NPC/Monster Spell Tracking

[BlueDrake]

I was wondering how other GMs track how many spells an NPC or monster has used out of their daily allotment. I've been using notepad to keep track on the side, but it's a clunky way to handle it. Anyone have a better way they handle it?

I'm always afraid I'll lose count of how many of each level spells the NPC has cast and short-change my players or my NPCs.

Thanks in advance for any suggestions, and congratulations to Fantasy Grounds for getting the license for 5E. My players and I are are enjoying the convenience and added functionality the licensed content has provided.

[damned]

Hi Bluedrake - Welcome!
If its a long term NPC - particularly a Henchman - make them as a Character. Let the player pick up 2 Characters.

[Zacchaeus]

Usually an NPC spell caster in my group don't last long enough to cast more than a couple of spells so I've never had a problem come up like this. :)

As damned says though if it's a long term NPC then the best method would be to make them as a PC. From reading through a few recent posts that's how quite a few people handle NPC spell casters.

[Trenloe]

If it's not a long term NPC just make notes in the NPC record itself. If you click the padlock icon at the top of the NPC it "opens" and allows you to edit the NPC, thus allowing you to make notes against the spellcasting section, or copy the spell details to the "Other" tab and make notes there. Here's a couple of examples:

https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/39085830/Screenshots/Fantasy%20Grounds/5E/5E%20NPC%20Spells%202.jpg

https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/39085830/Screenshots/Fantasy%20Grounds/5E/5E%20NPC%20Spells.jpg

For the second screenshot I simply copied the spell details from the "Spellcasting" section on the main tab and pasted into the other tab to allow tracking there.

[grapper]

Another option would be to create an "effect" in the combat tracker. Make it GM only visible and just note which slots are used. That's the way I do it if I'm worried I'll forget.

[Griogre]

I do it like Trenloe if I'm going to keep track of it in FG, though usually most monsters don't get more than a few rounds of spells before the PCs jump all over them. On the combat tracker, monsters each get individual copies so you can open of the monster link at the end of the entry in the combat tracker to deal with several flameskulls who have cast different spells.

In encounters with serious spellcaster monsters I will usually start the counter by casting the monster's highest level spells, reserving a slot(s) for any "Getaway" spell if the caster is likely to flee. Since by definition, the NPC doesn't have many high level spell slots it's not that hard to keep track in your head. If the fight goes on long enough then I personally go low tech and just use a pad of paper next to my keyboard to keep track.

[BlueDrake]

Thank you for the ideas and the screenshot examples. I never realized that each monster on the combat tracker had a unique copy of it's sheet, that makes life a lot easier.

For long-term NPCs I always make a character sheet, it's mostly combats with multiple spellcasting monsters that I worried about. Knowing that each one has it's own NPC record solves the issue though.

[damned]

Thank you for the ideas and the screenshot examples. I never realized that each monster on the combat tracker had a unique copy of it's sheet, that makes life a lot easier.

For long-term NPCs I always make a character sheet, it's mostly combats with multiple spellcasting monsters that I worried about. Knowing that each one has it's own NPC record solves the issue though.

In all CoreRPG based rulesets when you add an NPC to the CT it creates a new entry in the CT - it is not linked to the original NPC. This allows you to add one Street Thug six times and have them each tracked separately. When you click the NPC on the CT it will launch the new instance of the NPC sheet so any changes you make there are unique to that instance.