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Message: <blockquote data-quote="T. Foster" data-source="post: 2970680" data-attributes="member: 16574">It's easier to remember to check for wandering monsters (and also cuts down on player metagaming: "we don't have to worry about a wandering monster because this is an odd-numbered turn") if you make the check every turn -- so instead of a wandering monster occuring 1 in 6 checked every other turn (the default in Classic D&D) one occurs 1 in 12 checked every turn; or instead of 1 in 6 checked every 3rd turn (the default in AD&D1) roll 2d6 every turn with a wandering monster occuring on a 2 or 12 (which equates to 2 in 36 = 1 in 18; if you're not a stickler for probability you could also roll 1 in 20). As for timekeeping in general, it helps to keep things straight if you explicitly emphasize the turn-based nature of exploration in D&D: establish a turn-by-turn procedure and follow it the same way as the round-by-round procedure in combat -- a character can move x distance or perform y other activity in the course of a single turn; think specifically in terms of turns, not freeform actions. Each turn ask each player what is intended action is (or, if you've got a particularly large group, ask a single party spokesperson ("caller") what everyone's actions are), resolve those actions (or as much of those actions as can be resolved within the turn -- if the character is moving towards a door 120' away and has a move rate of 90'/turn don't move him all the way to the door, only move him 90'; he'll have to close the remaining 30' in his next turn), mark off one turn on the turn-tally, resolve turn-based durations (for spells, light sources, required rest periods, etc. -- keep a list of these under the turn tally: "torch lit turn 3 (expires turn 9)," etc.), check for wandering monsters, and return to step one for the next turn.Players who are used to a looser, more freeform style might rankle at this more mechanical procedure at first, claiming it spoils their immersion, but once they've gotten used to it they'll probably come to appreciate the way it keeps things more tactically focused and actually streamlines play.</blockquote>

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