DMs only: Do you actually track numbers behind your screen?

[Ion]

Detail's decided on an as needed basis usually, unless it's something important. Consistancy is the key to improvisation I find. It's cool to make stuff up, so long as the rules don't change midway through an encounter, etc.

 

[D-rock]

Yes, for the most part I try to keep track of everything, or at least everything that is going to be needed. Once in a great while something I didn't prepare for will happen and I have to make an honest as possible call about it as I can.

 

[MadMaxim]

Yeah, I keep track of all the numbers whether it's hit points, skills, ability scores etc. I love rules and think it's great fun to come up with cool class combinations, appropriate feats and nasty spells. The rules may very well be for players, but I feel better by playing under those very same rules, even though I might bend them once in a while (which is an extremely rare occurence, I might add).

 

[Steel_Wind]

Yes I track all my critters and NPCs.

As for damage and initiative order in combat, one of my players with a tablet PC does that. It's a system we've been used to since Rolemaster, where various players tracked things in combat. (our RM combats FLEW in comparison to most groups as we all knew it so well, but I digress).

What I don't do is tell the players what AC the creature has, what bonuses they have to hit or how many hits points they have left. I believe those capabilities should always be unknowns. While in some lengthy combats the players will have the stats reasonably figured out - I'd rather they did not know any of that crunch as a gimme.

 

[TheAuldGrump]

Yes. It keeps me fair.

The Auld Grump

 

[S'mon]

I certainly keep track of hit points - monsters don't die until hp reach -1. I use the Quick NPC system so I'm not usually tracking whether an NPC I create has INT 10 or 11, the modifier needs to be at least +2/-2 (ie a 14 or 6) to be worth recording. For spellcasters I keep track of spells cast; for an NPC spellcaster I may not list all their spells but I'll typically list the first 4 they'll cast, or else use common defaults, eg Clr-3 casts 'hold person', Wiz-5 casts 'Fireball'.

 

[Keeper of Secrets]

In order to keep the action flowing I do 'some good guesses' from time to time. After all, in a complicated, multi-NPC combat, keeping detailed track of everything would just slow down the action adn excitement. Like I said, I do some good guesses. Sometimes it is in the villain's favor and sometimes it is in the players' favor. So it all works out I suppose.

 

[Calico_Jack73]

I'd prefer not to bother with working out every last detail of an NPC but I do have some rules lawyers in my group who can instantly figure out how many feats an NPC should have and if it is possible for them to have a given feat. I'm more in favor of the story but my group seems to be more in favor of sticking with the rules. In my opinion, worrying about the rules makes D&D devolve into a tactical tabletop wargame.

 

[MonsterMash]

I track both the NPCs and Monsters and as far as possible the PCs, NPCs are not necessarily fully statted unless fairly major, but I do create generic NPCs for a lot of situations (merchants, town guards, tavern staff)

 

[diaglo]

So be honest. Do you actually keep track of all the esoteric digits? Isn't it OK for the ends to justify your means?

i am a referee.

i try being impartial.

yes. i track the numbers.