D&D 5E managing a race against time

[pukunui]

Hi all,

I'm looking for some help managing a time limit. The PCs will have 4 hours (or so) to stop some magic bombs from going off. They have to explore a dungeon in search of these bombs.

I was thinking that when I have them make checks to find things like secret doors or open portcullises or stuck doors or whatever, that I'd let them succeed on a failure but at the cost of time. So maybe it takes them 5 minutes instead of a few seconds, or if they fail by 5 or more, it might even take 10 minutes.

How would I best go about keeping track of time? The PHB talks about using 1 minute rounds to explore dungeons, but I don't think I could really be bothered keeping track of individual minutes.

I suppose I could get a player to do it. Perhaps tell them to start off with 240 minutes and then subtract the minutes as we go? So subtract 10 minutes for a secret door here, one minute for a combat there, sixty minutes for a short rest there, and so on?

How would you handle a session with an in-game time limit?

Thanks in advance!
- Jonathan

 

[Kobold Stew]

With something like this, I'd transfer the characters' time pressure to the players:

do it in one, four-hour session. Tell them as soon as they start "the bombs are going off in four hours, from... now." And start the timer.

(creates the feel of a con game; obviously no rests, etc. to throw off the schedule.).

 

[pukunui]

The problem with that is the game's inclusion of turn-based combat. It can often eat up a huge chunk of real time when it technically only takes a miniscule amount of in-game time.

 

[Kobold Stew]

I understand that.

By the same token, some actions will take less (we proceed 100' down the hallway). My point is that since there isn't actually a bomb involved, you have the opportunity to make the characters feel the pressure in the same way.

 

[DEFCON 1]

Yeah, Kobold Stew is basically saying to give the players the same physical and emotional experience the characters are going through, just not for the exact same things. You're right in that time-wise, things that are really quick "in-game" take much longer played at the table (like combat), and things that get narrated very quickly do not take time into account (like walking say a quarter-mile in a dungeon). Which means you have to really go one of the two ways... either track each in-game minute for each and every action and movement the characters take (which means you'll want to prep charts determining how long activities take per minute, how many squares = a minute of distance walking or dashing, etc.)... or give the players the time-sensitive experience themselves and let the session play out as normal.

The latter is probably easier to accomplish and involves much less tracking... it just might not simulate the actual time experience the characters should have and thus be less specific for your desires. It really is up to you and what you want the players to experience more.

 

[Azurewraith]

I understand that.

By the same token, some actions will take less (we proceed 100' down the hallway). My point is that since there isn't actually a bomb involved, you have the opportunity to make the characters feel the pressure in the same way.

I do like the idea and the it should balance it self out as exploration will be significantly quicker i mean picking a lock on a door could take upwards of 10mins as opposed the the 30seconds in game. The strain combat puts on time may make players come up with some creative ways of ending it quicker or avoiding it all together.

 

[Hawk Diesel]

I agree with Kobold Stew. Combat does eat up a ton of time, and your players should know that. Therefore, it encourages players to work together to avoid combat (be more stealthy, use diplomacy/intimidation) or end combat as quickly as possible (ensuring they use up their biggest power resources sooner).

 

[iserith]

Hi all,

I'm looking for some help managing a time limit. The PCs will have 4 hours (or so) to stop some magic bombs from going off. They have to explore a dungeon in search of these bombs.

I was thinking that when I have them make checks to find things like secret doors or open portcullises or stuck doors or whatever, that I'd let them succeed on a failure but at the cost of time. So maybe it takes them 5 minutes instead of a few seconds, or if they fail by 5 or more, it might even take 10 minutes.

How would I best go about keeping track of time? The PHB talks about using 1 minute rounds to explore dungeons, but I don't think I could really be bothered keeping track of individual minutes.

I suppose I could get a player to do it. Perhaps tell them to start off with 240 minutes and then subtract the minutes as we go? So subtract 10 minutes for a secret door here, one minute for a combat there, sixty minutes for a short rest there, and so on?

How would you handle a session with an in-game time limit?

Thanks in advance!
- Jonathan

Check out my rewrite of the Cragmaw hideout from LMoP. I make an effort to have choice of route and pace be meaningful especially as it relates to the threat meter which is time-based.

 

[Ralif Redhammer]

Using a timer, especially an analog one that goes tick-tock can add a real sense of stress. An hourglass would be really cool, but have fun finding a four hour one!

Another option is, aside from any short rests, is to key it to certain locations in the adventure. So that by the time they get to room 13, it's two hours. If they fall victim to the trapped idol with the gems in its eyes or hit the dead end in the northwest corner, they are docked an extra 30 minutes.

 

[pukunui]

I dunno, guys. I think my group would struggle to succeed in four hours of real play time. I suppose I could increase it to five or six.

I think they would also struggle to make it through the dungeon without at least one short rest, as well. It's a decent-sized, open-ended dungeon with multiple routes to explore. (It's not at all linear.)

I may just end up going with my original idea of having one of the players keep track of time expended when it comes up.