How long are your combat rounds taking PER PLAYER? Speedchess vs slowChess

[Lanefan]

Per *player*, it's maybe a minute; per *character* it's usually more like 30 seconds (we usually have 2 PCs each on the go), assuming a relatively simple situation.

Anything requiring note-writing (a PC off on its own, hidden communication, etc.) slows things down, as can area-effect spells and magic meltdowns. These are fine, and part of the game.

Avoidable slowdowns are players not paying attention (all too common) or overanalyzing the situation far beyond what their character(s) could do.

Lanefan

 

[Fieari]

The only time I have ever been able to get players to spend less than a minute per turn, consistently, is when playing Paranoia, where spending more than five or so seconds will get your turn skipped, and probably get you dead. It's refreshing, really.

 

[was]

other.......non-spellcasters = 30 seconds to 1 minute, spell casters = 3 - 4 minutes

 

[the Jester]

I guessed (and it really is a guess) 2-3 minutes, but that includes time to add up bonuses, roll dice and figure damage, and time for me (the dm) to take any attacks of opportunity that I can, to make multiple saves, subtract damage done, etc... so only some of the time is the players, while some is the dm.

A fast combat, however, with no tactical considerations to mull over, only a single foe, etc., each player prolly takes 1 minute or less.

 

[Wombat]

About 2 minutes per character ... which is way, way too long...

 

[Arrgh! Mark!]

Speedchess for me.

I enjoy tactical challenges, and I enjoy PC plans. But combat is in itself fast. My group can spend up to an hour planning a heist and three minutes doing it.

Only one of my players complains at my speed combat, but thats because he wants to describe every muscle movement. It's not a drama if he gets his gory combat descriptions in though

 

[Varianor Abroad]

The poll, I think, asks "average" when median is more relevant. In convention play, when people use a lot of abilities that they haven't "grown" with, they slow down if they hit a complex situation. In home play, folks get a lot faster. However, there are still the one or two players that take a looooonnnnnngggg time now matter what you do. I find that often coincides with a mismatch between the player's preferred style of character and the complexity of the abilities.

 

[Hussar]

I've got my guys to pretty much play speedchess. Particularly at those levels. About the only slow down in my games is typing speed. But, generally, a turn takes about 30 seconds to a minute or so.

 

[Lanefan]

I've got my guys to pretty much play speedchess. Particularly at those levels. About the only slow down in my games is typing speed. But, generally, a turn takes about 30 seconds to a minute or so.

Typing speed??? Where does that come in? Or are you playing online only?

Lanefan

 

[robberbaron]

Generally about a minute or so each. Some are sooooooooo slow - measuring distance several different ways, moving figures, moving them back, moving them somewhere else, jeez! - but most are either ready to go or have limited options.

The only time I nail them down to a particular time period is when they are doing something that has a fixed and short duration, e.g., a Commune spell (1 round per level, one question per pevel). Once cast I set a timer and its finished when its finished.