Mine have a 6 second rule. Hit 6 seconds when it is your turn to do something and you did not say exactly what you were going to do and your character does nothing at all.
Gets them motivated to be ready.
I used to have everyone say what their character was going to do in the next round and then have them roll for individual initiative. Made for some interesting actions...
That cannot possibly work. How is a spellcaster going to decide what spell to cast, where to put it, and relay that information to the DM in 6 seconds?
I run several groups each week and one of the most common challenges is the amount of dead air that exists when players get to their turn and have to make a choice or take an action. You can literally count the minutes tick by. I think a lot has to do with the mindset that " If it inst my turn I don't have to pay attention"
I have thought about putting timers on PC actions and even tried to cycle through everyone and circle back to the indecisive players....
any ideas
I find this to be the case in most Homebrews. If Players don't have enough reasons to use their skills/powers, then they are going to be indecisive when the time comes. Combat being the worse, but also stuff like when to use Charm or Friend.
I tend to have groups in the 6-7 PCs range (I once ran a campaign for 14). I have always done the "person X's turn, but Y is up next followed by Z so be ready". Half the group takes the hint, and is ready to go on their turn.
The other half play at the speed of sloths. The ones that despite being told several initiative numbers in advance that their turn is approaching, despite my saying at EVERY game that people need to be ready when their turn comes up by planning their actions while others are taking their turns, despite my modelling the behavior even with the bad guys - you still get the players who take 3 minutes to decide what to do, then another minute to look up the ability, and another minute to make the roll (it seems).
Everyone else at the table knows what "that" person is going to end up doing, it is the same thing they always end up doing, it is the only thing they built their character to do... yet... it takes them 3 minutes to decide to do it. Every, single, turn.
I rarely take more than 30 seconds to take a turn, and I also include dialogue and flourishes (Action, Move, Bonus Action, Free Interact + dialogue) - but some people drive me nuts by how long they take.
If someone actually invents a potion of haste, I want to hand it out at my table. I just turned someone down who wanted to join the upcoming campaign, because it would bring the player count to 8. I just can't see my group being fast enough to make 8 work.
They decide what to do by paying attention as events go on. The "relaying that information to the DM in 6 seconds" is what the 6 seconds are for, their decision is on their time, not the rest of the players.
In about 40 years as a DM I never had to pull the 6 second rule on bypassing a player more than twice on any player.
Folks waited on a list to get into my campaigns because of the level of play.
In latter year, and doing COVID, the same system worked just fine online, it just took more prep on my part.
I've seen tables where players are playing with their phones or reading a book and then hold up the table when it’s their turn, but never at my table.
Other players would refuse to tell an inattentive player what they had missed when distracted...and 6 seconds went by along with their turn.
If a play starts explaining during the 6 seconds his time is extended if it’s complicated. "I attack with my sword" goes to "I attack with my sword aiming for the side the arrow hit where the armor is weakened and sidestep so the other fighter can also hit there on his turn" and so on. But 6 seconds of silence with only "Oh, is my turn?" while they put down their remote is not going to work.
You must tell the players up front this is party time when they sit down at your table or log into your session. If they can't do that and value their other activity more than the other members of the party just cut them loose.
In the end it's about respect and consideration for the other players who came to game.
One of my players in my in-person game just takes ages to take his turn. He's engaged the entire time, he's trying, he just needs a lot of time to process and respond to things in the mechanical side of the game. I can't demand anything more of him so I just try to be patient.
If I get the sense they're just messing about and that's spilling out into he game, then I'm not afraid to start skipping turns etc when the turn gets dragged out, nor should you be. Just be clear up front - you expect focus and if turns are taking longer than so long, then they lose it. Give a few suggestions on how to speed things up, like prepping turns. Just make sure that people like the guy I mentioned understand that it's not directed or including them. Also be forgiving - I've had turns ready and prepped and would take seconds to actually do my turn, then something's happened that threw my idea out the window. I've had to completely redo my turn, and sometimes that can take time (especially if you have a large number of spells or complex abilities to account for).
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If you're not willing or able to to discuss in good faith, then don't be surprised if I don't respond, there are better things in life for me to do than humour you. This signature is that response.
I tend to have groups in the 6-7 PCs range (I once ran a campaign for 14). I have always done the "person X's turn, but Y is up next followed by Z so be ready". Half the group takes the hint, and is ready to go on their turn.
The other half play at the speed of sloths. The ones that despite being told several initiative numbers in advance that their turn is approaching, despite my saying at EVERY game that people need to be ready when their turn comes up by planning their actions while others are taking their turns, despite my modelling the behavior even with the bad guys - you still get the players who take 3 minutes to decide what to do, then another minute to look up the ability, and another minute to make the roll (it seems).
Everyone else at the table knows what "that" person is going to end up doing, it is the same thing they always end up doing, it is the only thing they built their character to do... yet... it takes them 3 minutes to decide to do it. Every, single, turn.
I rarely take more than 30 seconds to take a turn, and I also include dialogue and flourishes (Action, Move, Bonus Action, Free Interact + dialogue) - but some people drive me nuts by how long they take.
If someone actually invents a potion of haste, I want to hand it out at my table. I just turned someone down who wanted to join the upcoming campaign, because it would bring the player count to 8. I just can't see my group being fast enough to make 8 work.
Potions of Haste already exist. It's called methamphetamine.
You should remind players who is up next in the initiative order, even if there's a tracker on-screen. That helps get them thinking what they want to do. Remind your players that if they're at the (virtual) table, they're supposed to be paying attention to the game, not other distractions. (Looking up spells or their character sheet on their phone counts as paying attention to the game.)
That said, it's not always easy, because even if a player knows what they want to do, events on the field can change their plan. Allies can get knocked out, bad guys can spread apart from what was a nice cluster, line of sight can be lost on a target, unexpected enemies appear, and so on.
All I can suggest is remind players to pay attention, but give them a little slack if the situation changes notably.
Analysis paralysis is a real thing and retailer spend a tremendous amount of time considering how many different items to offer of similar products. Most of the problem is with D&D itself, and specifically 2024 (and 5.0). To many choices, to many strategy changes, and to many actions per turn. I suggested WotC remove the bonus action from the new edition, but instead it appears they have offered up even more ways to use it. I suggested fewer spells, and having them scale so casters already know how the spells work, they just need to decide what level to cast.
Solutions:
1. Let the combats drag on and on. If everyone is having fun, no need to break things.
2. Make combat easier (halve HP), or more deadly (double monster damage). Either means fewer rounds.
3. Homebrew monsters that cause saving throws instead of making attack roles. This keeps the players engaged throughout the combat round because they are rolling dice.
4. Privately ask the problem player if he would be interested in playing a different character. Offer up powerful magic items or homebrew feats, so they can play a very simple character that keeps up with the crazy multiclass power gamer builds but does the same thing every round with only rare exceptions. If all you have is a hammer, everything looks like a nail.
5. Split the party. No seriously, split the party in half. Have them play on different days or times. Instead of running 6 players for 6 hours, run three players for 3 hours, then the other three for the other three hours.
Sometimes I even give players simplified characters with rare exceptions so they can act quickly without losing interest.
By paying attention when it isn't their turn. That said, six seconds is a bit too fast IMO.
I mean, it's how long your character has. Sure, you'll make more mistakes than you would if you had more time, but making mistakes in combat is realistic. Of course, the reasonableness of the 6s round in D&D is rather debatable -- realistic combat tends to involve long periods of waiting and evaluating mixed with bursts of extreme activity, which is pretty hard to emulate in a turn-based RPG because everyone will get bored when they spend ten turns doing nothing but circling and evaluating the enemy.
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That cannot possibly work. How is a spellcaster going to decide what spell to cast, where to put it, and relay that information to the DM in 6 seconds?
I find this to be the case in most Homebrews. If Players don't have enough reasons to use their skills/powers, then they are going to be indecisive when the time comes. Combat being the worse, but also stuff like when to use Charm or Friend.
By paying attention when it isn't their turn.
That said, six seconds is a bit too fast IMO.
Sometimes there just isn't much you can do.
I tend to have groups in the 6-7 PCs range (I once ran a campaign for 14). I have always done the "person X's turn, but Y is up next followed by Z so be ready". Half the group takes the hint, and is ready to go on their turn.
The other half play at the speed of sloths. The ones that despite being told several initiative numbers in advance that their turn is approaching, despite my saying at EVERY game that people need to be ready when their turn comes up by planning their actions while others are taking their turns, despite my modelling the behavior even with the bad guys - you still get the players who take 3 minutes to decide what to do, then another minute to look up the ability, and another minute to make the roll (it seems).
Everyone else at the table knows what "that" person is going to end up doing, it is the same thing they always end up doing, it is the only thing they built their character to do... yet... it takes them 3 minutes to decide to do it. Every, single, turn.
I rarely take more than 30 seconds to take a turn, and I also include dialogue and flourishes (Action, Move, Bonus Action, Free Interact + dialogue) - but some people drive me nuts by how long they take.
If someone actually invents a potion of haste, I want to hand it out at my table. I just turned someone down who wanted to join the upcoming campaign, because it would bring the player count to 8. I just can't see my group being fast enough to make 8 work.
Playing D&D since 1982
Have played every version of the game since Basic (original Red Box Set), except that abomination sometimes called 4e.
They decide what to do by paying attention as events go on. The "relaying that information to the DM in 6 seconds" is what the 6 seconds are for, their decision is on their time, not the rest of the players.
In about 40 years as a DM I never had to pull the 6 second rule on bypassing a player more than twice on any player.
Folks waited on a list to get into my campaigns because of the level of play.
In latter year, and doing COVID, the same system worked just fine online, it just took more prep on my part.
I've seen tables where players are playing with their phones or reading a book and then hold up the table when it’s their turn, but never at my table.
Other players would refuse to tell an inattentive player what they had missed when distracted...and 6 seconds went by along with their turn.
If a play starts explaining during the 6 seconds his time is extended if it’s complicated. "I attack with my sword" goes to "I attack with my sword aiming for the side the arrow hit where the armor is weakened and sidestep so the other fighter can also hit there on his turn" and so on. But 6 seconds of silence with only "Oh, is my turn?" while they put down their remote is not going to work.
You must tell the players up front this is party time when they sit down at your table or log into your session. If they can't do that and value their other activity more than the other members of the party just cut them loose.
In the end it's about respect and consideration for the other players who came to game.
The challenge is being reasonable.
One of my players in my in-person game just takes ages to take his turn. He's engaged the entire time, he's trying, he just needs a lot of time to process and respond to things in the mechanical side of the game. I can't demand anything more of him so I just try to be patient.
If I get the sense they're just messing about and that's spilling out into he game, then I'm not afraid to start skipping turns etc when the turn gets dragged out, nor should you be. Just be clear up front - you expect focus and if turns are taking longer than so long, then they lose it. Give a few suggestions on how to speed things up, like prepping turns. Just make sure that people like the guy I mentioned understand that it's not directed or including them. Also be forgiving - I've had turns ready and prepped and would take seconds to actually do my turn, then something's happened that threw my idea out the window. I've had to completely redo my turn, and sometimes that can take time (especially if you have a large number of spells or complex abilities to account for).
If you're not willing or able to to discuss in good faith, then don't be surprised if I don't respond, there are better things in life for me to do than humour you. This signature is that response.
I still think 60 seconds is a reasonable amount of time.
Potions of Haste already exist. It's called methamphetamine.
You should remind players who is up next in the initiative order, even if there's a tracker on-screen. That helps get them thinking what they want to do. Remind your players that if they're at the (virtual) table, they're supposed to be paying attention to the game, not other distractions. (Looking up spells or their character sheet on their phone counts as paying attention to the game.)
That said, it's not always easy, because even if a player knows what they want to do, events on the field can change their plan. Allies can get knocked out, bad guys can spread apart from what was a nice cluster, line of sight can be lost on a target, unexpected enemies appear, and so on.
All I can suggest is remind players to pay attention, but give them a little slack if the situation changes notably.
Sometimes I even give players simplified characters with rare exceptions so they can act quickly without losing interest.
I mean, it's how long your character has. Sure, you'll make more mistakes than you would if you had more time, but making mistakes in combat is realistic. Of course, the reasonableness of the 6s round in D&D is rather debatable -- realistic combat tends to involve long periods of waiting and evaluating mixed with bursts of extreme activity, which is pretty hard to emulate in a turn-based RPG because everyone will get bored when they spend ten turns doing nothing but circling and evaluating the enemy.