Advice for a soon-to-be DM?

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doomdragon6

doomdragon6

Staff member
So some of my friends decided to have an actual at-the-table (gasp!) D&D game, and while one of them usually likes to DM, he's never played 4E, so I'm DMing temporarily. After a certain point, he'll either take over, or, depending on how it goes, I'll keep DMing.

So I was wondering if anyone had advice for someone who has never DMed before. None of my players have ever played 4E, but the first run we do will be getting them acquainted with the game.

Most advice I've heard before elsewhere, but I actually do have some technical questions:

Gametable is indeed very helpful, even in a sit-at-the-table game. But I don't want to use that. Too detached feeling, and it'd be neat to use an actual TABLE.

So what's the best thing to do regarding the maps and figures?

I really don't want to spend absurd amounts of money buying figures. That's just fucking silly to me. But I also don't want pieces of paper that say "Goblin" on it. Would it be worth it to just print off a buttload of monster squares?

Also, what to do for a map? I have a large whiteboard which I think would be perfect, but what would be the best way to incorporate a grid pattern? My dad once suggested getting transparent graph paper and drawing on that. (Does dry-erase transparent graph paper exist? Also, where would I even get this cheaply?)

Any advice, technical or otherwise?
 
sixpackshaker

sixpackshaker

For figures I bought a case of miniatures from eBay for $100 or so, that should be enough to cover any gaming session. But you can start out with those gaming packs at a local comic store, request your gamers to pick up a figure to represent themselves. If you can't afford a map, tape 6 sheets of paper together, draw a grid system on it, then take it to Kinko's and get it laminated. I bought a dry erase roll up mat, that had the hex grid on it. If your actual table is painted, you can use overhead markers on it. You don't need the grid, it just helps to have counters for all your combat. Mentioning counters, if I had my heroes fighting huge rampaging hordes I had use a die to represent positioning and number of monsters at that location. As they kill off monsters I turn the die to the next lowest number.

EDIT, Go to wal-mart buy spray on primer, acrylic paint, and the plastic army-men or cowboys and Indians. Then take the plastic toys, seal them with the plastic primer, and paint them in groups to represent the heroes and monsters of your adventure.
 
C

Chibibar

Yes. There are grid map (linoleum made I think) that dry erase works on them. you can get them is most hobby shops.

4E - I HIGHLY recommend get note cards and use them as initiative controller. It keep tracks of stuff WAY easier.

You will need figurine for 4E sadly, but you can get away with drawing on the grid map and not have actual building models. I would make some icon via note card and place on the board for monsters, traps they found and possible treasure (I use poker chips for mobs and use dry erase label them 1, 2, 3, 4 and have a sheet in hand to tell you what they are ;)

Remember, You are the boss. If there isn't a rule, and you made one up, and everyone agree (at the time) stick with it. you don't want players to "overpower" you.

Be prepare for your hard earn design campaign to be derailed, altered, changed due to character's action at any time. Have some "backup" or at least formulate some situation. There have been many time where players accidentally kill a key player (it happens without giving out the story) and I have to think quick on changing the situation and keep the story going. NEVER let the players know that they derail your campaign.
 
RoboKomodo

RoboKomodo

You can buy plastic-y/linoleum "battle mats" from most hobby stores. I got one on sale at my local shop for around $40. I think its 36 x 48? If you don't want to spend that much, just go to an office supply store (Staples, Office Depot etc) and you can find easel pads (2 x 3 feet or so) with one inch grids on them. Run you about $12. You get 50 sheets, and you can usually get 2-4 standard sized 'rooms' on a sheet. That's what I use now. Make sure you get a pack of decent colored pencils to go with it - but they'll be more than the pad. The extra colors can really add to the map as well.

I frequently use coins for tokens/minis. Pennies work great for minions. I use pieces of colored paper for sustained area effects, or just draw it on the paper with the pencils.

I think there's an app out there for making monster tokens. That combined with some heavy card stock to print on might work for you.
 
Dei

Dei

If you get the grid maps from a game store, use wet erase markers not dry erase ones (unless you want to ruin the mat). One of the things I do when I don't have minis is use a different kind of candy for each of my monsters so that people get to eat the monsters they get the kill shot on (which really encourages kill stealing!).
 
Gusto

Gusto

Is the whiteboard portable or on a wall? Is it something you can draw a permanent grid on without worrying about getting full use of the whiteboard again?

At my Tuesday night games, we play at one of the local universities. They have whiteboards and overhead projectors, so we project a grid onto the whiteboard using a transparency, and then draw our maps on the projected grid.

DM tips... hmmm.

I suggest printing out a table that lists the number from, say, 25 to 0, then pre-rolling your monsters' initiatives and loading em into that grid, that way once your players tell you their initiative, you can get the battle order together really quickly. I'd also recommend putting together a small table for each combatant you control: HP, status, powers available. You can almost use a gametable-like status attribute system to write down/scratch out/ etc. all this stuff as it changes.

I'd also recommend going to Walmart or something and getting an 8-pack of assorted dry-erase markers. Being able to draw a map using different colours for walls, trees, monsters, allies, NPCs, lasting areas of effect, props, etc. is really invaluable, especially for players like me who are kinda nearsighted. It's really easy to keep track of combat when everything's colour-coded.

Anyways those are all the technical tips I have for playing physical whiteboard DnD. :)
 
D

Deschain

Don't be retarded. Act professional. Don't be 'THAT GUY' or any of the DM horror stories you hear. For the love of God, don't show up with 'nothing planned'. Too many people I know don't prepare ahead of time and expect shit to fall from the sky. Maybe sometimes it does, maybe it doesn't. If you don't have any idea what your party should be doing or if your party feels like they have no purpose, it cheapens the experience. Yes, your campaign will get derailed, your plans may get ruined. Don't railroad them back on. Now it is time to improvise.

DMPCs are a no-no. Think of the game world as a game world and act accordingly. If your players want to do something cool, fudge something for them, don't be a rules-only kind of guy.
 
Dave

Dave

Staff member
Watch out for the dry erase markers. Most battle mats only take wet erase markers or the marks are permanent.

For creatures, I suggest maybe buying 1 or 2 figurines but use skittles for the rest. You kill em, you eat em.
 
doomdragon6

doomdragon6

Staff member
Thanks all. It helps.

Going DM-shopping tomorrow. So uhhh, here's hoping.

Having a hard time getting started story-wise, but it'll get better once everyone's made their characters, which we're doing Friday.
 
Allen who is Quiet

Allen who is Quiet

You can use tape to divide your white marker into a grid.
With minis, just use anything you can. Coins, paper clips, whatever. You don't need them, especially when just starting out.
Have a lot of notes. You aren't experienced enough to really be able to improvise heavily.
You're telling a collaborative story. The players get to have input on what happens. This is where you get to practice improvising.
When your NPC's start talking, don't tell people they start talking. Telling a narrative breaks immersion and encourages players to break character. Just talk.
If you can change your voice, do it.
Try to differentiate between NPCs. They don't all start talking with "hey" and not everybody is like "shit" whenever anything bad happens to them. It kills immersion.
 
HCGLNS

HCGLNS

Kill trees, lots of them. When I prepare to DM a session, I have every encounter laid out graphically, sequentially and all supporting material printed off and put into a binder. This includes a quick list of monster stats, player stats and an initiative table for that encounter. Notes include, treasure, possible future events, cross-references naturally experience. And I also set aside areas for DM notes for further review.

For minis I tend to use very old (lead based!) figurines that I still have along with various small toys I pick up here and there. Lego orcs for the win!

I also never reach for a book to check a rule, I make a decision and move on. If it was wrong, then it will be right for future sessions.

Also take bribes and randomly give people notes for no good reason.
 
D

Deschain

HCGLNS is right when he says do have encounters ready. Make them appropriate for the setting they are in. Also, feel free to make stuff up about the world on the fly. It'll make it more interesting for the players.

As for DM, for 3.5 we just each had a figure and put them on a table. For 4e, someone had a Chessex battlemat and we just used markers on it with figurines.

Now I used Fantasy Grounds 2 because I DM on-line.
 
HCGLNS

HCGLNS

Also use customized monsters. Many of your players will have every monster stat memorized and using monsters they don't know is an easy way to keep them interested.

And as I am often reminded "magic" is a very simple explanation for why things are the way they are.
 
Ravenpoe

Ravenpoe

Let your players be awesome, and say no as little as possible. You don't have to let them get away with stupid shit, but you should be willing to let them try that stupid shit, and show them what stupid consequences they just shat.
 
doomdragon6

doomdragon6

Staff member
Thanks for all the advice peeps.

I decided to go with a whiteboard and Sharpie it.

And then learned that dry-erase over Sharpie makes the sharpie go bye-bye.

So I bought some plexiglass and put it on the (still gridded) whiteboard. And it looks gorgeous and works perfectly.

For figures, I'm using coins (for immediate, on-the-spot creatures), random toys I found, and also printing double-sided enemies on cardstock, so I have creatures standing roughly their size on the board.

For a flying creature, I've placed something to hold them up on top of a square piece of cardstock and attached the picture of the creature on top. For large standing creatures, I just have them in a stand. For large "low-lying" creatures like beetles, I print out their 2x2 image with a little extra on the side, and fold the extra under, so it looks like they're standing like a beetle type thing would.

I appreciate all the ideas and whatnot. I ran a practice encounter to see what sorts of things might come up.

Query: What's the best way to reference monsters' stats? Should I just print out their info cards or what? (I will have a laptop available, but it will be out-of-the-way to use.)
 
H

Hibou

Here's my technique for poor man miniatures

1) Visit any website with game appropriate art work. for D&D i used http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/arch/ag

2) Download every image you like or think you might need as a mini.

3) Use an image editing program like picasa to make the images 1 inch square

4) Print on to Heavyweight or card stock paper

5) Punch out with 1 inch hole punch

6) Glue to 1 inch washer.

7) Store in an empty plastic film container.

I have hundreds minis i created this way. They are cheap, last for years, great to take to conventions or other peoples houses, and perfect for large scale battles where you might need dozens of orcs or other monsters.
 
Dei

Dei

Hibou said:
Here's my technique for poor man miniatures

1) Visit any website with game appropriate art work. for D&D i used http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/arch/ag

2) Download every image you like or think you might need as a mini.

3) Use an image editing program like picasa to make the images 1 inch square

4) Print on to Heavyweight or card stock paper

5) Punch out with 1 inch hole punch

6) Glue to 1 inch washer.

7) Store in an empty plastic film container.

I have hundreds minis i created this way. They are cheap, last for years, great to take to conventions or other peoples houses, and perfect for large scale battles where you might need dozens of orcs or other monsters.
Click to expand...
I do something similar to this, except I cut them out in a rectangle, then fold them up so they stand upright instead of laying down.
 
Dei

Dei

I generally use colored paper clips to convey the same thing, it just requires I glue my stand up cardstock pieces to a small piece of cardboard to give it more stability.
 
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