In 8 hours of gaming...

[Vhane]

In 8 hours of gaming how much time does your group spend trying to figure out the rules? This can be either through arguing or through the GM and at least two players reading through the books in vain.

We've been playing 3e for a couple of years now (since just after the release of the PHB). And I dont think theres been a session yet where we didn't lose an hour or two. I kinda miss 2e most times we play, most of the time there were no rules for most things and you made up what you needed. 3e has some fairly sensitive balance issues and making up rules invariably bites one latter.

By the way I'm in the campaign that has generated a 5 page discussion on whether its physicaly possible to break a stone wall with a hammer. Five gamers with five oppinions, all being a touch argumenitive, add a dash of ego and some skill at debate... equals nightmare.

 

[Piratecat]

Ugh. For us, in 8 hours of gaming, it's 5-10 minutes.

 

[durath]

Come on Vhane, only one hour? Don't you think that is a bit of a conservative estimate?

 

[Vhane]

How do you keep it to only 5 or 10 minuets per session? What is your secret?

 

[hong]

Ugh. For us, in 8 hours of gaming, it's 5-10 minutes.

You spend 5-10 minutes of gaming and (8 hours less 5-10 minutes) arguing about the rules?

Yoicks!

 

[Breakstone]

I'm the same as Piratecat. Usually only 5-10 minutes are used looking up rules (we really never argue over them- we got rid of the ones who did).

If we don't find the rule in a few minutes, I just make a quick house rules about it, then look it up later.

 

[JoeGKushner]

Very little time is spend arguing about the rules in my game because (are you ready) I'm the GM damnit! No, seriously. If something threatens to take more than 10 minutes away from the game to look up, I'll make a rule call, announce that the game is going on and that we can look up an official answer after the game but that doesn't mean the past is going to change to reflect the actual ruling. Sometimes it sounds unfair, but it keeps the game rolling.

 

[Mistwell]

I fully agree with the other opinions in this thread. Take back control of your game! Rule 0 of the game is that the DM makes ALL the rules. Don't worry too much about the rules. Discuss things for a couple of minutes, but if it turns into a raging debate, just decide for yourself, enforce it on the players, and if they don't like it, make them pay!

 

[Volaran]

I must admit that this is a point of frustration with me. Several of the people in our group are new to the game, but several are veterans of the last year and a half campaign and all own at least the PHB.

There is at least an hours worth of moments in every session when the players or DM ask me what a rule is instead of looking it up, or remembering it. I know I invite it by reminding the DM and others about things (example being that critical hits don't affect undead), but I'd really appreciate it if someone else bothered to look at their PHB once in a while.

Sorry, thus ends my venting.

 

[Isida KepTukari]

I don't think we spend much more than 5-10 minutes either. I'm the resident rules-lawyer. Or rather, I'm the one with page numbers (or at least page positions) memorized. As something, I can look it up in seconds. I'm the GM's gopher!