rings of varying colors placed on their mini for stuff like that. Helps to have that battlefield visual.

 

[robus]

Actually I'd say it's a failure of the character sheet design that conditions and exhaustion do not have space to be tracked.

I think I need my caster players to hold something (or wear something like a thinking cap) to remember that their PC is currently concentrating on a spell.

 

[JSexton]

Putting an actual hat/blindfold/mittens/dark sunglasses on the actual player is brilliant and I kind of want to do that now.

 

[Xaelvaen]

AS a DM, my focus is on the everything except the players' stats - I let them keep track of their one character as I do all the environment and NPCs. I even ask one of the players to keep track of initiative order as I find trying to remember attack features for multiple monsters suffers if I am multi-tasking too many other things.

How many of of you DMs keep track of all your players' stats?
And if so, why?

Entirely group dependent. When I'm doing a public game for newcomers down at the FLGS, I make sure to keep all their information memorized or on a stick-it note so that I can help them quickly access any information they need.

Of course, when you're talking about my grognard game, they help me memorize all the stuff I have to do hehe.

 

[tardigrade]

I keep track of bonds, traits and flaws so that I can try to drop those in when I can (less than I really wish I did).

I'm about to start this - good to hear someone else has tried it.