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Deth Muncher
2009-09-23, 09:22 PM
So, I've always heard of the DM screen, but I've never actually seen one. What does it do, exactly, other than hiding rolls? I assume it houses cheatsheets for rolls 'n such?

So how do I go about making one on my own? I don't have the money to go and buy one myself, but what sort of data should I have lurking on it?

Siosilvar
2009-09-23, 09:48 PM
Grab a piece of cardboard and fold it into thirds. Put often-needed information on it however you want.

Really, "often-needed" information is anything you don't want to bother looking up every five minutes, or that you don't want to look up at all. Mounted combat, grapple, etc. work, if you want them.

evil-frosty
2009-09-23, 09:48 PM
well you could start with tables you refer to a lot and some rules that come up fairly often.

Also you need a cool picture on the front. All i can think of right now

Ravens_cry
2009-09-23, 09:52 PM
Also, it makes it easy to *ahem* cheat on the dice when it helps the game.

Quietus
2009-09-23, 09:58 PM
You know when you did those science fair things in grade school? The giant, three or four sectioned cardboard stands that you would display all of your stuff on? DM screens are smaller versions of those, generally with action/fantasy pictures on the side that will face the players, and a cheatsheet of the rules, charts, and other information that might be needed on the inside, which faces you.

Alternatively, you can do what I did - I found a "generic" DM screen, which was basically made of plastic the way a typical binder would be, but with four sections. Each section has a plastic sleeve, on the front and on the back. I'm going to find images that are generally in theme with the campaign I'm running (Right now, a heavily dragon-based setting, so I'm going to use images that include dragons, or general images that present the feel of the places the PCs are in on that particular day) for the outside, and since I'm basically the group's walking rules encyclopedia, the inside will be used for plot notes. Important NPC's, main hooks/motivations for the players, stuff like that. The screen itself cost me around twelve bucks Canadian.

Deth Muncher
2009-09-23, 10:06 PM
Actually, this makes me wonder. I know WH40k has a supercondensed version of their rules, which fits on one 8.5/11 sheet of paper. Does D&D have anything like this drifting around the internets? (Hopefully in the legal section of the internets?) That way I could just print it out and glue it to the screen.

Zephyros
2009-09-23, 10:23 PM
Someone here in the forums has some cheat sheets with condensed rules in his signature. I thank him deeply cause they have made my DM-life a lot easier :smallbiggrin:

(it is around 3-4 pages but you can shrink it and fit it in a DM screen)

Zeta Kai
2009-09-23, 10:56 PM
Someone here in the forums has some cheat sheets with condensed rules in his signature. I thank him deeply cause they have made my DM-life a lot easier :smallbiggrin:

(it is around 3-4 pages but you can shrink it and fit it in a DM screen)

Any idea who? That would be quite useful sometimes, especially when I'm training new DMs.

ericgrau
2009-09-23, 10:57 PM
Someone here in the forums has some cheat sheets with condensed rules in his signature. I thank him deeply cause they have made my DM-life a lot easier :smallbiggrin:

(it is around 3-4 pages but you can shrink it and fit it in a DM screen)
Someone's using it? Cool.

The cheat sheets are divided into a player booklet and DM screen. The DM screen is 4 pages because I assumed that's how big screens were anyway.

If you just want one to hide stuff, try a pair of folders, cardboard or w/e.

Golden-Esque
2009-09-23, 11:50 PM
Also, it makes it easy to *ahem* cheat on the dice when it helps the game.

Yeah; your players tend to be upset if they realize the only reason they killed the Purple Wurm is because you fudged one of its saving throws :).

Katana_Geldar
2009-09-24, 01:07 AM
The screen needs to be the fight height, some screens are too high and it's hard to see over them. Mine is long rather than high, so I can see what is going on and still hide my notes and dice.

I also paperclip pictures of places and NPCs to it so they players can see.

kjones
2009-09-24, 08:30 AM
I suggest skulls, one for every PC you've ever killed.

Black/white are regular kills, green is killed by a trap, red is killed by another player.

(warning - screen stretch)
http://www.contrib.andrew.cmu.edu/~jkeller/skull_stickers.gif

valadil
2009-09-24, 09:32 AM
Whether or not you fudge rolls is up to you. The DM screen also keeps the players from seeing your notes. They probably won't be reading any text notes, but they'll see all the secret doors on your dungeon map if you don't hide it.

Obscure rules are also useful. You probably don't need a refresher on how power attack works, but the turn undead table is helpful.

I usually cover my screen in sticky notes full of names. As much as I like improvising, I'm terrible at coming up with names on the fly. So I have tables full of male names, female names, surnames, titles, towns, and taverns.

Person_Man
2009-09-24, 09:43 AM
Also, it makes it easy to *ahem* cheat on the dice when it helps the game.

Not long ago I started letting my players roll almost all of the dice. When a monster attacks them, they roll the dice. If the monster hits them, they roll the damage. When the monster has to make a Save vs one of their attacks, they roll that too. It gives them more of an illusion of control, removes any suspicion of cheating, and gives them the fun of rolling more. It has greatly improved my games.

bosssmiley
2009-09-24, 12:27 PM
Actually, this makes me wonder. I know WH40k has a supercondensed version of their rules, which fits on one 8.5/11 sheet of paper. Does D&D have anything like this drifting around the internets? (Hopefully in the legal section of the internets?) That way I could just print it out and glue it to the screen.

Yes. D&D in 12 pages (http://www.superdan.net/dimd20/)

And the function of a DM's screen? Cheat sheets, also enhancing the mystique. :smallcool:

Behold! The Greatest GM's Screen Ever Made (for one of the greatest fantasy games ever made (http://www.boardgamegeek.com/thread/368258)):

http://images.boardgamegeek.com/images/pic338414_lg.jpg

Godskook
2009-09-24, 12:31 PM
Not long ago I started letting my players roll almost all of the dice. When a monster attacks them, they roll the dice. If the monster hits them, they roll the damage. When the monster has to make a Save vs one of their attacks, they roll that too. It gives them more of an illusion of control, removes any suspicion of cheating, and gives them the fun of rolling more. It has greatly improved my games.

My new favorite rule.

Elfin
2009-09-24, 12:53 PM
Behold! The Greatest GM's Screen Ever Made (for one of the greatest fantasy games ever made (http://www.boardgamegeek.com/thread/368258)):

http://images.boardgamegeek.com/images/pic338414_lg.jpg

Memories, memories. :smallcool:

Deth Muncher
2009-09-24, 03:03 PM
Aaaaand ericgrau is the winner. *yoink!* I'll have to invest in some folders or something.

ericgrau
2009-09-24, 04:08 PM
Aaaaand ericgrau is the winner. *yoink!* I'll have to invest in some folders or something.
Huzzah, I won something!

I noticed a typo in the "normal rules" caused by a mistake when copying stuff from "consolidated skill system", which led me to proofread the whole thing (again) and eliminate similar typos. Then just now I finally uploaded it.

Deth Muncher
2009-09-24, 04:39 PM
Huzzah, I won something!

I noticed a typo in the "normal rules" caused by a mistake when copying stuff from "consolidated skill system", which led me to proofread the whole thing (again) and eliminate similar typos. Then just now I finally uploaded it.

I was wondering about that, since it kept mentioning "perception" checks 'n such. But you say that's all edited out now?

ericgrau
2009-09-24, 04:51 PM
I was wondering about that, since it kept mentioning "perception" checks 'n such. But you say that's all edited out now?

Precisely. But if I forgot one, now you know what it means. Feel free to PM me any errors.