As long as this is produced I'll always have one by my side. This is the most used item that I've purchased from Paizo. Makes tracking initiative, tracking watch, tracking marching order and tracking spell or poison effects easy and quick.

I really like the use and function of this product. It really helps speed up combats and also keep track of various effects and time during the game.

The only real complaint I have is that it feels just a little on the flimsy side, and also I wish it had a little stronger magnetic attraction between the magnets and the base.

This product is a great idea but not well implemented. The board is just too small. If you have 5 PCs up against more than two different types of enemies you run out of space. If it was at least 50% bigger it would work much better.

After trying it for one session we have just reverted to writing initiative along one side of our map board - it's quick, easy and everyone can see it clearly.

I'm going to put the board away and keep the magnets to use on a metal shelf off an old bookcase - works just as well and is bigger.

I've been using this wonderful little tool for about seven months now and can truthfully say that it has accelerated the game on a number of levels. Having a clear view of initiative order has reduced the "oh, its my turn?" factor hugely.

This combat pad is extremely useful. Before the GMs of our gaming group had a printed spreadsheet we had laminated and used that for tracking. It was wet erase and worked well.

This is a whole new ballgame. The magnets are very useful in keeping order straight. You can move them around with ease if needed.

The section that is open for notes, again very useful.

I really like the size "about the size of a piece of paper" - it fits nicely in a binder or whatever. Plus, having something the size of your books makes it easier to carry.

This is not a "must have" - all you really need is books and people. However, it does make life as a GM easier.

Afterthought: Issues about being sturdy.. I've never had a problem with it. My fellow gamers that have them have never had a problem with it.
We have one that gets weekly rotation and it gets put through the wringer (game with 10 players plus dm) - lots of magnet and writing there. Not any real sign of wear and tear on the pad or magnets.

This is a must. Although the same effect can be achieved with initiative cards, this has really helped organise our combats.

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.