I debated over and over on whether or not to purchase this. After last weeks game I decided to get it. The magnets stick well enough to slide around and I thought it was sturdy enough but will consider adding the cardboard to the backing to make it sturdier as other have suggested. Other than that combat went alot smoother. It worked great and did indeed speed up combat. Best part about it was how fast it shipped. It got here in 3 days Ordered Monday night got it Thursday. Other Ships from Paizo have not been so quick.

it was kinda flimsy. My wife had the great idea of using double-sided tape to tape the erase board to the cardboard that it came with, then tape the other side of the cardboard to the backside packing slip (decorated in the same style as the erase board). As she had cut the backside promo/packing sheet to the size of the cardboard, it worked great and is much sturdier!

Mark

I was excited when I got this product, but then when I used it I was upset. The stupid magnets would stick but then fall off easily if the board was jostled around too much. Plus I still have to write initiatives down to put the magnets in order, otherwise by the time I get to the last person I forgot if his roll was better than the first. It is acutally kind of a pain for me to use, and I would have to say that the drawbacks outweigh the benefits.

Pros:
*Organization Organization Organization!
*Pretty!
*Size is perfect - it goes into a sheet protector for storage between games.

Cons:
*magnets are a little thin/light, I've already lost half-a-dozen because they just fall off.
*cardstock is a little thin, it's wearing at the corners after weekly use for two months
*colors can be hard to distinguish - blue is similar to black, and green is pretty dark.

Conclusion:
Totally worth it, and I look forward to some improvements in the future.

Great product. I am spoiled by this simple marvel of dry erase magnetic technology. I Hurumph if I have to write initiative on paper. Takes the head ache out of players holding initiative. Great travel size. I don't know what the nay-sayers are talking about, this to me is more important than my gm's guide!

The idea is pure genius. A magnetic, system-neutral board for tracking initiative...

This tool REALLY HELPS the gameplay. It makes one of major chores soo much easier. With added space for notes, different magnets for PCs/NPCs/monsters, and the excellent "oooh shiny" factor, this is easily the favorite accessory of my gaming group.

I echo some of suggestions - make the board more sturdy and give magnets more distinct colors (eg. red/green/black instead of blue/black/green). Such Combat Pad 2.0 would easily earn 5 stars from me !

Pros: has made tracking combat a breeze, even with complicated delaying/readying; comes with a ton of magnets so it's not a big deal when you loose some; made my game more fun, which is probably the most important consideration.

Cons: smaller than expected, only 8.5x11; magnetic core does not go all the way to the edge so magnets will not stick there; flimsy: magnets are thin and flexible, board is kind of floppy. I ended up gluing the board to the cardboard inset that came in the package and that has helped

A friend of mine got this at GenCon 2007 and it has become an important fixture for our D&D gaming table. The pad is well made, and the magnets are strong enough (but not too strong) to easily manage initiative without any issues.

Our only complaint is that the tags too easily wipe clean while in use (with wet erase certainly, dry erase absolutely).

This is possibly the most valuable tool I have as a DM. Keeping track of what's happening in a battle is so much easier, and just having the dry eraser surface for notes is a big help. Normally if I DM at my home, I use my PC and software to manage combat, but I run a lot of games in other people's homes where I can't have my PC. This little gem just fits right into the inside file pocket of one my my binders, making it very easy to transport. I'd recommend this product to anybody.

I can't say enough about how useful this little gem is. Seriously, don't listen to the complaints, unless you want to run initiative out in the open or you have access to a 24"x36" or bigger marker board. This little gem is BRILLIANT. Every single d20/OGL/GSL gamesmaster needs one.