Travelling DM's, hernia waiting to happen?

[Allanon]

Because one of my player's job asking him to get up early and him having children we have been 'forced' to play at his house rather than at mine.

Now I don't find this a problem except for the fact that I'm constantly forced to either type everything I need for a session in my campaign notes or take along a hell of a lot of books. Although it varies I sometimes take about 7 to 14 books with me most about 70% hardcovers not counting the amount of paperwork in binders and other assorted items like dice, food and drinks.

How do you handle this? I'm mostly fearfull in leaving my books behind in case my player's do something out of the blue which I don't expect. How much are you carrying around for a session?

 

[WizarDru]

Because one of my player's job asking him to get up early and him having children we have been 'forced' to play at his house rather than at mine.

Now I don't find this a problem except for the fact that I'm constantly forced to either type everything I need for a session in my campaign notes or take along a hell of a lot of books. Although it varies I sometimes take about 7 to 14 books with me most about 70% hardcovers not counting the amount of paperwork in binders and other assorted items like dice, food and drinks.

How do you handle this? I'm mostly fearfull in leaving my books behind in case my player's do something out of the blue which I don't expect. How much are you carrying around for a session?

Well, I run the game from my house, for much the same reason as you go to your friends to run your game there. However, when travelling, I condense, somewhat.

I have a travel box that holds the core three, and whatever books I think I'll need to use. Having a laptop with the SRD and DMGenie on it alleviates the need for much of these, however. Typically I have the Manual of the Planes, the ELH and one or two specific titles, like the BoVD or other books I know I'll be using.

There's a lot to be said for improvisation on the fly, too.

 

[Voadam]

I have a ton of pdf sourcebooks and the srd. One laptop or a couple CDs to put on the laptop that is being brought is a lot more convenient to carry and allows me to cut down on the number of physical books I carry significantly.

Similarly with PDFs I can alternatively simply print out the parts I need for the night. Four pages of monster printouts from Minions Complete, Gaming Frontiers Monsters, Bane Ledger, or the Book of Templates is a lot easier to carry than a full book for a couple of monsters I plan on using.

 

[Telperion]

Because one of my player's job asking him to get up early and him having children we have been 'forced' to play at his house rather than at mine.

Now I don't find this a problem except for the fact that I'm constantly forced to either type everything I need for a session in my campaign notes or take along a hell of a lot of books. Although it varies I sometimes take about 7 to 14 books with me most about 70% hardcovers not counting the amount of paperwork in binders and other assorted items like dice, food and drinks.

How do you handle this? I'm mostly fearfull in leaving my books behind in case my player's do something out of the blue which I don't expect. How much are you carrying around for a session?

Well, how should I put this now? Um...I just type up a couple of pages of brief descriptions on the various plots / encounters / schemes that are going on and then do the rest of the stuff. I run a game where ROLEplaying is the key element, and ROLLplaying comes as a distant second. There are numerous NPC's that I have to portray to convey the story that I'm telling, but I rarely need extensive notes on what some NPC feels or acts like. I do have those notes, but they are at home, and I just take a refreshing glance at them before going off to DM at my friends place.

I carry the PHB, DMG, MM and Relics & Rituals 1 with me, and that's it. If I need monsters / opponents / random encounters / special spells / special equipment / etc. then I do them ahead of time before going to the session, so that I have everything printed out on easily useable sheets. Sure, sometimes I use something like 10 - 15 pages of paper printing all that stuff out, but once it's done I file it all away and can simply pull it out once again if I need the same material in another situation. It is a lot of work at times, but for the most part it's a whole lot easier than carrying everything with me and having to remember where everything is in the actual books, while portraying a sequence of fast developing political intrigue. No, I have become quite accustomed to printed sheets that are short and to the point, and quickly scribbled side-notes.

 

[diaglo]

i don't DM this version of the game.

but i end up taking at least as much as the DM does.

 

[Henry]

Well, for my part, I'm lucky.

Either we are playing something besides D&D, which requires usually only 1 or 2 books and notes, or when we play D&D I only take those books I abolutely need, and wing the rest.

Some thoughts I'll throw out:

1) Limiting the number of sourcebooks PC's can legally draw material from REALLY cuts down on the load I need to both carry around and be familair with.

2) Do have notes at least complete enough to know the basics of the NPC's - they don't have to be overdetailed, just enough to extrapolate.

3) Consider splitting up the load. Ask another player to bring a certain key book and you can share with him during the game (such as Gazetteers and player's guides, player sourcebooks, etc.)


I have a fellow DM who brings "The Library of Leng" with him to games. It's almost EVERY gaming book he owns, stacked inside this long extra-heavy-duty gym-bag, the kind someone would expect you to haul a BODY in. Rare is the time I've said, "Could I borrow your copy of X" and he didn't have it. God only knows how he manages to haul that dwarf star around with him.

 

[Henry]

i don't DM this version of the game.

but i end up taking at least as much as the DM does.

I've always had the suspicion you and my fellow DM in my game were cut from the same cloth when it came to bringing game books.

Poor guy doesn't even invest a Ten-spot into miniatures, though.

 

[diaglo]

I've always had the suspicion you and my fellow DM in my game were cut from the same cloth when it came to bringing game books.

Poor guy doesn't even invest a Ten-spot into miniatures, though.

there's a reason i drive a half-ton pick 'em up truck

 

[KB9JMQ]

When I travel as a DM I take the 3 Core Books, maybe a splatbook, and a module ( I love to use modules ) and my notes on my NPCs and other items. A battlemat and now a selection of D&D Mini's. Oh, and my Big Bag O Dice

At home I have a library to play in so all my stuff is available if needed.

 

[Voadam]

I put down 3-5 because the last time I DM'd I brought six books which isn't an option in your poll

They were the three core books, the campaign setting book for the setting I was using, the module I was using, and the setting's monster book (I used a couple monsters from there). I used material from a seventh and eighth books as background plot elements for two secret societies but never statted out the NPCs and didn't bring the books.