What props and special effects do you use while running games?

[Gorgon Zee]

I use music regularly, typically putting together a 4 hour set of songs / music suitable for the genre. I have many playlists labeled “fantasy’, ‘weird scifi’, ‘deadlands’ or the like. I tend to use mostly soundtracks from films, but throw in the odd vocal song also.

handouts and props are great for adding genre tone. I recently played in a game set in the 80’s and the GM used a printer that created mini-Polaroid photos for the NPCs — it really emphasized the period more than a simple printer photo would have. Other GMs have done things like hand out old video tape boxes containing character info or items like that. These have been uniformly evocative and fun.

one thing I do on an irregular basis is use a unique found object or something I’ve created and incorporate it into the game. These take some effort so I don’t do it every session, but some examples are:

• I wrote a clue in ink on a piece of paper and froze it in a block of ice and gave it to my players. They had fun trying to break it open without destroying the note. This was for a 1800’s horror game set in a blizzard
• I salvaged a piece of machinery with lots of wires from a broken appliance and taped it under the table for my Dracula Dossier spy game. At the critical point I revealed the fact and the players had to cut the right wires (using character knowledge/skills) without dislodging it
• For the finale to my D&D 4E game, I built a small table and decorated it like a flying island (one of the players had the ability to build such a thing) and started the game at one end of our house. As the characters flew the island into the Far Realms, we moved the island through the house, where I had hidden various enemies and opposition around the place. If the players spotted anything, the characters got a bonus.

as you can see, with props I like mix player skill with character ability. I find that works well in building a memorable session

 

[payn]

I am really looking forward to the Bladerunner KS arriving. The handouts for the investigation sound like a lot of fun!

For Foundry, I am having a lot o fun making journals to pass to the players. They can look these tidbits up anytime on their own instead of me (the GM) having to constantly refresh.

 

[Hand of Evil]

Egg timer, just something to make my players think/feel there is a time limit. It keeps them moving and thinking. I don't know what I am ever going to do if the alarm goes off.

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

Notes, parchment, sealed letters, propaganda fliers, a tourist brochure… mostly paper items.

I've gotten some "parchment" and printed out maps and wanted posters. My players went nuts for them -- way more than I would have expected.

As a result, I'll be using tickets and such for my Witchlight Carnival games.

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

Egg timer, just something to make my players think/feel there is a time limit. It keeps them moving and thinking. I don't know what I am ever going to do if the alarm goes off.

I have a jumbo d20 I pull out specifically for the boss fights, just to communicate, via a prop, "oh, it's about to get real." Everyone has now learned to get excited when it hits the dice tray.

 

[ersatzphil]

What do folks use to add music and sound effects to discord?

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

I use an app called Diva, which imports YouTube video audio. I have been unable to find a similar app to work off my hard drive or Bandcamp, unfortunately, although it appears such apps existed in the past.

 

[Jfdlsjfd]

Things I can print, mostly. Letters, printed documents, note they can find on an enemy revealing clues... Maps, of course.
Out of session, the press often speaks about their adventures, and reveals some clues about what is to come and a few background world information. I do that for my own fun but several players have printed the newspaper pages, so I guess it was appreciated. It's more appropriate for world where there are indeed newspapers.

 

[ersatzphil]

I use an app called Diva, which imports YouTube video audio. I have been unable to find a similar app to work off my hard drive or Bandcamp, unfortunately, although it appears such apps existed in the past.

Aaaaand I’ve just now come back from successfully using Diva in a session. Thanks, @Whizbang Dustyboots !

 

[edosan]

Handouts are always enjoyable - I made a newspaper for out Dragon Heist game with clues, side quests, and showing the consequences of their past misadventures.

I’m prepping Curse of Strahd as well so I also bought a Tarokka deck but I wish you used it more than once in the campaign. I saw an ad for this “Adventurer’s Tarot” so I’m thinking about getting that to try some sort of deck based initiative system.

I‘ve done the gamut of minis/battle maps/papercraft terrain but now that we play at work I’m using a big wall mounted touchscreen which everyone seems to love (thanks, Owlbear Rodeo!)

I‘d like to incorporate music and sound effects in my game more for sure.