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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Retreater" data-source="post: 9420286" data-attributes="member: 42040">I could understand doing that. And perhaps if I hadn't given them another option besides "write it all down," it would've worked.On the few occasions I didn't print out a character sheet immediately and had them work off notes, their lack of understanding how the game operated guaranteed we would get incomplete information.Player: "Ok, I got a 23 to hit!"DM: "Alright, against which defense?"Player: "Uh ... their defense score?"DM: "AC, Fortitude, Reflex, or Will?"Player: "I uh ... got a 23 to hit?"Player: "I hit and get to move them 3 spaces."DM: "Alright, how do you move them?"Player: "Because I hit them with my axe."DM: "No. Do you slide, push, pull, teleport, etc.?"Player: "But I ... hit them with my axe?"And then it changes as you get new weapons and other equipment, which change almost on a session-by-session basis. And of course, since they're not picking out their magical gear from wishlists (because who's going to create those in between sessions), they're stuck with whatever I award them and they have to remember that the axe they used last session did +2d12 necrotic damage on a critical hit but the one they have this session gives +2 to all defenses when they take a second wind while bloodied.It's just a lot to keep up with. Especially for people who don't live, eat, and breathe the game.I have a pretty large mini collection as well. (Painting miniatures is a secondary hobby of mine.)The problem is distinguishing the miniatures in significant ways. For example, in a given fight I might have 8 different orcs.4 Orc Warrior minions (brutes)2 Orcs with Cream Pies (artillery)2 Orc Battle Yodelers (controllers)Do you use matching models to represent the Cream Pie Orcs, or unique ones? If you use matching models, how do you distinguish which ones are bloodied, taking ongoing acid damage, etc.? If you use different models, how do you indicate which are Cream Pie and not Battle Yodelers? In other editions of the game, you wouldn't really have as many different varieties of orcs in a single combat. Or need to track as many conditions. Or they'd usually die after a few hits and you wouldn't have to track them for an hour long combat. That might be. I haven't tried to teach 3.x in decades and wouldn't DM it myself even if I were paid. Never played 1E or B/X. I came in with 2e AD&D. I'd take my odds trying to teach 2E over 4E.</blockquote>

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