D&D 5E PbP games: what works and what doesn't?

[FitzTheRuke]

Reactions that reduce damage like Parry work fine. Ones like Auraia's that cause her to teleport away is a real pain. Most of the time, the monster can just move up to her and hit her anyway, but that's really hard to explain to the player who wants to use it to mitigate attacks. And sometimes it would prevent an attack.

 

[tglassy]

The teleport is after the attack, technically. It increases the AC by 4, and then teleports ten ft. If the monster has Multiattack, then they could move and try again, but the +4 is supposed to try to stop the current attack, not necessarily any others.

 

[Ancalagon]

In some cases, a riposte would kill the monster and interrupt the other attacks too...

 

[FitzTheRuke]

Right. Things like that can be a little tricky in PBP. They don't usually cause too much trouble, but they're more of a pain in PBP than they would be F2F.

 

[KahlessNestor]

I put my possible reactions into every post. So, for example, I roll OAs if needed and put them into the spoiler block with the rest of my turn summary. With me EK, I note that I will use Shield or Absorb Elements if needed (and would be effective). A player just needs to think ahead a little.

 

[Radaceus]

I put my possible reactions into every post. So, for example, I roll OAs if needed and put them into the spoiler block with the rest of my turn summary. With me EK, I note that I will use Shield or Absorb Elements if needed (and would be effective). A player just needs to think ahead a little.

I like your action sblock and plan to grift it

 

[FitzTheRuke]

I put my possible reactions into every post. So, for example, I roll OAs if needed and put them into the spoiler block with the rest of my turn summary. With me EK, I note that I will use Shield or Absorb Elements if needed (and would be effective). A player just needs to think ahead a little.

I have to admit, you are a pleasure to DM for, both because your character-work and writing is great, and because your posts are very clear as to what you are doing. Very little extra work.

Speaking of which, one thing worth pointing out: PBP players in general really need to learn do more of their own legwork. The number of times I've had someone cast a spell without letting me know how it works or sometimes even what their character's spell dc is... DMing is a lot of work compared to playing - players should do their best not to ADD to the DM's workload.

 

[KahlessNestor]

I like your action sblock and plan to grift it

Feel free!

 

[KahlessNestor]

I have to admit, you are a pleasure to DM for, both because your character-work and writing is great, and because your posts are very clear as to what you are doing. Very little extra work.

Speaking of which, one thing worth pointing out: PBP players in general really need to learn do more of their own legwork. The number of times I've had someone cast a spell without letting me know how it works or sometimes even what their character's spell dc is... DMing is a lot of work compared to playing - players should do their best not to ADD to the DM's workload.

Thank you. I try to always make a mechanical breakdown of my turn to be clear. Glad it's helpful.

 

[EarlyBird]

I have to admit, you are a pleasure to DM for, both because your character-work and writing is great, and because your posts are very clear as to what you are doing. Very little extra work.

Speaking of which, one thing worth pointing out: PBP players in general really need to learn do more of their own legwork. The number of times I've had someone cast a spell without letting me know how it works or sometimes even what their character's spell dc is... DMing is a lot of work compared to playing - players should do their best not to ADD to the DM's workload.

I would like players to help with the narrative more. It takes time to answer every little question, (some that don't matter at all) when they could just go and wing it themselves. After I post up the room/encounter if they want to find a rock to throw or see if there is an extra empty sack in the storage room, I say go for it instead of asking me if they see one, or could look for one.

In pbp something small like that can add a couple days to things - and others probably want to wait till whoever has posted is done doing what they want to do. If it is fluff or some such go write it up, the DM could always say "As you start to fill the old sack you found the seam rips spilling all the coins across the floor."

Player: "I cast mending."
DM: "Ok, and you spend the next 5 minutes playing 52 coin pick up."
LOL