Also keep in mind that if you are running combat with a bunch of the same of certain types of creatures, you can speed things up by skipping the damage dice rolls most of the time. Just use the standard damage printed in the book/module and add or subtract 1. Just roll damage from critical hits or for the boss monster. With players' permission, apply the same rule for their summons. Standard average damage works most of the time.
Just to specify, by rulers I mean that we have a pre-cut “30 ft” spell effect that we use for measuring. What does slow things down with that is when their are characters flying and I have some players that will pull out the pythagorean theorem to measure…some very good ideas though that I will implement. Thanks.
I am just going to leave this shameless plug here:
1: Group your monsters so that they share initiative. Taking a turn where 3 werewolves move forward and then attack, one after the other, is much quicker than taking one such turn, then something else, then back to the second wolf, then 2 more other turns, then the third... in many cases where flanking etc doesn't matter, you can just move all three and then attack with all 3.
2: Use the "On Deck" system, so that the next player knows it's their turn coming up and can plan ahead.
3: Engage other players during each turn. Rather than focussing on the person whose turn it is, describe what you can through the eyes of others. "Bert will attack with his sword, that's a Nat 20 for...18 damage". "Ok; Ernie, you look across and see Bert charging like a streak of striped platemail as he slashes the werewolf across the chest, a perfect strike which should fell the beast. But, Bert, from up close you see the wound is dry, and starts to close even as your swing finishes. What do you do?".
Involving others keeps them engaged when they aren't participating, and helps to keep the dreaded mobile phones at bay.
4: Play fast-and-loose where things aren't so important. For example, if you have the hags summon spiders and then think "oh no, I don't know their stats", don't stop to look them up - throw in some lowball numbers to make them a threat but not overpowered. Really, you need to pick speed, AC, attack modifier, damage, and hitpoints, and that's the main details. If they throw a save at you then you can eyeball that as well, or then say "one moment while I look up their modifier". Keeping the action from stopping for trivial things, like throwaway minions and whether they are +2 or +3 to damage, can make things that bit faster. Many a battle has been fought against monsters who had no statblock at all, and just did what felt right at the time.
5: round some damage, again where it doesn't matter. minions dropping to 1-3hp are dead, especially when it was a good roll to get them there. You can suspend this if it comes in clutch - look at the Battle for Helms Deep in the LOTR movies. Every orc hit by Legolas dies, right up to the point where the orc has a job to do - and then those last hp let it jump on the bombs and breach the wall. Knowing when to be a stickler and when not will help with pacing.
Also keep in mind that if you are running combat with a bunch of the same of certain types of creatures, you can speed things up by skipping the damage dice rolls most of the time. Just use the standard damage printed in the book/module and add or subtract 1. Just roll damage from critical hits or for the boss monster. With players' permission, apply the same rule for their summons. Standard average damage works most of the time.
I am just going to leave this shameless plug here:
Aerial Combat Distances made Simple
Regarding speeding up combat, I would recommend:
1: Group your monsters so that they share initiative. Taking a turn where 3 werewolves move forward and then attack, one after the other, is much quicker than taking one such turn, then something else, then back to the second wolf, then 2 more other turns, then the third... in many cases where flanking etc doesn't matter, you can just move all three and then attack with all 3.
2: Use the "On Deck" system, so that the next player knows it's their turn coming up and can plan ahead.
3: Engage other players during each turn. Rather than focussing on the person whose turn it is, describe what you can through the eyes of others. "Bert will attack with his sword, that's a Nat 20 for...18 damage". "Ok; Ernie, you look across and see Bert charging like a streak of striped platemail as he slashes the werewolf across the chest, a perfect strike which should fell the beast. But, Bert, from up close you see the wound is dry, and starts to close even as your swing finishes. What do you do?".
Involving others keeps them engaged when they aren't participating, and helps to keep the dreaded mobile phones at bay.
4: Play fast-and-loose where things aren't so important. For example, if you have the hags summon spiders and then think "oh no, I don't know their stats", don't stop to look them up - throw in some lowball numbers to make them a threat but not overpowered. Really, you need to pick speed, AC, attack modifier, damage, and hitpoints, and that's the main details. If they throw a save at you then you can eyeball that as well, or then say "one moment while I look up their modifier". Keeping the action from stopping for trivial things, like throwaway minions and whether they are +2 or +3 to damage, can make things that bit faster. Many a battle has been fought against monsters who had no statblock at all, and just did what felt right at the time.
5: round some damage, again where it doesn't matter. minions dropping to 1-3hp are dead, especially when it was a good roll to get them there. You can suspend this if it comes in clutch - look at the Battle for Helms Deep in the LOTR movies. Every orc hit by Legolas dies, right up to the point where the orc has a job to do - and then those last hp let it jump on the bombs and breach the wall. Knowing when to be a stickler and when not will help with pacing.
Hope this helps!
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