Veeky Forums, what's behind your GM screen?
What sort of tables, notes, reminders do you keep handy?
I'm mostly looking for system-neutral tips, but every insight's welcome.
Veeky Forums, what's behind your GM screen?
Noah Cook
Grayson Brooks
>the Macharian Handbooks gear tables (not the text blocks)
>rough outline of what i have planned
>stack of index cards filled out with stats of possible enemies (doubles as initiative tracking system)
>index cards with PC's names and notes on the character's hooks
>critical damage tables and psychic phenomena
>metal dice (doesnt always matter what you roll as a GM, but the intimidating sound of heavy dice is great)
>tablet for rulebook pdfs, notes, plot, and most importantly for use as a portable ambience music player
Thomas Sanders
>rough outline of what i have planned
This is so obvious I'm a little embarrassed that I don't use it already.
>stack of index cards filled out with stats of possible enemies (doubles as initiative tracking system)
That's also a great idea, I should get around to making those for my games.
Brody Jenkins
>tfw I've been running games for 5 years and never used a GM screen
Jaxon Bennett
I stopped using a screen years ago. I keep a note pad at hand, and usually prep a rules summary/table for reference, but I roll everything in the open. The screen clutters the table and removes contact with the players.
Logan Cruz
> I roll everything in the open
But the screen isn't necessarily to hide rolls. There's plenty of information that you might want to have in fron of you, but not in sight of the players.
Lincoln Robinson
Nothing that really needs a screen. I'd rather have a flat surface and eye contact with my players.
Camden Perry
My screen is usually my laptop, but I keep that to the side. It lets me keep my pdfs, word docs, and ability to message players while keeping the table relatively clutter free. If I need dice to be secret I roll and then cup my hand around it or roll inside my treasure chest that stores the dice.
Christian Walker
>campaign notebook (city legends, NPC profiles [by area], plot details, etc)
>map notebook (yes, I still do everything by hand, like a filthy barbarian)
>session notebook (what the PCs have done, who they met, what NPCs are up to simultaneously, etc)
>dice
>campaign calendar (in game date & event tracking, complete with holidays, PC birthdays)
>NPC/enemy character sheets
Thankfully, my players appreciate the effort.
Xavier Gutierrez
How short are you?
Luke Lopez
>(yes, I still do everything by hand, like a sophisticated gentleman)
Fixed that for you, user.
Aiden Torres
>removes contact with the players.
So do you have the tallest GM screen ever constructed or are you and your players all manlets?
Camden Myers
You don't see how putting up a screen between you and the other people at the table constitutes a conceptual barrier?
Mason Scott
>user doesn't play the way I play
>Let's mock him for perceived physical defects
An argument was too much to ask for I guess.
Elijah Hill
>The screen clutters the table and removes contact with the players.
Because you only have experience with poorly designed screens from the 80's.
A screen made out of "horizontal" sheets like pic related does not impair the GM's vision of the table nearly as much as one made out of "standing" sheets and hides whatever information you want hidden just about as good (the only exception is when one player sits right next to you and actively tries to get a glimpse on what you have going on there).
Joseph Ross
For comparison, the same view with a standing screen.
Jack Nguyen
>physically incapable of making eye contact with players when using a gm screen
You’re either underaged b&, a manlet, or have never heard of good posture which is it?
Gavin Ramirez
I have a landscape screen too. Still prefer not using it. I don't know why you folks are so hellbent on proving my tastes wrong.
Chase Cruz
(You)
Jaxson Gomez
I use the Reincarnated DM screen, even though the tables on it are pretty useless. The red dragon on the back is cool.
Behind it, I have copies of my players character sheets, for quickly checking their passive skills and stuff. I also have the sheets of all the important NPCs the party has met so far. Campaign notes, maps, homebrew monster/item stats, doodles, magic item/monster lists from every session we've played, for "quick" reference in my binder. 5 sets of dice. And most importantly all three books, carefully bookmarked, with the most important tables separately printed out and also this thing
mojobob.com
printed out. I'm a bit embarrassed for this, but its honestly pretty useful.
Right now I'm at work but I'll take a pic when I get back home.
Isaiah Jackson
Mostly just porn, so I can concentrate
Do you not play hidden behind a curtain, never actually seeing the players enter or leave game, only starting when you hear the collective mouth breathing and Cheeto crunching?
Adrian Thompson
>even though the tables on it are pretty useless.
Thic can be easily rectified by taping your own notes over the useless tables. Doing so allows you to use a better screen from a completely different game or simply replace rules you don't need or use with more relevant rules or houserules.
Adrian Foster
Even better: Get one of those Hammerdog customisable ones and slap whatever shit you like in there.
John Wood
Hey, that's actually a pretty good idea. I gotta try that out, I'm sure some of the more important things would fit on there.
I have one of those, but the portrait layout doesn't really work for me. And its the only one I could find. If there exists something similar that isn't as tall, it'd be nice to have.
And desu I'm pretty fond of the red dragon on the wotc screen :3
Ryan Parker
Hammerdog also do a landscape one.
drivethrurpg.com
Easton Rogers
Wow, I'm an idiot
I have no idea how I missed that, thanks user
Christopher Martin
I usually make my DM screens myself, because I find that commercial DM screens are cluttered with information I don't need (price lists, equipment lists...). Also, I try to keep the screen as compact as possible (3 to 4 vertical A4-sheets). What I need are to most useful charts - everything related to combat (hit location chart, weapon damage, armor ratings, to hit modifiers...) and skill rolls (modifiers). Next to that I keep a copy of the rulebook (I hate systems where rules are spread in multiple books), a bunch of dices and my personal notes.
>clutters the table and removes contact with the players
That's the most autistic thing I've heard today. It's called a DM screen. Its main purpose is to provide quick reference to the DM, hide DM dice rolls, and hides the DM's notes from the player. It's not supposed to stop Mongolian hordes from entering China.
My DM screens never removed contact with the players since I stand most of the time (especially during action/combat sequences). Even when I'm sitting, I remain in constant communication with the players - I'm not hiding behind my screen.
Brody Morgan
>That's the most autistic thing I've heard today. It's called a DM screen. Its main purpose is to provide quick reference to the DM, hide DM dice rolls, and hides the DM's notes from the player.
I don't need any of these things. I keep rules references at hand in horizontal form, and I don't play with manbabies who try to peek at my notes.
Brandon Ross
>a bunch of dices