Add page numbers to your preparation notes and character sheets. This is a tip for both D&D DMs and players. For 1,500 years people have learned how to create the equivalent of digital hyperlinks in physical books by referencing locations in an index.
While many of us prep our games or run our characters using online tools, sometimes we're using PDFs of products which still have page numbers and no easy way to hyperlink specific locations. For others running in-person games using physical books, writing page numbers in your notes or character sheets speeds up referencing spells, powers, character abilities, magic items, monsters, locations, NPCs, campaign information, and just about everything else in D&D right at the table.
For players, think of your physical character sheet as an customized index of specific options in the books you use to make your character. Write down the book's abbreviation and page number next to spells, feats, class features, and anything else you might reference. Write down the page number while building your character. It'll save you considerable time during play.
If you're a dungeon master, write down page numbers next to monsters, magic items, locations, NPC descriptions, or anything else you think you might reference during the game. You can do this in your notes whether they're digital or physical. You can also recommend and help your players write down their page numbers as well.
Writing down page numbers pays huge dividends in gameplay. No longer do you have to rifle through the Player's Handbook trying to figure out how big the cone of a cone of cold is (PHB 224). No longer do you have to page through Kobold Press's Tome of Beasts to find the empty cloak stat block (ToB 176). No longer do you have to scramble through your copy of the Midgard World Book to learn more about the dwarven canton of Grisal (MWB 71)
Use technology proven over 1,500 years. Write down page numbers in your character sheets and game prep notes.
Other Sly Flourish Stuff
This week I posted a video on customizing your Lazy DM Notion Template and recorded my preparation for session 2 of my Scarlet Citadel game.
Last Week's Lazy D&D Talk Show Topics
Each week I record an episode of the Lazy D&D Talk Show in which I talk about all things D&D. Here are last week's topics with timestamped links to the YouTube video:
- New Patreon Adventure - The Silver Grotto
- Midgard Sale - 30% Off
- Apocalypse - The Complete Guide to Ending the World
- Torrents of the Spellhoarder
- Elder Brain 5e Survey
- Experiences Running Dragons of Stormwreck Isle
Patreon Questions and Answers
Also on the Talk Show, I answer some of the questions I get on the monthly Sly Flourish Patreon questions and answer thread. Here are last week's questions and answers:
- Differences Between DMs and Players and Tips for DMs Becoming Players
- Adventure for New Local Game Shop Group
- Modifying Published Adventures with a Different Map
- Injecting Horror into our Adventures
- Pontification on RPGs Moving Towards Digital
- Warlock Patreon of Evil God?
Last Week's D&D Tips
Every week I ponder what I've learned from my last game and put them into some D&D tips. Here are last week's tips! What did you learn from your last game?
- Build two-stage bosses that turn into their final form after their first defeat.
- Add environmental features that weaken bosses. Destroy the four unholy glyphs to remove the boss's advantage on all attacks and saving throws.
- Reward lots of healing potions for groups with limited healing spells.
- Clarify the lack of urgency when traveling so players can go off the trail sometimes and enjoy the sites.
- Every few sessions ask your players what they're enjoying about the campaign and what they want to see more of.
- Every few sessions run a "campfire tales" scene in which the players describe what their characters think of the current situation, their hopes for the future, and what it reminds them of from their past.
- Combine multiple random encounters together to build something rich and unique.
Related Articles
- Two Years Playing D&D Online
- Reach Satisfying Campaign Conclusions
- 2016 D&D 5th Edition Dungeon Master Questionnaire
- Managing D&D Tips
- Tools for New D&D Dungeon Masters
Get More from Sly Flourish
- Read more Sly Flourish articles
- Buy Sly Flourish's Books
- Watch Sly Flourish's YouTube videos
- Subscribe to Sly Flourish's Podcast
- Support Sly Flourish on Patreon