What do you do to simplify or speed up your D&D/d20 game?
- Thread starter Starman
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EricNoah
Adventurer
Time and labor-saving things I do:
Creature and character stats using eTools. This route isn't for everyone but it works for me.
Spells for major spellcasters pre-calculated using a spell spreadsheet. And I ask players to have spellsheets too -- they don't have to do math or calculate DCs on the fly, saves a ton of time.
Initiative using initiative cards -- very quick, easy to do.
Creature and character stats using eTools. This route isn't for everyone but it works for me.
Spells for major spellcasters pre-calculated using a spell spreadsheet. And I ask players to have spellsheets too -- they don't have to do math or calculate DCs on the fly, saves a ton of time.
Initiative using initiative cards -- very quick, easy to do.
Someone
Adventurer
You´ll save a while lot of time if a player keeps track of initiative and spell durations (maybe using cards) and another of hit points dealt to monsters.
Also, I found that making them roll all the attacks and then roll and count the damage is better than roll damage and to hit at once. For example, if the party´s paladin is attacking three times with his holy mace (damage 1d8+10+2d6), then the player rolls all three attacks (say, +21/+16/+11), you announce the number of hits (two, for example) and then roll together 2d8+4d6+20. Of course, that doesn´t work when the character can kill the opponent with one of two hits; then you roll one by one, but those cases are not too frequent.
Also, I found that making them roll all the attacks and then roll and count the damage is better than roll damage and to hit at once. For example, if the party´s paladin is attacking three times with his holy mace (damage 1d8+10+2d6), then the player rolls all three attacks (say, +21/+16/+11), you announce the number of hits (two, for example) and then roll together 2d8+4d6+20. Of course, that doesn´t work when the character can kill the opponent with one of two hits; then you roll one by one, but those cases are not too frequent.
Philip
Explorer
Roll first, then calculate if neccessary. Roll first, then calculate if neccessary. Roll first, the calculate if neccessary. Adding and subtracting modifiers usually takes up the most time in the groups I play with. But often there is no need to calculate the final number. If a player with a Fighter PC rolls anywhere from 15 and up on his d20 he normally doesn't check if he hits, he assumes he does. In the rare cases that creatures have insane AC's, only then the DM will ask 'what AC are you hitting exactly?'
There is a strong tendency amongst almost everyone I play with the first establish their total modifier on any roll before they toss the die. "Let's see, I got +1 from haste, +1 from prayer, +2 from the bard's song, +2 from charge, -4 from power attack, +2 from flanking..." etc. etc. after a minute of calculating comes to the appropriate total and then proceeds to roll a 1. Go figure.... I often find myself repeatedly saying "roll, roll, roll!" in each combat, or even with skill checks.
I don't know about the proposed whiteboard and 'write-it-on-the-mat' methods. In most low level games we hardly ever need to write something down, because they amount of modifiers are so few. In high level games the situations are often much too complicated to do so.
Not every enemy may have been in range when a debuff is cast, nor will every player be in range for a buff. Some enemies are neutral, and are not affected by the circle against evil, while some PCs already have resistance and/or deflection bonusses, and so get none or partial effects. Some buffs may be dispelled on one PC, but not on another. They have to remember the amount of power attack penalty they took on their last attack when an attack of opportunity comes around, which may wel be 10 minutes of real time after the PC's action. The list goes on and on.
The worst offender here is Prayer. It gives just way too many modifiers to way too many targets. I have rarely been in an encounter without something saying 'Heh, did you include the modifier from the Prayer?'
There is a strong tendency amongst almost everyone I play with the first establish their total modifier on any roll before they toss the die. "Let's see, I got +1 from haste, +1 from prayer, +2 from the bard's song, +2 from charge, -4 from power attack, +2 from flanking..." etc. etc. after a minute of calculating comes to the appropriate total and then proceeds to roll a 1. Go figure.... I often find myself repeatedly saying "roll, roll, roll!" in each combat, or even with skill checks.
I don't know about the proposed whiteboard and 'write-it-on-the-mat' methods. In most low level games we hardly ever need to write something down, because they amount of modifiers are so few. In high level games the situations are often much too complicated to do so.
Not every enemy may have been in range when a debuff is cast, nor will every player be in range for a buff. Some enemies are neutral, and are not affected by the circle against evil, while some PCs already have resistance and/or deflection bonusses, and so get none or partial effects. Some buffs may be dispelled on one PC, but not on another. They have to remember the amount of power attack penalty they took on their last attack when an attack of opportunity comes around, which may wel be 10 minutes of real time after the PC's action. The list goes on and on.
The worst offender here is Prayer. It gives just way too many modifiers to way too many targets. I have rarely been in an encounter without something saying 'Heh, did you include the modifier from the Prayer?'
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