Problems in managing Monsters

By Galdor, in WFRP Gamemasters

Excuse me Sirs,

how can I put recharge tokens upon Monsters Action Cards?!?

Monsters Action Cards are printed on Rulebook!!

What should I do? Put recharge tokens on book?! preocupado.gif

Help me please!

PS: Haven't Game Designers thought of creating Monsters Action Cards apart (instead of print them on rulebook) ?! serio.gif

willmanx said:

I use the Monster Tracking Tool downloadable on hammerzeit : just put it under a plastic sheet and you may write/erase on it.

Thank u Willmanx, but... I hope u're joking!! gui%C3%B1o.gif

Should I print an home-made sheet and write/erase on it any time I'll use a Monster Action Card?!?

I've paid 100€.. to grab this? sorpresa.gif

Is there any other way to track recharge token upon Monster Action Cards??

I printed it 4 time on the same A4 sheet. With that you may track 4 kind of monster from different pages. That's cool.

Galdor said:

What should I do? Put recharge tokens on book?! preocupado.gif

Well, yes. That's what we do. You just put token on the "action card" print on the book. The only problem come from when you don't use ennemies from the same page (which didn't happened yet). Then, yes, you may need to use printed sheets.

Silverwave said:

Galdor said:

What should I do? Put recharge tokens on book?! preocupado.gif

Well, yes. That's what we do. You just put token on the "action card" print on the book. The only problem come from when you don't use ennemies from the same page (which didn't happened yet). Then, yes, you may need to use printed sheets.

Furthermore: another problem arises when recharge tokens slip out the book-page... and this happens too often, because a book-page is not a Card, so recharge tokens move out!! enfadado.gif

Maybe I should make a copy of the monster pages and use them to put tokens on..

But.. haven't Game Designers thought about it? preocupado.gif

There's no need to put your recharge tokens inside the book.

Most (all?) the monster pages have four actions on them, in sort of a 2x2 grid. So, behind my GM's screen, or off to the side of the table if I'm not using a screen, I make (up to) four little piles of recharge tokens. If there's more than one action recharging at a time, I orient them in roughly the same 2x2 grid pattern that the book page uses.

If I have more than one monster or NPC, I use the same four areas, but use different colors of tokens. This works well for all but the most complex fights.

If I'm planning a really complicated battle (lots of foes, or foes from several different pages in the books) I'll usually print out monster sheets using Strange Eons. It's a little ink-intensive, but it looks nice and is great for customizing foes.

If I don't have the time (or ink) for that, or I'm improvising, or the fight got complicated unexpectedly because of player action, etc,... I just grab a piece of scratch paper and draw a few 2x2 grids of boxes, and then label them "orc boss", "orcs", "goblins", "boar", "wolves", etc. Maybe 10 to 15 seconds worth of work at the start of a fight, uses 1 sheet of paper per battle. I can live with that.

r_b_bergstrom said:

There's no need to put your recharge tokens inside the book.

Most (all?) the monster pages have four actions on them, in sort of a 2x2 grid. So, behind my GM's screen, or off to the side of the table if I'm not using a screen, I make (up to) four little piles of recharge tokens. If there's more than one action recharging at a time, I orient them in roughly the same 2x2 grid pattern that the book page uses.

If I have more than one monster or NPC, I use the same four areas, but use different colors of tokens. This works well for all but the most complex fights.

That's a really COOL idea!
Thanks Bergstrom happy.gif

Anyway I continue to think that Game Designers should have fix this problem in some way.. giving Monster Action CARDS with core box, for example!!

r_b_bergstrom said:

If I'm planning a really complicated battle (lots of foes, or foes from several different pages in the books) I'll usually print out monster sheets using Strange Eons. It's a little ink-intensive, but it looks nice and is great for customizing foes

What is Strange Eons?

Should I have a PC format (pdf or something else) of Rulebook to use it?

Could I instead copy Monster pages?

I just use a post it note and write on that. sticks to the page just fine. Most often however I just wing it. Players don't know either way.

jh

Galdor said:

What is Strange Eons?

Should I have a PC format (pdf or something else) of Rulebook to use it?

It's a free PC application to create all sorts of cards (Monster, Action, Item, etc) - see info and extensions for WFRP3 here: www.fantasyflightgames.com/edge_foros_discusion.asp

You can see examples of cards people have produced in the "WFRP House Rules" section of the forums.

You don't need the PDF rulebooks.

Emirikol said:

I just use a post it note and write on that. sticks to the page just fine. Most often however I just wing it. Players don't know either way.

A 'POST IT NOTE'??

I hope u're kidding.. gui%C3%B1o.gif

I've paid 100€ to use Post It?

Galdor said:

Emirikol said:

I just use a post it note and write on that. sticks to the page just fine. Most often however I just wing it. Players don't know either way.

A 'POST IT NOTE'??

I hope u're kidding.. gui%C3%B1o.gif

I've paid 100€ to use Post It?

You mean other RPGs provide you with gadgets to track stats?

plutonick said:

Galdor said:

A 'POST IT NOTE'??

I hope u're kidding.. gui%C3%B1o.gif

I've paid 100€ to use Post It?

You mean other RPGs provide you with gadgets to track stats?

Nope, of course... but other RPGs don't cost 100€!! sad.gif

Neither give you a lot of gadgets except by some more Cards that are NECESSARY to play (as Monster Action Cards ARE in WhFRP)!!!

Sounds like the new Monster Vault will help a lot with this issue.

youper said:

Sounds like the new Monster Vault will help a lot with this issue.

You mean I'll have to SPEND MORE MONEY to fix this bug?? sorpresa.gif

Galdor said:

You mean I'll have to SPEND MORE MONEY to fix this bug?? sorpresa.gif

Tell me about RPG where You have everyting from the beginning lengua.gif

Sunatet said:

Galdor said:

You mean I'll have to SPEND MORE MONEY to fix this bug?? sorpresa.gif

Tell me about RPG where You have everyting from the beginning lengua.gif

Every RPG that is Well Done!! (Every Forge-RPG, for example)

Anyway: tell me about RPG where you pay 100€ (!!), you have a lot of gadgets, EXCEPT BY some Cards that are NECESSARY to play!!

Absurd sorpresa.gif

Galdor said:

Anyway: tell me about RPG where you pay 100€ (!!), you have a lot of gadgets, EXCEPT BY some Cards that are NECESSARY to play!!

Absurd sorpresa.gif

They are NOT necessary to play.

Lost of people play this game, and does not encounter any problems.

If You really need some more stuff, then wait for the upcoming addons, there is everyghing You could ever need.

And I don't know where did You buy Your core set, but I definitely did not pay 100€, it wasn't even 100$ lengua.gif .

And if You need monster cards right now, You can try this: www.gmtools.excelocms.com/download/wfrp3_adds.seext

Its FREE gui%C3%B1o.gif

Not necessary? So how can you manage recharge tokens upon rulebook (expecially upon Monster Action Cards PRINTED ON rulebook)?

Don't joke: Monster Actions should be printed apart on CARDS!!

A lot of people encounter problems and -maybe- does not tell YOU about them..

I really don't care how much YOU paid for Core-Set... but 100€ is Core-Set price in Europe; and 100$ (99.95$) is the Core-Set price in USA... have you ever seen FFG catalog? gui%C3%B1o.gif

http://store.fantasyflightgames.com/showproducts.cfm?Step=1&FullCat=126

I do not want download any fan-made stuff or PAY any future add-on... to have something that is NECESSARY to play!!

WHFRP is (or -maybe- Should Be) a COMPLETE Product, as like a boardgame!!

For example: this lack in WHFRP Core-set is like if in Descent core-set should not included Wound Tokens... and your answers sound like "Oh, you can track wounds on characters with a Post It!"

Or, again: "you can download this free fan-made tokens to track wounds in Descent!" sorpresa.gif


I hope that FFG will give Monster Action Cards free to anyone that bought Core-Set! enfadado.gif

Galdor said:

Not necessary? So how can you manage recharge tokens upon rulebook (expecially upon Monster Action Cards PRINTED ON rulebook)?

Don't joke: Monster Actions should be printed apart on CARDS!!

A lot of people encounter problems and -maybe- does not tell YOU about them..

I really don't care how much YOU paid for Core-Set... but 100€ is Core-Set price in Europe; and 100$ (99.95$) is the Core-Set price in USA... have you ever seen FFG catalog? gui%C3%B1o.gif

http://store.fantasyflightgames.com/showproducts.cfm?Step=1&FullCat=126

I do not want download any fan-made stuff or PAY any future add-on... to have something that is NECESSARY to play!!

WHFRP is (or -maybe- Should Be) a COMPLETE Product, as like a boardgame!!

For example: this lack in WHFRP Core-set is like if in Descent core-set should not included Wound Tokens... and your answers sound like "Oh, you can track wounds on characters with a Post It!"

Or, again: "you can download this free fan-made tokens to track wounds in Descent!" sorpresa.gif


I hope that FFG will give Monster Action Cards free to anyone that bought Core-Set! enfadado.gif

I paid about 87$ in EUROPE lengua.gif

And if You do not want/like to use what You are given like most people do, then I'm afraid it is Your problem.

The reason I made this SE addon is because I wanted monster cards, and I heard that others want them too (but that doesn't change the fact that it is NOT REQUIRED to play, same like normal action cards/talents/anything that is on cards is not required -> see the upcoming guide products some people are so happy about, and very positive and colourfull play descriptions in this subforum gui%C3%B1o.gif ).

I can assure You, that You do not get any monster cards (except FAN-MADE) for free.

They are NOT the part of the content we got this far, and there is absolutely NOTHING that FFG should/have to do, You pay for what You get, nothing more, nothing less.

Want more, pay for it, its like business works.

Live with it, or not, Your choice.

Sunatet said:

And if You do not want/like to use what You are given like most people do, then I'm afraid it is Your problem.

"MOST" people do?

Why you said MOST people?

Have you done any statistic analysis?!

Should you have any Real Data about it?


Because I could assure you that MOST people are Very Disappointed about missing Monster Action Cards!!

Sunatet said:

I paid about 87$ in EUROPE lengua.gif

Have you read that I REALLY DON'T CARE how much YOU paid the game? Have you ever seen the price on FFG on-line catalog (previously linked)?

That's official price: 99.95$.

Stop.

Seriously: I've paid to have a COMPLETE product.

I've paid to have a lot of gadgets EXCEPT BY some Monster Action Cards, that are printed on rulebook, and this makes tracking Recharge Tokens very uncomfortable, as other posts/users in this topic attest!!!...

I don't want to download any fan-made stuff (or PAY) to have anything that should be printed upon Cards and not on rulebook!!

I've bought core-set hoping that inside I should find anything to play comfortably...

I've bought Descent (or Runebound, etc) with same intent: you should play Descent even without Wound Tokens, Glyphs, Character Sheet, etc in the Box because you can write/print/create all this stuff by yourself!!!!

But the price should change... and the judgement about the game too!

Ok, let me have to take a few deep breaths, because I'm in a nasty mood today, and its going into wrong direction.

Let me say like this.

FFG like any other company have to earn money if they are to continue.

They are in no way obligued to give us what we want, when we want.

No company ever managed to satisfy everyone.

RPG's are luxury goods, there are not required to live, and they have their price.

You could check what You are paying for, before You did (attending to demo event, asking in the shop, reading reviews).

The core set contains the BASIC things, that are expanded constantly with each upcoming supplement.

If You really want monster cards, use what community can give You for FREE, or just wait a bit, and invest in monster supplement (You would probably buy it anyways, because it contains new monsters, that were not published yet).

There is absolutely nothing in any RPG that You could say "I'm unable to play it".

You just need to want to play it, and as far as I'm concerned, reading the forum (and I'm here since the beginning, being one of the sceptical, and unhappy at first) people play this game for months successfully, and are happy with it.

Be happy, that we will get the monster cards, because it looks like FFG is listening to the people, and they could continue with the monsters like they are instead.

Galdor said:

Not necessary? So how can you manage recharge tokens upon rulebook (expecially upon Monster Action Cards PRINTED ON rulebook)?

Don't joke: Monster Actions should be printed apart on CARDS!!

A lot of people encounter problems and -maybe- does not tell YOU about them..

I really don't care how much YOU paid for Core-Set... but 100€ is Core-Set price in Europe; and 100$ (99.95$) is the Core-Set price in USA... have you ever seen FFG catalog? gui%C3%B1o.gif

http://store.fantasyflightgames.com/showproducts.cfm?Step=1&FullCat=126

I do not want download any fan-made stuff or PAY any future add-on... to have something that is NECESSARY to play!!

WHFRP is (or -maybe- Should Be) a COMPLETE Product, as like a boardgame!!

For example: this lack in WHFRP Core-set is like if in Descent core-set should not included Wound Tokens... and your answers sound like "Oh, you can track wounds on characters with a Post It!"

Or, again: "you can download this free fan-made tokens to track wounds in Descent!" sorpresa.gif


I hope that FFG will give Monster Action Cards free to anyone that bought Core-Set! enfadado.gif

Galdor said:

Not necessary? So how can you manage recharge tokens upon rulebook (expecially upon Monster Action Cards PRINTED ON rulebook)?

Don't joke: Monster Actions should be printed apart on CARDS!!


Am I missing something here? Whenever I GM a game I have a blank sheet of paper behind the screen for recording stuff like, initiative, hit points, random NPC's that I have had to make up a name for on the spot, etc etc. And I dont think I have ever seen a GM not write stuff down. To be fair in this game you don't have to track initiative on a piece of paper because you have a progress tracker thingy but you will still be needing to write a lot of stuff down durring the game (probably why they are sometimes called Pen and Paper games). So whats the difficulty of noting down recharge times? Whilst cards for the monsters would have been useful it is hardly an issue when it comes to playing. And if you cant be bothered to write the stuff down then just do what I do:- make it up. The players don't know when the actions re-charge so just let them recharge when it suits the story.

And as for the price of the base set. Most game books seems to be pretty pricey to me when compared to other books (just look at Dark Heresy or Rogue Trader) but that is simply down to the economics of publishing things which sell in the thousands rather than the hundreds of thousands. A more meaningful comparision is with other forms of entertainment, like going to a movie. In my home town a cinema ticket would be about £7.5 which I am guessing is about $10 or 10 euros. So for my game group, 6 players and me as GM, to be entertained in the cinema for one evening would be 70 dollars. So basically if you buy the core set and get two evenings of entertainment out of it then it seems like reasonable value. Roleplaying only gets expensive if you insist on buying every supplement for loads of different games. I have two core sets plus one of everything else that as come out and I calculate that it has still costs less than £200 - price paid not list price - which to keep seven people entertained for one night a week for several months (plus loads of extra time I have spent reading those books when I would otherwise have been out spending money) seems pretty good value for money.

Captain Fluffy said:

Am I missing something here? Whenever I GM a game I have a blank sheet of paper behind the screen for recording stuff like, initiative, hit points, random NPC's that I have had to make up a name for on the spot, etc etc.

Ok, that's right: BUT WhFRP Core Set -listening at its Designers- should have changed that, including a lot of gadgets to track everything!!
Everything except by.... Monster Action Cards! sorpresa.gif

Captain Fluffy said:

And as for the price of the base set. Most game books seems to be pretty pricey to me when compared to other books (just look at Dark Heresy or Rogue Trader)

That's a bit Off-Topic: sorry for leading thread also in this way..

Anyway: there are A LOT of complete RPGs which are so cheap (Burning Wheel, for example!).. gui%C3%B1o.gif

If you make me pay 100€ for a lot of stuff, ok, that's nice, but can I be disappointed because Monster Action Cards are unexpectedly missing?!

FFG did listen to players, and are coming out with monster action cards in an expansion, for those that want them. I personally currently photocopy the various pages that I need to run monsters, partially to make tracking easier but also so I don't need to flip through the book to look up their stats when the action starts. It's cheap and easy. You could also use a piece of paper and a pencil, or like others said, post-its, don't put the tokens directly on the book but on something else that signifies the cards, etc. Or, put a piece of clear plastic over the page and use dry erase markers or china markers to mark recharge on the cards. Lots of cheap or free options.

You got a lot of stuff for your 100 pounds, without the monster action cards. You have everything you need to play the game, and more. Monster action cards are a nice thing to have, but are not NEEDED to play.