Post/Author/DateTime	Post
#1 JPS42 Dec 05, 2014 19:15:22	I'm not sure when to adopt a turn-based format and when not to; I know that during combat turns are necessary, but I'm not quite sure where else. What are some advantages and disadvantages to keeping the game structured and turn-based? What are some advantages and disadvantages to the alternative of keeping the game loose and freeform?
#2 dafrca Dec 05, 2014 23:27:33	The rule I use for myself is; keep it turn based when I need to know the very specific timing of an action or reaction. Otherwise I let the game go freestyle.
#3 cowleymen Dec 06, 2014 3:38:07	It really depends on your definition. During town-times, when the party can split looking for new items, doing research ect, I usally just go around the table asking people what they are doing one at at time. spends 5-10 minutes, they get their "shopping" done, and move on. Not turn based so much as combat, but still not free for all. In social situations I try to let one person get whole thoughts/sentences across, and letting other players/characters add as nesscisary.
#4 Rhenny Dec 06, 2014 5:48:50	If you have players who speak over others or come up with many ideas quickly it is often better to have turns.  Basically, it helps the DM make sure that every voice is heard.
#5 iserith Dec 06, 2014 6:07:02	Basic Rules, page 3:   This pattern [the 3-step basic conversation of the game] holds whether the adventurers are cautiously exploring a ruin, talking to a devious prince, or locked in mortal combat against a mighty dragon. In certain situations, particularly combat, the action is more structured and the players (and DM) do take turns choosing and resolving actions. But most of the time, play is fluid and flexible, adapting to the circumstances of the adventure.   So when you're not in combat, whoever speaks up has the spotlight. If the players are not good at sharing the spotlight on their own, the DM can step in and make sure everyone has an opportunity to have a moment in the spotlight through good table management. This is an important DM skill. It's also important for players to learn that sometimes they are the lead (and everyone backs their play) and other times they are a feature (and they back someone else's play). Discuss it as a group and work out a way to make sure everyone understands this.
#6 Gnarl Dec 06, 2014 12:34:25	JPS42 wrote:
#7 bonethug0108 Dec 06, 2014 15:53:07	I would say to try to make sure everyone is getting a turn whenever possible. In combat this is defined, but outside of it try to make sure everyone has a chance to share their ideas or ask questions and describe what they want to do. You don't need initiative outside of combat(hell I've actually seen combat without any true initiative order).   Now this doesn't mean that you have people act in a certain order when out of combat. Billy might ask a question, Sara might have a suggestion, and then Billy might describe what his character wants to do. Then Jimmy asks how the prince's attitude looks after what Billy's character just said, then Sara say what her character wants to do. Suzie then chimes in that her character is in the back giving the prince a mean snarl.   It's free form but you want to encourage everyone to chime in with something at some point. Even if it's asking what Don's character is doing as the Prince and Sara and Billy's characters are talking. Maybe he doesn't want to talk to the Prince, but at least you encouraged him to participate in some way.   Do the same when exploring and traveling. Try to see what each character is doing, even if they just decide that they're walking along.
#8 guachi Dec 06, 2014 18:35:58	The older versions of D&D had rounds and turns. Rounds were for combat and turns were for outside combat. A turn in old D&D was 10 minutes. Anything outside of combat is reduced to 10 minute chunks. It's especially useful in a dungeon as you can more easily keep track of torches, lanterns, spell durations, wandering monsters.   Just keep a set of boxes you mark off and note when stuff ends or you need to roll for stuff like wandering monsters. Cast a ritual? One box. Cast Pass Without Trace? Six box duration. Torch? Six box duration. Wandering monster check every 30 minutes? Mark every third box to remind yourself. Lantern? Thirty-six box duration.   All spells of 1 minute or less end basically as soon as combat is over. All general after combat activities - quick searching and looting of bodies, binding wounds, out-of-combat healing spells, gathering equipment back up - take up to the 10 minute mark. That is, if combat last 30 seconds, the other stuff is 9 minutes 30 seconds. Mark one box. I don't think there are any spells you can't use this on. They durations are in rounds (so can end in combat), 1 minute (ending right after combat), 10 minutes (conveniently equal to one box or an old-school turn), 1 hour (six boxes/turns), or some multiple number of hours.   Dungeon delving time is blindingly simple to keep track of if you have a turn counter. It's really too bad the idea of a 10 minute turn disappeared from the game.
#9 Noon Dec 07, 2014 18:31:27	Rhenny wrote:
#10 Lashan Dec 08, 2014 11:59:05	I say roll initiative whenever there is a conflict over the same thing and people make competing actions (NPC or player).   If there is someone who is dominating the time, you let them go for a bit, but then ask other people what they are doing.  If someone is doing something when thet original guy jumps in to do something, tell the original guy that he's busy doing all the other things that he wanted to try and shut him down.  Let everyone get a turn.