What forms do you use while DMing?

[punkorange]

I've been thinking of getting DM's campaign planner deluxe recently, and that got me thinking. Would I have a use for 90+ pages of forms? What type of forms or note sheets, or whatever, do you use while DMing.

Which ones could you not DM without, and which ones could you do without?

 

[jerichothebard]

I've been thinking of getting DM's campaign planner deluxe recently, and that got me thinking. Would I have a use for 90+ pages of forms? What type of forms or note sheets, or whatever, do you use while DMing.

Which ones could you not DM without, and which ones could you do without?

I use very few forms when I am actually behind the screen. But I use LOTS of them when I'm planning/world-building. They have helped me to articulate a bunch of different things about my world - the gods, in particular, and some of the secret organizations.

As for in-game use, I really like the Initiative cards by Game Mechanics. Not exactly forms, but still very useful.

 

[DungeonmasterCal]

I have random bits of paper with notes and ideas scribbled on them. At most I'll have the monster encounters and the major NPC's the players will encounter at least partially statted out. I'm a big "wing and a prayer" type DM. I find this style works best for me.

 

[KB9JMQ]

I use eTools to generate NPC's and creatures but only to print out stat blocks of them.
I made a sheet I use to keep track of the characters I call it my DM Sheet.
Section I
One line per character holds AC, Level, Action Points, Class, Abilities, Alt AC, Spot & Listen
Section II
One line per character holds HP and keeps track from my pov.
Section III
This is where I keep track of Wands/Staves and their number of charges.

These are the only forms I use. While gaming, all notes and tracking hp's, etc. are done on the table by everyone since my gaming table is made of dry erase board.

One player has a small leftover dry erase piece that she keeps initiative on.

 

[sjmiller]

Campaign Planner Deluxe is a great tool for pre-game sessions of world creation and fleshing out bits and pieces of your game world. During the actual game sessions they are of lesser use. Currently, when I run a game I use the following items, which I guess could be called forms.

• Initiative Cards (homemade)
• Encounter Worksheets (lists stats of creatures and special notes about encounters)
• Area Map (my copy with copious notes)
• Special Item Cards (homemade cheat sheets for items found during the adventure

That's about it, really. I have the rulebooks available if I need them and a spiral notebook for taking notes.

 

[Tarangil]

I have random bits of paper with notes and ideas scribbled on them. At most I'll have the monster encounters and the major NPC's the players will encounter at least partially statted out. I'm a big "wing and a prayer" type DM. I find this style works best for me.

That's pretty much how I go too. I've had too many situations with having well planned and documented things go in a different direction because of intuitive (or easily distracted) players. Best let improv take care of the rest.

Point form notes random scribblings is all I have, the only thing I do spend time on is the maps, at least the players can't cause any massive land reorganization with their antics.

 

[MavrickWeirdo]

I've been thinking of getting DM's campaign planner deluxe recently, and that got me thinking. Would I have a use for 90+ pages of forms? What type of forms or note sheets, or whatever, do you use while DMing.

Which ones could you not DM without, and which ones could you do without?

Non-Disclosure Agreement, Limit on Liability, Open Gaming Licence, ect...

 

[SidusLupus]

Hi, I'm a lurker who's working on fleshing out his campaing world and that campaign planner thingy sounds useful. Is it an online thing or a paper thing?

Does anyone happen to have any info on it?

Thanks, and sorry for the ninja thread jacking.

 

[philreed]

Hi, I'm a lurker who's working on fleshing out his campaing world and that campaign planner thingy sounds useful. Is it an online thing or a paper thing?

The Campaign Planner Deluxe is available in both PDF and print. It's my opinion that the PDF version (the three single releases with Acrobat forms) is the most useful. I compiled the Deluxe version to fulfill requests for a printed version.

http://www.rpgnow.com/product_info.php?products_id=4702&SRC=EnWorld

You can also find it at DTRPG, the Paizo website, and e23.

 

[Shard O'Glase]

form of an ice sculpture, wonder twin powers activate.

In the planing stage i use the main books, and maps. At the table i use my adventure notes and that's about it. I sometimes flashcard monsters and other important characters that i need to know stats for. I find flashcards really helpful but im the kind of lazy that avoids prep work even if it makes the overal job easier.