[need DM help] Keeping up the pace

[Garwain]

I was invited by my DM to replace him for a couple of adventures. I prepared a published module, added some twists, etc. I though I was well prepared.

Overall, it went great, but I was struggeling with the pace. I didn't quite know how to react to some situations so that the ball would keep rolling.

examples:
-social encounter: players keep dragging on and on about something they find interesting, but has no bearing with the adventurer. I keep inventing on the spot, but try to nudge them back towards the main plot. I don't mind giving lots of background information, and I don't want to withhold information that should be readiliy avaible, but it slows the pace....

-fighting encounter: after a few rounds, it becomes clear that the players will win, just a matter of throwing more dice. I responded with various reactions from the monsters. Some fled, some frenzied into suicide actions, just to speed up the 'clean-up' fase of the battle. On the other hand, there was one big creature that they had locked down, and they were beating on it. I couldn't threaten the players and they were waiting for it to fall. I hadwaved the last quarter of the hp to wrap it up, but I felt that the players figured out that what I did was 'DM-magic' rather than a direct result of their actions.

-several questlines and players making plans. There were 3 different ways the adventure could go. For me it took ages before the players decided what their next step would be. And if they decided, then it took them a lot more to agree on a plan. I couldn't resist moderating the debates so that the decission was made more quickly. However, it was very tricky not to railroad, or even to make sure they wouldn't suspect me of railroading.

-and now that I think about it. How long should one turn take during combat. Can you wait out someone who is contemplating too much or do you work on the clock?

Any advice on how to handle the pace of your session?

[Swiftest]

I'd be happy to help. Several questions here, so a several answers below:

Regarding the social stuff, I think you just have to suck it up if they are enjoying it. After all, the purpose of the game is to have fun, and if the entire group is enjoying chatting with one of your NPC's then you're winning as a DM. You can give them little hints now and then (or have the NPC pull a 'look at the time!' type deal) but you shouldn't cut them off hard. Eventually one or more of the players should realize they're just killing time and want to move on, which you can heartily encourage by immediately switching to whatever it is they want to do.

I wouldn't recommend handwaving encounters unless that's something that's common in your group. Most players want to have the satisfaction of finally finishing something off. They may resent you (as you suspected) if you end the challenge too soon, even if it's clear they're going to win. If it's really absurd (hundreds of HP/DR left) or just taking forever, you can ask the group after the fight if next time they want you to handwave in such a situation. Then next time you can do it with no resentment from them since they were included in the decision. You could also have it surrender, or handwave in another direction and have it make a save or use iron heart surge (you didn't know it had warblade levels?!) or have another enemy appear or some such and suddenly make the situation tense and threatening again. Don't do this often, though. Be sneaky about it.

Regarding making plans it's a tough call, because the players usually enjoy making plans and then carrying them through, especially that rare moment when the players are able to achieve some sort of huge victory entirely due to their successful planning. It's a great feeling! Don't deny them that. The key is to moderate their time in advance. Be like 'okay guys, 15 minute break for you to plan while I order pizza, at the end of 15 minutes the attack is happening' or whatever. That way they have time to plan, but not too much, and feeling rushed is good because they don't have infinite time in game either. I recommend making them plan in character if they don't already.

Regarding the turn time limit thing, many experienced gaming groups use a 10 (or 30 or 60) second turn limit. The players are responsible for planning their actions during other people's turns and if they can't act during that limit, they have to delay to buy time. Talk to your group ahead of time to come up with what everyone agrees is a good limit and then enforce it ruthlessly for several combats. Once people get a feel for it you can adjust the time length as needed. Other groups have new players or slow players for whom this time limit system just can't work. Such is life.

It's all about communication, especially in advance. Don't spring any of the above on them without talking to them first when you feel you should.

[bloodtide]

You need to always keep in mind that you control the pace of the game, as you control the whole world.

1.Social Encounter--The quick and easy thing to do here is make the social encounter part of the plot. One of the best tricks a DM can use is to change the plot at the direction of the players (without telling them, of course). So, suddenly, the NPC they are talking too has something to do with the plot. This often works best if you do it subtlety, you don't want the players just randomly bumping into the evil over lord. And the best trick is just friends and family. So the find themselves talking to the evil overlords daughter, or aunt, or even just ex-employee.

If you feel you just want to get rid of the social encounter, you can simply end it. Most of the time a social ending works. Where something social happens and the NPC must head off to deal with it. You can even go for the action and have a monster or bad guy show up.

2.Fighting Encounter This might just take more practice, but you want to avoid where 'the players just auto win' all encounters. It should not always be clear the players will win. Adding a bit more to each encounter can make them not so clear cut. For example, giving goblins a couple of potions can quickly change the battle dynamic. This also works with feats, spells and everything else. most adventures have horrible NPCs in them: Oh look the evil cult cleric has enthrall as his second level spell..wow, scary...but change that spell to wither limb and look out.

You also want to avoid the flat battle ground arenas, make the landsacpe more complicated.

3.Quests and plans players will often take a while to decide things...but this is good for you. Let them talk while you modify and plan things out. Take this free time and use it.

If you feel you must point to a path(but not even the 'right' one) then just do: ''door 1 is wood and dust covered, door 2 is wood and dust covered and door 3 is made of solid gold. You can also speed up plans. Just skip the small stuff and let the players jump ahead.

And much like the social stuff, you can always toss in a monster to spice things up. And you don't even have to attack the characters. Say a monster came into town and grabbed a barrel of wine, and while the characters are all talking in the tavern the shopkeeper runs in asking for help. The players figure it's part of something and rush off to investigate.

If you have an NPC there to talk, have them suggest bad or at least unwise plans: ''We can put on cloaks and sneak in'' or have them suggest a good plan, with a catch: ''you can use my wagon, but I want 50% of the loot''.

4.Time A typical combat should only take a couple minutes. If your forever waiting on players, you will need to step in. It's normal to give a player 1 minute from the time the DM says ''go it's your imitative'' to take an action. If the player can't do that, they they get skipped. Now some players try and take forever asking questions ''can I charge/dodge/disarm/grapple/cast this spell'' about what they could do. I flat out don't allow that. I'm not going to stop the game and explain how disarming works. If you, the player does not understand, then you the character can't do it.(And I'm more then willing to help them any other time except during the game itself).

It's a great idea to have little combat cheat sheets. You can write out all the important stuff on index cards. And you can do tons on a computer.

You also want to keep the players at the table. And if they wonder what a spell does they should look it up when it's the other players turn. For example Bob the wizard goes on initiative 14, with three others in front of him. Bob does not just sit there and text or stare off into space while the other players go, and then wait for his turn to ask out loud ''Err, what does web do?''....Bob looks up the spell web while the other players are attacking.