D&D 5E Which easier to remember (for you)? (On Saving Throws & Spell Durations)

[Atomoctba]

For me, it is a matter of repeat the same thing every turn (a save, easy to remember) or increment or decrement a value every turn (number of rounds elapsed). The second one is not really difficult, but requires an "extra operation".

Also, if more than one combatant is affected for different such effects, I find easier remember "this one needs a Will every turn and that one requires a Fortitude every turn" than "this one is on 3/5 and that one is 1/3".

 

[Lanefan]

Actually, it goes back to at least 2E as I recall, and was even worse. Some spells lasted "x" rounds, "x" rounds/level. "x" turns, or "x" hours, etc. My opinion is that for everything 3E got right, they shouldn't have gotten rid of the turn mechanic. It was very handy for keeping track of time outside of combat, something that if memory serves me correctly nothing comparable was ever re-introduced into the game since.

I run a 1e variant and even with that I did away with "turn" as a unit of time ages ago. It's not necessary when you already have minutes and hours, and it's easy enough to convert (e.g.) 1 turn/level to 10 minutes/level.

The main reason I still use "round" and "segment" is that even though in my game they have a nominal length of 30 seconds and 6 seconds respectively, I can flex those lengths somewhat to suit a specific situation if I have to, without messing up the underlying round/segment timing structure and without locking myself to minutes and seconds which are much more hard-coded.

Edit to add: as for spell durations, I've never had much difficulty remembering them. It's uncommon for there to be more than one or two such effects active at a time anyway, at least whose duration is short enough that I'll have to worry about it ending while the combat is still going.

 

[wedgeski]

Much easier to require a saving throw. No player is going to forget that roll.

 

[R_J_K75]

I run a 1e variant and even with that I did away with "turn" as a unit of time ages ago. It's not necessary when you already have minutes and hours, and it's easy enough to convert (e.g.) 1 turn/level to 10 minutes/level.

I'm more familiar with 2E than 1E, which is what I refereeing to. I've just always found it easier to refer to things as written in the rule books. You are correct though that it may have made more sense to just have stuck with minutes and hours rather than creating segments, rounds and turns. I suspect that may have been a carryover from Gygaxs' war gaming days but can't say for sure.

 

[Stalker0]

I honestly can't think of a circumstance where this comes up in the current game. Combat spells tend to have a duration of a minute, and hardly any combat goes on for more than 10 rounds so it becomes irrelevant.

Pretty much anything else has longer durations and isn't tracked round by round.

So, since it's not something I usually need to worry about and don't have much practice with, I'd say that the fixed duration would be harder to keep track of.

This. A casted spell with a duration in combat 99% of the time just lasts the combat, so there is no tracking involved, way easier than having to do a save every round.

Only exception is a spell cast before combat that is brought into one, and I still find that suitably rare

 

[TwoSix]

I forget end of round/start of round saves all the time, whereas with set stuff I just put a die in front of me and lower the value at the end of my turn.

 

[billd91]

I find saves each round considerably easier.

 

[payn]

Saves each round feels more like the character is in a fight against the effect. Let's you roll more dice, and folks love rolling dice. So, saves every round wins the feel battle. Though, VTT makes all this a non-issue either way if thats your play method.

 

[Voadam]

I find save each round easier to remember.

X rounds per level was annoying to track in combat. You can do it with setting up a d10 or whatever and changing it each round but that is more to track and fiddle with for little effect.

 

[Zaukrie]

Saves each round feels more like the character is in a fight against the effect. Let's you roll more dice, and folks love rolling dice. So, saves every round wins the feel battle. Though, VTT makes all this a non-issue either way if thats your play method.

Great point. I think I'm going to try to describe it this way more. Or ask players to