Index Organization (Newbie GM)

[Ellie_the_Elf]

I use index cards for giving the players treasure- one index card per item or group of items in the case of arrows/gemstones/cash.

It saves a LOT of time if you're able to hand them an envelope containing the treasure cards for the room or encounter rather than reading it all to them and having them copy it out. They can write what they learn about the items on the card, and easily remeber who has which item (if you have the card, you have whatever's written on it- it you lose the card or someone else has it, you don't have that item) They give the cards back to me to reuse when they use, sell or break the item.

I'm planning on buying them each an index card box formy next campaign since they tend to accumulate a lot of the cards!

I've also used them for NPCs, and locations from time to time.

Ellie

 

[DongShenYin]

I like the idea of items on the card... it beats the massive lists we normally have... although I'm not sure about them cutting down the time spent divving up the loot.

 

[Kashell]

TAG - I vote this thread of the week!

(now my 2 cent)

Sometimes creating your own table for something is alot easier than writing out 100 notecards. I tend to use tables for just about everything.


I love the idea about intiative. Before now I'd always write down the order...what a waste of paper.

 

[Ogrork the Mighty]

Using initiative cards is probably one of the best additions to our game in the past 5 years. It really keeps things flowing.

 

[Olaf the Stout]

I used index cards for items found by the party. I would give them an index card with what they knew about the item on it. It could be anything from a sword found in a dungeon to an unidentified potion found on a defeated opponent to a seeming mundane item found in the course of an adventure. (If you did it only for magic items the players would quickly get wind of what was magical and what was not.) I would number each card in sequence so a player may have card with "item #3 - longsword" written on it. I would then have a matching card in my index box detailing all the details about said item.

It certainly made things more interesting and strangely seemed to make my players uneasy about using an item that they did not know much about. It also made it much easier for me to remember just what exactly all of the magical items that I had handed out did. All I would have to do is ask them "What is the number of the potion that you are using" or "So you are finally putting on ring #6? (Insert evil laughter here! )"

Olaf the Stout

 

[DongShenYin]

That is too funny! Also, it connects the players physically with the game more, I think... it may not be as good a prop as a model sword or ring or what-have-you, but its an added bit of pysicality that makes the game more visceral. Or at least that's my theory.