Non-Turn Based Action

[mr_h]

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]

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]

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]

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]

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]

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]

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.