I am currently playing a game with an extermely slow player, as a fellow player and i am afirad it will happen in the next campagn where i am the DM. In the current session, he plays as a rouge. Now part of the problem is he is Autisic (Aspergers, like me, but probably more sever). really the problem comes down to him overthinking everything, and rather than dealing with an issue he just keeps asking questions, about where the enemy is, and can he do X,Y and Z.
In my game i am considering imposing time limts, to help keep things moving. I am considering this, bcasue in the last campaign, when it would come to his turn, i could literly get up, go to the toilet, grab a coffee and then sit back down and only then would his turn be ALMOST over. He tends to drag out conflicts that otherwise would take only a few minutes. Any suggestions on what to do?
Just talk to him. If you both have Asperger's, then I think you will know how he can feel (sometimes). Tell him to play his character, not himself. If his rogue is very head strong, then he should roleplay like that. If he plans everything else, ask him to do it in his head. Or with the rest of the party before combat. My party did that last night. They were discussing what they would do to deal with the hags in my story, and how we would do it. It was some fun roleplay, and they really thought well, assessing options. That is the kind of thing I would do. And it took about two minutes.
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'The Cleverness of mushrooms always surprises me!' - Ivern Bramblefoot.
I have no issues imposing a time limit in such situations, but consideration for players must be equal. Depending on the level of his aspergers, you should allow "some" leeway. For instance, while i generally would impose a 2min turn limit on most players (were I to impose time limits), i might extend that to 4 or 5 minutes if there is a medical factor such as a player with autism.
Luckily, in this case you know it is a factor before you start the campaign. This way on session 0 (or as you are setting up) you can speak with your players about the general game rules and expectations. Talk to everyone about implementing this rule and try to find a time limit that everyone agrees with. It will likely be the case that it is easier to have this player agree to a reasonable limit when it isnt in the moment of play, when there is no additional distraction or stress. Consider using a timer app on your phone as the impartial arbiter of the time limit.
If the player is getting frustrated that they are losing turns, also consider giving a final call: "timer went off, what action do you take?" If they do not respond in a conversational amount of time, the character takes the dodge action in place.
Depending on the severity of aspergers, it may also be an option to allow retroactive "held actions" where the player can choose to act at a later point in the turn order, but must abide by held action rules (no movement, held spells count as concentration, one attack only, it uses up their reaction). Warning: this could create some imbalances and jeopardize the control of the session, but if the time limit is causing too much friction this is a last resort option.
Give him/her a turn coming up warning, maybe 2 characters long plus your time limit. Example if your limit per character is 2 min give him/her a warning 4 minutes(2 characters) before his/her turn comes up.
When I DM and the next turn comes up during combat I tell the currently active player it’s their turn, and I tell the next player that they’re “on deck” like in baseball so they can start to plan their turn a little ahead of time. I hope that helps.
I would suggest giving a timer too. But if you explain to him that the timer is there because otherwise the enemy might have time to attack if you think too long, it might spark a reaction and he might go faster. Make sure to clarify they don't have to go to fast, as well. I do disagree with the title though. It is insensitive to other autistic people and any other people with similar things that put them aside from ''normal'' people
@ ballisticgamer15: To be fair, while I can understand and empathize with the concern, I think with the context of the post it is fairly clear that 'slow' means 'taking a long turn' here.
@ ballisticgamer15: To be fair, while I can understand and empathize with the concern, I think with the context of the post it is fairly clear that 'slow' means 'taking a long turn' here.
Agreed. The adjective referred to the player’s playstyle/habit as opposed to any challenges they may be facing. There are plenty of non-Autistic people who take a ten-minute turn if a DM lets them. To be honest, I likely drive my DM nuts asking the same questions sometimes.
I’ll bet when that player finally decides what they’re doing, they are probably very effective with their turns. I am also willing to bet that they will naturally get faster as they get more used to things, but they will most likely always take longer than other players because they are noodling out the details in their mind. Getting into the practice of starting to plan their next turn while they absorb the information from the other players’ turns would probably help, but all of us have trouble with that sometimes.
@ ballisticgamer15: To be fair, while I can understand and empathize with the concern, I think with the context of the post it is fairly clear that 'slow' means 'taking a long turn' here.
I know, but some people might not see it that way.
Another way to speed up gameplay is to try encouraging all the players to think about what their next move will be before it's their turn instead of waiting until you call their name out and then have them try to think of actions.
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Find your own truth, choose your enemies carefully, and never deal with a dragon.
"Canon" is what's factual to D&D lore. "Cannon" is what you're going to be shot with if you keep getting the word wrong.
Positive reinforcement for faster play. You could use bonus XP, bonus loot, or give advantage on the next attack if he decides within 30 seconds of this turn and the next. Also, rolling attack and damage dice at the same time speeds up the process tremendously. How many times do you see people at your table roll the d20, say what the total is, look up to see if you say its a hit, then look down at their sheet to see what the damage dice should be, then roll, then add up.... makes me wanna punch myself in the face. Roll em all at the same time and know your modifiers people lol
With respect, what you are suggesting helps fast players more than it does encourage faster turns. In the op, the person in question has mild to moderate aspergers, providing big benefits to encourage a snap decision will just frustrate this player.
As much as I enjoy combat I sometimes worry that I can be one of the slow players in my party, I can easily overthink all of the options for taking my turn (and playing a wizard in my last campaign didn't help with the sheer amount of spell options I had to keep in mind, considering the range/level of them and my spell slots, where the enemies and my teammates are, how far should I move if I did at all, what environmental factors there were to consider, etc etc) - one thing that helped me was something like Zero's first point, while the other players were taking their turns I'd go through my spell list and any other options I had and list what moves would be most helpful given the current situation on a notepad or something, so that way even if combat progresses a bit more by the time my turn comes around again I already have a much shorter selection of options to go through. Some extra visual aids might be good too, sometimes depending on what kind of map/markers my group uses it gets a little confusing which doesn't help when already uncertain of what to do on your turn.
If he asks for information that his character would easily spot without having to roll for perception, give it to him. But if he starts asking for pieces of specific information that his character wouldn't be able to see without having to roll for perception, just suggest to him "your character can't see that without making a perception check: do you want to use your action to roll for perception." It might bother him that you're withholding information from him, but it sounds like he's spending too much time trying to gather information about his surroundings, and this is paralyzing his decision making process. Once he gets the idea that he has to make a decision with limited information, this should hopefully speed up his decision making process.
My brother's an Aspie and time limits destroy him. They stress him out and make him agonize over his decisions even longer, which makes combat (and the game) no fun for anyone. Helping your player find ways to narrow his choices will produce much better results and breathe more fun and relaxation into your games.
It's worth having a conversation with your player and brainstorming together about ways to help him navigate combat. He knows his brain and what he needs better than anyone, and having you there to support him will make all the difference. Here are a couple ideas:
Certain classes might be overwhelming for him with their features and mechanics, and playing a different class with simpler mechanics and fewer features might reduce his decision paralysis and overthinking (e.g., Warlock or martial character over a wizard or druid).
Prepare a list of contingency plans he can use during combat (e.g., "Cast a healing spell if a party member is below X number of hit points," or "Roll a d6 to see which baddie I target with my attack").
If he's good at avoiding metagaming, maybe give him a head's up that the next session could include combat with multiple foes, magic users, NPC hostages, etc. That'll give him time to prepare without the pressure of being at a table under a time crunch.
Creative collaboration is what D&D is all about, and embracing differences will always go farther than trying to force someone into a mold they weren't born to fit. Above all, be patient, be flexible, be open, and make sure the whole table is having fun. :-)
My brother's an Aspie and time limits destroy him. They stress him out and make him agonize over his decisions even longer, which makes combat (and the game) no fun for anyone. Helping your player find ways to narrow his choices will produce much better results and breathe more fun and relaxation into your games.
It's worth having a conversation with your player and brainstorming together about ways to help him navigate combat. He knows his brain and what he needs better than anyone, and having you there to support him will make all the difference.
Have you ever played D&D with your brother? I'm curious to hear about solutions and methods that worked for both of you if you have.
I think a time limit would be really stressful for some players. I'm DMing an adventure, and my players take a lot of time to think about their moves because they are logical like that. A time limit would destroy them, because they don't get enough time to choose their moves. Maybe you should just remind them whenever they are doing something off topic and not important that it is not necessary and tell them the task on hand? It might not be as stressful but still helpful.
Others have mentioned time limits and have offered thoughtful pros and cons.
If you do use time limits, maybe a way to lessen the blow of missing it is to say that they default to a predetermined action. For example, if he misses the time limit, then he defaults to "attack the nearest enemy, with preference for enemies adjacent to an ally"
You might think about scripting out possible actions as well. While part of the fun in D&D is improvisation, the fact is that from turn to turn, most characters do pretty similar things. Maybe your script is like a flow chart?
Am I in danger of dying? Yes: Go to 2. No: Go to 3
Can I hide? Yes: Hide! No: Take the Dodge Action or take a healing potion
Does an ally need help that I can give? Yes: Give help! No: Go to 4
Can I use my sneak attack ability? Yes: attack! No: Go to 5
Can I move to a position where I can use my sneak attack? Yes: Move and attack! No: Go to 6
Is there a special ability I can use? Yes: Use the ability! No: Go to 7
Attack
You can play with the order and details, but you probably get the idea. Also, there's no requirement to use this scaffold on any given turn, but practicing it some times might help speed up decision making in general.
I don't usually use this much detail, but when I DM, I kind of script out the first 3 or so actions of monsters when I am planning an encounter. That way it's easier for me to remember their special abilities and to have something interesting happen in the encounter.
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Hello there.
I am currently playing a game with an extermely slow player, as a fellow player and i am afirad it will happen in the next campagn where i am the DM. In the current session, he plays as a rouge. Now part of the problem is he is Autisic (Aspergers, like me, but probably more sever). really the problem comes down to him overthinking everything, and rather than dealing with an issue he just keeps asking questions, about where the enemy is, and can he do X,Y and Z.
In my game i am considering imposing time limts, to help keep things moving. I am considering this, bcasue in the last campaign, when it would come to his turn, i could literly get up, go to the toilet, grab a coffee and then sit back down and only then would his turn be ALMOST over. He tends to drag out conflicts that otherwise would take only a few minutes. Any suggestions on what to do?
Time limit restraints aren't a bad rule. Slower players tend to drag encounters on longer than is fun.
Just talk to him. If you both have Asperger's, then I think you will know how he can feel (sometimes). Tell him to play his character, not himself. If his rogue is very head strong, then he should roleplay like that. If he plans everything else, ask him to do it in his head. Or with the rest of the party before combat. My party did that last night. They were discussing what they would do to deal with the hags in my story, and how we would do it. It was some fun roleplay, and they really thought well, assessing options. That is the kind of thing I would do. And it took about two minutes.
'The Cleverness of mushrooms always surprises me!' - Ivern Bramblefoot.
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I have no issues imposing a time limit in such situations, but consideration for players must be equal. Depending on the level of his aspergers, you should allow "some" leeway. For instance, while i generally would impose a 2min turn limit on most players (were I to impose time limits), i might extend that to 4 or 5 minutes if there is a medical factor such as a player with autism.
Luckily, in this case you know it is a factor before you start the campaign. This way on session 0 (or as you are setting up) you can speak with your players about the general game rules and expectations. Talk to everyone about implementing this rule and try to find a time limit that everyone agrees with. It will likely be the case that it is easier to have this player agree to a reasonable limit when it isnt in the moment of play, when there is no additional distraction or stress. Consider using a timer app on your phone as the impartial arbiter of the time limit.
If the player is getting frustrated that they are losing turns, also consider giving a final call: "timer went off, what action do you take?" If they do not respond in a conversational amount of time, the character takes the dodge action in place.
Depending on the severity of aspergers, it may also be an option to allow retroactive "held actions" where the player can choose to act at a later point in the turn order, but must abide by held action rules (no movement, held spells count as concentration, one attack only, it uses up their reaction). Warning: this could create some imbalances and jeopardize the control of the session, but if the time limit is causing too much friction this is a last resort option.
Give him/her a turn coming up warning, maybe 2 characters long plus your time limit. Example if your limit per character is 2 min give him/her a warning 4 minutes(2 characters) before his/her turn comes up.
When I DM and the next turn comes up during combat I tell the currently active player it’s their turn, and I tell the next player that they’re “on deck” like in baseball so they can start to plan their turn a little ahead of time. I hope that helps.
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I would suggest giving a timer too. But if you explain to him that the timer is there because otherwise the enemy might have time to attack if you think too long, it might spark a reaction and he might go faster. Make sure to clarify they don't have to go to fast, as well. I do disagree with the title though. It is insensitive to other autistic people and any other people with similar things that put them aside from ''normal'' people
@ ballisticgamer15: To be fair, while I can understand and empathize with the concern, I think with the context of the post it is fairly clear that 'slow' means 'taking a long turn' here.
Agreed. The adjective referred to the player’s playstyle/habit as opposed to any challenges they may be facing. There are plenty of non-Autistic people who take a ten-minute turn if a DM lets them. To be honest, I likely drive my DM nuts asking the same questions sometimes.
I’ll bet when that player finally decides what they’re doing, they are probably very effective with their turns. I am also willing to bet that they will naturally get faster as they get more used to things, but they will most likely always take longer than other players because they are noodling out the details in their mind. Getting into the practice of starting to plan their next turn while they absorb the information from the other players’ turns would probably help, but all of us have trouble with that sometimes.
Creating Epic Boons on DDB
DDB Buyers' Guide
Hardcovers, DDB & You
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I know, but some people might not see it that way.
Another way to speed up gameplay is to try encouraging all the players to think about what their next move will be before it's their turn instead of waiting until you call their name out and then have them try to think of actions.
Find your own truth, choose your enemies carefully, and never deal with a dragon.
"Canon" is what's factual to D&D lore. "Cannon" is what you're going to be shot with if you keep getting the word wrong.
Positive reinforcement for faster play. You could use bonus XP, bonus loot, or give advantage on the next attack if he decides within 30 seconds of this turn and the next. Also, rolling attack and damage dice at the same time speeds up the process tremendously. How many times do you see people at your table roll the d20, say what the total is, look up to see if you say its a hit, then look down at their sheet to see what the damage dice should be, then roll, then add up.... makes me wanna punch myself in the face. Roll em all at the same time and know your modifiers people lol
With respect, what you are suggesting helps fast players more than it does encourage faster turns. In the op, the person in question has mild to moderate aspergers, providing big benefits to encourage a snap decision will just frustrate this player.
Given the nature of this case. I would recommend to try a few things and see what works best for you.
Hopefully this helps you out. If you run into any issues, please let me know and I'll see if I can help.
As much as I enjoy combat I sometimes worry that I can be one of the slow players in my party, I can easily overthink all of the options for taking my turn (and playing a wizard in my last campaign didn't help with the sheer amount of spell options I had to keep in mind, considering the range/level of them and my spell slots, where the enemies and my teammates are, how far should I move if I did at all, what environmental factors there were to consider, etc etc) - one thing that helped me was something like Zero's first point, while the other players were taking their turns I'd go through my spell list and any other options I had and list what moves would be most helpful given the current situation on a notepad or something, so that way even if combat progresses a bit more by the time my turn comes around again I already have a much shorter selection of options to go through. Some extra visual aids might be good too, sometimes depending on what kind of map/markers my group uses it gets a little confusing which doesn't help when already uncertain of what to do on your turn.
If he asks for information that his character would easily spot without having to roll for perception, give it to him. But if he starts asking for pieces of specific information that his character wouldn't be able to see without having to roll for perception, just suggest to him "your character can't see that without making a perception check: do you want to use your action to roll for perception." It might bother him that you're withholding information from him, but it sounds like he's spending too much time trying to gather information about his surroundings, and this is paralyzing his decision making process. Once he gets the idea that he has to make a decision with limited information, this should hopefully speed up his decision making process.
I echo Zero405's approach.
My brother's an Aspie and time limits destroy him. They stress him out and make him agonize over his decisions even longer, which makes combat (and the game) no fun for anyone. Helping your player find ways to narrow his choices will produce much better results and breathe more fun and relaxation into your games.
It's worth having a conversation with your player and brainstorming together about ways to help him navigate combat. He knows his brain and what he needs better than anyone, and having you there to support him will make all the difference. Here are a couple ideas:
Creative collaboration is what D&D is all about, and embracing differences will always go farther than trying to force someone into a mold they weren't born to fit. Above all, be patient, be flexible, be open, and make sure the whole table is having fun. :-)
Have you ever played D&D with your brother? I'm curious to hear about solutions and methods that worked for both of you if you have.
I think a time limit would be really stressful for some players. I'm DMing an adventure, and my players take a lot of time to think about their moves because they are logical like that. A time limit would destroy them, because they don't get enough time to choose their moves. Maybe you should just remind them whenever they are doing something off topic and not important that it is not necessary and tell them the task on hand? It might not be as stressful but still helpful.
Others have mentioned time limits and have offered thoughtful pros and cons.
If you do use time limits, maybe a way to lessen the blow of missing it is to say that they default to a predetermined action. For example, if he misses the time limit, then he defaults to "attack the nearest enemy, with preference for enemies adjacent to an ally"
You might think about scripting out possible actions as well. While part of the fun in D&D is improvisation, the fact is that from turn to turn, most characters do pretty similar things. Maybe your script is like a flow chart?
You can play with the order and details, but you probably get the idea. Also, there's no requirement to use this scaffold on any given turn, but practicing it some times might help speed up decision making in general.
I don't usually use this much detail, but when I DM, I kind of script out the first 3 or so actions of monsters when I am planning an encounter. That way it's easier for me to remember their special abilities and to have something interesting happen in the encounter.