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Message: <blockquote data-quote="woodelf" data-source="post: 1684452" data-attributes="member: 10201">You mean you've got all the combat rules memorized? Heck, if i were running D&D3[.5]E by the book, i'd at least want those two huge tables of modifiers and actions [from the combat chapter] on my DM's screen. Anyway, while i used a screen for AD&D2, it wasn't so much for the standard rules--with the exception of turning undead, all the basic info (THAC0, saves, etc.) is on the character sheets, and i want the screen for during the game when i'm in a hurry, not for between-game when we can just get the books out. For me, a GM's screen is mostly about somewhere to hide my notes, etc., and maybe to paperclip other stuff to, thus effectively increasing my table space (and preventing it from getting buried).What my GM's screen evolved into was a substitute for the rulebooks, and i had a second screen that was my "ok crap i need an adventure right now and i don't have any ideas" crutch.  Each was 6 letter-sized panels of cardstock with both sides pretty much covered, many of the charts/tables/lists considerably reduced in size from the original.Here's a sampling:"running-the-game" screen:frequency & chance of wilderness encountersswimming effects of encumbranceminimum passageway sizesarmor effects on character widthrates of climbingcave-in locationa whole butt-load of encounter tablesmetalic ores and gemsore puritymining rateseffects of clothing and armor on personal temperaturetemperature damage to characterswind velocity effectschance of stopping a fall or tumblemovement in reduced visibilitychance of capsizingchance of food spoilagesome more encounter charts for other climes/biomes/etc.structural saving throwssurprise modifiersmorale ratingsarchery target tablemissile fire cover and concealment adjustmentscharacter saving throwsitem saving throwspoison strengths and typesacidsclassification of weapon-like objectsmatrix for clerics affecting undeadweapon class and type of assorted objectshurled boulderssmaller-than-man-sized weaponsthresholds of pain for mountsmovement rate penalty for leg woundspunching and wrestling results5-, 10-, and 20-roll binomial tablesgrenade-like missilesarmor class by armor type and body part coveredpiecemeal armorproperties of ropelists of colors, tastes, and odorsselected divided rollshit locations...and lots of other stuff.In short, i basically had all the rules from the AD&D2 PH, DMG, and Complete... books (well, first 4), plus the AD&D1 Wilderness & Dungeoneer's Survival Guides, plus a whole bunch of Dragon articles, plus some house rules, all boiled down to ~13pp, so i could run a game and have all those rules with just my screen. It's more of a quick reference than just a screen, and means i didn't need to take a single book, and yet could have all the rules at hand.My "preparing an adventure" screen, meanwhile, has stuff likelists of titlesTitles, Offices, and PositionsNPC ProfessionsMaterial Spell ComponentsSpecial Component Availability and CostAlternative Spell Component LimitationsCrystal Balls: Range, Size, WeightScrying Devices: Special FeaturesRevised Subject-Location Chanceslist of tuning forks for plane shiftMelting and Boiling Points of Pure Metals and AlloysReputed Magical Properties of GemsHerbs, Spices, and Medicinal VegetablesTreasure TypesExperience Point Values of MonstersValues of Animal and Monster FursValues of Immature PlantsValues of Miscellaneous Eggs and Younggem tablesthe 50 basic plotsrandom dungeon generatorrandom city generatorrandom tunnel generator..etc.Basically, stuff that was important during prep or downtime, rather than in the midst of play.  Again, a dozen pages distilling the essential material from the DMG and Survival Guides, plus the best material from Dragon.In D&D3E terms, i have the distilled equivalent of the entire combat chapter, the entire skills chapter (i.e., all the DC lists), plus turning undead and a couple other things on my running screen--does the official screen have that much stuff? While i admittedly only rarely used most of the rules on my screens, it was nice having them handy when they came up. Instead of just the most-frequently referenced rules (which i don't think i really went to the screen for, anyway, because the frequently-used ones are the onse i remember), i specifically had all the obscure rules--those sorts of rules that otherwise necessitate stopping for a book-check. Seems to me that's the real benefit of a screen: cheatsheet for the obscure stuff, rather than reference for the basic stuff (though you want that there, too, for beginners).</blockquote>

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