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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Celebrim" data-source="post: 3586984" data-attributes="member: 4937">That's a good list, and it follows with my experience as well.  Here's what I do:1) I give each player only 6 seconds to clearly state thier course of action.  If you can't explain your plan in six seconds, then you are assumed to take a wait action and you are now at the top of the initiative order for next turn.  In other words, you lose your turn.  Chatter outside of your turn is discouraged, and players are expected to be focused on the game.2) Players are strongly encouraged to simply report the results of thier dice to me.  Thier 'normal' modifiers to hit with common weapons are listed on a legal pad next to me and it takes only a brief second to glance at that legal pad and add everything up, and another second for me to apply circumstance modifiers I feel are appropriate.  At higher levels, buffs start to become time consuming.  Buffs are written on improvised 'buff cards', and I simply amend thier current buff bonus as cards are added to thier pile or taken away. 3) Players are not allowed to look up things in books during thier turn unless I ask them to verify something.  If a player wants to cast a spell, they must be able to describe the spell's effects quickly and succintly during thier turn.  If they want to look it up, they have to do so before it gets to thier turn.  And the 6 second rule applies.  If there is a disagreement over the rules, if such thing isn't frequent I generally ask them to verify.  If it is common, I generally enforce the rule that disagreements over the rules are resolved ONLY during the breaks or at the end of the session.  This is the 'We'll talk it over and set rules for the next time' rule.  But between now and the next bathroom, snack, end of session break, Rule Zero.  If the player is upset, we talk in private.  4) Out of character chatter is strongly discouraged at all times, but especially in combat or while actually roleplaying.  I reserve the right to treat any OOC comment as IC during those times.  During combat, meta-combat chatter is basically banned.  No discussing plans except in character as your characters may or may not be able to do.  Again, the six second rule.  This means that the enemy is free to overhear any planning that goes on during combat.5) When minatures are in use, movements are expected to be prompt and are irrevocable once made.  Again, the six second rule.  Minatures simply aren't used when I don't feel that they would add to the play experience (confined fighting spaces, tactically simple situations).   6) I've long said that to be a good DM, you have to know the rules or at least know them better than anyone else at the table.  Make a point of reading and rereading the rules at your leisure.  I'm continually amazed at the number of players that have never bothered to sit down and actually read the rule book, and who then complain that they don't understand the rules.7) Word processors are great.  I put small compressed stat blocks into the text of all my prepared encounters now.  Usually, this is basically a cut and paste job from one of several downloads available over the net.  Generally speaking, I never crack a book during the entire session.  Likewise, I don't waste alot of time throwing dice.  I have about 10 d20's of different shades which can easily be arranged according to the spectrum (from red to purple).  When running a mass combat, I throw them all at once and then just 'consume' them in order as I need them.  Sixteen orcs attacking takes me roughly 5-10 seconds to resolve, and another 20-30 seconds to describe depending on how many hits we had.  8) Mini's can be great.  There are alot of times when using minatures really made the encounter for me.  But they can also suck, drawing the player out of the 1st person perspective, slowing down the game, and interfering with the players imagination.  Even the best designed play area is no match for a player's imagination when fired.  Take advantage of that.  Only bring out the minatures when the tactical situation is the focus of the encounter.</blockquote>

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