Is it just me that finds it awkward to have the stat blocks in the back of the Hard Cover rather than in the main text body? Even up to Zenith Trajectory (which we are just about to start) I am having to mutilate my beloved book by writing a few key combat stats into the margins. This is OK-perhaps even better than the full stat blocks being in the main text for clarity-but is more time consuming for me (though perhaps it helps me prep by thinking about what will be the key info I will need).
However, I am quite worried about future combats with multiple spell casting or other complicated foes. There simply won't be room to jot down their key abilities AND their stat bocks will be separated on different pages in the appendix. Wouldn't it be easier to have these stats in the main text as it is in the original magazine adventures?
How do the rest of you cope with stat block management?
I have been transposing all the statblocks,in the new format, into a notebook. It is a lot of work, but I have a pretty good grasp of the bad guys abilities before running a fight. So far it has worked well. I can add in notes about spell effects and special abilities that I'm not familiar with. Useing a word processor would probably be easier, but I'm not much of a typist.
Should you fix, alter, adjust any stat blocks from SCAP, do other DMs a favor and upload them to the Stat Block Bank for DMs to use for their campaigns. There's a comments section you can fill out for any notes you may have.
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You can also find at the RPGenius site files containing full statblocks for all NPCs up through chapter 4. I have chapter 5 finished but haven't gotten around to uploading them.
Another user did the first 2 chapters and I got so hooked on them that I did the others myself, figured I might as well upload them so others could use.
added a few generic monsters from chapter 5. Will polan on doing many more. What a great resource. Thanks.
What I usually do is to retype the stat blocks of NPCs and monsters from the Appendix to a Word document and then print it out so that I have a complete stat block or two per page. I find this not only useful to keep the info more easily accessed, but also because in the process I add a few reminder notes for myself and learn the information a lot better before running the encounter. For example, if someone has the Improved Bullrush feat, I add an alternate attack entry after Attack and Full Attack with all the info I need to run a use of bullrush by that creature. If something has an Improved Grab special ability, I write out the whole Improved Grab, Grapple, etc. sequence. I find this greatly facilitates things during play, though it does take a bit of prep work.
You can also find at the RPGenius site files containing full statblocks for all NPCs up through chapter 4. I have chapter 5 finished but haven't gotten around to uploading them.
Another user did the first 2 chapters and I got so hooked on them that I did the others myself, figured I might as well upload them so others could use.
Chapter 5 is next week for us. Is there anyway I could get your stat blocks before then? It would be a huge help. thanks
How do the rest of you cope with stat block management?
I photocopy and stick together the bits I need.
I would have like to see a seprate book, like the map book, with all the NPCs their pictures and background information in the same place as their Stats. It would also be a useful resource to know what chapter there are used in a how they will react to the events, if they are not in the chapter where they are likely to be. It would save a lot of time durring the game and as the location of our NPCs would have been worked out you could say, describe NPCs at a specific location even before the PCs have meet them. Yep we can do this but it would have help for the designers to have throught it through before hand.
Regards
DaveF
I would have like to see a seprate book, like the map book, with all the NPCs their pictures and background information in the same place as their Stats.
This is a really good idea.
Other suggestions:
* I'd like to see it broken up by chapter/adventure, rather than an alphabetical list -- even if this means repeating entries from chapter to chapter so that you have everything in one spot.
* I'd like even "stock" (i.e., Monster Manual) monsters included, so you have everything in one place.
* Having the tactics with the stat blocks would be a boon, too.
(I understand repeating identical monsters from chapter to chapter and including MM creatures is not economically feasible -- if there are a fixed number of pages, I'd rather have new content than a rehash. But if the number of pages weren't an issue...)
I've been creating my own stat blocks (using the new style) for each chapter, making the corrections or changes as needed. If someone is worried about marking up their book/magazines and don't want to go through the hassle of making their own stat blocks, photocopying or scanning (as David suggested) is a quick, cheap alternative.
I'm with David. I photocopy, cut them out, and tape the parts I need together. You can even cross-thru spells and items used, and use them to mark the page of the encounter that the Players face them.
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I take a good look at the stat block while preparing the initiative cards for the enemies. For monsters I photocopy the appropriate monster entry twice. One for me, the other to cut up and show the picture to the players.
For a dungeon my preparations are a bit more thorough. I have a signature folder where i use both sides to include anything I need for the room in question. Translation of the room texts to German, monster entries, initiative cards and so on. While moving through rooms i just need to open the appropriate page and have any necessary information at hand.
I flick back and forth. It's a pain but with work and a busy family life it's lucky if I do any prep at all.
My preferance would be a booklet like the map one. And yes, having the stock creatures in there too would help although that may conflict with the marketing of the D&D product which suggests you need the 3 core books to play. i.e you gotta buy the MM if you wanna know what's inside.
A booklet like the map book would be nice to have when they do a hardcover for the second and third adventure paths.
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Chapter 5 is next week for us. Is there anyway I could get your stat blocks before then? It would be a huge help. thanks
I've been rather preoccupied. If you still would like the file email me at dtreadway14@hotmail.com and I'll send you a copy. I just uploaded it at RPGenius, but I'm not sure how long it'll take to show up.
3x5 cards. They work as book marks and stat blocks. If you have 3x5 stat blocks of your players, it also makes initiative really easy by simply putting the cards in order of intiative.
Again, it takes prep work, but I've found a 3x5 stat block, items, and rolls for attack and damage take about 3-4 min.
This sounds like a very good idea for complicated foes like the high level spellcasters I am worried about and is probably exactly what I am looking for.
Not sure if it would be worth the materials (time to go buy them and storage/organisation/transportation etc)and effort for lower level mooks. However, I can definitely see the benefit for the initiative order even there. Perhaps I will do a trial run with "easier" monsters and see if I get hooked...
I take it 3x5 cards are better because of easier handling than, say, smaller cards?
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I use 3x5 cards myself and they can be a great organizational tool. I actually have two little cases for them, one contains all my monsters and the other holds all my NPC's, with little notes about things like their basic description, what they might have learned/know, and hints at whatever personality quirks I have given them.
If you do find that the index cards help you with your combat you can pick up tabbed index cards for about the same price as a regular pack from someplace like staples or office depot or whatever. It lets you make whatever you are holding your cards in work more like a rolodex so that you can still quickly find whatever creatures you need, even as your monster codex grows.
I use PCGen, and enter most of them into the program, and use my own html output statblock. With my laptop at the table, I can just pull up any NPC, including the Striders or Stormblades, etc. and go.
-- david
I must put in a plug for index cards as well. I started DMing again about a year ago, and find that index cards help me immensely. In addition to the cards to represent the NPCs and monsters, I have my players fill out a card before each session that includes their character name, real name, AC (in all it's various states), current HP, Spot, Listen, saves, and feats. In this campaign, I also have them include their local trait and it's benefits. Then, when initiative comes up, I write their number in the upper right-hand corner, put all the cards in order, and we're off and running.
I did one campaign where I had a character who liked to dominate almost everything they encountered, and he was quite good at it. In this case, I just gave him the card and let him run with it. Very convenient for him AND me.
I also have nearly all the stat blocks scanned and ready on my computer, under each characters name, that I can load with a click. It takes LOADS of time, but it's worth it in the end.
Message to Tysdaddy
Quote
"I also have nearly all the stat blocks scanned and ready on my computer, under each characters name, that I can load with a click. It takes LOADS of time, but it's worth it in the end."
I am about to start DM'ing shackled city and would be most grateful if i could have copies of the scans you have done of the stat blocks.
if this is possible please let me know or email me at the following address= grahamhill1971@yahoo.co.uk
cheers mate.
If ANYONE has scans of the SCAP stat blocks and could send them my way I would be very appreciative. It would be so nice to stop ignoring my friends and family during the week while I type out stat blocks.
Thanks Dudes.
sunbearkids@hotmail.com
Bloody Root,
I have the scap map booklet (10mb file scanned image), do you want a copy of that?
Tysdaddy has yet to reply to last post.
Yeah, stat blocks in the new format are the only thing I really miss in the HC. I took fotocopies of the blocks myself and use them when running a game. I'm considering scanning everything, but the amount of work involved seems overwelming
Bhall, That would be freekin' sweet. Im not sure how I can get a 10mb file though. Please email me at Sunbearkids@hotmail.com
Thanks a million.
I made 5x7 cards for every creature listed in the campaign. It sounds like a daunting task, I know, but I've been doing it for years with other campaigns. I have an entire 3x5 card holder containing *everything* from the MM (including many 'advanced' forms of the creatures) and monsters from other sources of books. I made a special 'SCAP Card Holder' since I will run the campaign at least one more time.
As someone stated earlier, I just keep the cards in initiative order. I list all the needed stuff on the cards including spells/spell-like abilities, languages, possessions and all skills. It's also helpful because I can go through each stat block and fix the needed stuff, as numerous of the stat blocks contain errors.
I am also running a "Red Hand of Doom" campaign. The WotC website gave out a stat block attachment as a web enhancement. It's great. Lists all stat blocks for each creature in every encounter, so several are printed numerous times. No flipping to the back of the book at all.
If Paizo was *really* cool, they'd do that for us. Or at least have it done when the AoW HC comes out.... ***hint hint*** ***nudge nudge***
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I tried to scan the SCHCAP but the text is too close to the spine. I have OCR software so it would convert the scan into text, which I could then manipulate into DMGII statblock format in Word. However, the text is too close to the spine as stated so it's a no-goer. I guess I could buy another copy and rip it apart to get flat pages for scans. Although I could just keep the second copies of the appendix but I prefer DMGII statblock format. Oh, decisions decisions.
I seriously may have to, just about to start Secret of the Soul Pillars. Less stock monster manual creatues and lots of classed NPCs, flicking backwards and forwards is driving me mad :)
As for a pdf web enhancement of Appendix IV James said he would look into this a while ago. I think the problem is MMII and FF monsters being available without buying the books, as neither book is SRD. Not sure quite why as the original books monsters are 3.0 (and technically obsolete) and their stats appeared in the original Life's Bazaar and Flood Season web enhancements anyway.
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My second copy arrived this morning. I have removed the hard cover. I now have a coverless soft back with bendy spine. I am scanning and OCR scanning as I write this. Hours will now go by :) All things being equal an Appendix IV web enhancment or stats booklet like the map booklet would have been much more reasonable.
I also use 3x5 index cards. They're great for having all the key stats you need at your fingertips. Plus you can scribble on them as necessary (hit points, spells in effect, etc.). And if you sort them in initiative order, you can simply shuffle through them to keep track of whose turn it is, etc. (assuming you make cards for all your PCs, too)
Making them, however, requires a little prep time and advanced planning. But I think it's worth it for the convenience if provides in game.
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Well that took a while. Even as .jpegs each is 2MB+ per page so not much use, given there are 51 pages. However I have OCRed the lot into raw text, still with lot's of Piazo's line format hyphens in and the scanner mistaking 1d6 for Id6 :). It's a start I guess.
All we need now is ome clever cloggs to come up with an XML scehma for 3.0 stat blocks, one for 3.5 DMGII stat blocks, and write a program where you feed it one format and it spits out the other.