Home › Discussions › Campaign Portal Building › Game Prep: NPC Spells? - Campaign Portal Building Discussions on Obsidian Portal Community Forums
Game Prep: NPC Spells?
I'm curious what methods people use to track spells and spell-like abilities for NPCs and/or monsters in their games. As a relatively new GM (2 years behind the screen) I definitely still rely on written spell descriptions during the course of a game. My campaign also regularly features complex NPCs whose special abilities/spells must be tracked. I often find myself struggling to balance efficient use of game prep time with detailed note taking and I'm curious about what has worked well for others in order to facilitate rules retrieval without slowing game play or bogging down prep time. Do you do the classic, post-it on the spell's page, the simpler page number next to the spell, do you write out a summary in the character notes, make flash cards, only use spells with which you are familiar? Inquiring minds want to know.
Howdy, Stranger!
It looks like you're new here. If you want to get involved, click one of these buttons!
Comments
But I digress... I guess in my initial post, I more meant keeping track of spells to facilitate rules retrieval for my own sake, rather than in response to a specific player question. To take the same encounter as an example, the nightwing cast confusion while the group was fleeing. I had the spell level and DC in the creature's stat block, but had to pause to look up the duration, area of effect and the table that I had to roll on each round to determine what each confused character would do.
I usually use a spell of the Highest Level as an 1/Encounter Power (sometimes with a Recharge on 4+ if it is an instant duration). _Flaming Sphere_ won't get a recharge, but _Acid Arrow_ might, depending on how I expect the fight to progress.
Then I pick 2 lower level spells as At Wills -I try to mix up the effects to give some tactical flexibility; in a recent session the NPC Mage had _Orb of Electricity_ (Damage with a possible de-buff) and _Battering Ram_ (a little damage and forced movement).
I will pick a couple of Buffs/Defensive spells and use them as Encounter Powers if appropriate to the character concept; if the caster reasonably had a chance before the fight (or if the spell has a long duration, a la _Mage Armor_) then I assume at least one of the Buffs is precast.
This way, I only have to note 2 or 3 spells for the encounter, and I have room to write pretty detailed descriptions on the back of the notecard I use for the NPC. I find it speeds encounters up a lot, since this way, I don't have to juggle books or stop to look up spells. As an added bonus, I don't have a disposable character with enough spells that he/she/it can use the highest level spells every turn, helping to stabilize the Challenge to the party.
When I make a recurring villain with spells, I usually build a full spell list and then pick spells from it as described above for each encounter where the villain is likely to make an appearance (but maybe with a few more Encounters to use as a contingency plan).
That's actually kind of indicative of how my whole campaign works; it's mostly 3.5 D&D, but I borrow elements from Pathfinder and 4e quite frequently (like minions).
I do a second card for abilities and such. I still use the page number to find what the abilities/powers are. I also make a note as to what the basic power/ability does. I tend to over prepare for my games.
Still haven't worked up the cojones to run anything in 4th ed, but my favorite idea so far for the recharging "spells" is to tape slips of paper to small magnets. One side of the paper has the "spell" info on it, the other side has the die roll on which it recharges. Stick the magnets on to something to which magnets stick; flip them over as needed. (One could do something similar without all the magnetic rigmarole, but I don't want to mess myself up because I got overanimated and one of my wild gestures started blowing bits of paper around.)
So if the party is across a chasm, hundreds of feet away, a stream of fire hits them, and the trees nearby, sertting them alight, then the smoke can be used as cover... etc. As long as it's exciting, and a good story with some twists.
I don't attract players that are so into the mechanics that they can say, he cast X, so he must be Y level, with Z spells per day. I just don't get along with those type of people in a fantasy game. Maybe in Battletech, or Star Trek.
I really dislike how 4e made it so gritty.
I play mainly 3.5 but when I am DMing I generally do some special prep before the game where I read up each of the spells and make notes to myself - this is where you find the obscure things that many people miss after years of playing without re-reading.
In terms of having the basic spell stats handy, I usually use a Colour 3.5 character sheet (can't remember where this is from but look up "Color Character Sheet 3.5" on Google and I am sure you will find it) Anyway, it has shortened spell stats for each character class - I keep a full list ready on standby for quick reference during play.
I usually make special notes on what the NPC will do in the first three or four rounds and write down the necessary details in my notes. I find most encounters don't last much more than four rounds, so as long as you have those rounds well mapped out, you can afford to wing it if it lasts much longer.
For large encounters using several NPCs of various levels and abilties, I find an Excel sheet is invaluable. I usually map out important NPCs, HPs, ACs, Power Spells and abilities and any special strategies.
The other important thing is to be as concise as possible - get as many of your short notes as possible onto a single page - reversible if need be. Multiple page flicking will be your undoing!!!!!
"I met a traveller from an antique land....."
CotM May 2016: Mysteria: set in Wolfgang Baur’s MIDGARD.
Previous CotM Aug 2012: Shimring: High Level Multiplanar Campaign
Inner Council Member