Combat Tracking

[Lobo316]

How are folks out here keeping track of combat? Is there a combat tracking form of some sort that is popular? A sheet or something. Just curious. There is definately a lot less to keep up with, but at the same time, I think some soft of sheet to organzie NPCs and monsters on is in order (so you don't have to keep flipping through a module or adventure notes).

EDIT: Additonal question, going hand in hand with the above question, is should include intiative tracking. Also, do most of you roll "round by round" initit, or just roll once at the start of a combat and keep that result throughout?

[Sir Ironside]

I always have used a fluid combat tracking. I tell the characters where they are by using landmarks and who's closest to them and sometimes giving them options of what they can do. Initiative I always use the roll-first then never again for the rest of the combat. As the GM I have to keep track, more of what is going on, something an in-experienced GM might have a difficult time with. To me it is just second nature now, and I've had very few complaints about it. I've never had D&D 4e players come over from D&D 4e and see how well they adapt.

[Arduin]

I use the roll once at beginning for init. I have my list of "monsters" in front of me (or jot it down if random encounter) and keep track of the non-players on the list and in my head. (I use a dry erase grid with mini's)

Players track their PC stuff themselves.

Been doing it that way for >30 years so I am pretty used to it.

[Lobo316]

Our group is very experienced (been playing since basic) but just got to the point (most of us anyway) where we are just disenfranchised by 4e. Its really not D&D anymore. I'm not saying it's "bad", its just not for us (but if you like 4e, by all means, go for it). For us..we are returning to the basics. We'll "adapt" just fine.

[Dead Horse]

I have a sheet to track the pc's and i use a blank note pad for the monsters.
Usually i count from 10 to 1 , but i encourage the players to also count down if i am side tracked.

If you are interested in my C&C party tracking sheet, shoot me a pm and i will send you a copy. It is a exel document, so you can mod it how you see fit. Could be workable as a monster stat sheet with some tweaks....hummm think i will have to do that.

[alcyone]

For initiative tracking I get a lot of use out of the Paizo combat pad with the magnets, it's pretty simple but has a round track and slots to use for "delay" or "ready" that you can use of course for any purpose. When I can't be bothered to do that, I have a simple spreadsheet I print out where I write the combatants one one axis and rounds on another, and just write what happens in the intersections, and draw lines across rounds for long lasting effects.

I roll initiative each round when I remember; the players like it a little more when there are lots of monsters; they don't get stuck at the bottom of a horde of them each round.

When I know I am going to be flipping around a lot, I've handled it two ways.
1. Note cards
My printer can handle index cards. For the module A1, I put every encounter on a card. It was handy when I remembered I had cards, but I usually forgot. The nice thing is you can track hp, xp, session date, whatever on the back, so you have a nice organized record of where people have been and what they defeated when it's time to tally xp.
2. Copy-paste from PDF.
I have M&T in PDF form, so I just open a document and copy out each monster I need onto it, shrinking them as necessary to get a bunch on a page. Then I only have a few pages to flip though. I usually print out the module map as well so I don't have to keep flipping to the last page, and I can keep notes on it without wrecking the module.

[CKDad]

For initiative, I use a small (8"x12") whiteboard to track things. I re-roll initiative every 5 rounds, if combat goes on that long - that serves to shake things up a bit without bogging down during big fights.

I have the players track their own HP. I tend to put my monsters/NPC opponents on index cards, and just track the HP on them as they take wounds.

[ArgoForg]

I just use a notepad and we most often rolled once with individual initiative-- not group initiative-- at the beginning of combat with our usual group (5+ characters). If there was a particularly small group combat-- one on one duels or the like-- I often will do initiative at the beginning of every round to vary it up from being he-swing-I-swing-he-swing-I-swing.

[Lord Dynel]

I use the GameMastery Combat Pad for my combat tracking purposes. Any dry erase board would work (especially the clipboard sized ones), but I like the nifty Combat Pad. Definitely got my money's worth out of it.

[Sir Osis of Liver]

I just use note cards anymore. It helps to have each encounter in a single place that I can quickly go back to. Leave one side blank for recording hits on monsters, as well as any other assorted notes I need to make, then keep the treasure/rewards for completing the encounter on the other side of the card.

[CKDad]

Another easy thing about the note cards - makes it very easy to tally things up at the end of the session or the adventure. Monsters slain, treasure found -jut gather up your cards and you've got most of what you need in one place.

[Ozreth]

Cut up a few notecards and fold them in half. Put the players names on either side of them (possibly with some basic stats on one side for you) and throw together some monster cards as well. As initiative is rolled just drape the folded cards over the top of your DM screen. That way both you and the players can easily glance whos turn is up next without even talking about it. It subtly gets them thinking on their toes as well.

[Lobo316]

Thanks for all the great feedback gang. Definately giving me some options to mull over. I like the idea of rolling a new init every 5 rounds (as opposed to every round). Lets you shake things up a bit without bogging the flow down with an every round init.