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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Markn" data-source="post: 5096079" data-attributes="member: 21827">BrainstormI run a group of 6.  I couldn't imagine going beyond that number.  Here are a couple of ideas that may speed up combat that we do and works pretty well.  1 - eriktheguy suggested average damage.  Do it!  I can not stress this enough.  Have both sides do average damage.  If a PC has a power that does 2d4+10 then they do 15 damage.  This eliminates a LOT of dice rolling.  Our group was leary of trying this as rolling damage was fun but after just one session EVERYONE was totally on baord.  For monsters, they do average damage but when you roll to hit, also roll a d6 with it.  If you successfully hit on a even number on the d20, then add the d6 to the average damage the monster rolls.  If the d20 roll hits on an odd number, then subtract that d6.  This keeps players from playing the numbers game and keeps things unknown for the PCs.  The PCs don't need to do this because they have a number of powers and effects so they aren't likely to do the same thing round after round.2 - We have given monsters 75% HPs and added half level damage to their hits.  This seems to work well and speeds fights up as well.  You can play with the numbers to suit your group.  Our group has 2 leaders and I absolutely feel this is necessary for a 2 leader group to make a fight challenging.  If you have less, you may need to do less damage boosting.3 - It is incredibly bad to up monster levels.  In fact, along with stuff mentioned above, almost all monsters are leveled to equal the PCs level with the occaisional exception.  Higher level creatures means more misses, means more rounds, means likely getting to at will more often which are usually less damage and this just prolongs the fight.  So keep creatures at or near the PCs level.One other thing I will point out is this - larger groups have more combatants on both sides.  If you have 7 PCs, then on average you will have 7 monsters.  That means 14 people (PCs and monsters) need to go before you get back to your turn.  With a 4 person party, only 8 people go before your turn.  Now add up the time it takes for each person and that simply is why fights take so long.  Now include interrupts, reactions, OAs that interrupt the normal flow of a turn by 14 individuals and it becomes obvious that this is the single biggest reason fights take longer.  The only thing that speeds up the round is by speeding up the turn - that includes power selection, dice rolling, player/DM being ready to act and so on.  You simply can only cut down a turn by so much.  After that its basically impossible to make it faster.  I'm not sure if you have every tried a 4 person session - if not do it.  You'll see that players/DM takes the same amount of time but the round is quicker because there is less participants.Hope this helps and good luck!</blockquote>

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