This is a wooden Game Master screen I built with a slightly more practical twist than you can see from the outside: hidden inside the screen is an inset steel plate, making the whole surface facing the Game Master magnetic. It can hold notes, maps, initiative order and other small things that are useful to keep in front of you during a game.
I like gaming accessories that look good, but also solve an actual problem. A Game Master screen is a good example of that. It should hide notes and information from the players, but for me it is just as important that it makes the Game Master’s side of the table easier to manage.
For this screen I wanted to test a hidden magnetic interior. Not just a small magnetic area or visible metal fittings, but a steel plate recessed into the construction itself. The idea was that the entire inside face could be used with magnets, without any visible hardware or exposed metal.
On the outside it is built as a three-panel wooden screen, with frames and recessed panels. That gives it more depth than a flat board, and makes it feel a little more like a small piece of furniture than a temporary cardboard screen. At the same time, it cannot become too heavy or too tall. It needs to stand securely, but still be practical on a normal table.
The edge details and panels are a big part of the look, even before the screen is finished.
Magnetic interior
The most important part of this project is actually hidden.
Inside the screen there is a steel plate recessed into the construction. It is covered by wood, so it is invisible in normal use, but it still turns the whole inside into a magnetic work surface. For a Game Master, that can be genuinely useful.
A simple bench test: scraps of paper held in place by small magnets, even though the steel plate is hidden behind the wood.
Examples of things I would use it for:
- initiative order
- quick notes during a session
- small maps or location sketches
- condition reminders and NPC notes
- anything else that is useful to keep visible, but hidden from the players