# GM screen

- Term: Tabletop term
- Date: 1979
- Canonical: https://www.lanternhall.org/lexicon/gm-screen/

> A folding cardboard screen that hides the Game Master's maps and dice from the players while printing the most-used tables on the inside. It is both a practical tool and a symbol of the referee's secret knowledge.

A folding cardboard screen that hides the Game Master's maps and dice from the players while printing the most-used tables on the inside. It is both a practical tool and a symbol of the referee's secret knowledge.

**Origin:** TSR's Dungeon Masters Screen, printed with the most frequently used charts from AD&D, appeared alongside the 1979 Dungeon Masters Guide.

## Quick answers

**What does "GM screen" mean?**
A folding cardboard screen that hides the Game Master's maps and dice from the players while printing the most-used tables on the inside. It is both a practical tool and a symbol of the referee's secret knowledge.

**Where does the term "GM screen" come from?**
TSR's Dungeon Masters Screen, printed with the most frequently used charts from AD&D, appeared alongside the 1979 Dungeon Masters Guide.

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From The Lantern Hall (https://www.lanternhall.org/), a museum of fantasy literature and roleplaying games.