With things getting more and more complex in my 3.x game, I resorted to trying a laptop out for tracking all manner of things. It was noted in the article the author would sometimes pay more attention to the laptop than the players, and that happened in a big way for me. I’ve tried just about every piece of software out there for gaming management, and that’s no exaggeration (demos, purchased full versions, freeware, web/stand-alone, homebrew xls, etc…) and nothing every actually improved gameplay. Many people have had great success with laptops at the table, but make sure it’s actually working. It can seem to make some things easier, but it might actually be slowing you down. It can also kind of depersonalize the experience and using tactile cards/sheets and the like might work better for actual table time. I’ve taken to using software for pre-game prep, but all physical media for notes\background\encounters\etc.

To each their own, but I thought I’d mention it.

1. PDAs. While I have the SRD on my laptop, my PDA is invaluable. It’s windows mobile, so I have Quickling set up with all the encounters for that session. I put in initiative, it sorts and gives me a checkbox so I can just go down the list. There’s a text box I use that I can make a note of status effects, which I remind the player of when I call their name. Another PDA has D&Dce installed, which gives the spellcasters a dropdown list of spells in alphabetical order, leading to their SRD information. Unfortunately, I have no idea where I got these programs, but with the impending release of 4E, I’m sure we’ll be getting something new.

2. In-game conversation. Just don’t allow it. “You can use a free action to say a few words, or a full action to say a sentence or two short sentences, but you can’t have a conversation in one round” is my rule. The party is going to have to choose between talking or fighting, and if they try to have it both ways, it’ll just drag everyone down.

3. Buffs. I had a big helping of this as the player of a Halfling Barbarian/Frenzied Berserker/Champion of Gwyharrf (ugh, sic). Most sheets give way more empty boxes than you need, especially with weapons. I just made a separate weapon entry for Gwith and her greatsword, one for regular, enraged and enraged/frenzied. Under modifiers I put in parenthesis what that attack would be with common buffs (haste, bull’s strength), so all I had to do was look at my rage status, then look at what buffs were active, and find the appropriate entry I made in that weapon block. I find that much more flexible and convenient than a spreadsheet.

4. Double-Dip. We’re playing Dragonlance right now. Goldmoon’s turn is really “Goldmoon and whoever is next’s” turn. Goldmoon will not end the combat by healing, so I have her roll healing while the next person takes their action. Similarly, if two characters are attacking different NPCs, early in combat (when they won’t kill either of them) I will just have the two players roll simultaneously. There’s no harm of screwing up a subsequent player’s action, and you just cut the time for those rounds in half.

I also ask them to limit any conversations during a combat round to what their characters actually have time for. I take it even further, by warning them that I will use that information to the monsters’ advantage (at least, if they can speak the same language as the PCs do; that also gives them a useful reason to spend skill points in new languages, or the Bluff skill or telepathic spells and powers to convey secret messages).

Thanks for the great tip!

1. For 3.5 games, I usually have my spell casters print out spell cards or at least have a sheet with all of the pertinent information. Not only does it save flip time, but you can use them to track spell use. Combat action cards are also useful.

2. I always print a couple copies of must-used or hard-to-remember rules and keep them on the table. This especially works well for games with drama/action/hero/etc. points, so that players can see what these points can be used for.

3. Call out modifiers before the roll. This gets players in the routine of memorizing their bonuses.

4. I bought the initiative tracker and wire spell area effect props from Gamemastery. These have proved invaluable.

I use HeroForge to manage complex characters. It’s free, it handles over 90% of WotC’s material (and some from other publishers), and it lets you select which ‘buff spells/abilities’ are active at any given time. If you’ve ever run a high-level Barbarian with six buff spells, ten magic items, and Greater Rage, you’ll appreciate this.

Downside: It’s a huge Excel spreadsheet, and is a bit more stable with more recent versions of Excel.

Caveat: I am on the dev. team, although it’s mainly as a cheerleader.

If the computer route is not an option, have them make up index cards with their current modifiers. Something like “Attack +10/+5, Damage 1d10+12, AC 19 (flat-footed 17, touch 12)”, and then modify it or make a new card when something changes. Another alternative is to keep one card with only the current modifiers running on it. The key is to find a consistent system, and it will become automatic.

Another alternative is to let another player assist them. This can be done smoothly enough that it doesn’t scream, “Joey can’t do math!”

A lot of the things in this post are really helpful, especially the ideas about cards/notes/etc. Any ideas on things that can be done to help players that find it inherently hard to go through combat quickly? This is mostly for D&D3.5, I’ve not had any experience with these players in other systems.

Descriptions of the environment and what’s happening really help when the descriptions are concise and plucked of filler.

I’m not sure how possible the former is in 3.5, but as I use a fairly rules-lite system for most of my gaming, it tends to work out decently enough.