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Wraith
May 22nd, 2006, 21:17
When I started DMing AD&D I came up with a term I used for the time after a combat had finished and everyone was searching dead bodies, searching the surrounding shelfs; closets; chests; and cabinets, I called it "Free Action". When the last creature or enemy dropped I told the players that we where in "Free Action", well now that 3.5e has come along they turned my term into an action. Now when I try to tell my players they can take actions that take longer then 6 sec. I have to say something like "combats over", or "what do you do now". I would like to hear what all the DMs out there use when their characters are searching bodies, or do you even role-play that? I am also looking for a term to use to describe that "Time" when turn base actions are over but your not in a narrative mode either. One of my players suggested "Turn Action" since I ask for actions that take 10 to 15 min. but I don't think it sound as good as "Free Actions". Let me know what you think.

joshuha
May 22nd, 2006, 21:30
Post Mortem and/or Cleanup. I find myself using those words sometimes but coming from a software background those words make more sense to me (and to the same extent my co-worker players).

So I would say "Any Post Mortem actions before moving on?" or "Any Cleanup before we continue?".

DarkStar
May 22nd, 2006, 21:59
I call it looting. Blood-thirsty and greedy PCs... :P

Craw
May 22nd, 2006, 22:10
I usually give some brief narrative that indicates combat is over and unlock the tokens. Most of the players then start making skill checks/description requests/roleplay wound binding etc. out of initiative sequence. "Cleanup" would be my favored term if we had a specific one.

One problem I have run into is that I sometimes have area effect traps/ additional opponents (a la a giant spider egg sac that, if disturbed, loosed a spider swarm) so that I need to have an idea of their positions without overtly warning them something else is coming. Nothing twigs the antennae of a player more than asking "where EXACTLY are you standing while you cast that cure light wounds?" Using last combat positions isn't totally correct as they would be milling about. Using the default marching order isn't any better.

Suggestions?

Griogre
May 22nd, 2006, 22:24
I call it looting. Blood-thirsty and greedy PCs... :P
LOL now the NPC's and monsters would loot the PC bodies too - if they could. ;)

Normally when I run a game, after a fight I ask what the party is doing next and let them tell me. Most of the time they say they are going to loot the bodies - sometimes they don't. Depends on what was happening before the fight, whether anyone was seriously hurt or killed or what they feel their tactical situation is.

Often after a fight there is a great deal of catcalls, snickers, wisecracks and general celebration that they are the ones still alive and their opponents are not. It often gives the players a chance to interact with each other with the Monk sneering at the greedy Rogue, etc.

Cypher
May 22nd, 2006, 22:29
I've never actually defined it.

I roll initiative when at least one side is aware of the other, and I start my round by round combat. It's been pretty clear when combat ends (all opponents dead or routed), and all of my players instinctively switch off the round by round actions. They immediately begin roleplaying actions again without any regard to whose 'turn' it is.

acmer
May 23rd, 2006, 05:20
Free phase, final actions (before narrative mode), free op(eration) or transition phase. Free phase sounds best for me.

DarkStar
May 23rd, 2006, 09:21
Personally, I am wondering what is this all about. :P I don't use such terms, I just finish the battle and start narrative part or plainly ask my players what they want to do next.
Last time they just began looting the bodies ;P and it was very normal.

Wraith
May 23rd, 2006, 12:48
Well, I've gotten a lot of good ideas thanks. I hope some other people got something out of this, but thats all I need. Thanks again.

Oberoten
May 23rd, 2006, 13:13
Personally, I am wondering what is this all about. :P I don't use such terms, I just finish the battle and start narrative part or plainly ask my players what they want to do next.
Last time they just began looting the bodies ;P and it was very normal.

Normal and normal... I do believe it would be frowned upon in polite society. ;)

mr_h
May 23rd, 2006, 14:56
When I played/play on MUs, the GM would state "Free RP" when we were free to go around doing what not. I always liked that bit, still use it myself. :)

Wraith
May 23rd, 2006, 15:14
Last time they just began looting the bodies ;P and it was very normal.Normal and normal... I do believe it would be frowned upon in polite society. ;)
I know that in my campaign when a person kills a goblin, orc, or troll. They typically loot the body. Think of it this way if your country was at war with the neighboring country and one of their citizens/soldiers came across the border and attacked you, and of course you killed them do you think you would be entitled to his possessions? Or, more like if you kill a rat and that rat has collected a bunch of change from your pockets, and stashed it in his nest. Not to mention that is what D&D is all about thats why the XP give for a creature was directly propionate to the treasure it had.

Wraith
May 23rd, 2006, 15:15
When I played/play on MUs, the GM would state "Free RP" when we were free to go around doing what not. I always liked that bit, still use it myself. :)
Thanks Mr. H, I think that is the best one yet I think I might use that one.

John_Geeshu
May 23rd, 2006, 15:28
One problem I have run into is that I sometimes have area effect traps/ additional opponents (a la a giant spider egg sac that, if disturbed, loosed a spider swarm) so that I need to have an idea of their positions without overtly warning them something else is coming. Nothing twigs the antennae of a player more than asking "where EXACTLY are you standing while you cast that cure light wounds?" Using last combat positions isn't totally correct as they would be milling about. Using the default marching order isn't any better.

Suggestions?

When you give the players a description of their immediate area I assume you give them general proportions, the appearance and location of any objects or points of interest. Always let players know spacial relationships, i.e., where is the table in relation to the everything else in the room? And it is always a good idea to offer the description again after a battle, because it is easy to forget those kinds of details in the thick of killing. Once you have spacial relationships set up, it is easy to know generally where a character will be. If they are searching X-dead body or Y-dead body then you know where they are currently. Same if they are checking Z-door for traps, etc. Characters who don't post actions, or are bandaging wounds, etc., should probably be considered to be in their last known position after combat ended.

If you have a featureless dungeon room you can place cobwebs in one corner, and cracked flagstones in another, to give you and your players markers.

richvalle
May 23rd, 2006, 15:31
One problem I have run into is that I sometimes have area effect traps/ additional opponents (a la a giant spider egg sac that, if disturbed, loosed a spider swarm) so that I need to have an idea of their positions without overtly warning them something else is coming. Nothing twigs the antennae of a player more than asking "where EXACTLY are you standing while you cast that cure light wounds?" Using last combat positions isn't totally correct as they would be milling about. Using the default marching order isn't any better.

Suggestions?

I keep it as 'you are where your token is' at all times. When they are seaching walls the players move their token along the wall. If a fight breaks out where your token is at is where you are at when the spells start to fly.

It probably makes the game take a little longer but I think it makes some things (traps ect) easier to deal with. Since I just use one big map for the whole dungeon (WLD) we moslty move tokens around in 'real' time. For long distance travel over familure territory I'll jump the tokens up to save time.

There is no 'marching order' as the characters fall out into an order as they move. It was pretty funny the other night... the character that had usually taken point died. When the characters needed to head out during the next game everyone just kind of stood around waiting for someone else to go first. :)

rv

Griogre
May 23rd, 2006, 19:12
Nothing twigs the antennae of a player more than asking "where EXACTLY are you standing while you cast that cure light wounds?"
Suggestions?

You need to make the players move their tokens all the time. Then they won't be wiggling their antennae. It's also fairer to them because they are set up the way they want to be.

For example after a fight when there is a chest or they are searching a room I will always say: "Make sure your character is where you want to be." I do this *all* the time after every encounter. After a while the players get in the habit of moving their tokens around. They know I run random or dynamic encounters sometimes and it gives them a chance to set up. After a while it also establishes a "standard" setup which can be helpful.

Craw
May 23rd, 2006, 19:13
When you give the players a description of their immediate area I assume you give them general proportions, the appearance and location of any objects or points of interest. Always let players know spacial relationships, i.e., where is the table in relation to the everything else in the room? And it is always a good idea to offer the description again after a battle, because it is easy to forget those kinds of details in the thick of killing. Once you have spacial relationships set up, it is easy to know generally where a character will be. If they are searching X-dead body or Y-dead body then you know where they are currently. Same if they are checking Z-door for traps, etc. Characters who don't post actions, or are bandaging wounds, etc., should probably be considered to be in their last known position after combat ended.

If you have a featureless dungeon room you can place cobwebs in one corner, and cracked flagstones in another, to give you and your players markers.

This is mostly how I do it. It still creates some minor problems. I.E., a large stagnant pond that two players are searching, which is on the left of the other? These are small issues and I'm leaning toward the other suggestion of "you are where your token is" for resolution of such things.