1.12 Tables, etc on the map DELETION CANDIDATE

bryce0lynch

i fucking hate writing ...
Staff member
Tables on the map, stuff on the map
Reference tables, sheets, maps, wanderers, etc

One of the core points to be made is that the adventure is supposed to be a play aid. An aid to help the DM run the adventure at the table. Far too many adventures require the DM to read the adventure over and over again, to use a highlighter extensively, to research monsters, and to take notes. Copious amounts of notes.

If the adventure requires the DM to take extensive notes prior to running the game then the adventure isn’t written well. It hasn’t fulfilled its core mission: to be a play aid at the table. We’ve all hunted through the books for monster stats, or maybe even hunted through an adventure for the name of someone. I’m always a little bewildered when I encounter this. It’s almost like the designers either don’t play D&D at the table or, more likely, they know the adventure so well that they don’t need notes. Which begs the question about just which feedback is coming back from playtest groups. The designer may be too close to their own work to recognize the gaps in it. The solution here is easy: reference data.

Things the DM needs should be readily available and ‘in their face.’ A separated map, tacked up behind the DM screen, is an excellent example of this. Putting additional data, like a wandering monster table, on the map is another example of this. If the adventure is NPC heavy and/or social then putting a brief summary of the NPC’s on a reference sheet seems more than a worthwhile endeavor. Combat? Putting the monster stats on the reference sheet seems like a good idea. If the DM needs it during play then ensure they can find it easily. It doesn’t have to be completionist, but does have to trigger their memory.

Stonehell is a good example here
 
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bryce0lynch

i fucking hate writing ...
Staff member
This seems to be a duplicate of "details on the map" section.
I'm keeping it around in case I don't have another section on NPC and monster reference sheets.
 
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