NPC vs NPC fights : Should I just fake them?

[howandwhy99]

If I'm at the table and the PCs are watching, I roll it out in front of the Players.

If I'm not at the table, I use a computer to roll it out for speed. But I use the standard method.

If I'm at the table and I need to determine who won a combat the PCs did not have any contact with, but the winners/losers matter later in that session? I use simplified combat rolls.

 

[Stogoe]

NPC vs NPC? Nope, no rolls for me. I may randomly roll a die behind the screen, but the number doesn't matter. He does some damage, or not, whatever. If he's fighting the same creature for a while, he'll bloody it or he'll get bloodied. If he's going to do something awesome, I already know what's going to happen and when.

 

[Shroomy]

I feel if the PCs are not directly involved, the DM should do whatever is best for the adventure/campaign. As a player, I wouldn't want to watch the DM play out the combat, and as a DM, I wouldn't want to waste my time or my player's time playing it out.

 

[Grazzt]

NPC on NPC fights with the PC's present - totally by the book. I track hits and hit points. Probably because I do all my die rolls in the open, so, it would be really, really obvious I was chea... fudging.

Now, if the PC's aren't present? NPC X wins. Next.

This, except for the die rolls in the open part (I dont do mine in the open as DM)

 

[Shemeska]

If the PCs aren't involved in a fight, no dice needed.

 

[pawsplay]

If there is the slightest chance of a PC becoming involved, I roll the whole thing.

 

[Hussar]

Heh, it's funny how many of the people in this thread disagree vehemently on certain things yet walk in step on others.

 

[IceFractal]

For fights where the PCs can't intervene, I figure out the results ahead of time (rigorously or not depending on the situation), and then just narrate the action to fit.

For fights where the NPCs are basically doing their own thing, but the PCs have a chance to intervene, what I sometimes do is figure the average damage - including chance to hit - and then apply that each round. So if the NPC knight was fighting an Ogre, and had a 60% chance to hit for 2d4+5 damage, that would be 6 damage/round. Saves on rolling, and the NPC/foe will be at the right HP level if the PCs jump in.

For fights where the NPCs are part of the party, fighting the same foes, I run it fully, although I try to give them fast-to-resolve abilities (one strong attack instead of multiple weaker ones, effects with a big enough area they don't need careful positioning, not many status-effect powers, and so forth).

 

[Baumi]

Just assign each player an NPC and you can have a fight that is fun and interesting for the whole group.

 

[Serendipity]

It really depends on whether or not I think the PCs are going to try to get in on the fight. Obviously if they do, the dice come out.
If not..............
If I have the time (and motivation!) on my hands to do so, I'll dice it out ahead of time, and take some meticulous notes round by round in the event that the PCs do something.
But I don't, so I'll wing it. I might dice out some particularly dramatic bits, but unless the PCs are going to get involved, why slow the game down?