In this installment of The Efficient GM, we take a look at how you can use index card game prep to prepare for your next RPG session with little to no wasted effort.
In his book, Lazy Dungeon Master, Sly Flourish (aka Mike Shea) details his method for doing session prep on 3×5 index cards. Others have been inspired by his methods including Matt from the aFistfulofDice YouTube Channel.
He recorded this video giving a real life example of used index cards to prep for an upcoming D&D game. Check it out…
Personally, I’m a big fan of using index cards for session prep as they force you to focus on the most important things without over-preparing. After all, you can only fit so much content on a 3×5 card.
There are several excellent in-game benefits to streamlined prep as well. Most GMs will tell you that the more time they put into prepping for a story line, the less willing they are to let the players go “off the rails.”
This can make the game frustrating for players as they feel railroaded, and stressful for the GM as he watches hours of work potentially go down the drain.
The Index Card Game Prep method keeps your session preparation time down to a minimum, while still giving you the security blanket you might need to feel confident about running your game.
There’s a real sweet spot to prep that every Game Master has to find. Cutting down your prep time means more improv, more creativity from your players, and more gaming!
How to Use Index Cards for Session Prep
In the video above, Matt separates his index cards, and thus the game prep itself into five categories.
HINT: use different color cards for each category.
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Quests - what are the players trying to accomplish. These cards include major plot points with a couple of bullet points for each.
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Sites - notable locations the players will visit. Four or so bullet points describing each one.
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NPCs -Name, who they are, physical characteristics, motivation & Out-of-Character inspiration. Matt adds a celebrity/fictional character to provide easy to remember inspiration for NPC voice & mannerisms.
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Encounters - encounter name, enemies list, enemy tactics, enemy motivation for the fight, ways the fight can end.
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Items - magic/special items or the special MacGuffin for the session.
I recommend adding some other cards to your stack as well.
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PC Cards - include the PC’s main quirks and abilities. As you progress through the campaign, make notes about things they do that will be important later (made a mortal enemy, found a loyal ally, etc.).
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Rules Cards - there are some game mechanics that for the life of me I just can’t ever remember. Create a couple of cards with the rules you need most often, yet tend to forget.
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NPC Name Cards - keep a card with names for each of the main races/species your characters could encounter. This will save you from a world full of Bob the Bartenders. Check out the Who Else Wants Easy NPC Names blog post to find name generators for every genre of game you can imagine.
Don’t be afraid to expand your card stack as the game evolves. For example, the heroes might latch onto a NPC that previously was just a couple bullet points on a shared card.
The dwarven blacksmith Tibta Vaultsmelter, designed to only have a one-time bit part in your session, might become a recurring ally and supplier of quality ironworks for the PCs. Give him his own index card, a little bit of backstory, and keep track of interactions with the players. You’ll make their world come alilve!
Major Villains will also require their own card. The Adventure Creation Hacks article on Critical-hits.com has some fantastic advice on what to include on your “Villain Card.”
- Name: Pretty obvious, but every villain needs a name.
- Plan: What is she/he/it trying to accomplish.
- Outlook: The villain’s main personality trait.
- What it wants: Usually related to the plan, but complex villains may want something else/other.
- What it fears: This is GREAT roleplaying fodder and great improv fuel.
- Stats: Use the back of the card or put a reference to where the stats can be found.
Add Matt’s celebrity voice & mannerism tip from the video above to the card, and you have an excellent resource you can use over and over again.
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