Handy key for environments?

phiwum · 11-11-2021, 07:55 PM

The Old School Monsters book has a section listing monsters by environment, which is quite useful. The monster cards from ITL also list environments, but I was wondering if there's a handy list like OSM has that I've overlooked -- or whether anyone has taken the time to put one together.

A spreadsheet would work really swell too.

phiwum · 01-12-2022, 09:52 AM

Well, no one else had done the work, so I made a little spreadsheet myself. Perhaps others will find it useful.

You can download it here.

I went through all of the Monster cards as well as the environments in Old School Monsters to create this spreadsheet. Some monsters in ITL have no card and so do not appear in the sheet.

larsdangly · 01-12-2022, 10:27 AM

I like the environmental key but found I couldn't really sort my cards that way, as then it became nearly impossible to find something I wanted without consulting an independent key (or the sort you suggest). So, all my monster cards are organized alphabetically.

phiwum · 01-12-2022, 10:50 AM

Yes, the environment keys on the cards are useful, but you can't really sort through them. I've gone through the deck on occasion, just looking for cards with the right entry.

I am not organized enough to alphabetize the cards, but then I don't use them too often. Just while planning an adventure, not so much for mid-game stuff.

Shostak · 01-12-2022, 12:13 PM

You'd need some redundant cards so that critters found in more than one environment would be able to be represented in each in appropriate environment deck.

hcobb · 01-12-2022, 12:56 PM

Or you could use edge notches to pull out just those monster cards for the current environment.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edge-notched_card

In the meantime I'll adjust my random encounter generator to correspond to the indicated environments. (Air elementals only appear in Plains next to trailer parks?)

larsdangly · 01-12-2022, 02:35 PM

Also, I have trouble noting the differences among some of the environmental color codes. I'm color blind and several of them basically blur into a grayish sameness. Luckily for me, the generally similar scheme used to distinguish among racial groups on the NPC cards is much easier to discern, perhaps because the colors are more intense and cover more real estate.

11-11-2021, 07:55 PM	#1
phiwum Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Boston area	Handy key for environments? The Old School Monsters book has a section listing monsters by environment, which is quite useful. The monster cards from ITL also list environments, but I was wondering if there's a handy list like OSM has that I've overlooked -- or whether anyone has taken the time to put one together. A spreadsheet would work really swell too.

01-12-2022, 09:52 AM	#2
phiwum Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Boston area	Re: Handy key for environments? Well, no one else had done the work, so I made a little spreadsheet myself. Perhaps others will find it useful. You can download it here. I went through all of the Monster cards as well as the environments in Old School Monsters to create this spreadsheet. Some monsters in ITL have no card and so do not appear in the sheet.

01-12-2022, 10:27 AM	#3
larsdangly Join Date: Dec 2017	Re: Handy key for environments? I like the environmental key but found I couldn't really sort my cards that way, as then it became nearly impossible to find something I wanted without consulting an independent key (or the sort you suggest). So, all my monster cards are organized alphabetically.

01-12-2022, 10:50 AM	#4
phiwum Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Boston area	Re: Handy key for environments? Yes, the environment keys on the cards are useful, but you can't really sort through them. I've gone through the deck on occasion, just looking for cards with the right entry. I am not organized enough to alphabetize the cards, but then I don't use them too often. Just while planning an adventure, not so much for mid-game stuff.

01-12-2022, 12:13 PM	#5
Shostak Join Date: Oct 2015 Location: New England	Re: Handy key for environments? You'd need some redundant cards so that critters found in more than one environment would be able to be represented in each in appropriate environment deck. __________________ * * * * Anthony Shostak myriangia.wordpress.com

01-12-2022, 12:56 PM	#6
hcobb Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Pacheco, California	Re: Handy key for environments? Or you could use edge notches to pull out just those monster cards for the current environment. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edge-notched_card In the meantime I'll adjust my random encounter generator to correspond to the indicated environments. (Air elementals only appear in Plains next to trailer parks?) __________________ -HJC

01-12-2022, 02:35 PM	#7
larsdangly Join Date: Dec 2017	Re: Handy key for environments? Also, I have trouble noting the differences among some of the environmental color codes. I'm color blind and several of them basically blur into a grayish sameness. Luckily for me, the generally similar scheme used to distinguish among racial groups on the NPC cards is much easier to discern, perhaps because the colors are more intense and cover more real estate.