I had an idea to speed up combat and make it more deadly at the same time, by only ever rolling one dice.
Take for example, the constrict action of the Couatl, that does (2d6+3) bludgeoning damage. Instead of rolling 2d6 and then adding the +3; what if I just took the first die as always rolled at maximum, then added the +3, rolled the second dice and added that, to get damage.
So, (6+3)+1d6. That means that on a failed save, the constrict action is always guaranteed to do at least 10 bludgeoning damage, and averaging at about 12.
Of course this would work for the players as well. If for example a characters attack did 3d6+2 slashing damage, they'd only roll one dice.
The first two d6 is assumed as being rolled at max, the +2 is added to that and the last d6 is rolled, with the result added to the precious number for total damage, like this.
(12+2)+1d6. That means the character would be guaranteed to do at least 13 damage, averaging at about 15 damage.
Where only one damage die is used, players are always requires to roll for damage.
So at low levels where you only use one damage die, you'd always roll. Damage would then increase exponentially at higher levels, while still only rolling one die.
This can be looked upon in one of two ways. Either that battle becomes easier as the character practices with their weapon of choice, or that enemies become.more deadly, as they increase in level.
I hope you understand what I am trying to explain, because I fear that I am rambling.
Regardless I looking forward to reading your thoughts
Cheers.
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A caffeinated nerd who has played TTRPGs or a number of years and is very much a fantasy adventure geek.
All you are really doing is increasing the median damage potential of attacks. It will make the game deadlier for sure, but not likely that much faster.
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"The mongoose blew out its candle and was asleep in bed before the room went dark." —Llanowar fable
What Metamongoose said. In addition, you will make weapons and attacks that does multiple dice of damage a lot better.
This wouldn’t stack with spells at all...even 3rd level spells like fireball use 8 dice. Minimum damage using this method would be 43, which is 15 higher than the average damage for the spell rolled normally
plus...most people actually like rolling craploads of dice
It would also unbalance weapons like the Greatsword and allow some cheesing. (Does Hex now mean that my Hexblades Greataxe always hits for twelve danage, since there is a second damage die involved?)
If you only want to speed up combat use the averages given for the attacks. Or use them on every attack if you want some randomness.
Monster stat blocks already include the average of the dice - if you want to speed things up, just use averages, it will still be balanced, no further adjustments really required - it's the very reason they're included.
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Monster stat blocks already include the average of the dice - if you want to speed things up, just use averages, it will still be balanced, no further adjustments really required - it's the very reason they're included.
This. Use the average roll provided with all monster stat blocks. I do this most of the time, and use the average HP as well. You still let the players roll dice because they like it.
First of all, combat deadliness is plenty high already, if it doesn't seem high enough just use harder fights. Second, that randomly affects some attacks more than others; why should a greatsword be average 9.5 when a greataxe is 6.5?
I think it could end up hurting the PCs. This basically bumps the average damage, which makes healing tougher. That doesn't matter to monsters, because they basically exist to be killed. But the PCs are going to have to heal after (or during) the fight, and now they have lower hp. You might be able to mitigate it a bit by applying the same rule to healing rolls, but if the characters are spending hit dice, I'm not sure it would work. I usually only use one at a time until I've got a number I'm happy with, I don't know beforehand how many I'm going to use.
Monster stat blocks already include the average of the dice - if you want to speed things up, just use averages, it will still be balanced, no further adjustments really required - it's the very reason they're included.
Monster stat blocks already include the average of the dice - if you want to speed things up, just use averages, it will still be balanced, no further adjustments really required - it's the very reason they're included.
This. Use the average roll provided with all monster stat blocks. I do this most of the time, and use the average HP as well. You still let the players roll dice because they like it.
This is what I do. I have the monsters use average damage (doubled for criticals) and let the players roll their own damage.
This. Use the average roll provided with all monster stat blocks. I do this most of the time, and use the average HP as well. You still let the players roll dice because they like it.
This. I still try to encourage players to use average damage though. Rolled damage slows the game and doesn't seem to add anything.
I think rolling damage for monsters definitely adds a tactical element. Player figure out pretty quickly how hard one can hit, and if its the same every time, the math gets really easy for them to look at their hp and think "I can take two more hits but will drop on the third." Yes, its meta-gaming, but certainly they'll do it. The unpredictability of monster damage helps keep things from turning into a math exercise.
This. Use the average roll provided with all monster stat blocks. I do this most of the time, and use the average HP as well. You still let the players roll dice because they like it.
This. I still try to encourage players to use average damage though. Rolled damage slows the game and doesn't seem to add anything.
So I agree with the average dice for monsters and players as the better solution than the OP's idea, but I disagree with rolling dice doesn't add anything.
I like rolling dice, as do several of my players. Rolling really high amounts of damage is a psychological boost. Rolling the number you want for some people is fun. It's why I like craps over blackjack in Las Vegas. Its an illusion of control as well. Otherwise combat becomes math; "I need to hit the monster 4 times to kill it!"
It can slow things down a little, but I and other players I have played with value the trade off. The extra time is nothing compared to indecision of the player on his next action on their turn in my mind.
But in the end, whatever works for your table; some don't value the dice aspect.
So I agree with the average dice for monsters and players as the better solution than the OP's idea, but I disagree with rolling dice doesn't add anything
I like rolling dice, as do several of my players. Rolling really high amounts of damage is a psychological boost. Rolling the number you want for some people is fun. It's why I like craps over blackjack in Las Vegas. Its an illusion of control as well. Otherwise combat becomes math; "I need to hit the monster 4 times to kill it!"
By "doesn't do anything" I mean it doesn't really affect combat. Maybe at 1st level (when HP are low) or in low-power RPG's (like Call of Cthulhu), but overall, it's overhead with almost no added effect in D&D. Sure: math-heads might try to game it, but they'll do that anyway: that monster was almost certainly going to absorb 4 hits regardless (whether you hit or not is the real variation in combat). Running swift combats would actually ease the temptation to make such calculations. Plus, DM's are free to alter enemy HP (both directions) on the fly if players start making calculations.
Also, I understand people enjoy the tactile feel of dice, but the saved mental/physical/time overhead can be replaced with more playing time or something that adds to immersion. I've been in combat: adding up dice does not help capture the feel.
"Quit looking for d6's. Your fireball does 28 points of damage, killing the mooks but not the big boss. Your ears are ringing and your lungs feel like they're fire. Next player: what do you do!?"
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Hi,
I had an idea to speed up combat and make it more deadly at the same time, by only ever rolling one dice.
Take for example, the constrict action of the Couatl, that does (2d6+3) bludgeoning damage. Instead of rolling 2d6 and then adding the +3; what if I just took the first die as always rolled at maximum, then added the +3, rolled the second dice and added that, to get damage.
So, (6+3)+1d6. That means that on a failed save, the constrict action is always guaranteed to do at least 10 bludgeoning damage, and averaging at about 12.
Of course this would work for the players as well. If for example a characters attack did 3d6+2 slashing damage, they'd only roll one dice.
The first two d6 is assumed as being rolled at max, the +2 is added to that and the last d6 is rolled, with the result added to the precious number for total damage, like this.
(12+2)+1d6. That means the character would be guaranteed to do at least 13 damage, averaging at about 15 damage.
Where only one damage die is used, players are always requires to roll for damage.
So at low levels where you only use one damage die, you'd always roll. Damage would then increase exponentially at higher levels, while still only rolling one die.
This can be looked upon in one of two ways. Either that battle becomes easier as the character practices with their weapon of choice, or that enemies become.more deadly, as they increase in level.
I hope you understand what I am trying to explain, because I fear that I am rambling.
Regardless I looking forward to reading your thoughts
Cheers.
A caffeinated nerd who has played TTRPGs or a number of years and is very much a fantasy adventure geek.
All you are really doing is increasing the median damage potential of attacks. It will make the game deadlier for sure, but not likely that much faster.
What Metamongoose said. In addition, you will make weapons and attacks that does multiple dice of damage a lot better.
Ludo ergo sum!
This wouldn’t stack with spells at all...even 3rd level spells like fireball use 8 dice. Minimum damage using this method would be 43, which is 15 higher than the average damage for the spell rolled normally
plus...most people actually like rolling craploads of dice
How long does it actually take for folks to count/add? Is there actually a problem at your table?
It would also unbalance weapons like the Greatsword and allow some cheesing. (Does Hex now mean that my Hexblades Greataxe always hits for twelve danage, since there is a second damage die involved?)
If you only want to speed up combat use the averages given for the attacks. Or use them on every attack if you want some randomness.
Monster stat blocks already include the average of the dice - if you want to speed things up, just use averages, it will still be balanced, no further adjustments really required - it's the very reason they're included.
Click ✨ HERE ✨ For My Youtube Videos featuring Guides, Tips & Tricks for using D&D Beyond.
Need help with Homebrew? Check out ✨ this FAQ/Guide thread ✨ by IamSposta.
This. Use the average roll provided with all monster stat blocks. I do this most of the time, and use the average HP as well. You still let the players roll dice because they like it.
First of all, combat deadliness is plenty high already, if it doesn't seem high enough just use harder fights. Second, that randomly affects some attacks more than others; why should a greatsword be average 9.5 when a greataxe is 6.5?
I think it could end up hurting the PCs. This basically bumps the average damage, which makes healing tougher. That doesn't matter to monsters, because they basically exist to be killed. But the PCs are going to have to heal after (or during) the fight, and now they have lower hp. You might be able to mitigate it a bit by applying the same rule to healing rolls, but if the characters are spending hit dice, I'm not sure it would work. I usually only use one at a time until I've got a number I'm happy with, I don't know beforehand how many I'm going to use.
This is what I do. I have the monsters use average damage (doubled for criticals) and let the players roll their own damage.
This. I still try to encourage players to use average damage though. Rolled damage slows the game and doesn't seem to add anything.
I think rolling damage for monsters definitely adds a tactical element. Player figure out pretty quickly how hard one can hit, and if its the same every time, the math gets really easy for them to look at their hp and think "I can take two more hits but will drop on the third." Yes, its meta-gaming, but certainly they'll do it. The unpredictability of monster damage helps keep things from turning into a math exercise.
So I agree with the average dice for monsters and players as the better solution than the OP's idea, but I disagree with rolling dice doesn't add anything.
I like rolling dice, as do several of my players. Rolling really high amounts of damage is a psychological boost. Rolling the number you want for some people is fun. It's why I like craps over blackjack in Las Vegas. Its an illusion of control as well. Otherwise combat becomes math; "I need to hit the monster 4 times to kill it!"
It can slow things down a little, but I and other players I have played with value the trade off. The extra time is nothing compared to indecision of the player on his next action on their turn in my mind.
But in the end, whatever works for your table; some don't value the dice aspect.
I have always rolled dice for damage and hit points, and always will.
Please check out my homebrew, I would appreciate feedback:
Spells, Monsters, Subclasses, Races, Arcknight Class, Occultist Class, World, Enigmatic Esoterica forms
By "doesn't do anything" I mean it doesn't really affect combat. Maybe at 1st level (when HP are low) or in low-power RPG's (like Call of Cthulhu), but overall, it's overhead with almost no added effect in D&D. Sure: math-heads might try to game it, but they'll do that anyway: that monster was almost certainly going to absorb 4 hits regardless (whether you hit or not is the real variation in combat). Running swift combats would actually ease the temptation to make such calculations. Plus, DM's are free to alter enemy HP (both directions) on the fly if players start making calculations.
Also, I understand people enjoy the tactile feel of dice, but the saved mental/physical/time overhead can be replaced with more playing time or something that adds to immersion. I've been in combat: adding up dice does not help capture the feel.
"Quit looking for d6's. Your fireball does 28 points of damage, killing the mooks but not the big boss. Your ears are ringing and your lungs feel like they're fire. Next player: what do you do!?"