Speed up Combat?

[damniampretty]

Combat takes too long in D&D and the d20 system breaks down into very long math sessions at high levels.

I'm a artist. I hate math. This system clearly is broken, to me anyhow, when it comes to the length of combat. I've read Iron Heroes, it has a system of combat that is brilliant, but still suffers from the same problem.

A 15th level fighter or wizard rolls their dice and adds numbers together, and depending on the player, tells the DM the result with screwing it up or messing up the math angle. I love the role section of D&D, but combat does come up on occasion, so I ask you:

Why put up with this crap?

I have a system, that is still in the theory phase really.

Fixed damage. Get rid of rolling damage. The flavor reasons for it aren't worth the sacrifices made for efficiency.

The idea is simple, any spell or weapon that deals a damage in a dice rolling form, take of the average of it:

1d3=1.5
1d4=2.5
1d6=3.5
1d8=4.5
1d10=5.5
1d12=6.5
2d4=5
2d6=7

This idea sacrifices the radical random element of the die, and instead allows people to have the damage prefigured out on their notes or character sheets- in other words, it becomes like AC. The number is constant and easy to figure. You get a +1 bonus, its easy to figure it out.

And all damage sources would recieve the change, so despite the beauty of it, the 10d6 fireball becomes 35 points of fire damage; Sneak attack becomes a static number as well, which in some cases could create scary characters (Executioners from Iron Heroes for example).


So. Whatcha think? Too much?

[Stan]

While the idea has merit, I think the randomization adds to the excitement and tension. Another option may be a computerized dice roll. It adds on its own so no errors and quick. Just a thought.

[damniampretty]

Computers work too, but in my group computers are hardly ever used, and I see computers (since I work with them alot) as having too many potential errors attached.

The idea I have is meant really to be used at higher levels, like from tenth on where about a dozen die fly into the mix. Such high amounts of rolling takes up time, even on a computer. If its all been preconfigured, then its faster and easier to use.

And thats my real beef, really. That randomization doesn't add that much excitement to a attack, its the DM's description that does.

[vandermore]

I agree that DnD 3.0 and 3.5 are quite math heavy (though there are systems out there that beat it hands down for mathiness), my suggestion? Try a different system.

Look for a system that is more rules light/math light, and then run the same setting in this different system. It can take some work for the GM to do conversions if they are using published materials. Overall, I have found switching to a different system to have increased my enjoyment of the game if I had problems with the old system.

[Festivus]

Here are some things that I do:

1) Roll for initiative at the beginning of the session and at the end of every combat. Delegate sorting of initiative cards to someone at the table who has time. This way the group doesn't know when combat might start, and we dont have to wait to sort the cards. I get the stack and insert monster X and we start.

2) For groups of one type of thing, e.g. a group of kobolds, share the same initiative roll, saving throw rolls, and damage rolls. So if the mage casts burning hands, he rolls once for the group, and I roll one save for the group, and they all take the same damage.

3) 30 second rule... on the second and subsequent rounds of combat, you have 30 seconds to tell me what you are doing or you are delaying automatically. On the first round I make exceptions as generally this is when you are still dealing with the shock that the damn orc wants to fight for the stupid pie.

4) Spell casters announce the saving throw for their spell as they are casting it. Also, we use spell cards which makes determining the spell effects waaay faster, no digging through books.

5) Initiative Cards are prefilled for all players and all creatures they might encounter on an adventure. These cards have all attacks, saves, special abilities, stats, etc, all filled in, making looking stuff up really fast.

6) When I am a player, I have two versions of my character sheet handy. One for my normal status and one for my buffed status (e.g. Mage Armor, Resist Elements, etc)

7) Roll your attack dice and damage dice at the same dang time. Roll sneak and hide together with different color dice.

8) Pre-roll about 100 numbers (using a computer) and cross them off as you use them. I use this for listen checks, very handy as they don't know if something is listening for them or not because they don't see me rolling dice.

There are more I am sure, but really, the biggie is the 30 second rule. If you can get that going and get people realizing that if they don't think fast they delay, they will pick up on it pretty quick.

[vandermore]

Initiative cards can definitely be helpful, and in case you don't know what they are, here is a great example/blank ones for your use.

http://www.thegamemechanics.com/product ... ecards.asp

and blank:
Fantasy - http://www.thegamemechanics.com/freebie ... antasy.zip

Modern - http://www.thegamemechanics.com/freebie ... Modern.zip

Enjoy!

[damniampretty]

Yeah, I like those ideas, most of them I implement myself, especially initiative cards, altho its hard to get <i>other</i> GMs to do it. Most of those ideas I've used and they work great...
But the best one is the 30 second rule. I like that. It forces a player to learn to speed up their thinking and planning- like Chess. Cool.

I was hoping for some ideas, if not a few things shooting me down on my idea. I think fixed damage would work better for a new system I have rattling my head, but no way in hell do I have the time to bother with it. d20 is good and sound I guess.

However, if I find myself at a epic level table, I'm going to heavily suggest the fixed damage rule. A ridiculous amount of math needs some simplication.

[Capt.D]

Most groups that I play with tend to be a little rules lite. Combat usually doesn't involve tracking movement. Unless the PC is trying to cross a great distance in one round we always concentrate more on the actual battle which cuts a lot of time.
The player that want to move tells the GM, the other players take their turns and when it's the first players turn he is where he wants to be.
We also cut out a lot of the other stuff that can interefere with combat. The players, including the GM, want to enjoy the game not spend all night doing math, it's roleplaying not college algebra.
So we tend to throw out a lot of combat rules, we keep the core mechanics(AC, HP, Saving Throws ect..) and get rid of the rest.

[Capt.D]

We have tried the alternate combat where the GM and Player Roll d20 and who ever get highest hits.