Making Your Game Better

[Janx]

though i like some of the ideas for rules adjustments here, one thing to consider is that changing the rules may or may not "make your game better"

They are more likely to make your game "different" or easier or harder. But that's not necessarily better.

While it is true that some rules do shape how people play the game, causing bad effects, there are also plenty of people playing the RAW with no problem.

Therefore, if you have a problem, look to the people first, then the rules. Otherwise, odds are good, you'll have problems under the new rules as well.


Some of the things I do to make GMing easier:
NPCs have max ranks in whatever I need them to have, to a lmit based on their skills, just as PCs do. Skills seldom come up, so it usually doesn't matter.

If I need a CR5 monster, I look one up that is CR5, I don't take a CR1 and add class levels. Leveled monsters are pretty rare in my games, because they're not worth the work.

I use a random NPC generator and a random gear generator to equip the NPC. I never build them myself. Once again, saves me time because it isn't worth being picky.

For AoO, I allow that if a character has enough movement, they take the safest route to their intended destination. I don't nitpick the exact squares the player picked, just so I can nail them on an AoO. This cuts down on the hemming and hawing.

All the players I play with can handle the complexity on the PC side of things, so I don't tend to worry about it. Instead, I focus on doing what I can to run a good game and make my workload as light as possible.

 

[Mark Chance]

For AoO, I allow that if a character has enough movement, they take the safest route to their intended destination. I don't nitpick the exact squares the player picked, just so I can nail them on an AoO. This cuts down on the hemming and hawing.

Getting rid of them entirely also cuts down on the hemming and hawing.

The number one metagaming offense I see every time I play is square counting prior to acting. This slows the game down and ends up making things look more like checkers than an RPG. (IMO, of course.) I want to eliminate as much square counting as possible. Losing AoO will go a long way toward that goal.

What I've not decided on is how to speed up those square-counting spellcasters. I'm beyond tired of the oh-so-precisely placed fireball that maximizes damage to the monsters while amazingly leaving those front line characters intact.

 

[Voadam]

I'll have to check this one out. I've not read up on it:

I think complete divine has a turning= positive energy damage option, I don't have it though.

Pathfinder beta and pathfinder turn turning into channeling positive energy bursts that heal people, damage undead, and a will save for undead to save or flee. (Final PF splits the save into a turn undead feat that uses a channel energy use).

Trailblazer turns turning into a cone I think where undead must make a save or flee or be destroyed (mindless make weak fort saves while intelligent make strong will saves).

One option is to say people take 10 on turning checks which will eliminate one die roll with extremely minor variability difference. (I used to do this).

Unearthed Arcana has a wierd level check variant

I like the final pathfinder version as it is simple and not an all or nothing effect.

 

[Voadam]

What I've not decided on is how to speed up those square-counting spellcasters. I'm beyond tired of the oh-so-precisely placed fireball that maximizes damage to the monsters while amazingly leaving those front line characters intact.

If you use a grid make a cut out template for the fireball burst. They can then just place it instead of counting.

 

[Janx]

Getting rid of them entirely also cuts down on the hemming and hawing.

The number one metagaming offense I see every time I play is square counting prior to acting. This slows the game down and ends up making things look more like checkers than an RPG. (IMO, of course.) I want to eliminate as much square counting as possible. Losing AoO will go a long way toward that goal.

What I've not decided on is how to speed up those square-counting spellcasters. I'm beyond tired of the oh-so-precisely placed fireball that maximizes damage to the monsters while amazingly leaving those front line characters intact.

I see a couple different elements in what you're saying.

1) by killing AoO, you are also impacting a number of feats/rules that use them. The impact may or may not be small, but if I had those feats, I'd like some compensation..

2) wizards are supposed to be geniuses. Players might not be. one way to simulate that is that the genius wizard has a good sense of the battlefield, and CAN coordinate where he lands his fireball to best effect.

3) would friendly-fire make the game more fun, or would it just introduce inter-party turmoil? it may be more realistic, but friendly-fire usually just makes players angry. I've seen it in RPGs and in FPS games. If I can turn it off or reduce it, the players are usually happier. When you consider that the spell-casters are the only ones saddled with this burden (the other classes can't accidentally friendly-fire), it's putting a lot more weight on a player who already has a heap full of choices (managing what spell to cast is harder than the fighter, who just attackes the nearest foe).

4) a key theme I see in what you're saying is about speed of play. Taking too long to count squares and such. I think these rules changes are a band-aid. Your real problem may be that the players are not acting with a sense of urgency. Basically, taking too long in general. Try some of the ideas from my blog entry on making combat faster.
It may not fully solve your problem either, but I suspect it will help the actual problem directly.

 

[Voadam]

Another way to speed up combat. "You have six seconds to decide what you are doing this round or you are delaying." It worked for me.