When PCs Talk: Free, swift, move action?

[Wisdom Penalty]

Hiya -

In the games I run, and the games I play in, we don't allow players to speak aloud in-character unless it is their turn. This does not follow the RAW, which indicates that speaking in-character is a free action and thus can be done at any time. The reasons we don't allow it are manifold, but the main one is simply because we find it adds an element of coordination and anxiety to the game: players must plan better on their turn, think ahead, and suggest/request any moves during that window of opportunity. (It also prevents certain players from "playing" another guy's character but constantly "suggesting" certain moves. We don't have this problem, but I suspect some groups could.)

At any rate, I was wondering if our method is in the minority. Can players at your table speak in-character at any time in a combat round? Do you like that method? Have you tried both?

There's also the smaller question of how much of an action to "charge" for speaking. A few words certainly is a free action. What about a sentence or two? Swift action, move action? When does it kick into a standard action - or does it not do that? Do you follow the "6 second" round timeline and allow someone to talk, so long as it doesn't go beyond 6 seconds of real time?

Just curious.

W.P.

 

[Thornir Alekeg]

Never did that. The game moves sequentially in six-second increments, but real life does not, so I don't make the players talk only in sequence in six-second bursts. I will draw the line if a player decides to have their character deliver a speech, but otherwise I don't concern myself with it.

 

[Wisdom Penalty]

Never did that. The game moves sequentially in six-second increments, but real life does not, so I don't make the players talk only in sequence in six-second bursts. I will draw the line if a player decides to have their character deliver a speech, but otherwise I don't concern myself with it.

Right. We don't hold any 6 second standard, either. But do you allow your players to talk out of turn?

 

[JustaPlayer]

Right. We don't hold any 6 second standard, either. But do you allow your players to talk out of turn?

What he said was "Yes they can speak out of turn" because in real life there is no such thing as "turns". You often run into instances when multiple friends are talking about different things at the same time so why shouldn't people talk as they notice what is happening on the field of battle.

Imagine the point guard on a basketball team giving instructions to the players. The other players don't stop acting because the point guard is talking.

 

[Wisdom Penalty]

So does that cause any issues? Is it a fun sponge?

I guess what I'm getting at here is: If other groups largely let players speak out of turn, does that introduce problems into the game in terms of player/GM enjoyment?

I envision a player, new to the game, who's wondering which spell to cast...and then we have Dave the oD&D Veteran who tells him explicitly what spell to cast and where to cast it.

Better tactic? Probably. But - ultimately - that wouldn't be fun for anyone around the table.

Even a group of experienced gamers, does it hinder enjoyment if you know - as a player - you have five other eyes watching your move and, if you screw something up - they'll be sure to tell you...ergo, you need not overly worry about your action?

 

[el-remmen]

I just started a thread last week that touches on this issue:

http://www.enworld.org/showthread.php?t=221819

In the games I run you can speak as a free action on your own turn only. I say "free" and not swift because in theory you can speak more than once on your turn within reason (as the "within reason" is part of the RAW rule on free actions).

As I wrote in my thread, I find it makes the comabts much more dynamic, dramatic and chaotic fun. . .

 

[JustaPlayer]

Well, just remember a round of combat is suppose to take place over a course of six seconds. Just allow the characters to each try to convey something as long as the time doesn't take more than the six seconds.

If multiple characters say different stuff allow that. Two people talking to each other (p1. Hi, I'm bob. P2. Hey bob what's up?) shouldn't take more than six seconds either.

Just remember all action is pretty much happening at the same time in a round. Initiative order in a round represents starting just a split second over the next guys. In other words, it wouldn't be too noticeable in real life.

 

[JustKim]

After Magic Item Compendium and the second wave of Complete books, swift actions all but replaced the previous free actions available to characters. IIRC things like Quicken Spell were also retconned as swift actions. In 3.5.2, swift/immediate actions are the single extra action you get in a round, probably at significant investment.

I think it's way too harsh to make speaking a swift action. It may make sense that speaking requires the same amount of attention as one of these reflexive actions, but the situation where saying a few words in combat would compete with recovering your maneuvers, casting a quickened spell, or using an emergency ability is going to feel pretty forced.

I would consider move actions to be somewhere below standard and swift actions, but they're not as disposable for melee characters. Making speech a move action means that spellcasters can hover in the back yakking on end while the front line fighters will never get a word in because they're moving from foe to foe, or attacking more than once. Again, it's believable, but it isn't really fair.

I find talking at all in combat hurts the suspension of disbelief for the 6 second round. If one person talks for 6 seconds, even during their turn, and when the next person's turn comes up they want to speak as well, we have had 12 seconds of dialog during 6 seconds. So I'd rather there was not a lot of dialog going on during a round, but usually there is and I'm as guilty of it as anyone.

 

[Mallus]

Players in my campaign speak in-and-out of character whenever the mood strikes them, often with hilarious results. I find this adds an element of hilarity to the game.

As for over-coordinating their battle strategies; never been a problem. My players get a lot of enjoyment out of "roleplaying during combat". They usually do "what their character would", without a lot of regard for objective tactical advantage.

 

[Tewligan]

I envision a player, new to the game, who's wondering which spell to cast...and then we have Dave the oD&D Veteran who tells him explicitly what spell to cast and where to cast it.

Better tactic? Probably. But - ultimately - that wouldn't be fun for anyone around the table.

I think the problem there is more one of Dave being a dick rather than one of "allowing" players to speak out of turn. Honestly, being restricted to speaking in character only when it's my turn would probably be a deal-breaker for me in terms of playing with such a group - whether intentional or not, it would come across to me as the DM being kind of a control freak.