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<blockquote data-quote="BlackMoria" data-source="post: 1413529" data-attributes="member: 424">Chalk it up to an 'off night' and move on.There have been occasions when I thought the session I ran sucked big time but the players themselves thought the session was good.&nbsp; You can't infer that because the players were having side conversation that they were bored or thought things sucked.&nbsp; They could have realized that the combat was getting detailed and were taking advantage of the moments that didn't involve them directly to converse.Sounds like the only problem was the pacing.&nbsp; What I do if a protracted combat occurs and the pacing starts to lag is this - I discard the dice and make it up as I go to pick up the pacing and the tension.&nbsp; Don't resolve mook battles that don't directly involve the PCs.&nbsp; Describe them in general detail. Example - &quot;Gordo (npc) is holding his own against the two Barbazu and is fighting energically.&nbsp; Seizing a opening, he lunges at one Barbazu and drops it with a thrust through the throat......&quot;&nbsp;&nbsp; Don't roll dice.&nbsp; The Barbazu or Gordo dies when you decide.&nbsp; Make the battle your canvas and by deciding how and when the mooks fall, you can control the pacing and tension of the battle. Only use dice for the direct battles that involve the PCs.&nbsp; In this way, you can control the pacing without the battle grinding down to tedium.&nbsp; In this way, large or medium scale battles can be run in a timely fashion.</blockquote>

[QUOTE="BlackMoria, post: 1413529, member: 424"] Chalk it up to an 'off night' and move on. There have been occasions when I thought the session I ran sucked big time but the players themselves thought the session was good. You can't infer that because the players were having side conversation that they were bored or thought things sucked. They could have realized that the combat was getting detailed and were taking advantage of the moments that didn't involve them directly to converse. Sounds like the only problem was the pacing. What I do if a protracted combat occurs and the pacing starts to lag is this - I discard the dice and make it up as I go to pick up the pacing and the tension. Don't resolve mook battles that don't directly involve the PCs. Describe them in general detail. Example - "Gordo (npc) is holding his own against the two Barbazu and is fighting energically. Seizing a opening, he lunges at one Barbazu and drops it with a thrust through the throat......" Don't roll dice. The Barbazu or Gordo dies when you decide. Make the battle your canvas and by deciding how and when the mooks fall, you can control the pacing and tension of the battle. Only use dice for the direct battles that involve the PCs. In this way, you can control the pacing without the battle grinding down to tedium. In this way, large or medium scale battles can be run in a timely fashion. [/QUOTE]

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