Words to the wise about those medium-sized character pads

larsdangly · 03-29-2019, 09:53 AM

Tucked into your Legacy edition box is the biggest gift to someone who plans on running TFT campaigns: three ~3x5 pads for recording stats, talents and spells of figures that are a bit more complex than Melee/Wizard combatants but not worth writing up on the full- or half-page sheets from the character folio.

These are just about the size and complexity of the format I have long used for recording NPCs, detailed monsters, and newly created PC's (who I believe shouldn't be given the respect and rights of a full sheet until they've earned it!). It would be nice if they were stiff like a 3x5 index card, but whatever.

Whatever happens to the figures you write up on these sheets, keep them! By the time you have filled out all three pads, you will have rotating roster of NPCs that can be the population of your campaign's main city, or encounters that could happen anywhere, or stocking of dungeons or whatever. At that point you are well launched.

But don't stop there! Get another 10 pads (somehow...) and keep going. The roster of semi-detailed NPCs is like a salesman's rolodex - it can never have too many 'contacts' in it, and the bigger it gets the more options you'll have at your finger tips.

Also, I think idly filling out NPC cards is a great between-session activity for people into the game - it is sort of fun and creative, and teaches you a lot about the system. And doing it with your noggin instead of a computer program will result in more interesting, fun NPCs who add something to your campaign. Computers are convenient, but they are no substitute for an idea.

Shadekeep · 03-29-2019, 09:57 AM

So you're saying you can use these to pad out the campaign setting? *ba-dum-tish*

larsdangly · 03-29-2019, 10:02 AM

Yoiks; that was painful!

hcobb · 03-29-2019, 10:02 AM

My suggestion is to triage the computer generated pile:

Use the jumbled mess and figure out a backstory that fits
Use the generated character as a starting point and adjust to fit
Hit the refresh key

the1weasel · 03-29-2019, 11:01 AM

I would love to find some “card sleeves” to fit these!

the1weasel · 03-29-2019, 11:03 AM

Recipe card sleeves, FTW!

larsdangly · 03-29-2019, 11:27 AM

Ooo, that is a cool idea! Are they the right size? I suspect so but haven't tried. The perfect hack would be those little ring binders that take a recipe card in each of a bunch of sleeves.

03-29-2019, 09:53 AM	#1
larsdangly Join Date: Dec 2017	Words to the wise about those medium-sized character pads Tucked into your Legacy edition box is the biggest gift to someone who plans on running TFT campaigns: three ~3x5 pads for recording stats, talents and spells of figures that are a bit more complex than Melee/Wizard combatants but not worth writing up on the full- or half-page sheets from the character folio. These are just about the size and complexity of the format I have long used for recording NPCs, detailed monsters, and newly created PC's (who I believe shouldn't be given the respect and rights of a full sheet until they've earned it!). It would be nice if they were stiff like a 3x5 index card, but whatever. Whatever happens to the figures you write up on these sheets, keep them! By the time you have filled out all three pads, you will have rotating roster of NPCs that can be the population of your campaign's main city, or encounters that could happen anywhere, or stocking of dungeons or whatever. At that point you are well launched. But don't stop there! Get another 10 pads (somehow...) and keep going. The roster of semi-detailed NPCs is like a salesman's rolodex - it can never have too many 'contacts' in it, and the bigger it gets the more options you'll have at your finger tips. Also, I think idly filling out NPC cards is a great between-session activity for people into the game - it is sort of fun and creative, and teaches you a lot about the system. And doing it with your noggin instead of a computer program will result in more interesting, fun NPCs who add something to your campaign. Computers are convenient, but they are no substitute for an idea.

03-29-2019, 09:57 AM	#2
Shadekeep Join Date: Aug 2018 Location: Aerlith	Re: Words to the wise about those medium-sized character pads So you're saying you can use these to pad out the campaign setting? ba-dum-tish

03-29-2019, 10:02 AM	#3
larsdangly Join Date: Dec 2017	Re: Words to the wise about those medium-sized character pads Yoiks; that was painful!

03-29-2019, 10:02 AM	#4
hcobb Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Pacheco, California	Re: Words to the wise about those medium-sized character pads My suggestion is to triage the computer generated pile: Use the jumbled mess and figure out a backstory that fits Use the generated character as a starting point and adjust to fit Hit the refresh key __________________ -HJC

03-29-2019, 11:01 AM	#5
the1weasel Join Date: Dec 2017 Location: Louisville, KY	Re: Words to the wise about those medium-sized character pads I would love to find some “card sleeves” to fit these! __________________ “...if one knew where to go, he could step through a shimmering portal today and be in Cidri . . .” The Fantasy Trip Resource Hub

03-29-2019, 11:03 AM	#6
the1weasel Join Date: Dec 2017 Location: Louisville, KY	Re: Words to the wise about those medium-sized character pads Recipe card sleeves, FTW! __________________ “...if one knew where to go, he could step through a shimmering portal today and be in Cidri . . .” The Fantasy Trip Resource Hub

03-29-2019, 11:27 AM	#7
larsdangly Join Date: Dec 2017	Re: Words to the wise about those medium-sized character pads Ooo, that is a cool idea! Are they the right size? I suspect so but haven't tried. The perfect hack would be those little ring binders that take a recipe card in each of a bunch of sleeves.