DM Preparation

[Friendless]

I'm a DM who's relatively new to 3.5e. When I was a teen I had the PHB, DMG and MM basically memorised, but I don't have the time nor remaining brain cells these days. So when I prepare for an adventure I build a spreadsheet for all monsters in the dungeon with hp, AC, Init, ATK, dmg, Will, Fort, Ref, etc, and I have that by my side as we play. I also do the same thing for the PCs as my players are inexperienced as well. This saves a lot of book-looking-up.

I'd like to do as much as I can to keep the adventure moving. What time-saving techniques do other DMs use?

 

[Crothian]

I worry about keeping the game moving and not about stats. But when I was a new DM with new players things just went slow and we slowly learned together and got faster with experience.

One thing I do is have creatures with the same stats but I describe them differently. The PCs never realize it and it saves me lots of preparation time. Also I keep everything and reuse when possible.

 

[Hussar]

"Campaign in a box" or adventure paths make my life as a DM very, very easy.

 

[crazy_monkey1956]

I have a section of my gaming folder called "Stock NPCs" that's full of stats I've generated over the years. If I need a few generic town guards, I just pull out the one I made for a session last year. If something truly "new" is called for, I prep it, but then I stick it in with the other stock NPCs so I'll have it the next time I need it.

The initial build-up process was slow going, but now I have a decent roster of generic thing-a-ma-jiggers to throw at my PCs.

 

[Land Outcast]

One thing I do is have creatures with the same stats but I describe them differently. The PCs never realize it and it saves me lots of preparation time.

I stretched that, I really did (not DMing currently): Needed a tough NPC? Just take a Dragon's stats of appropriate CR (taking out breath weapon, wings, claws, tail, reduced size).
Voila! instant tough guy ( use base Bite damage to determine attacks, just describe him as using a weapon).

Of course, I also had "Magma Elemental" (Grey Render with fire subtype and a ranged fire attack)... etc...


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Another thing (to be considered after you recover some of the lost rules mastery): when in doubt, the DM decides what happens instead of breaking play to go research in books. After the session the rules are looked up.

 

[RavenSinger]

Yeah, try not to get too bogged down with rules. You might have an agreement with your players that after a certain specified time, any "rules discussions" will receive a ruling from you and you will move on. Then, after the game you can go back and find out if you were right/mostly right/not right/totally off and then compensate the characters accordingly if you were incorrect in your judgement.

But when I was a new DM with new players things just went slow and we slowly learned together and got faster with experience.

Yes, I would emphasize that you are all in this to have fun together. Most things work themselves out with that to grease the wheels.

--RS

 

[Kristian Serrano]

I'm a DM who's relatively new to 3.5e. When I was a teen I had the PHB, DMG and MM basically memorised, but I don't have the time nor remaining brain cells these days. So when I prepare for an adventure I build a spreadsheet for all monsters in the dungeon with hp, AC, Init, ATK, dmg, Will, Fort, Ref, etc, and I have that by my side as we play. I also do the same thing for the PCs as my players are inexperienced as well. This saves a lot of book-looking-up.

I'd like to do as much as I can to keep the adventure moving. What time-saving techniques do other DMs use?

If you'd like a good resource for this type of material, take a look at TreasureTables.org. There's an RSS feed you can subscribe to, as well.

Take a look at the categorized archive .

 

[Henry]

Some actual at-the-table tips that may help:

Do you use your computer at the table, or do you print out the spreadsheet isntead? Using the spreadsheet to track initiatives and keep them in order is a great time-saving tool. If you don't use the computer, then Game Mechanics Press' free Initiative Tracking index cards can be a tremendous help in keeping the game fast moving - I us those instead of a spreadsheet, as I don't use a computer at the table.

One other tip is to have the players roll attacks and damage, and miss chances for concealment, at the same time. If they succeed, then they have the damage roll already done.

 

[moritheil]

Just take a Dragon's stats of appropriate CR (taking out breath weapon, wings, claws, tail, reduced size).
Voila! instant tough guy ( use base Bite damage to determine attacks, just describe him as using a weapon).

That's hilarious!

 

[Angerland]

when I DM'd I had a couple of quick random things on a side paper in case they were needed.

10 Random people's names. 10 random place names, i.e. towns, taverns etc... 10 random physical descriptions of people. 10 random minor magic items. 10 Level approriate monsters to throw in as wandering ones if needed, plus a book and page number so I didn't have to print it all out. When I used something in game I would then scratch it off and take notes on it so if the sam person or place came up later on in the setting I knew what that person was or what the deal was with the town/tavern, etc....

You could also have at hand average treasure values per challenge also, but this might not be as needed as some of the other stuff.

To save space I normally set the font on these tables at 9 or 10 so I had plenty of note room.

If you can find a copy of AEG's Toolbox , while the rules of it are 3.0, that was a really great resource for on the spot stuff. everything from random herbs to quick bad guys to towns, to random encounters.