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<blockquote data-quote="IronWolf" data-source="post: 5374934" data-attributes="member: 21076">These questions can be difficult to answer without actually seeing the combat in question and how it actually progressed.&nbsp; And what might work well for one table might not work for another.&nbsp; With that said, some thoughts.First, roll your to-hit dice and damage dice together.&nbsp; If a critter has three attacks, roll all three at once, including damage.&nbsp; Try to get your players in this habit as well.&nbsp; It does speed things up if everyone is doing this.Ability score damage can often be figured pretty quickly as well.&nbsp; Using the dexterity damage scenario, simply ask did the dex loss cause the person in question to lose some of their modifier?&nbsp; For example, last night in a combat I ran, the party mage hit one of my baddies for 4 dex damage.&nbsp; I made a quick note that his AC just dropped by 2, his ranged attacks dropped by 2 and his reflex saves by 2.&nbsp; It only took a few seconds to make these notes and keep rolling forward.&nbsp; Regarding the Detect Thoughts, even that shouldn't slow things down too much even though it doesn't seem the most optimal move.&nbsp; First the spell requires concentration to keep it going.&nbsp; So if someone attacks him there is a chance the spell is disrupted.&nbsp; Even if done from a safe spot where he avoids combat the first round is simply does he sense thoughts in the area, easy answer - yes.&nbsp; Second round is number of thinking minds, another easy answer.&nbsp; And then, if the third round is reached, surface thoughts of one of the minds - which should be pretty easy to come up with on the fly.&nbsp; So, while an unusual thing to do, I don't see it as taking an unusually long time to make rulings on.I don't see terrain as taking a terrible toll on the length of combat either.&nbsp; Even in unhampered terrain people are apt to need to re-position themselves and such.Again, it is sort of hard to comment without actually seeing the combat in action, so take the above with the grain of salt.</blockquote>

[QUOTE="IronWolf, post: 5374934, member: 21076"] These questions can be difficult to answer without actually seeing the combat in question and how it actually progressed. And what might work well for one table might not work for another. With that said, some thoughts. First, roll your to-hit dice and damage dice together. If a critter has three attacks, roll all three at once, including damage. Try to get your players in this habit as well. It does speed things up if everyone is doing this. Ability score damage can often be figured pretty quickly as well. Using the dexterity damage scenario, simply ask did the dex loss cause the person in question to lose some of their modifier? For example, last night in a combat I ran, the party mage hit one of my baddies for 4 dex damage. I made a quick note that his AC just dropped by 2, his ranged attacks dropped by 2 and his reflex saves by 2. It only took a few seconds to make these notes and keep rolling forward. Regarding the Detect Thoughts, even that shouldn't slow things down too much even though it doesn't seem the most optimal move. First the spell requires concentration to keep it going. So if someone attacks him there is a chance the spell is disrupted. Even if done from a safe spot where he avoids combat the first round is simply does he sense thoughts in the area, easy answer - yes. Second round is number of thinking minds, another easy answer. And then, if the third round is reached, surface thoughts of one of the minds - which should be pretty easy to come up with on the fly. So, while an unusual thing to do, I don't see it as taking an unusually long time to make rulings on. I don't see terrain as taking a terrible toll on the length of combat either. Even in unhampered terrain people are apt to need to re-position themselves and such. Again, it is sort of hard to comment without actually seeing the combat in action, so take the above with the grain of salt. [/QUOTE]

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