Dealing with adventure tedium: "Set Piece Tactics"

[FreeTheSlaves]

Having spoken with one of my players, we've identified tedious tasks that crop up during the adventure that we don't want to repeat stating our actions in dealing with it. Off the top of my head they are:

1. Battle order routine (open country, single file, double file, ?)
2. Sleeping & guard-watch routine
3. Check doors routine
4. Search for traps routine
5. ??

Also for each of the above I intend to help prepare with the players in devising a default tactic which is the base to which ideas can be added to depending on the specific situation. I think the 2nd part is something we can only do as it is specific to the characters & so the real question is:

"What other task(s) commonly pop up during adventure that can be tedious & repetitive?"

 

[Khairn]

For our group it was the preparation and use of standard equipment. With that in mind we created the "SDK" Standard Dungeoning Kit. This is a list of the basic equipment that each player wants to have with them when they travel into a dungeon, or when travelling overland.

As an example, an SDK "dungeoning kit" includes, backpack, 50' rope, tinder box, 2 flasks of oil, small hammer, pitons, small mirror etc.

While the SDK "travelling kit" contains , backpack, tent, bedroll, change of clothes, pot, large spoon, small shovel, trail rations etc.

By standardizing the items, their cost and weight, the players only concern themselves with things that are out of the ordinary.

 

[FireLance]

I had the same idea as Devyn, and came up with Adventurer's Packs:

Adventurer's Packs

Like spell component pouches, adventurer's packs are an abstraction. They are assumed to contain whatever a character needs to provide himself with light, food, drink and a comfortable place to sleep, take care of his equipment and personal hygiene, and carry around his gear and treasure. An adventurer's pack consists of a backpack, a belt pouch, a sack, a scroll case, a flask, a bedroll, a winter blanket, flint and steel, candles, torches, flasks of oil, trail rations, a fishhook, a waterskin, soap, a small steel mirror, a sewing needle, a whetstone, a signal whistle and chalk. In addition, it contains anything an adventurer might reasonably expect to need that is not specifically mentioned in the equipment lists in Chapter 7 of the Player's Handbook, e.g. a line to use the fishhook, cord or twine to tie things together, rags for cleaning, strips of cloth for bandages, etc. Barring exceptional circumstances, this equipment is assumed to be repaired, replenished or replaced as it is broken, used or worn out. An adventurer's pack costs 19 gold pieces and weighs 24 pounds for a Medium character, or 12 pounds for a Small character.

An adventurer's pack only contains basic equipment. Rope, lanterns, grappling hooks, crowbars, hammers, pitons, etc. have to be purchased separately.

 

[Romnipotent]

We called ours the Tree KIT
the Tree Kit must have everything in it relating to:
- Planting a Tree
- Cutting Down a Tree
- Burning down a Tree
- Climbing a Tree
- Sculpting a Tree
- Making a Boat out of many Trees
- Sleeping next to or in a Tree
- Making friends and allies with a Tree
- Moving a Tree, must have another Tree handy
- Becoming a Tree (or shrubbery)

all up the kit came in two forms, a HHH form, for 3000gp (had more in it)
or the mundane one for 850, weighed too much, but had a free donkey with pack saddle...

 

[Tonguez]

yeah I did the same thing but adapted Moderns Wealth DCs (at a rate of 10gp = DC1) to create different Handy Packs rated at DC 0, DC 2, DC 5, DC 10 and DC 15

ie if I have a DC 5 Pack I can reasonably expect to find any item I need up to the value of 50gp (roll d20, anything worth less than 1gp is auto-success)