Post/Author/DateTime	Post
#1 RCanine May 24, 2015 10:05:22	So I DM'd my first adventure with spellcasting monsters yesterday and it was rough. There were four monsters, levels 3-5, and each had 5 spells plus cantrips. I had a general idea of what most did, but didn't have the details handy (I like to DM on an iPad with just the adventure and the rules PDFs (basic rules, ALPG, State of Mulmaster), dice and some 3x5 index cards. It works really well, except when I have to decide between scorching ray and fireball or remember what expeditious retreat does, exactly.   How do you guys do it? Do you just pause the game and flip through the PHB to find what you need?   A lot of people malign 4E, but having self-contained stat blocks was very nice, in hindsight.
#2 Ainulindalion May 24, 2015 10:23:10	I purchased all the spell cards, and when I'm prepping, I make a list of all the spells the monsters could be casting.   Then I pull those spell cards and stick them into card sleeve pages.  It's rarely more than 2 or 3 pages worth, at the most.   That's a rather expensive option, though, for many people.  And finding the spell cards in a store isn't always the easiest thing either.   I also run from a physical notebook, though: printing out the module, a second copy of the monster stat blocks, and a second copy of any maps included.     Downside, I spend about 6 hours prepping a 4 hour module.  But then I save everything in an expandable multi-pocket file folder, so if I have to run that module again, prep time is about 10 minutes, plus whatever time it takes to find minis - usually 20 minutes or so.     But yes, the self-contained stat blocks made everything so much easier for those purposes.  I miss those.  Downside to that, though, is that spell caster monsters would have much larger stat blocks.   I wonder if it would be possible for the AL to start including the descriptions of any spells used in a given module at the end of the module.
#3 shaterbane May 24, 2015 10:38:12	It's a lot easier now that I've purchased the GF9 spellbook cards. Before that, during my prepwork, I'd copy down the list of spells they have for quick reference, and then type up the spell descriptions for all of them and paperclip the whole clump together. I also use a fillable pdf version of the GM screen tents for initiative and stats, so everything I need is right there quickly available.    My tablet (cheapy walmart $50 RCA thing) is too small to be useful at the table, and I'm old, I like paper.
#4 CoreyartustheSecond May 24, 2015 11:30:33	To echo Ainulindalion, I, too, do a lot of prep.  I purchased the spell cards as well, and scan them into a document so I can print out all the particular relevant spells so I have them in one place.  Then I take the Player Supplement pdf and put it in Photoshop so I can add the descriptions from the new spells as well.   I then take those spell sheets for each spellcaster NPC and put it in a binder with a printout of the mod, to which I add NPC and monster image prints that I find on the interwebs (Pinterest is a great source for those) in sheet protectors.  Because I learned how to run initiative using index cards, I have created a form-fillable PDF for all the monster and NPC stats that I can hold in my hand.  I also have each of the players fill out a specific card for their PCs containing basic information.  For my Encounters sessions, because I have the same pool of players weekly, I simply re-use the cards for the PCs and have them make new ones each time they level. I also purchased the maps for PotA, throw them in Photoshop, add lines to make it 1"=5' scale, print them out at home using Posterazor (a free app) and tape them all together.  I blow up the maps for the Expeditions mods in Photoshop and do the same thing for them as well.  I make sure to have a couple letter-sized or 11x17 versions for quick player reference. Finally, I look at all the handouts that I need, and create them if they're not already in the mod, or re-create them so they're more aesthetically pleasing. For Princes of the Apocalypse, my table is planning on finishing the whole book.  So this time around I modified that old free St. Patrick's Day "Luck" cert that came out in March from WotC into my own table-only nontradeable cert for my own players.  I made certs for all the consumable and permanent magic items (geesh that was an endeavor) with distinctive rainbow and greyscale gradiants that could never be mistaken for an authentic cert (as well as putting "Not valid for Trade" in the certificate identification code box...).  But that was stupid--way WAY to much work with too little bang for the buck.  I don't think I'll be doing that again! Pages and pages...  <sigh> I take all this crap and put it in a binder (some are much MUCH larger than others) for each adventure, and roll up the maps.  I divide the Binder into relevant sections--the text, the NPC/Monsters, the random encounters information and imagery.  All this time, I'm sorta absorbing all the info and how it all fits together.  All that stuff is simply "swag" and admitedly way overboard OCD.  I have to really pay attention to the adventure, and that's a much much harder endeavor.  With most mods, it is very very important to know how to read between the lines and figure out subtext. My biggest Achilles Heel (I have several) comes with monster tactics.  My players often sweep through my dudes like paper because I haven't internalized their capabilities to really understand them.  I am hyper aware that I need to develop a much richer understanding of how all the classes operate.  That being said, I'm also completely upfront with all the players and ask them to step up to figure out rules together.  They help DM the mod as much as I do when it comes to rules questions, and it helps them feel invested.  They can sometimes help explain mechanics to me, but understand that it's my job to be the final arbiter, and they approach it all in good faith.  I'm more apt to let them do what they want in the interests of an epic aspect to the story the table creates than to slam down hard on questionable rules interactions.  But they don't take advantage of that--they're good folks.  My job is to not make it lame.  Haha!! In short, if you prep the players by allowing them to help you with what you feel are your pitfalls, they'll step up for the good of the table's experience playing the game.  And when it comes to monster tactics and remembering all that they're capable of, there's no way around the time investment it takes (for me) to study and internalize them.  For some DMS it comes naturally--spell stats and capabilities are burned into their grey matter and they can seemingly recite them easily.  That's not me.  But I realize that it's a practice thing--it will come with time.  The more monsters you have to play with different abilities and spells, the more you'll start to internalize those spells and capabilites and they will come to you naturally.  You'll know how to run a combat with particular aspects--whether it be difficult terrain, flying capabilities, lighting, cover, pack tactics, lair actions, wild magic, whatever...   My suggestion is to play out each encounter in your head, and contemplate how the NPCs/Monsters would react.  The writers chose those monsters with those spells for a reason.  Those NPCs have those specific spells for a reason.  You can sorta figure out what those mobs might be thinking about combat tactics by the spells they have in their collection and then play into that.  "First they use this, and then if that happens they use this, or if that happens they use this..." and "They want to maneuver them into this area, so they use this..." or "Their personality flaws or motivations prompt them to attack like this..."  It's a lot of fun, in the end, contemplating all this.  But it takes time.   If you've ever done any play reading, acting, theatre, or film, it's a lot like doing script analysis and being ready to do in-character improvisation.  You know your character's motivations and objectives, but how they play out will depend on the specific situational context.  It's a "Yes, and..." game.
#5 imaginaryfriend May 25, 2015 6:51:47	Practice, practice and more practice. At the height of LG (i.e. 3-3.5) I would only very rarely have to look up a spell, and I will get there again with 5e. Untill that time, spell cards or especially a spells app on a tablet or phone can be a real help. Either way it comes down to prep, checking the availble spells, determining situations where which combo will work best, etc. Do it enough and you will learn the spells and tactics by heart no matter the situation.   Also, keep in mind that not every spell cast needs to be optimal, pick a few safe choices from the list that are always good and when pressured for time, use one of those to safeguard the flow of the combat. That is what I try for anyway, doesn't always work, yet. And Sure, still have to look up some detail now and then. But less and less.   Oh and what also helps, build encounters with spellcasting NPC's. Even if you cannot use them while only DM-ing AL, it will go a long way to building ingrained spell knowledge and understanding.
#6 QwertyAzerty May 25, 2015 7:18:19	When you prepare, create small indes card with the detail of each spell: Concentration yes/no duration, range, casting time, and a 1 line description. Like fireball deal 8d6 damage wiuthin 20ft raidus. Scorching ray 3 rays with spell attack roll dealing 2d6 damage each. you are smart enought to know it's fire damage and fire can burn the flammable object. everythign else are detail so rule lawyer can fine tune and nit pick the spell.   If your monster have a special ability (like the sorcerer elemental afinity allowing him to change a psell add it to the spell description: So Schorchign ray would become 3 rays with spell attack roll dealin 2d6+Charisma damage each for example. You can also do a pre selection of spell, the monster can cast firewall and fireball, well 4 time out of 5, fireball will be more efficient then wall of fire, so ignore wall of fire, just remember it's an option and if the situation was one of those 1/5 change you can still use it and ask one of the player to read the spell while you control the other monsters.
#7 BRJN May 25, 2015 13:29:11	I ran the second half of HotDQ Ep8, and I wrote up ahead of time what I wanted each major player to do for the first three rounds.  Look up everything at home; at table you only need to check the spells / powers you want to actually use.  (Glazhael: R1 flyby Multiattack somebody. R2 Breath a group. R3 Multiattack whoever hurt it the most, use XL Reach if needed.)   Normally for PCs I recommend typing up (not cut-and-paste) the full text of your spells - my Paladin8 now has a 3-page-long "Spell Scroll" - but I'm not sure a throwaway enemy will be worth that much work.  Probably read over the spells carefully and take functional notes so you can 'do' the mechanical stuff quickly.  Designate somebody to be Rules Look-up-er and let them worry about the fluff part, if needed.
#8 Rya.Reisender May 29, 2015 5:21:10	I use the player basic rules to look up spells.   In case one of my players wants to prepare a spell that's not covered by the basic rules, I allow it and try to memorize that spell and note the most important points down somewhere for quick access. I don't need to care about non-prepared spells and you can really only prepare so many. Plus half of my players use the basic rules and not the PHB too, so there are only very few spells I need to memorize.
#9 shivafang May 31, 2015 6:44:54	I'm having this problem as well, and I'm running PotA - which is a very sandboxy campaign.  I can't always prepare because I don't know which clues my players will flollow and which way they will go.  I could 'railroad' them, but that takes the fun out of the sandboxy campaign with multiple endings!  The order players do stuff in matters and if I railroad them I deny them the eperience of their own choices mattering.