It’s been a while since Wyrmwood Gaming has wowed us with a new product; but that doesn’t mean they haven’t been working on anything. The workshop responsible for some of the best wooden dice towers, rolling trays, and RPG accessories available is heading back to Kickstarter with a brand new system: the Magnetic Game Master Screen.
The “Classic Panel” GM Screen is a magnetic system comprised of at least two wooden panels. Each panel attaches to the others magnetically in either portrait or landscape mode and comes with two acrylic sheets for making notes in dry-erase marker. You can insert whatever you like into the screens on either side – rule sets, game artwork, thinly veiled threats about dread gazebos, whatever works best for your campaign.
The base GM screen on its own is a very cool accessory, made from quality woods such as Cherry, Black Walnut, and Purpleheart (with more to come). But it wouldn’t be Wyrmwood without there being cool options. That’s why you can upgrade to the “Rotational Panel” tier for panels that rotate 180-degrees. Perfect for when you want to shock players with a big reveal.
The GM Screen system is much more than panels, though. Wyrmwood Gaming has also created a “Two Way” dice tower that attaches to the panels. It has a bi-directional ramp so that you can keep your rolls private or present your players with their fate directly.
There’s also a sweet “Chest of Holding” with four leather-lined drawers and a privacy screen on top. The drawers can be used as dice trays (they work with the dice tower as well) and are deep enough to hold miniatures, dice, whatever small components you need to keep your players on their toes.
One of the coolest add-ons is the “Initiative Tracker.” It’s a set of five dry-erase ready cards and a track that can be mounted on any screen in any orientation. You can quickly scribble down initiative and then move the cards accordingly. It’s one of those little quality of life things that will likely become indispensable for any campaign (how many game hours have been lost to everyone arguing over who just went and who goes next?).
When you put the entire GM Screen system together – it looks like a veritable fortress. It’s so tall in portrait orientation that I’m hoping to get a sample to test out how well it works for -*ahem*- vertically challenged individuals like myself.
The dice tower, chest, and tracker are initially locked in the campaign; but will be unlocked as funding goals are reached (never a problem for Wyrmwood). Which brings up the issue of cost. In traditional Wyrmwood Gaming Kickstarter fashion, prices are…fluid. Classic Panels start at $50 for a single panel in the least-expensive wood and range all the way up to $150. Rotational Panels range from $75-225. The tower and chest will likely be $100 or more each, with the initiative tracker coming in far below that (hopefully, since the only way to get additional cards is to buy more trackers). All told, a Magnetic Game Master Screen system with every component could run you a minimum of $500 for a base Cherry model.
Obviously, the Magnetic Game Master Screen is a high-end add on for any gaming campaign; but I can’t fault Wyrmwood Gaming for charging what they do. Every one of their products is a beautifully handcrafted, heirloom quality piece crafted from sustainable woods. They hand-finish every item and pride themselves on personally ensuring their customers are happy. I’ve been working with them for years now and haven’t been disappointed by a single item I’ve received.
The Kickstarter is live now and already taking off. New woods will be added as they achieve social goals and GM Screen components will unlock as funding is reached. Start with a $100 pledge for a pair of panels and add on from there as the campaign unlocks additional things you’d like to pick up for your screen system. Even if you’re on the fence, it’d be smart to keep an eye on the campaign updates, as Wyrmwood always has fun reveals as their projects progress.
If you have the extra gold (perhaps from a successful dungeon raid), the Wyrmwood Gaming Magnetic Game Master Screen is the ultimate luxury system for the leader of any RPG party.
