D&D 5E When do players realize Turning Undead worked? (5e)

[werecorpse]

I use the same method as the op. The undead react to the turning (roll a save) but don't act until their turn, so until their turn the people observing (PC's) don't know what effect the turn has had.

IMO The stop motion initiative means that when the player asks what the situation is they have the observable information at hand on their turn - not information about what another person will do on their turn later in the initiative. The argument that in game these things are all happening at the same time so you would know if they are turned before you chose to strike can be just as easily stated in reverse (ie all happening at the same time so you don't know if they are turned).

edit: equally I don't think it's wrong to give out a bit more info if the player asks - I don't think there is a right or wrong way in this situation.

 

[MNblockhead]

Put me in the "I tell my player's right away" camp. Same goes for saving throws versus spells. Having them "wait and see" forces them to risk stepping on each other's toes by having a later PC's attack potentially ruin the successful use of the previous PC's class ability.

As ClearlyTough says above, it needed ruin the prior PC's ability, it just forces them to ready an action, which is why I just tell them. Not telling them just slows everything down.

 

[Kalshane]

As ClearlyTough says above, it needed ruin the prior PC's ability, it just forces them to ready an action, which is why I just tell them. Not telling them just slows everything down.

True, the players can work around it by readying, but as you've discovered it adds needless complication.

I've reached the point in my gaming career where I'm good with players having more information if it speeds the game up without having too much of an adverse effect on tension and mystery.

We've been doing most of our gaming in Roll20 lately, and I decided long ago to just make the HP bars visible for everything (this doesn't give them any numbers, just a gauge of a creature's relative health). Sure, the fact that they can get a general idea of how much their attack hurt the creature by how much the bar goes down removes some of the mystery of how tough a creature is, but on the other hand I don't have to waste time every turn answering the inevitable "Which one looks the most hurt?" or "How bad does it look?" questions followed by the player processing that information and then deciding what to do. It also leads to the occasional "Oh crap" moment from the players when someone lands a big crit and the enemy's HP bar barely budges, which can be fun too.

 

[jayoungr]

To me, turning forces an involuntary reaction in the affected undead, which makes them start to run immediately, whether they have had an action yet or not. They cannot control the forced retreat, therefore is should not wait til their voluntary initiative to run.

I do the same. I figure that the Turning makes them use up their reaction.

 

[MNblockhead]

I've reached the point in my gaming career where I'm good with players having more information if it speeds the game up without having too much of an adverse effect on tension and mystery.

We've been doing most of our gaming in Roll20 lately, and I decided long ago to just make the HP bars visible for everything (this doesn't give them any numbers, just a gauge of a creature's relative health). Sure, the fact that they can get a general idea of how much their attack hurt the creature by how much the bar goes down removes some of the mystery of how tough a creature is, but on the other hand I don't have to waste time every turn answering the inevitable "Which one looks the most hurt?" or "How bad does it look?" questions followed by the player processing that information and then deciding what to do. It also leads to the occasional "Oh crap" moment from the players when someone lands a big crit and the enemy's HP bar barely budges, which can be fun too.

Besides, you would think that an experienced fighter/adventurer would have some idea of how much damage is being done and could gauge an adversaries condition. Letting the players know the hit points just represents that.

That said, since I don't use a VTT at the table, it is easier for me to just tell them which creatures look worse off.

 

[Lanefan]

The results should be immediately obvious to all as the 'turned' undead stop attacking and start fleeing as soon as the 'turn' occurs. This is one of a great many instances where one needs to throw off the yoke of slavery to turn-based (or "stop-motion") initiative.

Lan-"the word 'turn' having two vastly different meanings in this context could really mess up this conversation"-efan

 

[Motorskills]

Hollywood baby!!!

Turning Undead is a rare event, every cleric and paladin has alternate uses for Channel Divinity. So when it goes off, in a wide radius remember, it should be loud and proud. No mumbling followers of the Gods here please.

The reaction of the undead should be obvious to all. Even the ones that pass should be uncomfortable, maybe wanting to destroy the cause of their discomfort.

If you really wanted, you could have someone like Strahd fake a fail when he had passed, but I'd recommend against it, instead have him stomping off in an Oscar-worthy huff.

 

[CAFRedblade]

They shrieking and revulsion of the undead from the Paladin's turning can be immediate, as it happened on his turn. But the Undead running away doesn't take place till their movement. Heck, if you want you can describe some kind of divine energy affecting the undead who were turned in some form, and those left untouched as still moaning and growling for flesh..

 

[Rya.Reisender]

I don't like to hide rolls from my players, so they will know if it worked based on the results. My narration, however, might not include that until the undead start running.

 

[Rocksome]

The results should be immediately obvious to all as the 'turned' undead stop attacking and start fleeing as soon as the 'turn' occurs. This is one of a great many instances where one needs to throw off the yoke of slavery to turn-based (or "stop-motion") initiative.

Absolutely this. The idea that the undead shrieks in agony, then patiently stands there waiting for it's turn to run is ridiculous. There is no delay between the successful turning of the monster and it's attempt to flee. There is a matter of how many fractions of a second before it is effectively able to do so, signified as a slight difference in initiative as it's turning on it's heels and trying to get away from the cleric or paladin.

Not telling your PCs not only serves no purpose and potentially frustraters your players over nothing, it reinforces the barrier between their imagination and the mechanics.