Combat: Doing the dice ahead of time

[Stalker0]

I was thinking of some of the epic battles I wanted to try, and I realized when it comes to those battles, the dice really get in the way. So I wanted to try a way to keep the dice, but not having to roll them during combat.

So what I'm thinking is, basically for a duel (it would have to be simple, probably 2 guys, both fighter types, as magic just would be too complex) I would roll a series a attack rolls and damages for both the player and teh opponent, probably on the order of 20 or so. It would be list like this.

PC
AR Dam
18 4
5 4
19(no crit) 8
4 3
and a list for the NPC as well.

Then basically as the combat went on, I would just move down the list. If the PC attacks I use the top most roll, if it hits, I use the damage. Then I cross it off. If he doesn't do an attack, like a bullrush, then I simply keep the top one until he does make an attack. This system could work for both attacks and opposed attack roles, and in list form I could keep track of any modifers to attack and damage, like being tripped, or getting a potion of bull's str.


I was curious if anyone has ever tried anything like this. Most of my players like rolling their dice in combat, but they also enjoy roleplaying over combat. How have your players reacted if you've ever used a similar system?

 

[Victim]

You could just roll during someone else's turn too. All the calculations are done by the time the player's turn comes around, so all he has to do is describe his action and announce numerical results.

I'd probably feel like a spectator using your system. Of course, when I DM, I roll openly, and this system is pretty the reverse of that - all rolls are hidden.

 

[Drawmack]

or you could just decide who wins lol

Sorry

 

[Stalker0]

or you could just decide who wins lol

Sorry

Its alright, that's exactly what kind of reaction I was thinking my players might give.

The advantage is that we could both describe and act out our actions, versus having to roll dice, but I could see my players wondering if I'm fudging the numbers.

 

[cptg1481]

Dice?

I had thought about generating dice rolls and put them on sheets of paper, allowing the players and myself to choose them from a hat. I'd use e-tools and format it as a table fashion listing results by die type down the collumns. The randomly generated rolls would be used from the top down in sequence, with the player crossing off the last roll required until they are gone, at which time another lsit can be generated.

However, I also think that rolling the dice at the table adds to the suspence and sequncing of the game. I will probably only use this method for large scale battles, where large numbers of variables need to generated each turn for multiple unit. It might be plausable in that circumstance.

Cheers,
Captain G.