Top 10 Dungeon Master Physical Tools of the Trade for D&D
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 2 ส.ค. 2024
- What are the best tools for dungeon masters running D&D games? The resources and items that DMs can't go without when they run Dungeons & Dragons? In this video, I discuss the top ten must have dungeon master tools that you simply can't go without! (hype) lol
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When a dingo eats your baby there is only one thing you can do... throw another shrimp on the barbie.
to me the bathroom is the throne of power. very useful
A lot of people have serious dice addictions? It's not an addiction... I'm just helping homeless dice find a home.
"I'm not addicted. I could stop at any time. Maybe"
Who saved who, really?
It’s not an addiction. I need every single one of the dice I own.
This would be a great video to implement the "bookmarks" in the video.
Indeed
Or a list of them in the description even.
Agreed, especially for those who would prefer to skip the first couple of mins -_-' Great info though no disrespect.
Done
Wish granted.
3:30 Basic office supplies: paper, pens, pencils, erasers, 4x6 note cards, folders, notebooks.
4:16 Dice...duh. You are going to need at least 1974 sets of dice.
4:35 The core rule books: The Player's Handbook, The Monster Manual, The Dungeon Master's Guide, Xanthar's Guide to Everything, Volo's Guide to Monsters, Mordenkainen's Tome of Foes...at least one or two adventure modules.
6:22 Dungeon Master's screen.
6:50 The battle grid game mat, and miniatures...lots and lots of miniatures.
9:00 Sand timers. ⌛1, 2, 3, 5, and 10 minutes. 15 seconds.
10:20 Dry erase board, markers, and erasers. Track initiative.
11:22 Handouts!
12:46 The bathroom.
13:15 Quiet time to think.
14:00 A functioning brain!
You beauty
There’s no link to a functioning brain in the description, do you know any places to get one?
The skit lore is getting pretty deep xD
We'll need a wiki soon.
Oh yeah Wiki would be super helpful for me to remember what actually happened in the skits before. Have a very bad memory. :-)
About the battle grid and miniatures : a common chess board works too.
Pizza0786 MineKing3456 bold of you to assume a chess board is common.
@@remixtheidiot5771 well, you can get chessboards for far cheaper than battle maps, if you look into it. Also, I don't know anyone who doesn't have one lying around somewhere.
Only problem with that is its pretty small. Like what, 8x8? That's a fairly small battle field. I suppose you could make each square a 2x2 with some paint or marker or something (if you don't mind ruining your chessboard.
Works in a pinch but is really way too small. If each square is 5 ft any character can get across the entire map in a single turn and every ranged weapon will be in close range.
if you're really stuck at having to use a chess board you're better off just getting a ruler and using a tabletop finding common props around the house to use as your hills and trees and other things.
And the female barbarian gets to be the rook, because "she's a brick... House. She's mighty mighty. Just lettin' it all hang out."
As a drunk DM, I honestly appreciate the early morning/late night uploads. Gives me something to watch that sparks some ideas, which may be terrible, but are fun none the less.
Happy to help! 😀
The bathroom! Yes! I've never consciously thought of it as a tool, but I have for sure retreated into the bathroom to figure out what I was going to do next LOL
"There are alot of people, that have very serious dice addiction…"
Me: "Hmmm… I could use some more dice, I should stop at the Game Store..."
I know a guy who knows a guy that can help if you're interested. :-)
I find that I don't really open my giant dice bag anymore as a DM. It's so much easier using the dice roller on DNDbeyond when running encounters.
@@kellyweaver8422 What? No way, I miss the feeling of dice running through my hands when using any virtual tool...
Even now that everything is online, when I DM on Roll20, I roll dice myself.
My recommendations, with many focused on being cheap and easy:
- Wooden clothespins. I clip these to the top of my DM's screen to track initiative. They have the characters names on both sides and are a great visual reminder of who goes when. When the player's can see, they tend to pay attention. One clip has a "monster" indicator, which are black eyes and teeth, and can easily be seen from across the room. Cheap and easy to get.
- Miniatures - I prefer Nolzur's to Bones, but I do have quite a few of the Bones too. Nolzur's are better molds, easier to paint, and have a better scale. Bones is better for larger mines like Dragons and Giants with a better price break.
- To track concentration, I keep the "retainer rings" that come off the top of large 4L water or milk jugs. These are then primed and painted in bright colours in sets of two. One ring goes to a player, and they'll place it on the mini that they're targeting, and I'll place the other over the clothespin on the DM's screen. Everyone can certainly track who's concentrating on a spell and thus rarely forget to account for it. Alternatively, one could use rubber bands to do the same job, but you'll need them in lots of colours. Again, cheap and easy to get.
- For monsters that attack in massive hordes, I ted to print my own tokens on cardboard and use them instead of minis. Alternatively, bottlecaps also work very well. Print monster pictures on Mactac and apply them to either the cardstock or bottlecaps. Again, cheap and easy to get.
- Post-it/Sticky notes, and small notepads. Alternatively, whatever note taking app you have on your phone/device: Inspiration happens at the oddest times. Record your thoughts live when possible. Even if it's just an NPC name. You won't regret it. I've had entire campaigns spawn from a few words on a notepad.
- Cheap battle mats can be made from either flattened cardboard (large boxes), brown wrapping paper and the like. A 2'x3' piece is usually all you need. Take the tome to mark it into a grid of 1" squares. Then to cover it, either a sheet of plexiglass (expensive) or, alternatively, use the clear plastic from a poster frame. The plastic actually works with dry erase markers, and costs all of one poster frame. Note that the back of a poster frame could also be the source of the cardboard too, so it's a twofer deal right there.
- Dry/Wet Erase Markers. Can't do the above without the right tools to back it up.
- I use a lot of secret notes myself, but players tend to then put them on the table for others to see. When possible, text the player instead.
- I also love handouts. A great handout are incomplete map chunks, especially if they're sketchy with no scale. Half-burned communications between bad guys are also a great handout. Both contain incomplete information but might hold essential clues. They make great treasure for that alone.
- For those looking to dip their toes into 5E without a lot of money up front, the Basic rules for players and DMs are available on the WotC website for free in PDF form. The DM's Guild also has lots of cheap stuff to add to your table. If you want to put in the time to research and balance, Unearthed Arcana also has a lot of stuff (also on the WotC site).
- There are tons of free adventures and subclasses available online if you know where to look. I've written a LOT of encounters for Nerdarchy. Look for them under "Out of the Box Encounters". For those looking to invest, a book of collected encounters is available for sale in the same place.
- Lastly, there's no replacement for imagination. This is easily the most important resource, and sometimes the most challenging one. The best of us run dry on inspiration from time to time, so feel free to take a step back and read, watch, and listen to other's ideas and content.
No replacement for imagination! Seriously! I had a DM that took Lost Mines of Phandelver and embellished it until we were lvl 10 at the end, lords of the keep we captured from the goblins, and starting a mini-town of reformed monsters (mostly goblins and bugbears that worshipped the ressurected Krog barbarian/paladin PC-takeover, but also minotaurs, yuan-ti, and a few others). We were recognized by the Lord's Alliance and had an adult green dragon doubtless preparing revenge, as well as the threat of a Mindflayer outpost we had just cleansed (but it was only a scouting base), and an entire burgeoning nation of demon-worshipping hobgoblins bent on killing us.
Then the DM decided he wanted to run a Spelljammer campaign and had us all abandon that to jump on a spelljammer we found in the outpost. I wasn't happy with it, but the rest of the party was, so we rolled up new PCs. I'm still sad, but whatever.
Dang that sounds like a fun campaign!
That's wonderful! I want to steal the clothespin idea. They also make good chip-clips to close your chips bags and keep them fresh longer. and if you add glue-on magnets to the back, you can easily post anything you want on your fridge.
Another thing I recently discovered is making your own "parchment" paper with regular printer paper, a couple of tea bags, and a cookie sheet. AND, you need some clothespins and a place to hang dripping tea-soaked paper.
Using two tea bags, make 1 cup of very strong tea. Let it steep until it cools all the way down. Then, place 1 sheet of plain paper into a cookie sheet (not stoneware! The flavor will soak in) and use one of the tea bags to blot/rub the tea onto the paper. Flip it over and do the back. Then, with your hand underneath the dripping paper, transfer it to your drying area. Do as many sheets as you have spots to dry them. If you don't like the unevenness at the edges and corners, just trim them.
After the "parchment" is dry, you can flatten it by slipping it between pages of one of your D&D books, and then piling the rest on top of it. Do it the day after your session, so you have several days to flatten the parchment. It will be STIFF, so if you want to run it through a printer, you'll have to watch closely to protect against paper jams. I prefer to use a glass pen and dip it in ink, for an old-fashioned "quill pen" look of writing. I am now saving up for some sealing wax. I"m actually considering experimenting with some walnuts and a feather, to see if I can make my own pen and ink.
That's a lot of awesome ideas. Your idea for a tabletop grid gave me another idea. I wonder how well it would work to find a cheap piece of clear plastic that's a decent size, put 1/8" strips on one side, put the brown wrapping paper you mentioned on there for contrast then use the other side to draw on with dry erase markers.
I've tried the 1/8" strips with dry erase board before for a battle grid and they were too thick to be able to draw anything on the board. I only used it once. :(
This came at the most perfect time, i’m about to start DM’ing for the first time. Gonna run The Delian Tomb one-shot this weekend and another one-shot before I run my homebrew campaign. Thank you for your informative video! It helped.
Awesome! Hope your game goes well! 😀
@@theDMLair Thank you!
I hope your game goes well, stranger.
Good luck!
Barbarian is going through the loot after a fight in a dungeon any discover some magic lamp. Rubbing the lamp a genie pops out and offers him one wish. The Barbarian wishes to be the most powerful being in the universe. The Genie says your wish is granted. The genie then snaps his fingers and the Barbarian disappears. Behind a DM screen surrounded by a group of geeks.
Exactly! 😂
I'm using this one at my table and just throwing him to the wolf's of being a dm lmao.
Not a bad list. I use everything you do except the dry erase board on the table and a few extra. Maybe these are more toys than tools, for they are perhaps too extra.
1. Physical Treasure: A few gems, bottles, and metal coins. The players loot the goblins, then hand them a small pile of copper pieces. The will do all the counting and divide among themselves. They buy a potion of healing, then I hand them a little red bottle with instructions of what to roll. Some shiny gems to hand them are colored glass-diamonds, flat rhinestones and even a tiger's eye. They can appraise them later in town.
2. Fridge/Oven: In my games, I keep cold sodas and adult beverages ready. They cannot partake unless they visit the tavern and order them. They hand me their silver coins and they become a merry bunch, and they buy extra for the dangers ahead. Sometime they have other items in the tavern. Sweet Rolls, Beef Stew and succulent Hot Wings.
3. Physical Letters: These notes are stuffed in an envelope with a colored wax seal with a symbol. Different color and symbol per faction, noble line or whomever it came from. After killing a Cyclops the party head back to town. Once they arrive, they receive a mysterious letter with no signature nor name. It says congratulates to the party to slaying a Cyclops and asks them to journey to a far-off kingdom to help in dealing with neighboring Hill Giants. With only a wax seal in the shape of a blue rose was their only clue for whom they are aiding.
4. Laptops Speakers with aux cord for ipod & phone: Sounds of the tavern, the drips of water in the caverns, or the howl of a wolf. The familiar music soundtracks when pirates be attacking, when the party are ready to "Hunt some orc" and other sneaky encounters when it feels like the "Mission" is "Impossible". Throw in a couple small humorous tracks when they win battles (Final Fantasy) or when they fight animal tamers (Pokemon). The customization is limitless.
Please Like, Dislike or Leave Feedback.
I love your incorporation of real-world snacks into the game. It's all too easy to forget to eat or drink - for both players and their characters, so having a visual reminder is an excellent way to remind everyone.
I love the skits, they add a charming aesthetic to your channel!
Thank you! Glad you like them. 😀
It’s his “signature”. If it doesn’t have a funny D&D skit at the beginning, then it’s an imposter.
Well some of my many of my earlier videos didn't have skits. 😀
I agree. Not only that, but sometimes, a skit can explain something better than mere words.
Great video thank you! If you're really in a financial pinch the wrapping paper with the 1x1 squares for cutting works for a grid too! I also do love having the clear plastic AoE template is super helpful to speed up combat.
Can we just get a 15min skit of you playing a game with all the voices lol
The Forgotten Realms Campaign Setting for 3.5 is pretty dope too, if you can't find the 2E version.
Ah cool I've never seen the 3.5 campaign setting for Forgotten Realms. I might have to Check it out that out someday
Me at 5 am: I should probably sleep
*DM Lair Uploads*
The 3rd Edition Forgotten Realms book is also fantastic. I’d say it’s certainly an equal to the AD&D bok set. 4th and 5th Edition it honestly feels better to just find videos here on youtube to get an update to the setting. I’d love a good 5E FR guide.
Me: I don't have an addiction.
An hour later...
My mom: Why did you spend all your money at Gamestop and Knight's Watch?
*distant click clack*
Also my mom: Ah, D&D.
Good stuff as always. Buy Digital D&D books that way when you retreat to the bathroom you can avoid the odd glances.
Also, with the digital editions, the binding never breaks, and you can CTRL-f to find something quickly. Just remember, for the pdf of the Players' Handbook, they omitted all of the full-page art, so your page number references will get worse and worse toward the end of the book.
@@MonkeyJedi99 I am buying into D&D beyond. Such a great product. As I don’t play at a game store I can buy a book copy for $30 on Amazon and a D&D beyond copy for $30. Seems like a fair price to me :)
@@bryankia I want dnd beyond but it's so costly.
I'll buy the physical copy just because.
He did say at the beginning he'd also be doing a Virtual/E-Tool list (Not E-Tools...that thing was a monstrosity...eek!), so this one was only focused on physical tools. Although I'd love to see how you get the Bathroom "Behind The DM Screen".
Luke, you can still use these tools... you just use multiple video cameras, linked together, one above your table, the other looking at you, and the overhead camera is used for showing off your maps and stuff like that. :-)
Now that the barbarian is the dm, all the videos should be done with his voice.
SCAG is great as a lore tool. It gives you enough info to make your own encounters, quests, and campaign.
It's been crucial to my Sword Coast sandbox campaign
I simply enjoy your skit's. One thing I always do is Write down my player's AC & PP just so I can keep the game running smooth.
Thanks dude glad you like them. Yeah for Armor class what I do is I have my players changed their names in the zoom call so that it includes their armor class. Then I always know what it is really quickly.
Great, every time I go to the bathroom now my players are going to think I didn't have anything planned for the session lol
A couple of small dry erase boards have been my most important DM tool - especially back when convention games were a thing - for a long time. Dollar stores often have letter sized ones for, you guessed it, a dollar.
Can't wait for the next video... as we are now playing online to save distances and all of that. Thanks for your super videos!
I watch a lot of channels about running D&D and I always find your information more useful than any other channel.Thank you for these videos
Awesome! I'm very happy to hear that this stuff is helping you out. :-)
For a substitute to minis, we use a cork from Michael's that has a little slit cut in the top for the picture of the characters. They fit perfectly in the official game boards' spaces.
Something we just started doing for conditions are these little folded cards that go on top of the initiative markers. It really helps everyone visualize who is affected by what.
To track initiative I use something like excel and make a list of 20-1 on one side and put some extra spaced between them. Three of those will fit on a piece of paper, I underline them to make it easier to write on then cut them into strips. Usually during play I use them a bookmarks and pull one out to write down where everyone was at at initiative and the monsters hp so I can keep track of hp and initiative at the same time.
For a time tracker what I've started doing is, again on excel or something like it, make a list of 1-24 then next to each of those 0-50 im increments of 10. (So 0, 10, 20, etc) so I keep track of what is happening every ten minutes in the game. This is easier on a digital format but I suppose it could be done printed out on paper as long as enough room is left for notes.
You know, it's nice to have a youtube channel that's Dungeon Master focused. It seems most D&D youtube channels are focused on being a player, or the D&D lifestyle in general, which is totally fine, but its awesome to talk about all those relatable DM experiences.
You should check Matt Colville, his advices have been useful to me
I would like to mention that there was a Forgotten Realms book for 3.5, too. As someone who owns that book, I think it's a pretty good resource (at least a lot better than SCAG).
For battle maps, I actually use the backside of gift wrapping paper. It has a 1 inch grid, it’s super cheap, I can fold it up, and I can make several maps to keep.
Loved the video Luke, gonna make sure I have this ready for when we do get to play in character again.
For when the time to play in person comes up Ill be watching this again, therefore I shall leave timestamps below.
I'd personally add some kind of speakers or way to play music, but I guess you may be covering that next week with it falling under electronic?
Also something very essential to me is lists of random names, I always have a sheet with names for every race on it, as well as some random establishment names. Im very bad at making up names on the spot.
3:31 #1: Basic Office Supplies (Organization is important)
4:15 #2: Dice.
4:36 #3: Core Rule Books (Luke also recommends additions to that, covering source books and campaign settings)
6:22 #4: Dungeon Master Screen
6:50 #5: Battle Grid Game Mat and Minis (+ Mention of Tactical Tokens as alternative)
9:01 #6: Sand Timers
10:20 #7: Dry Erase Board (Display of necessary information and Initiative Tracking)
11:23 #8: Handouts
12:47 #9: The Bathroom (No, no. He's got a point.)
13:14 #10: Quiet Time To Just Think
Reminder: All links to buying stuff Luke recommended are found in the description!
The skits in the beginning of every episode are getting more cannon every episode
The bathroom is a great tool IRL too. I wrote a fantastic last minute wedding speech in the bathroom once. (Not because I was unprepared, because I wasn't expecting to be giving a speech and found out with about half an hour to spare.)
Some possible alternatives if you're on a low budget or not yet committed to the hobby!
5# Battle maps - If someone in your game group has a decently sized whiteboard (that you can lay down on the table) and they're cool with always hosting, it's fairly easy to create a grid on a whiteboard! Before anyone in my group were ready to fully commit to the hobby, we used a whiteboard, and I cut up black tape (make sure it doesn't ruin the wb!) to create a grid on it! It worked really well until my players gifted me a battle map!
7# Dry erase board - I cheaped out on this, and instead bought clear little plastic pockets! I put some paper inside (one side is an initiative counter, the other I use to track important rolls such as Perception or Stealth), and then I can use dry erase markers on it no problem!
The 3.5e Forgotten Reams Campaign Setting book makes the original 2e Forgotten Realms boxed set look like a kids coloring menu from Red Lobster. Easily the most comprehensive and well written campaign book ever made for any edition of the game. Easy to use for 5e.
I have used a sound recorder with great effect. It helped me when I forgot to take notes. I listened to it shortly after game sessions and planned out the next session. Then again shortly before the next session to remind myself what happened last time
If I don't have enough time to make a cool layout with artwork and details I use a worn out cutting mat for the grid base (it has a one inch grid). I then tape down a parchment paper drawing of my dungeon layout on top of it. Don't have to transfer a grid. Just tape down the parchment paper and draw the dungeon out. Some parchment paper has grids printed on it. It's not super durable but it works in a pinch.
I love the interlocking dungeon tiles. Bought the big pack too, find it great to lay stuff out as I go or just use fir a giant board.
My ghetto DM tools:
Laptop (Rulebooks, Character sheets, Notes, Maps, Main Story Log, Side Quest Log, Music, Backgrounds)
Dice (Personal set & a couple extra sets in case a player forgets)
DM Screen (The $20 5-panel one on Amazon with my custom inserts)
Large dry erase board (No grid, 1in = 5ft)
Ruler/Pencils/Notebook (Notebook is mostly for quickly writing down important numbers or little notes to remind myself to do something in 10 minutes.)
Tokens (I usually have a bag full of the little cardboard tokens from other tabletop games I've scavenged over the years. I use them to mark treasure/traps or points of interest.)
Risk Horsemen (The horse guys from Risk. I use them as my baddies. I didn't take the canons or the militia, but they looked a little too modern to me.)
Most important tool - one's own self. Kind of needed.
Love this! Thanks. I also love all of your character voices
You are very welcome. And thank you the character voices are pretty fun to do to. :-)
I use notecards for all my lesser important NPCs.People like shopowners, Innkeepers, random people on the streets etc. I usually write my ideas for those down whenever I get them (OK, I steal them from TV shows and other media) and then have the notecards ready when playing. Whenever I prepare something that might involve an NPC I ready the card I deem fitting - If the players actually take that route and interact with the NPC I note where I used him on the card, if they skip him, I just put him back in the pile for later usage.
Also I love printing magical items on A6 - cards. That way the players have them ready for refference and if somebody doesn't have his card... Well I rule that as him having lost his item. That way nobody could "forget" the rules involving his magical longsword of awesomeness anymore.
The Shower, also an important think-tank for rpg. Could be included in the bathroom but the experience of having a great idea while showering and take notes with your cleverly protected smartphone (Just put it inside a folio) is unique.
WAAAAAAY back in high school, I had the First Edition Forgotten Realms boxed set. It fed my interest in laying out my own setting.
00:00 Prologue
02:03 Introduction
03:31 N°1 Basic Office Supplies
04:16 N°2 Dice
04:36 N°3 The Core Rulebooks
06:22 N°4 DM Screen
06:50 N°5 Battle Grid and Miniatures
09:01 N°6 Sand Timers
10:20 N°7 Dry Erase Board
11:23 N°8 Handouts
12:47 N°9 The Bathroom
13:14 N°10 Quiet Time to Just Think
For HUGE battles, go to 1/4 inch squares and HO guage model railroad figures.
Add reduced 3D print creatures. (Which print fast)
Now your table has room for a battle covering more than 1000 ft range.
Great topic today and great skit in the beginning
Thanks a lot! :-)
I've been trying to find it but can't find the ones you showed in your video, does anyone know where to buy the tactical tokens?
To Luke's last couple of points, I keep pen and scrap paper on me almost constantly. If I get a flash of inspiration for my game while on the clock, I can take a moment to scribble without getting the same looks as when I use the notepad app on my phone. Before the phone I carried a little pocket notebook, and I'd go through about one of those every couple years.
I like the sand timer idea help make things go more smoothly in combat and such. I would also use an abacus for combat to track rounds passed into minutes for things like rage or bardic inspiration because how long battles can take and you might forget how long something has actually been in game. Top row is one round, 10 rounds 1 minute. Second down are minutes passed up to 10. Third row is 20 minutes passed and fourth are hours passed so 10 hours + 5 hours (because 10 20s and 10 10s is 10 30s and every 2 30s is 1 hour) and 11 minutes total. But I doubt anything will last that long to worry about.
For grid I sometimes just get some 1 inch square grid paper printed. 600 feet is the furthest a range attack can hit and each square is 5 feet or 30 inches. Paper is about 9 by 11 or so maybe with margin it's minus half an inch, the point is most of your attacks will happen with maybe like 4 or 6 sheets anyway. Another alternative tool which isn't cheaper just depends if you have them on hand are brick mats like the ones for LEGO and some can be found on Amazon cheaper and can still hold you. It puts a new meaning to "building a dungeon" and works if some of your minis happen to be LEGO or something similar.
Transparency sheets - buy them if you can make some with the different spell dimensions and put them down when an AoE is made.
Magnifying glass. Ok if your vision is perfect and so is everyone one elses then no problem. But if ever a dispute about not being able to read a number or a dice or something or a rule just take out the magnifying glass like we are going to inspect this mystery. In fact I kind of wish they had like magnifying glass platforms a mini could be set on to make them look even bigger and increase the sense of scale when looking at the board from a parallel angle. I mean you could try things out with glass and get mirror effects like pepper's ghost. Just imagine this huge floating transparent dragon you can only see when moving head down closer to game board.
Journal or planner. Here you right down brief things like monsters in session, XP given and gold, NPC quests given and completed. You can also use when setting up the next session. Cleric can't make it? Ok write it down and look over the highlights last time. "The monk has been getting around with those boots of flying I gave him 4 sessions ago. It's really been affecting the turn economy and other players are getting bored" though technically this would be part of office supplies.
At least 3 pre-written characters. Ok this tool is kind of weird because in order to play DnD you should come with a character and sure if having a session zero everyone creates a character but what if it's just getting into the game or player asks if they could have a friend with them to watch and you agree. Have those 3 character sheets ready in case the friend had interest just let them know they would be on standby for future games or another player leaves. Keep the characters close to the level of the party and 3 just feels complete. 1 is complacent. 2 is comparison. 3 is completion. My recommendations are the half elf dragonblood sorcerer, totem warrior lizard folk barbarian and magic initiate variant human battle master fighter with shocking grasp, minor illusion and detect magic. I kind was thinking what play styles someone has like the brainstorm who calculates every decision they make carefully, or the mobster who rushes in and sees how much they can do or the tactician who can react to things to keep plans from derailing but isn't always in the details. Also a chance to see how different a player wants to be, maybe having dragon blood sounds awesome or being this snarling lizard person. Magic initiate gives magic as an option but battle master maneuvers gives a good idea how combat works. Make 2 copies of each and then you have the player take one while you keep the other to answer things as you play. This is really just an ICoE situation and can also help newcomers feel more welcome like "wow they made a character for me"
Stop at a good surveyor's or architect's office and ask for the cardboard tube out of a roll of plotter paper.
Very strong tube, great for rolled large maps or battlemats.
You can even get them to print huge maps from common graphic filed, cheaper than office supply places that usually do not have as large a printer.
Great stuff friend 👏 👍
DM and a hairy man... two things i like xD
ok jokes aside: i really like your contend and you definitly helped me a lot!!
Playing on a square grid map was one of the best changes we did that made battles much more enjoyable, When we decided that we where going to do this, we bought a couple of board games like hero quest for a bunch of miniatures for the more common lesser monsters like skeletons, orcs, goblins, and even a couple of hero's, We also got a hold of four 3'x2' grid maps which we would combine together and use erasable markers to mark out the territory in landscape, I would advise you to play on a grid map like this if you can, It will make your game more tactical, easier to understand were NPC's are on the map, and obstacles that are in the way, Every once in a while we would use the cardboard grid maps that came with these board games but because they already are printed out a certain way, it made it hard to change the landscape up because of it expect hero quest, Another great thing about hero quest, it also comes with open and closed doors, book shelves, tables, chairs, chests, an alter just to name a few things,
One thing that I'd add to the list is a template or templates. I'd gotten an acrylic one with all of the spell template shapes along with several others. Having it available makes any spell use a DM or player far quicker and easier to handle, even if you're just using it to mark it on the map. Being able to glance at the templates works well for it.
For handouts, one of the things that I've been using heavily is the MTG set editor. Especially when I've run AL games, a lot of the more interesting items and rewards can easily have their text copied from the adventure pdf and put into cards to hand out to players in an easy to use format. (Also works for making spell, ability, and item cards when you're playing). The program is free as well...
Dude ur a giant help as always!
As an old school DM/Player I can attest that the books from 2.5 offer many more ideas/options/settings.
'go and buy a lot of dice'
Looking behind me in my old vintage wooden chest, 59-60-61-62-63. I am not sure but i might be set
Not sure if it is to your game style, however I frequently make use of multiple soundboard apps and music that I connect from my phone to a Bluetooth speaker that I have in the center of my game table.
My tables typically consist of a combination of live players (family members) and friends who live out of state who video chat in.
But a soundboard with combat and environment sounds really help the punctuation of storytelling elements.
Or just generic instrumental background music for the environment they're in.
I typically use it in conjunction with suspense leading up to something happening.
A little bit done well goes a long way it seems.
Some times for cheap minis I'll print out the monsters as photos, wallet sized for lesser monsters 3x4 for bosses, attach a paper clip. Boom mini
So funny, just used the bathroom recently. It‘s really a great tool, that can make the difference between total disaster and a great game session.
if you are looking for transportable and versatile battlemaps, the ones I got from ArcKnight are really good - they are thin/flat plastic, with a grid, around 60x80, with a variety of terrain and location styles. I've been a big fan of mine :)
I feel a little bad for plugging foreign products but:
I have been very pleased with DungeonCraft for everyone that is still looking for a mini alternative. It's easily transported and contains enough stuff to usually have whatever you need or something that is close enough to be used as a reskin.
Something I saw in a Matt Mercer video where he shows what is behind his screen is something I stole and use in my game (when in person play happens). Those tamper-evident plastic rings from various drinks come in a rainbow of colors, and I use them to mark minis for things like stunned, bleeping, charmed, etc. WAY cheaper than the printed rings you can buy online, just have you and your group collect them for a few weeks or months and your set.
Fix to number 9......some people have magazines to read articles in (sure) but if the dm has the funding....they could have a second copy of their book in there hidden in the towel cabinet. That way they can leave the books behind when they have to "use the can" and not get odd looks
Dry erase book is something I’ve not used.
I like your handouts too
My best tool is my printer. If you factor in costs for minis/tokens, maps, specific pages in books, etc, it will add up quickly. This $150 investment will turn all of that into a fraction of the cost in the long run. Not to mention all of the great art out there to use for whatever you are looking for in your game. Just put it into WORD and shrink/enlarge it by 1" segments and there you go. Printed monsters also cut on weight and space for when you're on the go.
I would argue that you can easily get away with just the PHB.
I'm pretty sure Tasha would have been on this list, had it been out ad the time of filming.
Their is so many cool new rules like Environmental Hazard - experince that last game and loved it.
I don't have money, or storage space, for a lot of stuff. I draw my own maps on grid paper, and as for miniatures, I cut out shapes from colored cardboard. Bought some soda? Cut it into appropriately sized circles or squares. Different colors represent different things. And you can number them, which makes it easier to figure out which goblin is doing what.
But, when we play at my brother's house, he has several shelves worth of years' worth of miniature collections, so we all chose something from there (and try to remember which is whose, lol), and go from there. Still using paper mats, but hopefully, he'll move on to the battle grid erasable map I bought for him, as a present. It keeps rolling up, so until they come up with something to keep it flat, such as a large acrylic sheet, it's back to paper.
Ah, well. Grid paper is a classic for a reason, right?
Really reinventing the wheel here.
I use clothes pins on top of my screen for initiative. Pcs are encouraged to make their own pin.
Lol you used my bathroom advice, awesome!
I totally did dude. I thought it was hilarious. :-)
@@theDMLair it has saved my sesions more times that i can count
SCAG is good, if you want the Ghostwise Halfling, various Half-Elf Varients, and some Tiefling variants that aren't in MTF (not to mention the whole Feral bloodline thing). Some of the Subclasses in it are okay, although some could use work, like the Battlerager needing their Special Armor to do their subclass tricks....
That being said, the Purple Dragon Knight - What Were They Thinking?!
A set of game books for the throne room reduces the risk of delay intent detection.
At 7:40 Man, that's freakin' awesomeness! I just looked them up and they are even double-sided. Drawing Dungeons is very tedious during play and sometimes it's difficult just to keep predawn stuff "hidden" on the map.
At 8:45. Back in my day, we called those "Pogs" and we hit them with "Slammers." Lol!
I really like the sand timer idea, at least to speed up combat. However, I have noticed that this can cause unwanted anxiety to certain players, and I never want them a negative experience because of that. Instead, I'll screw with them hourglasses in Dungeon traps. Muhahahahaha!!!
I like your dry-erase board idea, and that may help everyone to know what's going on. However, I use the Pathfinder Combat Pad, so that helps me, but not my players.
The Bathroom helps when you have the pdf files or digital notes, lol.
Great video! Just subscribed! Keep up the good work!
@Luc Will you buy Tasha´s Couldron too ?
An Initiative Tracker is a Godsend. (I use Paizo's)
Not the least b/c I can hand it off to an experienced player to handle, so I can monkey w/ maps & minis while they're doing.
All that player needs to know is number of monster groups, & when.
I'm late to this party but I 3d print out my minis and I give players their familiars or companions and if they forget them they can't call upon them for the session
I like to use walks to think about my campaigns. If I am struck with an idea, I will use my phone's voice recorder to make a note. You can come up with a lot of good stuff when you force yourself away from distractions so you can think.
Yes! Agreed!
Ten minutes you're super generous. I have a 1 minute timer....
Hey, there's no link to buy quiet time or even a bathroom! How am I supposed to get them?
Don't worry dude I can help you out with that. Look for the new links below. I now have affiliate links for quiet time and bathrooms. :-)
@@theDMLair oh thank goodness, I never thought I'd find any quiet time.
Better than sand timer, use kitchen timer. You can set it to different time limits.
Where do we get the tactical tokens? I wouldn't mind grabbing some common monsters like goblins and spiders. You can never have too many of them!
Fun fact, the first book of dnd 5e I buy/read was sword coast adventurer. I was, indeed, Hightly disappointed to a point I still have not buy any other setting book. The next one should be eberron tho. I'm afraid too, especially since I already have the artificier with Tasha but...
It's funny how everyone stopped playing D&D in person in 2020 whereas my group started playing in 2020 (in person) because we all had free time finally.
Guilty of dice addiction, do you know where i can get Help for it? my friends encourage the addiction so they don't help.
Let you cats or kids play with them after dinner, then find them by foot during a midnight bathroom trip. The d4s will outdo most Lego pieces.
@@MonkeyJedi99 Got niether cats or kids, and good thing a few of my D4s are metal and sharp.
I use SO MANY Index cards.
I write down all the magical items on index cards.
I have my players write down ALL their spells and abilities on index cards. Notecard boxes are not just for spell-casters. Anyone who has any sort of ability that must be activated or chosen, and not just runs constantly in the background, needs to know about that. In fact, the constant in the background ability should be written down, as well.
I have THEM write them (except for my old mother), because the act of writing helps them learn it. And I have them keep them, so that, instead of checking the PHB, they can simply check their own notecard box. The character sheet is a lot cleaner, when you only have the titles of skills and abilities written, and all the details are on notecards, with ALL the details.
I also write down the stats for monsters they will fight on index cards, and paperclip them to my maps, so I can have a complete encounter all clipped together. Also, after the battle, I give them time to take notes about the monsters/creatures, and create their own bestiary. Sometimes, I'll hand over the notecard for them to copy from, but I'll need it back for the next encounter that uses it. But, with them creating their own bestiary, there is no metagaming about reading the monster manual. They have a record of what they've encountered before, and what they know about it. We can discuss it after the battle, or they might even notice what hits and what doesn't, so they figure out the armor class. They CAN count HP, but they won't, so I'll tell them about hit dice, or whatever. It may take them out of the immersion, but it is valuable information that they discover from the actual encounter, so I think it's fair. Also, even if they don't get loot, they get information, which my players do value. They figured out a lot about their first combat with a bunch of oozes, and how lightning doesn't help, at all. "No! Don't zap it!" That is information they will want to remember, and the notecards help with the note-taking. I always give the official note-taker of the group as much time as she needs to write stuff down, because we're not about speed in our group.
That said, I am TOTALLY taking the timer thing for spells. My niece wanted to conduct an interrogation in the middle of combat, and I, another player at the time, had to keep reminding her "Your turn is only six seconds. You can ask one question per turn, but not three!" She agreed, and continued, while I was on the other side of the room, setting things ablaze. It was fun, and she got the information we needed, and I rather liked the urgency. But it made it clear that keeping track of time is actually pretty important.
I'm not allowed to rush combat (it's a literal deal-breaker for one of my players, and if she doesn't play, the other DM will leave, too, so NOPE). However, timing spells and effects outside of combat is just fine. For in combat, I count the rounds. Each round is six seconds. Ten rounds is one minute. But for role-play, real-time would just about work. Maybe another minute or two, to compensate for time spend describing things.
I'm broke right now, but I have a kitchen time, and it goes "Click click click click DING!" so I thin that will work great to add that urgency, and reminder that spells and effects have limits.
Another physical tool I use is toothpicks. Yep. I have cut the toothpicks in quarters to represent sling bullets and darts and in half to represent arrows and crossbow bolts. A full toothpick is a javelin.
During battle, the players have to put down a physical representation of their weapons/ammo, so they can easily track it. At the end of the battle, they roll Perception to see how many they can find, and then roll 50/50 to see if the ammo they do find can be recovered. They were putting it on the battle map, but then we had to figure out whose toothpick pieces belonged to which person, so now they just place them in front of them.
Pro-tip: Get lots of little ziplock bags. I actually bought a set of beads that came with a divided case, but each color of beads came in a little baggie, stuffed inside their divider section, so I emptied the baggies, and use them to hold little things, like cardboard "miniatures" or tokens, and "ammo" and other such tiny things. You can probably buy a package of little ziplock bags at a craft store, but I just keep whatever containers I get when I buy other things. That's why my D&D stuff is stored in cookie tins.
While there is a certain charm about playing around the table, Fantasy Grounds makes my life so much easier. Yes! It spoils the players and the DM - I love being spoiled.
As long as you don't have to do deal with making your own maps. That is the single biggest frustration of mine with playing online. But if I don't have to make my own map that I am a happy camper online. I still love playing in person because I get to use my Miniatures though. I love my Minis and I miss using them. And there is something more real how about being in person if you would like to me.
Loke Battlemats are absolutely a must have
Most of these are no brainers. I was looking forward to seeing some newer types of physical items example: dice towers, dice trays, mini holders, lots of travel cases, bags, backpacks, plastic condition rings to put on the mini’s.
I definitely use quiet time to build my campaign. And I enjoy listening to lord of the rings sound track.
These hints would be incredibly good one year ago, or one year from now
Nice video
What if we have to core books as a digital copy? Or should we having the physical version?
If the digital copies work for you then there may be no need. Personally I find physical books easier to read and look things up so I always get them.
I used to use pirated pdfs, but I bought the physical copies when I got the money :) Physical copies are more convenient.
I hear you on the Sword Cost book.