A newb is faster than you.

[ValhallaGH]

I'd suggest most of the slowdown, if it exists, is due to expanded options.

Could you elaborate upon this?
Because, I fail to see how knowing the rules means a player has more options. Anyone can say "I wan to shoot the stalactite so it falls on the dragon's head", or "I want to leap upon his back and stab him in the wings" or "I want to distract him by playing with some gold coins and then stab him when he drops his guard."
Sure, certain spells, feats, and other abilities can increase the available options by opening up things that would otherwise be impossible, but the options are already there.

Or are you saying that rules mastery helps players realize that they have options?

 

[Olaf the Stout]

I think you're replying to a spammer dude.

Olaf the Stout

 

[Thotas]

Players that pay attention and stay in the game tend to be faster. Players that know their character and what they can do tend to play faster.

Exactly. When my turn comes, I've usually got it figured out and off I go. Sometimes the person who goes just before me will do something that changes the circumstances radically and I have to reconsider my options, but otherwise I'm ready.

 

[Neonchameleon]

Could you elaborate upon this?
Because, I fail to see how knowing the rules means a player has more options. Anyone can say "I wan to shoot the stalactite so it falls on the dragon's head", or "I want to leap upon his back and stab him in the wings" or "I want to distract him by playing with some gold coins and then stab him when he drops his guard."

In my case, I like making toolbox characters. And there's the old 3.X "Wizard with fifty eight spells prepared". Decision time can in these cases be non-trivial, whereas a newbie wouldn't be playing such a character.

 

[Dykstrav]

In my opinion, I think that speed in play is a compound of two separate issues. Some of them are exaggerated among newer players, so it might seem to bias in that direction, but I think the relationship isn't necessarily causal.

The first one is how "invested" they player is. Are they paying attention to what's going on at the table, or are they immersed in their tablet or smartphone? Are they cracking jokes or engaging in the game's situation? In short, are they interested in the game or more interested in something else? It's been my experience that players act far more quickly when they are interested and engaged in the game, regardless of experience. Often, newer players are more engaged because they are less familiar with the situations and tropes and may or may not know everyone around the table.

The second major issue is plain old indecisiveness. Some players are just indecisive, and it's exacerbated by giving them more options. Others want to avoid responsibility for their actions. They may dither and discuss their options with everyone at the table to insulate themselves from the consequences of their actions--if they blow a roll or do something suboptimal, hey, it's not their fault, everyone else at the table thought it was a good idea.

 

[ValhallaGH]

In my case, I like making toolbox characters. And there's the old 3.X "Wizard with fifty eight spells prepared". Decision time can in these cases be non-trivial, whereas a newbie wouldn't be playing such a character.

Sure, but that only matters when your spells give you options that didn't previously exist. Otherwise you have exactly the same (practically infinite) options as every other character - you just have a few different methods that are more likely to work for your character.

Options rarely expand in role playing games - they start at three trillion plus and rarely increase by more than fifty. Sure, certain options become more attractive, but it is very rare for a character to get more of them.