How to Make D&D Accessible to the Non-Mathematically Inclined?

[Edheldur]

For DMs who have players in their group who are non-mathmatically inclined, do you find that it's the number of modifiers that come into play that's causing the problem or simply an inablilty to do the actual math?

IME, it's the number of modifiers and the stacking/overlapping nature of them.

 

[Hadrian]

I'll also go with the suggestion of creating 'cheat sheets' with calculations already laid out for the character in a clear table/matrix.

Now for those things where that wouldn't work (Such as spell damage, healing, etc) I would ask the other players if they wouldn't mind helping out with adding dice together, and that sort of thing.

But most importantly, you need to talk with the player who's having the problem and ask how they feel about the situation, and what they'd be most comfortable doing. If they're fine with other players helping, maybe get everyone in on the act and you might just get solution that works really well for everyone.

 

[Feldspar]

I can do math - but when you're enlarged, raging, bull's strengthed, etc, etc it can become a bit of a problem if you're adding up everything every round. Not to mention that on the fly it can be easy to forget things like the fact that if you're enlarged, you're reflex save is going to be one worse than usual due to the dex penalty.

It doesn't entirely solves it, but I give my players copies of some PDF I found HERE that tries to break down bonuses to different things. At least, it helped one player of mine who was always confused about what stacks with what.

I use this worksheet, created by the Mad Irishman. Its a different approach then the one you linked, effect vs bonus type, which may work better for certain people or situations.

I actually use the 'Effect 1' column to keep track of the current running sum, changing it whenever an effect is added or removed. For my character, I've inked in all the +/-'s relevant for Enlarge Person in the column for Effect 2 and for Barbarian Rage in Effect 3; They're not always in effect, but they are common enough to just leave there so that its all there when. After that, I just pencil in all new effects (that last more than one round, I won't bother with bookkeeping a flanking bonus this way) and add those bonuses back into column one.

 

[Peni Griffin]

Nor, apparently, decline an adverb. ;-)

Agh! I can, but that's the dreaded typo, and since I'm at work I didn't proofread properly in my haste to hit submit and tab to a legal screen as I heard someone coming up behind me.

This is why I don't post to correct people even when they do egregious things like using the wrong words (rouge for rogue, prevaricate for procrastinate, reign for rein, gunsel for thug-with-a-gun), misuse of apostrophes and other pronunciation, mad misspellings, etc. Nobody does everything perfectly every time, nobody likes to be corrected, and anybody who is corrected will be hot to pounce upon the imperfections of those who correct them.

And when I say nobody, I mean nobody. I once had an 11-year-old write to me to point out an error in a book which I, the editor, the copyeditor, and multiple proofreaders had all missed. All we can do is the best we can do and it's a better use of our time to watch out for the beams in our own eyes than seeking out the motes in others. That's in language, math, morals, or gaming!

 

[Pielorinho]

This is why I don't post to correct people even when they do egregious things like using the wrong words (rouge for rogue, prevaricate for procrastinate, reign for rein, gunsel for thug-with-a-gun), misuse of apostrophes and other pronunciation, mad misspellings, etc. Nobody does everything perfectly every time, nobody likes to be corrected, and anybody who is corrected will be hot to pounce upon the imperfections of those who correct them.

Lovely post, but gunsel does mean "thug with a gun." I know there's another meaning that's similar to "catamite," but that meaning is practially archaic now.

Daniel

 

[Flexor the Mighty!]

It's been stated more than a few times already, but I'm curious...

For DMs who have players in their group who are non-mathmatically inclined, do you find that it's the number of modifiers that come into play that's causing the problem or simply an inablilty to do the actual math?

Number of mods.

 

[Sir Elton]

I find that people are more afraid of math than they are of the fun stuff. Advanced d20 Magic contains the best magic system EVER for D&D 3.x (although the Elements of Magic folks might disagree). Besides having a system that works like the Soveriegn Stone d20 system; the folks at GoO made Dynamic Spellcasting with a lot more mathematical math modifiers.

A lot of people complain about the new system as being math intensive and slows down play. I'm flabberghasted that they'd do that. These are people who go to college and work with number problems every day! D&D (or any other Roleplaying Game) does not use higher math than algebra.

It is embarrassing to lose arithemetic skills when you are trained in higher mathematics. Its also embarrassing when there are people in 3rd world countries who use Higher math than Differential Calculus.

Dungeons and Dragons helps people work with their arithemetic. To help mathematically challenged players to get up to speed, however, Sudoku and other games like it can help improve their math skills. IT also doesn't hurt to take a refresher course once in a while as a community education.

here's a simple series of Modifiers:
Maximized Fireball cast by a 7th level sorcerer. DC 31.

-16+5+5+5+3+7=25-16= +9

 

[Merkuri]

To help mathematically challenged players to get up to speed, however, Sudoku and other games like it can help improve their math skills.

Sudoku doesn't actually require math skills. It could just as easily be played with letters or symbols instead of numbers. Kakuro, on the other hand, has plenty of simple math (addition and subtraction) involved.

 

[Edheldur]

I use this worksheet, created by the Mad Irishman. Its a different approach then the one you linked, effect vs bonus type, which may work better for certain people or situations.

Nice one! I didn't knew about it, but it seems really useful too (and adds more options for my players).

 

[TarionzCousin]

And when I say nobody, I mean nobody. I once had an 11-year-old write to me to point out an error in a book which I, the editor, the copyeditor, and multiple proofreaders had all missed. All we can do is the best we can do and it's a better use of our time to watch out for the beams in our own eyes than seeking out the motes in others. That's in language, math, morals, or gaming!

Good post! I wholeheartedly agree. I've worked as an editor and copy editor. Everybody makes mistakes and typos.

On another note, for me it's the modifiers, not the math.