I wish I were posting a thread with great advice, but the problem is, I'm the one in need of the advice!
So, like so many of you, I have I-don't-know-how-many Complete books, [insert character options or equipment] Compendia, and plenty of 3rd party books.
Add to that 10 pages of house rules (not yet completed) and...well, there's a lot of stuff to handle.
My main grief with all of this is creating the NPC baddies and the advanced monsters. I know that's many a DM's bane, so I'm curious how you kids out there keep all this information manageable. I know there's plenty of sources for premade stuff, and that's fine (believe me, I use it!), but for those times when you just have to build a 16th level ninja/psion Poison Dusk Lizardfolk, what's a good way to keep all your info handy? I"m thinking long-term, so if I have to type out all the feats over again, that's fine...I just need it to be easily formatted/searchable/etc.
Oh, and spells aren't a big deal for me...the books are the only way to go for that. I'm more looking at compiling all Feats, Arms & Equipment, all Skills (and alternate skill uses presented in later books), and maybe a listing of Prestige Classes (with requirements listed).
My first thoughts (and the problems they present) are thus:
- Excel (limited amount of space per cell, so even if I wanted to type everything out, some feats aren't going to fit)
- Access database (same space limitations as Excel per entry, but much easier to sort through and find things I'm looking for)
- Invest in Adobe Pro and scan in all that stuff, then rip it to text
- Word document (probably the best for space, but organizing it and searching it would be a pain in my yah-yahs)
- Um...use lots of sticky notes and remove all furniture from my apartment so I can have all the books out and open on the floor, whilst I walkst amongst them cherry-picking my NPCs' feats and abilities.
Yeah, I know I'm missing something simpler. Any ideas?
So, like so many of you, I have I-don't-know-how-many Complete books, [insert character options or equipment] Compendia, and plenty of 3rd party books.
Add to that 10 pages of house rules (not yet completed) and...well, there's a lot of stuff to handle.
My main grief with all of this is creating the NPC baddies and the advanced monsters. I know that's many a DM's bane, so I'm curious how you kids out there keep all this information manageable. I know there's plenty of sources for premade stuff, and that's fine (believe me, I use it!), but for those times when you just have to build a 16th level ninja/psion Poison Dusk Lizardfolk, what's a good way to keep all your info handy? I"m thinking long-term, so if I have to type out all the feats over again, that's fine...I just need it to be easily formatted/searchable/etc.
Oh, and spells aren't a big deal for me...the books are the only way to go for that. I'm more looking at compiling all Feats, Arms & Equipment, all Skills (and alternate skill uses presented in later books), and maybe a listing of Prestige Classes (with requirements listed).
My first thoughts (and the problems they present) are thus:
- Excel (limited amount of space per cell, so even if I wanted to type everything out, some feats aren't going to fit)
- Access database (same space limitations as Excel per entry, but much easier to sort through and find things I'm looking for)
- Invest in Adobe Pro and scan in all that stuff, then rip it to text
- Word document (probably the best for space, but organizing it and searching it would be a pain in my yah-yahs)
- Um...use lots of sticky notes and remove all furniture from my apartment so I can have all the books out and open on the floor, whilst I walkst amongst them cherry-picking my NPCs' feats and abilities.
Yeah, I know I'm missing something simpler. Any ideas?
