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<blockquote data-quote="maddman75" data-source="post: 1794753" data-attributes="member: 2673">I tend to use the mat only for large, complicated, or important battles.&nbsp; If there's interesting terrain or its a large combat then things move faster with the mat than without it.Here's how to keep things moving1) Delegate.&nbsp; Pick a player to keep initiative for everyone.&nbsp; No reason the DM has to do it.&nbsp; If you have someone who has trouble focusing when it isn't their turn, this is a good job for them.&nbsp; Also, make your group's Rule Lawyer the official Rules Monkey.&nbsp; They'll keep the core books and any important suppliments close at hand to help look up and determine rules questions.2) Limit player time.&nbsp; You got about six seconds to tell me what to do.&nbsp; You don't entirely lose your turn, I just go to the next person in initaitve and come back after that to see if they're ready.3) Don't allow excessing counting.&nbsp; If your players are obsessively counting squares to get the maximum out of their movement or area effect spell, just tell this this is D&amp;D, not chess, and move their freakin guy.&nbsp; Works for me.&nbsp; If need be, you could even go gridless on 'em.&nbsp; No grid, they have to point out the center of the AoE or where they want to move to, then measure out the exact effect.&nbsp; No pre-measuring!Nothing wrong with losing the mat either, especially for small battles.</blockquote>

[QUOTE="maddman75, post: 1794753, member: 2673"] I tend to use the mat only for large, complicated, or important battles. If there's interesting terrain or its a large combat then things move faster with the mat than without it. Here's how to keep things moving 1) Delegate. Pick a player to keep initiative for everyone. No reason the DM has to do it. If you have someone who has trouble focusing when it isn't their turn, this is a good job for them. Also, make your group's Rule Lawyer the official Rules Monkey. They'll keep the core books and any important suppliments close at hand to help look up and determine rules questions. 2) Limit player time. You got about six seconds to tell me what to do. You don't entirely lose your turn, I just go to the next person in initaitve and come back after that to see if they're ready. 3) Don't allow excessing counting. If your players are obsessively counting squares to get the maximum out of their movement or area effect spell, just tell this this is D&D, not chess, and move their freakin guy. Works for me. If need be, you could even go gridless on 'em. No grid, they have to point out the center of the AoE or where they want to move to, then measure out the exact effect. No pre-measuring! Nothing wrong with losing the mat either, especially for small battles. [/QUOTE]

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