My quick tip for ensuring players are ready on their turns. What do you do?

[YCombinator]

I instituted a new "rule" or rather more of a practice at my game last session and I found that it worked out really well, so I figured I'd share it with everyone.

Sometimes, especially in my groups where folks are all drinking, eating, side chatting jokes, combat can drag on a bit because players are not ready for their turn. To be clear this stuff is very welcomed in my group. People are pretty lax about focus sometimes but none of us are going to police it.

However, everyone benefits a lot from combat going as fast as possible and that means players who are coming up next should be ready and know what they want to do.

I started giving out a big brass token that I had lying around. You can use any object. When initiative is called out, it's written for everyone to see and then the token is given to the first person. As soon as that person starts his or her turn he or she passes it to the next player. Everyone just needs to remember who comes next, or read it off the sheet.

Now the player who should be paying attention or making a plan of what to do next has been physically handed an object and told "you're next" while the player who is currently going takes a turn.

I found that this really woke the player up and they were generally pretty ready on their turn. Instead of saying "Oh me? Oh um... let me look at the game state. Okay. Now let me check out my spell book for some ideas."

What do you guys do to make combat flow well from the meta game perspective?

-mike

[pwykersotz]

That's a pretty great idea!

I started using side initiative and making the party all take their turns at once, which neatly sidesteps the issue.

[Mellack]

I think that is a wonderful idea. It gets the player's attention in a way that is positive and does not require DM policing.

[Gtdead]

I don't have experience as a DM, but what I'd try to do would be to give some kind of que to the player that comes next.

For example, Lets say that the initiative order is Bill, Orc and then Bob

I let Bill play his turn
Then while i control the orc I'd say something like

"The orc gives a quick glance to Bob, and attacks Bill"
Then roll for the orc's attack.

This makes Bob conscious for a while so he can think about his turn while I roll.

[JumboWheat01]

Aww... but winning a battle because the enemy got fed up and left after all the bad puns and jokes the party made is half the fun!

Still, there's nothing wrong with streamlining combat. I like the idea of passing around a poker chip or something to keep track of who's next. Will have to bring up that idea next time I play.

[NewDM]

I'm with the AngryGM on this one.

If at least one player is there for the game, then everyone else not paying attention is being rude to that player. If no one cares then don't bother with anything. If one or more cares, then simply have them ready an action to attack anything that gets close and move onto the next character (AngryGM says to delay turn, but that just messes with too much stuff).

[Mellack]

I'm with the AngryGM on this one.

If at least one player is there for the game, then everyone else not paying attention is being rude to that player. If no one cares then don't bother with anything. If one or more cares, then simply have them ready an action to attack anything that gets close and move onto the next character (AngryGM says to delay turn, but that just messes with too much stuff).

I don't think it is an either/or situation. We can be there for the game, but also to visit and joke around. I find somebody trying to rush me or put a clock on the actions to take away from the enjoyment of the game. And I am someone who does follow the action and am ready. But at its heart, it is a game where we have come together to have fun. Don't let the game be the focus, keep the fun as the focus. Similar to inviting somebody out to eat. Rarely is the important part the actual food.

[NewDM]

I don't think it is an either/or situation. We can be there for the game, but also to visit and joke around. I find somebody trying to rush me or put a clock on the actions to take away from the enjoyment of the game. And I am someone who does follow the action and am ready. But at its heart, it is a game where we have come together to have fun. Don't let the game be the focus, keep the fun as the focus. Similar to inviting somebody out to eat. Rarely is the important part the actual food.

In that case it doesn't really matter and you shouldn't force it. Clearly the game is not the focus, just an excuse to get together.

[YCombinator]

In that case it doesn't really matter and you shouldn't force it. Clearly the game is not the focus, just an excuse to get together.

Yes, true. It is. But that doesn't mean I don't want to try to focus a little, so long as that focus doesn't become a problem. Cracking down on players and punishing them for not being ready by delaying initiative might rub people the wrong way. Lecturing people on not being ready just won't fly here for me either. Providing a simple, yet very clear physical prop indication that you are next, however, I find has really increased focus when it matters. That why I like this method so much.

Most of the time my players are watching the game on the edge of their seats. But the newbies are often so hung up on what cool thing the person before them is doing that they forget to plan. Being handed a large token and being told "you're next" makes them realize they should focus a bit more on their own spell book for a minute instead of watching me push figurines around the table. It also says "Hey maybe hold off on going to grab that beer right now."

[NewDM]

Yes, true. It is. But that doesn't mean I don't want to try to focus a little, so long as that focus doesn't become a problem. Cracking down on players and punishing them for not being ready by delaying initiative might rub people the wrong way. Lecturing people on not being ready just won't fly here for me either. Providing a simple, yet very clear physical prop indication that you are next, however, I find has really increased focus when it matters. That why I like this method so much.

Most of the time my players are watching the game on the edge of their seats. But the newbies are often so hung up on what cool thing the person before them is doing that they forget to plan. Being handed a large token and being told "you're next" makes them realize they should focus a bit more on their own spell book for a minute instead of watching me push figurines around the table. It also says "Hey maybe hold off on going to grab that beer right now."

Yeah, I can see how that would work.

[Sir cryosin]

This is kind harsh but when you get to a person if there not ready pull out a small sand hourglass and flip it if it runs out be for the person make his/her turn there turn is skipped. I know it harsh but after a couple of times they will get the message. But I'm a tough love kind of person.