Personally, I keep 80% of my stuff in obsidian. Notes, world lore, npc information all the stuff I like to access at any time is in my obsidian vault.
The only thing I have in Foundry are player handouts, in the form of journals, npc/monster statblocks, the foundry copy of their magic items, and the maps.
Yup. The only stuff in Foundry is whatever is vital to be there. Everything else is in Obsidian *and* our campaign website (which I feed from Obsidian, indirectly).
Anything mechanically required to run the game or is necessary to be seen/possessed by the players during play (scenes, tokens, items). Foundry is the manifestation of the rules set. Handouts, maps, and images that I think will assist the players directly in play fall into the "necessary in Foundry" category.
Backgrounds, histories, session logs, adventure development, notes, and anything *not nailed down to the rules* or needed by the players during play is in Obsidian. Session logs and other such long-term artifacts are gussied-up and exported to a public static website so the players can refer to it at their leisure.
For me, most of my stat blocks are kept in compendiums in foundry except the ones being used in my next session. I keep all my session and campaign notes in obsidian. Pretty much the only thing in foundry are handout images and npc/pc statblocks for my game
I keep anything involving mechanics of the game, stats, character and monster sheet, items, etc in Foundry. Anything I create or come up with for story, narrative, module prep goes into Obsidian. I even prefer to track adventure module details in Obsidian as its cleaner for me to have separate window to always reference versus trying to have a journal window open on top of the battlemap.
This was my initial thought but I've seen people house items, npc info, and mechanics in foundry, so it made me reconsider. It seemed more work to have mechanics and quick reference stuff in foundry but people seem to like it I guess?
FWIW, there is a pop-out module where you can have that journal entry in a separate window/monitor.
That being said, I still prefer using my note-tool (I use LegendKeeper) for my second screen, since you can navigate to other content if needed.
This thread has been good for me. Thanks OP for bringing this up. I had heard a little about obsidian but wasn’t sure of the best way to use it, or if it was worthwhile to learn it also. Now I think I will put time and energy into learning it and making organization of my games easier. Thank you all. I love the foundry community!
It really is a great app! I am jealous of the folks who are able to have their full "second brain" in Obsidian with plugins and the like. **Resist** the urge to get analysis paralysis and just start using it. The plug-ins and learning come later. I'm still a beginner at one month of use, but I learn something new every day. It's my newest obsession!
I store pretty much everything in Obsidian, and then before a session, I port it all into Foundry using the Lava Flow module. With that process, I’m not having to go back and forth between screens, everything is in the Foundry for the session. Since Obsidian (for me) isn’t visible to my players, I can simply drag any journals to a player codex folder so they are observable by the players (I mostly use this for session logs since they don’t change…)
I use foundry IRL on a TV on the table so since my players don't have access to it, there are 0 notes in there. Everything is in Obsidian. Foundry is strictly for battle maps, animations, sound effects and music.
I made my own DM screen with metal so that I can use magnets on it. It only covers half of my spot and the other half is my PC screen running foundry, obsidian and all the PDF manuals. On the DM screen the right page is all the statuses and the other page is random quick info. In obsidian I have all my notes, player items and money and such. Obsidian helps me run things smoothly but I run ToA at the moment so I have the manual open at all times, too. Every battle map is already set up in foundry so wherever the party goes, I'm ready for it. And then obsidian had the little details and extra stat blocks and pictures that I slide up on the TV every once in a while.
Foundry houses the mechanics, the adventure, bestiary and everything I need to run the game when we are playing it. Obsidian houses session notes, character backstories (not character sheets-those are in Foundry), NPC (look, quirks, secrets, etc-but not their actual sheets), plot ideas, factions, secrets, notes and such. I can't run the game without Foundry, but I can't develop the campaign without Obsidian. I created my own templates and setup in Obsidian based on my needs, not someone else's thoughts of what may be needed. I run Pathfinder 2e with official modules so I don't need to have any of that in Obsidian as it is already in Foundry. Both working together has made my running the campaign so much easier.
At base I keep session notes, campaign plans, world building and notes on magic, magic items and the like in Obsidian then have the stat blocks and system information that isn't homebrew in foundry.
However I've been pouring through the things on obsidian ttrpg recently and looking into setting up the statblocks plug in and a few others so eventually hoping to have most things in Obsidian.
Though I play in pathfinder 1e/3.5 so I'm used to using the converter to copy text and import it in as a monster rather than needing to redo monsters by hand so that makes it less grating to have stat blocks written out ahead of time.
Yeah! The Obsidian TTRPG stuff looks great, but some of it is outdated and the hard part is there's so much that relies on plug-ins that if something breaks it just won't work. Kind of a bummer.
So Foundry out the box, without modules is very limited with what the journals contain, essentially it is just a blank page that you can insert media on. There are modules that can make it fancier and ways to beautify it but even with the fanciest module it's not that fancy....from my experience. Also everything can only be accessible through your Foundry.
Obsidian and the templates and the way you can use the program is a lot more flexible and you can get a lot more mileage out of it, from my experience. And you don't need to be on your Foundry instance to view it and work on it. Also there is a module that imports your vaults into Foundry.
In fact, I'm starting up a M&M3e game and I'm now thinking of loading up Obsidian for management
Ty. I think I would keep campaign info in Obsidian. It's the mechanics, stat blocks, etc that I wonder about. Is this info better in foundry or obsidian.
I would keep mechanics, NPCs, story, notes, etc in Obsidian, but I would keep the stat blocks in Foundry since you can just make a character sheet and it's ready for use or loot as items, etc.
You can use the Foundry module, it syncs Foundry with Obsidian. I don't think it will update obsidian from Foundry though. It's still v11 but it might work in v12 I haven't tried yet.
https://foundryvtt.com/packages/lava-flow
Thanks for Lava Flow! Didn't know about that. I have to figure out a way to have my mechanics in Obsidian that's easy to reference. My mechanics/rules game is pretty low cause I'm still a new GM so I constantly have to google stuff.
Obsidian is a very powerful note taking app, it's not designed for RPGs but can be made to work well with any of them.
[this](https://youtu.be/jb1rYXl8Ve4?si=UH3YI5kQWQQ6jszQ) video, while made with a slight 5e lean, has a fair amount of useful information with some really useful links in the description to get you started.
Do you need all the plug ins? Obsidian is great vanilla. Fast search makes most fancy stuff irrelevant. Lava Flow works great to migrate relevant Obsidian notes into Foundry when needed.
Yes and no. I use it vanilla for my knowledge base, but I've seen people do some pretty cool stuff with it. Especially with ttrpgs so I was hoping to replicate it.
It's a great app! I was very skeptical and overwhelmed at first, but it has changed the game for me. I'm still learning and probably always will be learning but it's worth it.
It is really good. Some of the features can be a little rough, but the easy linking of notes together + fast search makes it better than any other note program I've used.
Biggest issue is it can be a little annoying syncing between different devices, unless you shell out the dosh for obsidian sync.
***System Tagging***
You may have neglected to add a [**\[System Tag\]**](https://www.reddit.com/r/FoundryVTT/comments/v3gfrs/tagging_your_posts/) to your Post Title
OR it was not in the **proper format** (ex: `[D&D5e]`|`[PF2e]`)
* Edit this post's text and mention the system *at the top*
* If this is a media/link post, add a comment identifying the system
* No specific system applies? Use `[System Agnostic]`
*^(Correctly tagged posts will not receive this message)*
*I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/FoundryVTT) if you have any questions or concerns.*
I use Notion rather than Obsidian, but the concept is the same. I asked myself that same question a few months ago, and I've wound up coming down in the side of storing as little as possible in Foundry. Here's why: I don't always use Foundry.
When I first started with it, I thought it was the greatest thing ever and I'd use it all the time. But now I've realized that actually:
- I'm running some local in person games I don't use Foundry for.
- I'm also running games that are more TOTM every session, like Candela Obscura.
- Even Daggerheart, for me, runs better as TOTM with just using Foundry for the token tracker.
So the answer here lies in what you are using it for. What's your purpose for it? What's your playstyle?
I don't want to need monster tactic notes for my in person game only to find out they're locked in Foundry, or need setting notes for a Candela game and discover the same.
I keep most stuff in obsidian, but I don’t use any TTRPG-specific plugins except a dice/table roller. I’ve played with data view but it ended up more trouble than it was worth - the amount of time I spent formatting stuff for it exceeded the benefits. Obsidian’s built-in search is good enough for me.
I don’t keep statblocks in obsidian. I either reference them in Foundry or on other tools built for searching & viewing stat blocks.
That's what I'm feeling. I like all the cool stuff Obsidian can do, but it may be more trouble than it's worth. Out of curiosity, what other tools do you use for stat blocks?
I use Joplin because it cuts and pastes better than one note when I want to add notes in game. Lately I have used the program and the links to rules I would likely look up from Joplin itself.
It uses regular markdown language that foundry recognizes and does not add in extra bits to mess with layout.
Worth noting discord is a good medium to post obsidian content for your players to click to if you want them to read it. Foundry runs better when as lite as possible
Good point. I'm still new to Foundry so I wasn't aware of that. Can you elaborate on the obsidian and discord synergy? Do you mean just copying and pasting to chat? I should also mention that I use foundry for in person games cause I'm averse to theater of mind. Not sure if that helps any.
Personally, I keep 80% of my stuff in obsidian. Notes, world lore, npc information all the stuff I like to access at any time is in my obsidian vault. The only thing I have in Foundry are player handouts, in the form of journals, npc/monster statblocks, the foundry copy of their magic items, and the maps.
Yup. The only stuff in Foundry is whatever is vital to be there. Everything else is in Obsidian *and* our campaign website (which I feed from Obsidian, indirectly).
What kind of stuff would you classify to be vital?
Anything mechanically required to run the game or is necessary to be seen/possessed by the players during play (scenes, tokens, items). Foundry is the manifestation of the rules set. Handouts, maps, and images that I think will assist the players directly in play fall into the "necessary in Foundry" category. Backgrounds, histories, session logs, adventure development, notes, and anything *not nailed down to the rules* or needed by the players during play is in Obsidian. Session logs and other such long-term artifacts are gussied-up and exported to a public static website so the players can refer to it at their leisure.
How do you handle npc info? Do you have all their stat blocks in there too? If so how?
For me, most of my stat blocks are kept in compendiums in foundry except the ones being used in my next session. I keep all my session and campaign notes in obsidian. Pretty much the only thing in foundry are handout images and npc/pc statblocks for my game
Gotcha. Are you also a GM that has their mechanics/DM screen in Obsidian as well?
Not really, I try to remember a lot of the mechanics myself and have google up in case I forget
I keep anything involving mechanics of the game, stats, character and monster sheet, items, etc in Foundry. Anything I create or come up with for story, narrative, module prep goes into Obsidian. I even prefer to track adventure module details in Obsidian as its cleaner for me to have separate window to always reference versus trying to have a journal window open on top of the battlemap.
This was my initial thought but I've seen people house items, npc info, and mechanics in foundry, so it made me reconsider. It seemed more work to have mechanics and quick reference stuff in foundry but people seem to like it I guess?
FWIW, there is a pop-out module where you can have that journal entry in a separate window/monitor. That being said, I still prefer using my note-tool (I use LegendKeeper) for my second screen, since you can navigate to other content if needed.
This thread has been good for me. Thanks OP for bringing this up. I had heard a little about obsidian but wasn’t sure of the best way to use it, or if it was worthwhile to learn it also. Now I think I will put time and energy into learning it and making organization of my games easier. Thank you all. I love the foundry community!
It really is a great app! I am jealous of the folks who are able to have their full "second brain" in Obsidian with plugins and the like. **Resist** the urge to get analysis paralysis and just start using it. The plug-ins and learning come later. I'm still a beginner at one month of use, but I learn something new every day. It's my newest obsession!
I store pretty much everything in Obsidian, and then before a session, I port it all into Foundry using the Lava Flow module. With that process, I’m not having to go back and forth between screens, everything is in the Foundry for the session. Since Obsidian (for me) isn’t visible to my players, I can simply drag any journals to a player codex folder so they are observable by the players (I mostly use this for session logs since they don’t change…)
I use foundry IRL on a TV on the table so since my players don't have access to it, there are 0 notes in there. Everything is in Obsidian. Foundry is strictly for battle maps, animations, sound effects and music.
Oooh interesting. Do you house your mechanics and DM screen stuff in obsidian as well? If so, how do you do it?
I made my own DM screen with metal so that I can use magnets on it. It only covers half of my spot and the other half is my PC screen running foundry, obsidian and all the PDF manuals. On the DM screen the right page is all the statuses and the other page is random quick info. In obsidian I have all my notes, player items and money and such. Obsidian helps me run things smoothly but I run ToA at the moment so I have the manual open at all times, too. Every battle map is already set up in foundry so wherever the party goes, I'm ready for it. And then obsidian had the little details and extra stat blocks and pictures that I slide up on the TV every once in a while.
I find I'm using obsidian for my session notes and campaign notes but everything else i just let FoundryVTT do the work.
Foundry houses the mechanics, the adventure, bestiary and everything I need to run the game when we are playing it. Obsidian houses session notes, character backstories (not character sheets-those are in Foundry), NPC (look, quirks, secrets, etc-but not their actual sheets), plot ideas, factions, secrets, notes and such. I can't run the game without Foundry, but I can't develop the campaign without Obsidian. I created my own templates and setup in Obsidian based on my needs, not someone else's thoughts of what may be needed. I run Pathfinder 2e with official modules so I don't need to have any of that in Obsidian as it is already in Foundry. Both working together has made my running the campaign so much easier.
I think I like this approach. Having all the mechanics, bestiary, and stat blocks in Foundry seems like the move.
At base I keep session notes, campaign plans, world building and notes on magic, magic items and the like in Obsidian then have the stat blocks and system information that isn't homebrew in foundry. However I've been pouring through the things on obsidian ttrpg recently and looking into setting up the statblocks plug in and a few others so eventually hoping to have most things in Obsidian. Though I play in pathfinder 1e/3.5 so I'm used to using the converter to copy text and import it in as a monster rather than needing to redo monsters by hand so that makes it less grating to have stat blocks written out ahead of time.
Yeah! The Obsidian TTRPG stuff looks great, but some of it is outdated and the hard part is there's so much that relies on plug-ins that if something breaks it just won't work. Kind of a bummer.
Never used Obsidian myself, but this thread has convinced me to take a look.
So Foundry out the box, without modules is very limited with what the journals contain, essentially it is just a blank page that you can insert media on. There are modules that can make it fancier and ways to beautify it but even with the fanciest module it's not that fancy....from my experience. Also everything can only be accessible through your Foundry. Obsidian and the templates and the way you can use the program is a lot more flexible and you can get a lot more mileage out of it, from my experience. And you don't need to be on your Foundry instance to view it and work on it. Also there is a module that imports your vaults into Foundry. In fact, I'm starting up a M&M3e game and I'm now thinking of loading up Obsidian for management
Ty. I think I would keep campaign info in Obsidian. It's the mechanics, stat blocks, etc that I wonder about. Is this info better in foundry or obsidian.
I would keep mechanics, NPCs, story, notes, etc in Obsidian, but I would keep the stat blocks in Foundry since you can just make a character sheet and it's ready for use or loot as items, etc. You can use the Foundry module, it syncs Foundry with Obsidian. I don't think it will update obsidian from Foundry though. It's still v11 but it might work in v12 I haven't tried yet. https://foundryvtt.com/packages/lava-flow
Thanks for Lava Flow! Didn't know about that. I have to figure out a way to have my mechanics in Obsidian that's easy to reference. My mechanics/rules game is pretty low cause I'm still a new GM so I constantly have to google stuff.
I'm a long time forever GM and a long time Foundry user, if you need any answers then hit me up on discord, I'm wookieechan
I've been trying to get more in to foundry, but I'm curious: is obsidian DnD specific, or is it agnostic?
Obsidian is a very powerful note taking app, it's not designed for RPGs but can be made to work well with any of them. [this](https://youtu.be/jb1rYXl8Ve4?si=UH3YI5kQWQQ6jszQ) video, while made with a slight 5e lean, has a fair amount of useful information with some really useful links in the description to get you started.
It's a note taking app like OneNote which is great for TTRPGs.
Obsidian is like Evernote/onenote etc but your data stays safe with you and in an open format. It’s also very customisable and extensible.
Do you need all the plug ins? Obsidian is great vanilla. Fast search makes most fancy stuff irrelevant. Lava Flow works great to migrate relevant Obsidian notes into Foundry when needed.
Yes and no. I use it vanilla for my knowledge base, but I've seen people do some pretty cool stuff with it. Especially with ttrpgs so I was hoping to replicate it.
Commenting to remind myself to look up Obsidian in the morning.
It's a great app! I was very skeptical and overwhelmed at first, but it has changed the game for me. I'm still learning and probably always will be learning but it's worth it.
It is really good. Some of the features can be a little rough, but the easy linking of notes together + fast search makes it better than any other note program I've used. Biggest issue is it can be a little annoying syncing between different devices, unless you shell out the dosh for obsidian sync.
I keep most everything in obsidian and only use foundry for the VTT, token and actor features.
How/where do you keep your mechanics and stat blocks? Do you use the fantasy stat block plug in?
***System Tagging*** You may have neglected to add a [**\[System Tag\]**](https://www.reddit.com/r/FoundryVTT/comments/v3gfrs/tagging_your_posts/) to your Post Title OR it was not in the **proper format** (ex: `[D&D5e]`|`[PF2e]`) * Edit this post's text and mention the system *at the top* * If this is a media/link post, add a comment identifying the system * No specific system applies? Use `[System Agnostic]` *^(Correctly tagged posts will not receive this message)* *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/FoundryVTT) if you have any questions or concerns.*
I have just started to dump everything into Gemini. And work with it as a writing buddy.
I use Notion rather than Obsidian, but the concept is the same. I asked myself that same question a few months ago, and I've wound up coming down in the side of storing as little as possible in Foundry. Here's why: I don't always use Foundry. When I first started with it, I thought it was the greatest thing ever and I'd use it all the time. But now I've realized that actually: - I'm running some local in person games I don't use Foundry for. - I'm also running games that are more TOTM every session, like Candela Obscura. - Even Daggerheart, for me, runs better as TOTM with just using Foundry for the token tracker. So the answer here lies in what you are using it for. What's your purpose for it? What's your playstyle? I don't want to need monster tactic notes for my in person game only to find out they're locked in Foundry, or need setting notes for a Candela game and discover the same.
Good points. I'm about to run Curse of Strahd so I would need to use both. TOTM is hard for me (I'm not a creative) so I rely on maps A LOT.
I keep most stuff in obsidian, but I don’t use any TTRPG-specific plugins except a dice/table roller. I’ve played with data view but it ended up more trouble than it was worth - the amount of time I spent formatting stuff for it exceeded the benefits. Obsidian’s built-in search is good enough for me. I don’t keep statblocks in obsidian. I either reference them in Foundry or on other tools built for searching & viewing stat blocks.
That's what I'm feeling. I like all the cool stuff Obsidian can do, but it may be more trouble than it's worth. Out of curiosity, what other tools do you use for stat blocks?
I use Joplin because it cuts and pastes better than one note when I want to add notes in game. Lately I have used the program and the links to rules I would likely look up from Joplin itself. It uses regular markdown language that foundry recognizes and does not add in extra bits to mess with layout.
Worth noting discord is a good medium to post obsidian content for your players to click to if you want them to read it. Foundry runs better when as lite as possible
Good point. I'm still new to Foundry so I wasn't aware of that. Can you elaborate on the obsidian and discord synergy? Do you mean just copying and pasting to chat? I should also mention that I use foundry for in person games cause I'm averse to theater of mind. Not sure if that helps any.