Numbers, numbers, and more numbers

[kevtar]

Here's what drives me crazy...

1) Each player in my group has character builder power cards that are printed on 80# card stock, cut-out, and sorted into piles.

2)Nearly every player
a) rolls their attack
b) does "performance math" 12+3+5+half my level is...
c) totally ignores the card

What about rolling the dice, looking at the attack modifier on the power card and saying "I rolled a 12+17 to hit Armor Class 29"? My pet peeve is when the Wizard and Bard just say "19." Is that Fort, Reflex... Will...?

This post just reminded me I need to have another "culture of the table" talk with my group.

 

[Kask]

This is the first I've heard of this one.

My players just give the total #. I tell them to roll or not roll damage.

 

[mlund]

I think my preference would be to say: "I rolled 12 + 8 is 20 vs. AC"

I don't like players just announcing final numbers. I want the basic roll so I can get a general idea of what modifiers are going on without having a litany of bonuses on each attack ("I rolled 6 + 2 hammer proficiency + 2 enhancement bonus + 4 strength + 2 for Brash Strike + 3 Power Bonus + 2 for combat advantage").

Once we've established that a particular number hits, I like having the announced roll ("12+8=20") followed up by just the final damage number, hopefully with some descriptive flourishes too!

- Marty Lund

 

[hailstop]

very rarely!

Most of the time the PCs shout out their total to hit (with triumph or groan as appropriate) and wait for me to tell them whether they have hit or not.

I've occasionally seen "roll damage and to-hit together to speed up combat" mentioned, but I've always thought it would just engender the very confusion which you mention here.

Sometimes I ask people to give me the breakdown of their to hit chance ("have you actually got +13? Could you just break that down for me?") - not because they are cheating, but because in 4e there are all manner of little mods to hit or damage which are stacking up.

Cheers

I had this happen to me recently when the Fighter hit AC 22 with a roll of a 2.

He was right in the end.

 

[Festivus]

Here's what drives me crazy...

1) Each player in my group has character builder power cards that are printed on 80# card stock, cut-out, and sorted into piles.

2)Nearly every player
a) rolls their attack
b) does "performance math" 12+3+5+half my level is...
c) totally ignores the card

What about rolling the dice, looking at the attack modifier on the power card and saying "I rolled a 12+17 to hit Armor Class 29"? My pet peeve is when the Wizard and Bard just say "19." Is that Fort, Reflex... Will...?

This post just reminded me I need to have another "culture of the table" talk with my group.

Yah, I see this a lot. I love pointing out that it's all done for them at the bottom of the card... only need to look... and the reaction of "Oh wow, that's really helpful." They forget by the next session again

The one that gets me is when they announce an attack roll, but don't tell what it's against.

Player: "I roll a 17, does that hit?"
Me: "Against what?"
Player: "The monster, umm, kobold A"
Me: "Against what defense? AC? Reflex?"
Player: "Oh, Will. So does it hit?"

I still have to condition players even after almost a year of playing. It's one of those hard to remember things I guess.

 

[Ourph]

I really, really wish Players wouldn't just throw out a bunch of seemingly random numbers.

Have you tried asking them not to?

It's been a very rare thing for me to find a Player who doesn't just throw out a bunch of numbers and expect the DM to know what's what.

Is this your experience, too? Do you avoid this confusion?

I've never had a player do this. If someone new to my game did it, I'd ask them to change the way they communicated their rolls if it became a problem.

 

[Roger]

I've found it actually speeds things up to have the players speak out the addition sequence as they go through it.

"I rolled an 18... plus..."
"Yeah, that hits."

"I rolled a 3... plus 4... plus..."
"Miss."


Cheers,
Roger

 

[Scribble]

I don't have this issue with my group... They always tell me what number they got, and what it's against. IE AC 24? Or Reflex 13?

The closest I get to your sityuation is:

It hit, the number was way higher then all the other hits.

or

Don't worry it missed.

 

[Daniel D. Fox]

I always ask for their final numbers. If they don't give the final number to me on the first go, they miss.

It curbs the issue of managing player's sheets. I expect the players to know their powers and numbers; I don't have the time or patience to add and subtract for them. I also don't allow them to add more damage or "oh wait, I hit because I forgot to add such-and-such" after their turn. I don't do it to them with foes, and likewise I don't allow them to do it, either.

 

[Henry]

What bugs me more is the player who counts up all his bonuses every round from scratch, even if he already knows what they are. "OK, that's a 13 on the die... plus 1 from the weapon focus.... plus 3 from strength.... plus 1 from the magic sword.... plus 1 from the bless.... um.... 19?"

Next turn: "OK, that's 9 on the die... plus 1 from the weapon focus.... plus 3 from strength..."

AAAAGH! I don't mind reminding someone of the bless or some other temp effect, but c'mon -- the bonuses you know are present every single round?