Streamlining PC buffing

[Ferox4]

Anyone come up with a mechanic for expiditing this process? It's just so damn cumbersome most times. I had thought about a general 5 round buffing "round," but something tells me that it's not a good idea. Any ideas would be most welcome.

 

[ciaran00]

We don't use memorisation in our game, so it's great to use the extra time to prepare spell rotes for buffing. Since I can usually breeze by the players' actions, unless they change them, the process is somewhat expedited.

Make your players know their buffing combos and their exact benefits in advance.

ciaran

 

[Ferox4]

We don't use memorisation in our game, so it's great to use the extra time to prepare spell rotes for buffing. Since I can usually breeze by the players' actions, unless they change them, the process is somewhat expedited.

Make your players know their buffing combos and their exact benefits in advance.

ciaran

To a point that works for us. However, when the potions and scrolls and non-standard power ups come out it tends to slow down.

It's not that big of a deal - I was just curious if anyone had a similar issue and, more importantly, any solutions. Thanks for your input.

 

[Plane Sailing]

I'm (unsuccessfully) toying around with some ideas on this problem - or what seems to be the same problem - on the house rules board in this thread

http://www.enworld.org/forums/showthread.php?t=75043

Please come and join in!

 

[Liminal Syzygy]

I've asked my players to come up with a buff suite that is SOP with some basic variations so they don't have to argue over who gets barkskin and who gets bull's strength three times a session. I've yet to see if it will work.

 

[Ferox4]

Read the thread, PlaneSailing, and agree with what you're saying with regards to simplifying the game. I don't want to mess with the mechanics of stacking bonuses, per se, but rather, from a game management stance , make it easier on everyone.

To cope with running spells now we have both an initiative scribe (the alternate DM) and a big dry erase board behind the DM with all the PCs names followed by any spells, potions, ability loss, et cetera acting upon them. It works, but it (as you well know) can be a real pain in the ass.

Hmmm.... will wait and see what other replies show up and go from there I suppose.

 

[Ferox4]

I've asked my players to come up with a buff suite that is SOP with some basic variations so they don't have to argue over who gets barkskin and who gets bull's strength three times a session. I've yet to see if it will work.

I am assuming you haven't tried it yet, yes?

 

[Darklone]

We had one evening where all the players (noobs) talked about what they got and what they can give. Afterwards it was a lot faster. And not everyone was angry that he didn't get buffed.

 

[Plane Sailing]

One option would be to have a grid (or spreadsheet ) with PC's along the top and modifiers down the side - a fat column for each PC with four sub-columns each (hit, damage, ac, saves).

The list down the side would include

armour
shield
enhancement
resistance (ST col only)
deflection (AC col only)
luck
morale
size
sacred/profane?
etc.
etc.

This would let you tot things up easily, although you've still got the problem of remembering what the base values are if, for instance, someone with a +1 ring of deflection finds themselves within a magic circle against evil - thus their deflection bonus goes up to 2, but what does it go down to when the spell expires or is dispelled?

Perhaps each sub-column should be divided into two so that normal and temporary modifiers can be tracked... What a pain, eh?

Cheers

 

[Ferox4]

Do you do all this kind of recording yourself while DMing or does someone assist you? I used to try to track these things while Dming, but it became too cumbersome - I dished it to the scribe.

Your idea for the grid/er.....spreadsheet.......... is a good one. More bookkeeping, of course, but potentially handy.