Etch-a-sketch item for quick stat notes?

[Silverblade The Ench]

Any of you know the name of, or an actual item, that's kind of like the kids toy "etch a sketch", where you write on a plastic screen, then can wipe it off?

Thinking somehting like thatwould be handy to keep track of hit points, powers used etc...but for the life of me I don't know what the heck they CALL those toys!! jeesh. Not "Etch-A-Sketch" itself, I mean ones where you write on it with a stylus, then a slider wipes it clean.

I remember seeing years ago a game site with 'em for RPG use but not idea now.

Thanks for any help

 

[EricNoah]

No, but I do have a tool that will help DM's quickly create NPC artwork!

 

[EricNoah]

Actually you may be looking for a Magna Doodle...

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0007KN7PI

 

[Silverblade The Ench]

Thanks Eric
After yakking with folk think I'll go with a dry erase memo board for my pals 4th ed characters as presents, and may print on it hps and encounter/daily powers/healing surges as sections,

As for making characters, well...this is what I make myself

http://www.silverblades-suitcase.com/wildspace/silverblade.htm

 

[Random Axe]

I think you were actually thinking of a "Magic Screen". This was something I myself used with my group in the old old days, it was a couple of mylar pages attached to a black greaseboard, you wrote on the top mylar page with a plastic stylus and the greaseboard stuck to the lower mylar page where you drew. When you were done, you lifted both pages and the greaseboard marks disappeared.

and you are right, it was a great little prop for writing secret notes to players or DMs, and it could be immediately erased and reused. I have often wished I had another one for our current group.

 

[Mark]

I like the handheld white board idea.


Magna Doodle is a serious thing. If it persists for more than four hours, see a physician.

http://www.silverblades-suitcase.com/wildspace/silverblade.htm

Why is the Giff giggling like a Japanese schoolgirl?

 

[Scurvy_Platypus]

I sort of did a combination of things...

I started with one of those hand-held magnetic dry erase boards.

On it I drew a series of boxes, using a Sharpie permanent marker. If you draw over the permanent marker with a dry erase marker, you can lift the lines up. So be a bit careful on that. Otherwise, you just draw out your grid using the permanent marker and don't have to worry about it.

I used the Paizo GameMastery Combat Pad for my inspiration. You can see a picture of it here:
http://paizo.com/image/product/catalog/PZOOMS/PZOOMS1000_500.jpeg

On my board, I did a whole set of numbered boxes at the top similar to what they've got, to be able to keep track of the rounds if need be.

I've got about 10 "boxes" (horizontal) total on the board that I drew. There's 4 columns (as I recall), with the far left one being for Initiative, the next one being used for hit points, and then a "Special" and "Notes" columns. I simply rearrange the magnets of the PCs/NPCs/Monsters based on Initiative.

Of course, that's just my current layout. Since I drew it all out, I can change the layout anytime I need to.

I then ordered the GameMastery Combat Pad: Extra Magnet Pack:
http://paizo.com/store/paizo/gameMastery/accessories/v5748btpy7y0z

I generally use the colors the way they've got them defined. No real reason for it, other than it makes enough sense to me.

Since the entire thing is shipped as a pre-punched magnetic sheet (you pop out the magents) I then took the left over frame (which is magetic too), and chopped it up into chunks about the same size as the pre-punched magnets. They're white and have a bit of an odd shape, so it's easy to distinguish them.

These additional magents are used to record Hit Points, or other special things on them. One of the boxes I have on my board is a Special section, so that's where I pop it. It's not like I can write _notes_ on the magnet, but I can put down a condition (blind), hit points, or whatever I need.

I can post a picture to my flickr account if anyone is really interested. Pretty basic stuff though really.

Total cost: I think around $20. $8 + Shipping for the Magnet Pack from Paizo, and the magnetic dry erase board was around $7. You can buy them at Wal-Mart, Target, and office supply stores.