Player Handouts [Any]

[Volos]

What is your opinion of making handouts to give to your players? Have you used them or thought of using them in your campaign? If you have used them, were they appreciated by the players? I'm asking this because in my campaign, the players have pissed off a group of archers. They killed the leader of the local organization of rangers and found a letter on his desk. Sortly after taking out the leader and setting up camp, they find another letter on an arrow. I've decided to make both of these letters imporant props in my story. So I wrote them out by hand, then aged the paper with tea leaves and coffee grounds. I tore the edges off so that they look like old paper as well. They look amazing, but I'm just worried that the players may not appreciate them or even look at them more then once. I've already made a hidden clue between the two letters, and I will be having them roll to notice the message. I'm just worried that if I give the players these handouts they may not enjoy them or they will start expecting the handouts to become a regular thing.

[Knaight]

They are a good idea, if you are willing to put in the work.

[Hzurr]

I've used them a couple of times, with maps or notes or whatever, but It hasn't happened often. I've seen it be something that's highly appreciated, or something that's barely glanced at, so YMMV

One handout that I used was a map of the island they were about to explore. They were able to sail around the island before they landed, so they knew what the edges looked liked, but the center of the map (all on a hex grid) was blank, and they filled it in as they went. That went over really well with a couple of people.

[World Eater]

My DM a few days ago wrote up a few journal pages with a fountain pen that was supposed to help us solve a puzzle. It was pretty cool.

But we forced our way through instead and ended up not getting it.

[AsteriskAmp]

I only use them for things that:
a) Cannot be described properly, like an overland map
b) If described properly would ruin a detail that was supposed to be noticed
and even then, I make sure theres no room for it to become a toy.