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Has D&D Combat Always Been Slow?
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<blockquote data-quote="DND_Reborn" data-source="post: 8147726" data-attributes="member: 6987520"><p>#3. No, it was faster before.</p><p></p><p>#1. It did, but we've made changes to help speed things along. See #2. <img src="data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7" class="smilie smilie--sprite smilie--sprite2" alt=";)" title="Wink ;)" loading="lazy" data-shortname=";)" /></p><p></p><p>#2. Here you go (some of these are in play-test stages but working well to our style of game):</p><ol> <li data-xf-list-type="ol">Decrease all NPC/monster HP by half (round down).</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ol">Bump AC for <em>everything</em> (including PCs) by 4 or 5. Personally, we started with 5, but 4 works better for us.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ol">PCs get max HP and CON mod at level 1. After that, just HD, no more CON mod.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ol">Have the DM (and players if they want) use average damage for things instead of rolling all the time. You standard fireball, for instance, would do 28 damage (14 on a save).</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ol">EDIT: forgot to include all creatures are proficient in all saves, but there is no longer a save each turn to end effect for many spells. If a PC selects a save (as defined by your class) or a creature has saves listed in their stat block, you gain advantage on those saves.</li> </ol><p></p><p>These changes more mirror 1E/2E. You miss more often, but things have fewer HP, so the net effect is combat is a bit fewer rounds. Also, without having to determine damage with practically every attack, there is less rolling, adding, etc. so the combat goes faster for that reason as well. If you want, do average damage (number 4) and that helps a lot as well. As DM, I've been using it for over a year. If the players agree, as a DM you will quickly learn this PC hits for 9 damage, that one for 13 when raging, the other's sneak attack does 21, etc.</p><p></p><p>We've been doing the other changes (1-3) in our online game for months now and it is quicker because it helps with the HP bloat. There are side-effect for things like spells being more "deadly/powerful" but considering the nerfs in 5E, this is a good thing IMO.</p><p></p><p>Much more recent is the Cinematic Initiative Variant I recently developed. The thread is here:</p><p>[URL unfurl="true"]https://www.enworld.org/threads/cinematic-initiative-variant-civ.676831/[/URL]</p><p></p><p>It is strange, but it makes it goes even faster for our table. Paying attention (the biggest problem for some players IME, along with some who have number/math issues) is vastly improved using the C.I. variant in our play-tests so far! The combat flows better, is more exciting, and so on.</p><p></p><p>Other tricks include rolling attack and damage dice together, rolling initiative for the next round after the current turn is over for a PC, etc. If you have any other issues or questions, just ask. <img src="data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7" class="smilie smilie--sprite smilie--sprite1" alt=":)" title="Smile :)" loading="lazy" data-shortname=":)" /></p><p></p><p>EDIT: We've spent over 9 hours on a series of combat encounters once. The group was running a gauntlet-style series of encounters with no rest and it took forever.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="DND_Reborn, post: 8147726, member: 6987520"] #3. No, it was faster before. #1. It did, but we've made changes to help speed things along. See #2. ;) #2. Here you go (some of these are in play-test stages but working well to our style of game): [LIST=1] [*]Decrease all NPC/monster HP by half (round down). [*]Bump AC for [I]everything[/I] (including PCs) by 4 or 5. Personally, we started with 5, but 4 works better for us. [*]PCs get max HP and CON mod at level 1. After that, just HD, no more CON mod. [*]Have the DM (and players if they want) use average damage for things instead of rolling all the time. You standard fireball, for instance, would do 28 damage (14 on a save). [*]EDIT: forgot to include all creatures are proficient in all saves, but there is no longer a save each turn to end effect for many spells. If a PC selects a save (as defined by your class) or a creature has saves listed in their stat block, you gain advantage on those saves. [/LIST] These changes more mirror 1E/2E. You miss more often, but things have fewer HP, so the net effect is combat is a bit fewer rounds. Also, without having to determine damage with practically every attack, there is less rolling, adding, etc. so the combat goes faster for that reason as well. If you want, do average damage (number 4) and that helps a lot as well. As DM, I've been using it for over a year. If the players agree, as a DM you will quickly learn this PC hits for 9 damage, that one for 13 when raging, the other's sneak attack does 21, etc. We've been doing the other changes (1-3) in our online game for months now and it is quicker because it helps with the HP bloat. There are side-effect for things like spells being more "deadly/powerful" but considering the nerfs in 5E, this is a good thing IMO. Much more recent is the Cinematic Initiative Variant I recently developed. The thread is here: [URL unfurl="true"]https://www.enworld.org/threads/cinematic-initiative-variant-civ.676831/[/URL] It is strange, but it makes it goes even faster for our table. Paying attention (the biggest problem for some players IME, along with some who have number/math issues) is vastly improved using the C.I. variant in our play-tests so far! The combat flows better, is more exciting, and so on. Other tricks include rolling attack and damage dice together, rolling initiative for the next round after the current turn is over for a PC, etc. If you have any other issues or questions, just ask. :) EDIT: We've spent over 9 hours on a series of combat encounters once. The group was running a gauntlet-style series of encounters with no rest and it took forever. [/QUOTE]
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