Tips for taking notes // Luboffin // D&D

I have all my notes in an old leather book, so that one day my kids can read it and think I was a fucking wizard.

Awesome tips! Your system is quite similar to mine. Something I discovered it helps a lot is to leave the bottom of the page blank, just like 2-3cm. Then I add only super important stuff I want to reference in the future, like "first travel to this place, "first encounter with this NPC", or key plot events that I summarize in one single sentence. It truly makes a difference when you are scouting through notes taken months earlier that looks like they have been written by a drunken goblin.

Great tips! I tend to underline NPCs and locations to make those easier and it's something I can do in the moment. The mind map is something I might start doing. On the asking the GM to pause to take notes, I often will ask for clarification on spelling. I find this is helpful cause I often butcher the name trying to figure out spelling and sometimes that can lead to me looking back on notes and thinking there are two or more NPCs when they actually are all the same person, I've just spelled it different ways because I didn't ask for the spelling the first time they were introduced.

You say messy hand writing I say in built cipher 😋

If you want a journal that looks nice then use sticky pads or index cards for things as you play then fill in your journal later. I use a color coded method; green sticky pads for locations, orange for quests, yellow for npcs, and white for initiative and battle tracking.

This really helped me. Not only for dnd but also for note taking in school.

I used to have those black red corner hardcover notebooks. Haven't seen them stateside but when I lived in the islands could get them cheap. Love the tips. I need to get better at note taking.

I am SO glad I'm not the only one who's nerded out on pens like that! Uniball brand is easily my favorite cheap writing pen, which I of course found through LOTS of trial and error ;)

I am back to this video again because I want to create an art journal/ campaign journal for my next adventure. Your support for note taking is greatly appreciated. I am often the only one who takes useful notes at the table, and frankly, I need them (having the brain of a pigeon for real). I was a writing coach at a university- learning to capture concepts and ideas in abbreviated forms helps with memory and long term analysis/problem solving. It’s just a good habit as a life skill . Your suggestion to practice by jotting notes when you listen to a show or podcast is exactly what I taught nontraditional students and English as a 2nd/3rd/4th language learners. I guess I am saying THANK YOU for supporting lifelong learning (a necessary skill for TTRPGs ),and helping me flesh out the concepts for my journal project. Also- thank you for sticking to your commitment to this channel. I want you to be able to do this full time. You’ve come so far, you’re content is always flavorful, and you make my week a little bit better with your inclusiveness & kindness .

You say it's not neat, but honestly I think it's great ahahaha Big big fan of dot points for notes! Concise, quick, easy

I've been using an iPad recently for notes but I was using a Discbound notebook first with a Kuru Toga pencil. I love the paper that comes with the TUL notebooks (its a little thicker, I can't find a weight but it feels like 35#, but its also smoother and feels great to write on). Now to watch the rest of your videos! Great content so far!

The pilot b2p pens fine point black ink are my favorite pens, I also have a drafting .05 lead mechanical pencil I keep on hand for drawings and small maps or diagrams that might better explain what I was told or thought of at a particular point and time. I usually only take notes as the GM, especially because I run an open world game and sometimes have to come up with NPC's, locations, or other things on the fly. Best to have that detail written in so the players always believe it was prepared or a part of the world they just found. I also keep index cards nearby so if I have an idea with no particular anchor in the world/game, I put it on the note card and put it in the page where the idea came to me, then later I can move it or write it into the notes if and when it becomes applicable. Also it helps so if you are handing a player something like, "The League of Shardon's Amulet key" you can write down what they know on the note card and hand it to them. And finally you can have one placed on the page to rest your hand on so you don't smear your writings or snacks into your notes, then if that idea hits you, use the note card and grab another.

As a GM I always use a mechanical drafting pencil. just seems to make my note taking easier with the ability to erase on the go. Plus I can make sketches if needed.

Great tips, Luna! I find it really useful to break down my note pages into sections before the session so I at least know where to write my notes when the time comes.

My notebook also has a... somewhat legible initiative table with critical hit notes and what those bleeding hits are. Make sure those PC's treat the wound properly before casting that healing spell, or there might be infection. hehehe

How do you implement the notes you took as a low intelligence character. In most of my games I am the only note taker in the group but in our most recent game I play a low intelligence barbarian the notes I take are for and about all characters but how do you role play the ideas in your notes in character?

What are your thoughts on The Expanse RPG? Love that series.

Anyone have the clip or episode/timestamp when Marisha did the notes deep dive? I'd like to give it a watch.

I bought a D&D notebook for my first game, then remembered my handwriting sucks so I might have to write on a spiral notebook first and recopy it later XD

Hi there, I'm a new to D&D but watched Critical for years now, unfortunately I can't kindly ask my DM to pause, very impatient person.. anyways is there a chance to get a visual aid on note taking??