diff --git a/src/App.js b/src/App.js
index 7ee76e2..63fbbf4 100644
--- a/src/App.js
+++ b/src/App.js
@@ -1993,7 +1993,7 @@ function InitiativeControls({ campaignId, encounter, encounterPath }) {
 // ENCOUNTER MANAGER COMPONENT
 // ============================================================================
 
-function EncounterManager({ campaignId, initialActiveEncounterId, campaignCharacters }) {
+function EncounterManager({ campaignId, initialActiveEncounterId, campaignCharacters, encounterStartedRef, encounterActiveRef }) {
   const { showToast } = useUIFeedback();
   const { data: encountersData, isLoading: isLoadingEncounters } = useFirestoreCollection(
     campaignId ? getPath.encounters(campaignId) : null
@@ -2130,6 +2130,15 @@ function EncounterManager({ campaignId, initialActiveEncounterId, campaignCharac
 
   const selectedEncounter = encounters?.find(e => e.id === selectedEncounterId);
 
+  useEffect(() => {
+    if (encounterStartedRef) {
+      encounterStartedRef.current = !!(selectedEncounter && selectedEncounter.isStarted && !selectedEncounter.isPaused);
+    }
+    if (encounterActiveRef) {
+      encounterActiveRef.current = !!(selectedEncounter && selectedEncounter.isStarted);
+    }
+  }, [selectedEncounter, encounterStartedRef, encounterActiveRef]);
+
   if (isLoadingEncounters && campaignId) {
     return <p className="text-center text-stone-300 mt-4">Loading encounters...</p>;
   }
@@ -2166,9 +2175,9 @@ function EncounterManager({ campaignId, initialActiveEncounterId, campaignCharac
               >
                 <div className="flex justify-between items-center">
                   <div onClick={() => setSelectedEncounterId(encounter.id)} className="cursor-pointer flex-grow">
-                    <h4 className="font-medium text-white">{encounter.name}</h4>
+                    <h4 className="font-medium text-white">{encounter.name} <span className={`ml-1 px-1.5 py-0.5 rounded text-xs font-bold tracking-wide ${encounter.ruleset === 'generic' ? 'bg-purple-900/80 text-purple-200 border border-purple-500' : 'bg-amber-900/80 text-amber-200 border border-amber-500'}`}>{encounter.ruleset === 'generic' ? 'GEN' : '5e'}</span></h4>
                     <p className="text-xs text-stone-300">
-                      Participants: {encounter.participants?.length || 0}
+                      {encounter.createdAt && `${new Date(encounter.createdAt).toLocaleDateString('en-US', { month: 'short', day: 'numeric', hour: '2-digit', minute: '2-digit', hour12: false })} · `}Participants: {encounter.participants?.length || 0}
                     </p>
                     {isLive && (
                       <span className="text-xs text-green-400 font-semibold block mt-1">
@@ -2265,6 +2274,19 @@ function AdminView({ userId }) {
 
   const [campaignsWithDetails, setCampaignsWithDetails] = useState([]);
   const [selectedCampaignId, setSelectedCampaignId] = useState(null);
+  const encounterStartedRef = useRef(false);
+  const encounterActiveRef = useRef(false);
+  const manualSelectRef = useRef(false);
+  const prevDisplayCampaignRef = useRef(null);
+
+  // External display change (replay/other DM) = clear manual override, allow follow.
+  useEffect(() => {
+    const cur = initialActiveInfo?.activeCampaignId || null;
+    if (cur !== prevDisplayCampaignRef.current) {
+      manualSelectRef.current = false;
+      prevDisplayCampaignRef.current = cur;
+    }
+  }, [initialActiveInfo]);
   const [showCreateModal, setShowCreateModal] = useState(false);
   const [showDeleteConfirm, setShowDeleteConfirm] = useState(false);
   const [itemToDelete, setItemToDelete] = useState(null);
@@ -2324,10 +2346,15 @@ function AdminView({ userId }) {
   }, [campaignsData]);
 
   useEffect(() => {
+    // Skip follow only if user manually selected AND display hasn't changed.
+    // (external display change clears manualSelectRef via prevDisplay effect)
+    if (manualSelectRef.current && selectedCampaignId !== initialActiveInfo?.activeCampaignId) return;
     if (
       initialActiveInfo &&
       initialActiveInfo.activeCampaignId &&
-      campaignsWithDetails.length > 0
+      campaignsWithDetails.length > 0 &&
+      !encounterStartedRef.current &&
+      !encounterActiveRef.current
     ) {
       const campaignExists = campaignsWithDetails.some(c => c.id === initialActiveInfo.activeCampaignId);
       if (campaignExists && selectedCampaignId !== initialActiveInfo.activeCampaignId) {
@@ -2500,7 +2527,14 @@ function AdminView({ userId }) {
               return (
                 <div
                   key={campaign.id}
-                  onClick={() => setSelectedCampaignId(campaign.id)}
+                  onClick={() => {
+                    if (encounterStartedRef.current) {
+                      showToast('End or pause active encounter before switching campaigns.');
+                      return;
+                    }
+                    manualSelectRef.current = true;
+                    setSelectedCampaignId(campaign.id);
+                  }}
                   className={cardClasses}
                   style={cardStyle}
                 >
@@ -2574,6 +2608,8 @@ function AdminView({ userId }) {
                   : null
               }
               campaignCharacters={selectedCampaign.characters || []}
+              encounterStartedRef={encounterStartedRef}
+              encounterActiveRef={encounterActiveRef}
             />
           </div>
         )}