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View Full Version : The Art of the DM: Props



Sacrieur
2011-04-12, 12:45 AM
So I've been thinking about running my own campaign for awhile now. I was wondering what other DMs thought of them. I figured it would cut down on book keeping since writing down things is often a detriment to the game. Additionally, it feels much more... In depth to do it this way, in my opinion.

So here's the thing. I'm an artist. I like things to look good, but at the same time I do have a sort of logical practicality about it. I really do like things to look nice and neat though, but I'm not about to go blow a ton of money on props.

What I can do would be pretty easy. With just a little bit of money and resource pulling I can really get some stuff going. Let's start with items:

Backpack and pouches: So I want them to be made out of leather, in sizes small - medium. About 2 small, 6 medium, and 2 large. Instead of spending a gross amount of money on vintage leather, I could just nab some leather items from a thrift store and cut them to pieces to make some patchwork leather stuff for real cheap.

Candle: Has potential to be used. I can just nab some real wax candles for this.

Flask: Glass om nom time. I dunno where I can find some cheap corked glass bottles. And so far I've turned up some pretty cheap options, like this (http://www.specialtybottle.com/index.asp?PageAction=VIEWPROD&ProdID=531).

Vial: A small glass vial, as shone here (http://www.specialtybottle.com/index.asp?PageAction=VIEWPROD&ProdID=113&strVarSel=196&strCompare=).

Pen: I would love to go authentic here if I can find anything in a thrift store of the sort, but hey, it's not too important.

1 pint oil: Take 1 pint flask, fill with colored water.

Torch: Get some dowel rods or something, cut in half, wrap one end in something torchy.


A lot of other stuff can be represented with just old wooden boxes (like kits). I would like something to represent food. Like plastic blocks or something.

Potions are easy, just fill a vial with colored water and win ^^. Rods will probably just be some plastic toy rods or wooden dowel rods I find cheap somewhere. Wands can be toy wands with little counters attached to them, to represent charges left.

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Other items must be written down.

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Maps and scrolls would be handmade by me. Because I'm actually into that sort of thing:

http://i137.photobucket.com/albums/q206/SilverCrusader/HeshirolFin.png?t=1302587058

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Coins would be dolled out as little plastic fake ones that you get from matris gras or something. My sister has a bunch, I intend to make use of them. To cut down I'll introduce paper note things to also represent it, maybe hell money or something if I can find it.

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So then, any tips or stuff I'm missing?

Vangor
2011-04-12, 12:56 AM
Scrolls, notes, and similar I find to be greatly useful for such purposes, especially to include hidden messages and ciphers. Coins may be used for betting purposes, especially in games of skill you devise as tavern games. Those are truly worthwhile to help make the experience, in my experience, because instead of using intelligence checks to figure out a symbol on a map or dexterity checks to bounce a coin into a cup, can just attempt in reality.

Most of the others seem to be a novelty, though if you and you players enjoy, no reason not to. If you have some reason those would directly benefit the game, do share, though.

Sacrieur
2011-04-12, 01:17 AM
Scrolls, notes, and similar I find to be greatly useful for such purposes, especially to include hidden messages and ciphers. Coins may be used for betting purposes, especially in games of skill you devise as tavern games. Those are truly worthwhile to help make the experience, in my experience, because instead of using intelligence checks to figure out a symbol on a map or dexterity checks to bounce a coin into a cup, can just attempt in reality.

Most of the others seem to be a novelty, though if you and you players enjoy, no reason not to. If you have some reason those would directly benefit the game, do share, though.

I always thought the plan was to eliminate book-keeping. No one wants to do subtraction of their gold on a piece of paper. Why not just hand over coins? It's much easier for humans to work this way. Especially in deals between party members. Knocking off 1 cp off of 5000 gp is a headache and slows the game down. A lot of DMs just ignore this entirely and go bleh, if it's not big, w/e.

Potions are easily kept track of, since all you have to do is dig into your backpack and take out what you need. You could even put soda or juice in them and require the player to drink them.

Ink and pen are more novelty and to give a more authentic feel.

The backpack I feel is nice. The rule is if you can still pick it up, and if you can still put stuff inside of it, you're good. I intend to give wizards an actual spellbook too.

I'd like to automate things with little mechanical counters if at all possible. Especially wands and spells. Something like this (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00198NULS/ref=pd_lpo_k2_dp_sr_3?pf_rd_p=486539851&pf_rd_s=lpo-top-stripe-1&pf_rd_t=201&pf_rd_i=B002OS4FSE&pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_r=16880QH2MQWEBJYR8XYC).

Vangor
2011-04-12, 01:34 AM
No one wants to do subtraction of their gold on a piece of paper. Why not just hand over coins? It's much easier for humans to work this way. Especially in deals between party members. Knocking off 1 cp off of 5000 gp is a headache and slows the game down. A lot of DMs just ignore this entirely and go bleh, if it's not big, w/e.

Except you have to make sure you remember your amount of gold, usually by writing this down, and then count pieces out and do the subtraction all the same. This does not eliminate bookkeeping, only extends the process. When at an incredibly low amount, certainly fine, but if we were dealing with amounts any player reasonably acquires this will be tedious to exchange.


Potions are easily kept track of, since all you have to do is dig into your backpack and take out what you need. You could even put soda or juice in them and require the player to drink them.

How are potions not easily kept track of? You would still need to label and organize what you have rather than do what I do and write "Pot CMW 5 x3" to signify having three potions of cure moderate wounds caster level 5.


The backpack I feel is nice. The rule is if you can still pick it up, and if you can still put stuff inside of it, you're good. I intend to give wizards an actual spellbook too.

Could be interesting, though my players often bring about belt pouches, sacks, and backpacks which might be a tad annoying, especially when carrying about weaponry and armor recently stole.


I'd like to automate things with little mechanical counters if at all possible. Especially wands and spells.

I don't see how this will automate anything. You still need to know the number of charges per item and click off individual ones. If you had any amount of wands, this could be more confusing than tallies next to a "Wand Web 3 x26".

I honestly don't mean to put this down as useless because maintaining the feel of the world is fantastic. Besides, anything which raises enjoyment for you and your players is the entire point of the game.

Me, I look for items which provide different mediums to convey information. For potion drinking, sure chugging a small vial of soda is a different way to interact, but you won't glean anything off of this you couldn't from your equipment list except Dr. Pepper tastes like haste. Maps and notes, on the other hand, can always have things about them which could not be conveyed through text alone without being obtuse or obvious, which is hazardous to your players.

Sacrieur
2011-04-12, 01:46 AM
Except you have to make sure you remember your amount of gold, usually by writing this down, and then count pieces out and do the subtraction all the same. This does not eliminate bookkeeping, only extends the process. When at an incredibly low amount, certainly fine, but if we were dealing with amounts any player reasonably acquires this will be tedious to exchange.

I've only seen book keeping nazis do this. I mean I give them out their gold. That represents money. Whatever they have, they have. If they want to meticulously count out their money at every transaction that's their business. But they don't necessarily have to.



How are potions not easily kept track of? You would still need to label and organize what you have rather than do what I do and write "Pot CMW 5 x3" to signify having three potions of cure moderate wounds caster level 5.


And I can't write it on the bottle with sharpie? I have experience writing on bottles, Chemistry does things to you.



Could be interesting, though my players often bring about belt pouches, sacks, and backpacks which might be a tad annoying, especially when carrying about weaponry and armor recently stole.

More work for me really. If they want to be a packrat and keep a billion things unorganized I feel like it'll add to the roleplaying, if their character is that way anyway. Weapons and armor aren't going to be represented by props.



I don't see how this will automate anything. You still need to know the number of charges per item and click off individual ones. If you had any amount of wands, this could be more confusing than tallies next to a "Wand Web 3 x26".

"I use wand of cure light wounds."
*clicks tally clicker on wand*
Next.



I honestly don't mean to put this down as useless because maintaining the feel of the world is fantastic. Besides, anything which raises enjoyment for you and your players is the entire point of the game.

Me, I look for items which provide different mediums to convey information. For potion drinking, sure chugging a small vial of soda is a different way to interact, but you won't glean anything off of this you couldn't from your equipment list except Dr. Pepper tastes like haste. Maps and notes, on the other hand, can always have things about them which could not be conveyed through text alone without being obtuse or obvious, which is hazardous to your players.

Your sentiments are noted. One thing is that I'm somewhat overly articulate in my work. I can obsess over details and things. Maps and notes will only show what a common map would show, unless they had some rare map. If I do add something minuscule, it's on purpose.

That said I can work on the fly too. I do enjoy planning things out, but I'm good at improvisation as well (yay for acting!).

Vangor
2011-04-12, 02:56 AM
And I can't write it on the bottle with sharpie? I have experience writing on bottles, Chemistry does things to you.

Sorry, I am not meaning to say your ideas are mechanically inferior, merely not mechanically superior, at least as I saw them. Was wondering what mechanical benefit those could play as I am a person who would rather keep short notes for the simplicity of this all. As someone who spends hours writing down descriptions of fake locales, I see the benefit depending on the group (mine would be amused for a few moments before becoming confused), just approaching from a different angle.

Zaq
2011-04-12, 07:32 PM
Would Shapesand (a critical part of any adventurer's gear) be represented by Legos, or by Play-Doh?

LansXero
2011-04-12, 07:52 PM
That said I can work on the fly too. I do enjoy planning things out, but I'm good at improvisation as well (yay for acting!).

Just be careful to not stress yourself out with working on the props; it does take time and may bite into your other activities. And if your friends are anything like mine, dont be heartbroken when they ignore / dismiss the props or break them. Whatever you do dont let them see you cry . . . :(

Sacrieur
2011-04-12, 08:58 PM
Just be careful to not stress yourself out with working on the props; it does take time and may bite into your other activities. And if your friends are anything like mine, dont be heartbroken when they ignore / dismiss the props or break them. Whatever you do dont let them see you cry . . . :(

Isn't that why they invented the DM screen?

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Would Shapesand (a critical part of any adventurer's gear) be represented by Legos, or by Play-Doh?

That's a good question. I would say play-doh, since that more accurately represents what it is.

Tyndmyr
2011-04-13, 01:23 PM
Paper is a great prop. Notes are a common plot device...why not actually represent it in the format it would be found? Yellow it with tea, light bits of it on fire, roll it into a scroll and seal with wax, etc.

My wax is reused stuff. I love the mini-cheese wheels sold by Babybel, I just grab the wax off it when I'm done with it. Comes in yellow, orange, and red, IIRC.

I've not yet found a good way to do coins. The amount of wealth used in D&D scales such that you would need a LOT of coins in many different denominations for it to work well at all. I don't invest that heavily in fake coinage.

That said, we did find some fantastic bottles at Michaels that look just like potions. Skittles Vodka, in red flavor, looks like a fantastic health potion in them. This is either the best idea the GM has ever had, or the worst.

Ravens_cry
2011-04-13, 01:31 PM
Alcohol + D&D? It can be . . . memorable. There is a great story on the EN World forum involving bags of holding and colons about some of the results, but I am not sure if it's forum friendly.

Tyndmyr
2011-04-13, 01:35 PM
Alcohol + D&D? It can be . . . memorable. There is a great story on the EN World forum involving bags of holding and colons about some of the results, but I am not sure if it's forum friendly.

Oh, the last time I got drunk while DMing is forever known by the players as "the time we found all the magic items in the giant beehive".

Memorable is a good word for it.

nedz
2011-04-13, 02:06 PM
You should try LARP :smallsmile:

Tyndmyr
2011-04-13, 02:08 PM
I have. I found I enjoy two flavors...the kind without a lot of detailed rules, and where I get to pummel people with foam weapons....and the kind that's essentially just a big roleplaying game with perhaps the occasional prop or costume. The in between stuff that blends the lines, not so much.

Sacrieur
2011-04-13, 02:09 PM
You should try LARP :smallsmile:

Do I get real weapons?

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Nah I'm under 21, so alcohol is ixnayed.

valadil
2011-04-13, 03:30 PM
I find props to be hit or miss. Most of the time the group shrugs at the map or portrait and the game moves on. I don't like to spend a lot of time on props for this reason. They just aren't guaranteed to buy a lot of entertainment. I basically have to enjoy making the prop enough on my own that it doesn't matter if the players don't care. Otherwise it's a bad time investment. On the other hand, some props get big reactions for no effort. I gave a PC a dagger I had lying around and he thought it was the greatest thing ever. Can't wait until I find an excuse to throw some shuriken at the table.

Kerrin
2011-04-13, 03:36 PM
I've not yet found a good way to do coins. The amount of wealth used in D&D scales such that you would need a LOT of coins in many different denominations for it to work well at all. I don't invest that heavily in fake coinage.
Hmm ... maybe poker chips that have the denominations on them. There are also rectangular "markers" used by casinos for large amounts (e.g. $10,000 and up).

Ravens_cry
2011-04-13, 04:07 PM
Hmm ... maybe poker chips that have the denominations on them. There are also rectangular "markers" used by casinos for large amounts (e.g. $10,000 and up).
The trouble is that your back to abstracting things again because no nation outside of hyperinflation makes legal tender in such large currencies.
I restrict props to notes, letters, and maps. It really gets cluttered and messy if you do too much in my opinion.

nedz
2011-04-13, 04:14 PM
I routinely make my own floor-plans, they seem to go down quite well; and, more importantly, I enjoy making them. All you need is a PC, a Printer and Paint-Brush.

dsmiles
2011-04-13, 06:12 PM
I've used a few different props. Maps, notes, and potions in particular. I gave my potions flavors. Water and sno-cone syrup instead of water and food coloring. Water's just so...blah.

Kerrin
2011-04-13, 10:58 PM
I gave my potions flavors. Water and sno-cone syrup instead of water and food coloring. Water's just so...blah.
Mmm ... Blue raspberry!

Ravens_cry
2011-04-13, 11:14 PM
Mmm ... Blue raspberry!
That flavour breaks my brain so hard. Why is it blue, it's raspberry! Not even blueberry juice is blue! ! ! That's . . .just . . . .! <Insert head a splode here/>

Jokes
2011-04-14, 12:09 AM
You could just buy real healing potions. (http://www.thinkgeek.com/caffeine/drinks/b472/) :smallwink:

Also, glowsticks for sunrods.

Sacrieur
2011-04-14, 12:55 AM
You could just buy real healing potions. (http://www.thinkgeek.com/caffeine/drinks/b472/) :smallwink:

Also, glowsticks for sunrods.

ooooh, I like the glowstick idea.

Personally imma steer clear of the healing potions. Despite being expensive, they're also not corked glass bottles. Don't wanna ruin the theme do we?

Tyndmyr
2011-04-14, 10:35 AM
You could just buy real healing potions. (http://www.thinkgeek.com/caffeine/drinks/b472/) :smallwink:

Not bad, but I like the feel of an unprinted bottle with a cork stopper. Feels even more realish. Plus, they only cost like a buck a bottle, and they're reusable.


Also, glowsticks for sunrods.

Oh yeah, we've done this one too. If you're feeling froggy, MREs for trail rations is possible I guess, though generally I don't look for reasons to eat MREs.

Feldarove
2011-04-14, 11:13 AM
YOu could wood/machine shop up a holy symbol for your party's cleric.

Also, fake or cheap jewerly for rings, necklaces and such. I don't know if your party likes to dress up (just a short step away from LARPING).

But you could put a ring in the freezer then quickly go grab it and hand it to a party member and call it a ring of fire resistance...or something like that.

I would love to be a player in your campaigns.

player - "Uh, how much for this keen vorpal brilliant energy longsword?"

DM - The travelling merchant says "For a noble paladin...150,000 gold"

player - opens small coin purse and looks at 25 coins "Uh, here you go, all there"

out of game player to dm: "what, I dont like book keeping"

dsmiles
2011-04-14, 11:40 AM
If you're feeling froggy, MREs for trail rations is possible I guess, though generally I don't look for reasons to eat MREs.
I have but one thing to say to this: :yuk:

Sacrieur
2011-04-14, 11:55 AM
I would love to be a player in your campaigns.

player - "Uh, how much for this keen vorpal brilliant energy longsword?"

DM - The travelling merchant says "For a noble paladin...150,000 gold"

player - opens small coin purse and looks at 25 coins "Uh, here you go, all there"

out of game player to dm: "what, I dont like book keeping"

The point would be that big notes would be handled by a special kind of hell money or something. They would have to fork over their coinage to me. I hope a paladin wouldn't try to lie to me in a campaign, if I catch him, there's going to be some serious penalties.

Tyndmyr
2011-04-14, 12:00 PM
I have but one thing to say to this: :yuk:

Probably wise. The candy is generally ok. Anything beyond that is questionable. Avoid the jambalaya at all costs.

I bought a few of those copper coin packs at the game shop...the made up ones sold as campaign participation coins or whatever, with the idea of using them as currency...but the problem is, while at level 1, copper and silver are still relevant, and gold is measured out in small amounts, you eventually end up using 100k gold lots as a reasonable denomination.

The amount of coins it would take to represent this would be...phenomenal. Copper, silver, gold, plat, for starters. Then, probably 10 plat, 100 plat, 1000 plat, 10k plat, and even, for epic games, 100k plat.

And you'd need enough for all the players to not run out in their buying and selling. God help you if you want to treat that 100k copper they just looted as actual copper.

I've yet to find coins cheap enough for this use in such quantity as to be practical. Using actual currency/non currency items is probably undesirable for a number of reasons.

Lyra Reynolds
2011-04-14, 03:34 PM
Also, fake or cheap jewerly for rings, necklaces and such. I don't know if your party likes to dress up (just a short step away from LARPING).

Heh, I did that when I had an NPC ask a PC for her hand in marriage. The (5 euro :p) 'wedding ring' did at a lot of verismilitude - although it didn't exactly lessen how awkward it feels to ask one of your friends to marry you. XD

Sacrieur
2011-04-14, 04:20 PM
I can imagine playing out food to be quite hilariously.

PC: All right, we stop for the night.

DM: Okay, eat your meal.

PC: All right.

*PCs eat*

DM: Okay, morning, eat your meals.

PC: We just...

DM: DO IT!

PC: D=

DM: Kay, noon. Time to eat again.

PC: I HAVEN'T EVEN FINISHED BREAKFAST!

PC2: I feel sick...

Kerrin
2011-04-14, 04:46 PM
I can imagine playing out food to be quite hilariously.

PC: All right, we stop for the night.

DM: Okay, eat your meal.

PC: All right.

*PCs eat*

DM: Okay, morning, eat your meals.

PC: We just...

DM: DO IT!

PC: D=

DM: Kay, noon. Time to eat again.

PC: I HAVEN'T EVEN FINISHED BREAKFAST!

PC2: I feel sick...
Hobbits would love it. :biggrin:

nedz
2011-04-14, 05:01 PM
Hobbits would love it. :biggrin:

Yes, but imagine playing a hobbit under these rules :smallyuk::smallyuk::smallyuk: and thats just breakfast.

dsmiles
2011-04-14, 05:49 PM
Probably wise. The candy is generally ok. Anything beyond that is questionable. Avoid the jambalaya at all costs.
*ahem* Are you forgetting my occupation? Don't you think I'd know that after 15 years of them? :smalltongue:

Tyndmyr
2011-04-14, 07:36 PM
*ahem* Are you forgetting my occupation? Don't you think I'd know that after 15 years of them? :smalltongue:

Apologies, I have the memory span of a gold fish.

I do hope that over those 15 years, you haven't had to eat TOO many.

dsmiles
2011-04-14, 07:52 PM
Apologies, I have the memory span of a gold fish.

I do hope that over those 15 years, you haven't had to eat TOO many.I've been eating them since they came in the dark brown package with the chocolate that was so old it was turning white. :smallyuk:
But, yeah. More than one is way too many in 15 years. :smallbiggrin:

Tyndmyr
2011-04-14, 08:02 PM
I've been eating them since they came in the dark brown package with the chocolate that was so old it was turning white. :smallyuk:
But, yeah. More than one is way too many in 15 years. :smallbiggrin:

I'll admit that I was tired of them before I got out of basic training. That was what, a weeks worth?

I'll chalk that prop idea up to temporary insanity.

dsmiles
2011-04-14, 08:11 PM
I'll chalk that prop idea up to temporary insanity.I can live with that.