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Message: <blockquote data-quote="WayneLigon" data-source="post: 1492440" data-attributes="member: 3649">Last Friday we did two major combats; first one was five 8th/7th level PC's (three of which are spellcasters) against leveled monster foes, plus a spellcaster. Took us about 45 minutes or so. Maybe an hour, tops. If you get off topic a lot, then it seems like that's your major problem.  1. Have statblocks done for all foes, including XP for each group.2. Roll initiative for blocks of foes; usually I give all melee fighters the same init, the spellcasters another, and special foes their own init roll. Never roll init seperately for each combatant. In fact, roll all that beforehand and note it on a card.3. Each person in turn rolls their init; I write down what they get, ref the foes and either write their init or roll it. Then we go in init order. I call out that character name, they describe what they're doing, we do results, go to next person.4. I think it should go without saying that the PC's should have all their ducks in a row. After a level or two, they should really be able to go through a normal combat and not even look at that character sheet. The weapon block on your character sheet has a big box where you put that final number with all your normal plusses; use it. Roll a die, add that number, call to DM along with what you're doing in the round. Simple. Spellcasters should have a spell ref sheet (several are available on this site, or many others), know the save needed and the DC, and what effect it will have. Now, this is not just us going 'I roll a 22' 'That hits' 'I do 45 pts of damage' 'He falls'. This is us going 'I heave the falchion over my shoulder and cut him down.. 22! and 45 damage if that hits..?' 'It does; the troll hisses as your sword slices through his skin, the flesh reknitting as the blade passes through him. He still looks like he's in the fight, though'. For normal foes; some get less description than that, some a lot more.  Key point: Organization. Have all your stuff ready to go, and expect the players to do the same.</blockquote>

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