I just had one of those moments when you realize that not everyone has noticed the same thing you have.
Tip for speeding up combat resolution in 3rd Edition: Once you’ve identified the AC you’re trying to hit, figure out what number you need to roll on the d20 in order to hit it. Now you don’t need to do math every time you roll: You just look at the die and instantly know whether you hit or not.
The more casual version of that is “lowest threshold”: Did you hit last time? Did you roll equal to or higher than that roll? Then you hit again. Did you roll lower? Then do the math (and, if you hit after doing the math, you’ve set a new lowest threshold).
This obviously doesn’t work if your attack bonuses or the target’s AC are shifting a lot. But 9 times out of 10, those numbers are consistent and the method works just fine.
Also: Roll your damage dice at the same time. If you hit, the damage is right there. If you didn’t, then you just ignore them.
Definitely like this thought. Many of my players do this and consider it fun to narrow in on the defense score. Those players then help the ones who don’t consider the math fun.
Every so often, I will tell the players up front that I need them to tell me their total every time. Most of the time it’s because the defense score changes, but every once in awhile, I do it just to throw in a change of pace.
Although I love narrowing down what my opponent’s AC is (although sometimes this is to add the correct Power Attack and not to speed up combat) I hate rolling the damage at the same time.
Rolling dice that won’t be used just rubs me the wrong way.
That’s exactly the way I’m doing it for years and I recommend it to all new players.
I do this with my players, but I take on some of the responsibility.
Player 1: “I got a 17!”
Me: “That’s a hit against AC 15.”
Player 2: “I got a 17, too!”
Me: “That’s a hit against AC 14.”
In other words, as they get closer and closer to the actual target number, I update them. If the above target is AC 14 and someone only hits an AC 13 with their current roll, I let them know that.
I further develop things. If a player rolls well enough to “connect” with the target (i.e. they hit the “touch” AC) I let them know that their strike connected, but it couldn’t get through the think hide/well-constructed armor/etc. My combat statements are filled with hints about how easy/hard a target is to hit.
Likewise, I provide similar hints about targets that have good reflex saves (he’s nimble, she rolls effortlessly out of the way of the fireball), good fortitude saves (the ogre is extremely beefy, he plucks the poisoned dart from his belly and laughs as he charges you), good will saves (she has an unshakeable focus and seems determined to lay you low!).
Hints come through about condition as well: the troll is slightly scarred, the orc has big, nasty wounds and scratches, the dragon is exhausted and is suffering from massive blood-loss.
My goal is to assist with streamlining combat in numerous ways. Some of those are mechanical, but others (I hope) assist the players with decision-making so that they can conserve spells/resources that they don’t necessarily need to use. Seems to help a bit with players who are still tied to the 15 minute adventuring day, too.
100% agree. Especially on rolling damage simultaneously. I do it even when there are multiple attacks by matching colors. For instance an Eldritch Blast with Hex, advantage, and Aid in place would be 2 blue d20s, a blue d4, a blue d10, and a blue d6. If I have a second bolt I add another set of dice in a different color.
It speeds things up a lot. Plus it means I get to roll handfuls of dice all at once. It’s fun and I like to watch the DM’s jaw drop. 😀