how many attacks should be allowed per round before its just nonsense or a pain for running a game.

[Lastoutkast]

how many attacks should be allowed per round before its just nonsense or a pain for running a game ?

 

[Ancalagon]

I think 3 is a pretty reasonable maximum. 1 for Joe average, 2 for skilled fighters, 3 for experts.

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

how many attacks should be allowed per round before its just nonsense or a pain for running a game ?

Depends on the system as a whole. There are RPG systems that work great without multiple attacks. There are others that drag in their absence.

 

[Lastoutkast]

Do you have any examples ?

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

Do you have any examples ?

Well, our group felt that 4Ed combats often dragged on too long, usually because melee characters didn't really have multiple attacks.

OTOH, HERO doesn't really have iterative attacks, but in all the decades I've played it, I personally haven't heard anyone complain about their absence in combat.

 

[Jhaelen]

Completely dependent on the system. The real question is: how long should it take at most to completely resolve a character's turn?
In high-level D&D 3e a wizard casting a mass dispel could easily take half an hour to resolve - i.e. definitely too long.
In high-level 13th Age a dragon using its full attack routine (claws/bite/wing flap/tail/breath) will take about 30 seconds, thanks to static damage and the flexible attack roll mechanic.

 

[The Crimson Binome]

It depends entirely on the game. If making an attack is just one die roll, then you could easily accommodate seven in a round without slowing much down, especially if they all went against the same target. If each attack required choosing a new spell or power, with its own secondary effects and attack bonuses, then you really wouldn't want to go over one in a round.

According to some of my acquaintances who are big fans of 4E, the biggest thing that slowed the game to a crawl was everyone using multiple attack powers every round, because of minor action attack powers and reaction attacks.

 

[James Gasik]

And then there are systems where multiple attacks are the devil- slowing everything down to a crawl. I'm looking at you, Celerity (OWOD).

 

[Morrus]

It's the slow player/many attacks combo which is the killer. When you have player who spends 45 seconds shaking the dice before every roll, then kinda stares at it for a minute, and then you multiply that by multiple attacks it can be time to go get lunch while he takes his turn.

 

[Rya.Reisender]

In short, I'd say depends on how often you roll attack and damage (or if at all).

If you just multiply two numbers then I'd say 10.

If you roll attack and damage every time, then 3 is already the maximum.