Things your table should do, but doesn't do- The Fun v. Efficiency Thread

[CleverNickName]

We don't scry and teleport.

Yes, we know that it is Teh Awsome!!1

But it is also boring.

Use divination magic to scope out our enemy and its location, then buff ourselves appropriately to handle the environment/enemy/etc., then teleport in when said enemy least expects it, then lather-rinse-repeat? Ehhhh, no thanks. That would take most of the excitement and adventure out of an otherwise exciting adventure. (I think it's why Tolkien didn't just have the Fellowship airdrop the One Ring into Mount Doom from the backs of giant eagles.)

 

[ccs]

My Thur night group doesn't make any attempt to split treasure evenly or assign magic items even logically. If a character finds something? Then that's what they keep.... ???
And they don't use most consumables. It's not that they're hoarding them for that "right moment", it's that once they write them down they rarely think of them again.
They've even done this with some permanent items. ???

As the DM this is not my problem. I not up to me to dictate how the players divide the loot. Or to make them use it. I just find it a strange approach.

 

[iserith]

Along the lines of your "No Pets" rule, we try to keep summons down to a bare minimum. A couple campaigns ago, someone wanted to play a necromancer and the player asked, "How many skeletons and zombies can I have at one time?" My response was "As many as you want until it starts to slow the game down, then they'll just start exploding for no apparent reason."

The other notable rule is Don't Ask a Question if You Can State an Action Instead. Start off with "Can I...?" and you are going to get made fun of. If nothing about the description of the environment suggests that you can't do something, just say you want to do it and what you hope to accomplish. Stop badgering the DM with 20 questions to get pre-approval of your actions. It's not like I'm going to gotcha you so you're just wasting everyone's valuable time.

 

[BookBarbarian]

I try very hard not to rules-lawyer as it does slow things down.

But sometimes I just have to remind the player with the 5th level dual wielding fighter that she gets 3 attacks. Two from the attack action and one as a bonus action.

 

[TwoSix]

We got rid of a lot of bookkeeping minutiae by giving up roleplaying.

Now the game is 100% focused on what really matters: sweet, sweet combat.

 

[CleverNickName]

We got rid of a lot of bookkeeping minutiae by giving up roleplaying.

Now the game is 100% focused on what really matters: sweet, sweet combat.

I think you meant to post this over in the Warhammer forum.

 

[Shiroiken]

Because we play on Roll20, a lot of work for the adventure takes place between sessions. If a decision is made at/near the end of the session, it MUST be adhered to at the start of the new session. This keeps the DM (including me, as we rotate) from having to design and import maps/creatures into the system, only to have it ignored because the players changed their minds (bunch of schizophrenic, rabid gerbils!).

 

[Warpiglet]

We don't talk about roles. There is no preplanning a party. We hear "no evils" and scamper off to make something fun. All fighters? Get ready to stab. All wizards? Sleep em or die!

We just play and we play what we feel like playing! No 'tank' 'healer' 'skill monkey' 'striker' etc. no pregam discussion, no one gets stuck playing a pacifist cleric.

Poor synergy? Then we get our asses kicked. No healer? Guess
We find a safe place to rest...or die.

Also, for the love of the gods, let's not haggle over coppers! I am an adventurer! I get electrum over my eyes when I die at the least! I waste gold pieces as soon as I get back from he dungeon. Handwave buying sacks and torches for the love of everything decent!

 

[lall]

Checking for traps is lame. We rarely do it. My bard will Conjure Woodland Beings for companionship if other options aren't available.

 

[Immortal Sun]

Just thinking that maybe your druid should look at something a little more efficient than throwing cats. After all they aren't very aerodynamic unless they want to be. So a mechanical device of some sort? A catapult perhaps?

My DM said that I could not be a warforged druid transformer.