Dialogue Rules in 4e! - Downloaded from the Wizards Community, all coding removed by Solauren

Dialogue Rules in 4e!

Post/Author/DateTime Post
#1
warweaver
Oct 15, 2008 21:55:24 Although I don't post much about 4e, I just had a sudden idea.

By all accounts, while an encounter itself might not necessarily go faster than past editions in 4e (esp. at higher levels), the individual rounds tend to. Couple that with more rounds per combat than before, and it makes me think something I've always thought about but never used might have application here - dialogue rules.

Does anyone use them? What rubric do you go by? No more than six words a round (for six seconds)? Twice that? One sentence?

I usually do the "comic book dialogue law" in my games, where the amount of talk in a round is based solely on what needs to be said dramatically - thus, I rarely cut players/NPCs off, but it can get ridiculous. Also it disables certain, specific kinds of storytelling - not telling your friends fast enough that you just set off that trap, for example, or the good ol' and perpetually too-late "he's got a bomb!"

Thoughts? Experiences? Cake?
#2
BrannonB
Oct 15, 2008 22:19:49 Cake, please.
#3
Nived
Oct 15, 2008 22:21:00 Reminds me of an old issue of Deadpool where he's fighting Wolverine (on the recommendation of Deadpools psychologist) and his psychologist makes comment on how much Wolverine can say in one leap.

Ah good ol' 4th wall breaking Deadpool comics.

But I digress, six words is far too few, say "one Mississippi, two Mississippi..." up to six in your head when they start monologuing. You don't need to cut them off at six, but maybe give them a 'wrap it up' signal.
#4
warweaver
Oct 15, 2008 23:31:41 Yeah, I never limited it before because I'm a big fan of dramatic dialogue and I want to make sure everyone gets their taunts/threats/oaths/DarthVaderNooos in before the fight against Mr. or Ms. BBEG ends. But in 4e with the rounds fast but numerous, it might not be as much of a problem, and a more "realistic" system is possible.

And Deadpool is great. As is Eddie Izzard. I like where this thread is going.
#5
samyueru
Oct 16, 2008 12:38:12
Cake, please.

But the cake is a lie!
#6
pudgeheap
Oct 16, 2008 12:41:45 The title of this thread is deceptive. I was going to say, dialogue exists in 4e? Instead I'd say that it's a free action, as long as it's 3 sentences or less you're okay.
#7
warweaver
Oct 16, 2008 13:14:04
The title of this thread is deceptive. I was going to say, dialogue exists in 4e?

Heh, sorry. Maybe that ! should be a ?.
#8
mvincent
Oct 16, 2008 13:41:28
What rubric do you go by? No more than six words a round (for six seconds)? Twice that? One sentence?

A few sentences, as per PHB p.267:
Free Action: Free actions take almost no time or
effort. You can take as many free actions as you
want during your or another combatant’s turn. The
DM can restrict the number of free actions in a turn.
Examples: speaking a few sentences, dropping a held
item, letting go of a grabbed enemy.
#9
inkblot
Oct 16, 2008 19:07:17 I don't have any dialogue rules. It seems like player characters are almost always laconic. When they do talk in battle, they always keep it short anyway. Actually, my own characters are usually the most talkative (especially when I roleplay each of my Cleric's prayers).

I let players share ideas, so long as they're not acting on information their characters wouldn't have. Jim can help Mike decide what Mike's Wizard should do, because it's feasable that the Wizard would come up with that idea on his own. There ain't no rule against two people playing one character.
#10
leowulf
Oct 16, 2008 21:47:56 In my games dialogue is a free action. Somebody could pull out a copy of _War and Peace_ (as a minor action) and read from it dramatically (as a free - if protracted - action) before taking their standard action to throw the book as an improvised ranged weapon.

But if the PC is attempting to affect the universe around him, dialogue stops being free. Now the PC is rolling a D20 to see if his Bluff or Intimidate or whatever works, and taking a move-equivalent action or standard action to do so.

The grey area is PC to PC dialogue. A little back-and-forth is okay, but the party can't take a 10 minute time-out to debate the relative merits of this or that tactic. All they have time for is something like, "Cover me - I'm going slow-mo", or "Blast the big guy - Why? - He's got a bomb!"
#11
mvincent
Oct 17, 2008 11:40:11
"Cover me - I'm going slow-mo"

#12
falstyr
Oct 18, 2008 11:09:43 I can already imagine how a player will start citing a page worth of dialogue. Then I role a fatigue check and the villain drops dead out of boredom. Or he just gets another turn within that same round to shut the player up. Whatever... :P

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
#1 warweaver Oct 15, 2008 21:55:24	Although I don't post much about 4e, I just had a sudden idea. By all accounts, while an encounter itself might not necessarily go faster than past editions in 4e (esp. at higher levels), the individual rounds tend to. Couple that with more rounds per combat than before, and it makes me think something I've always thought about but never used might have application here - dialogue rules. Does anyone use them? What rubric do you go by? No more than six words a round (for six seconds)? Twice that? One sentence? I usually do the "comic book dialogue law" in my games, where the amount of talk in a round is based solely on what needs to be said dramatically - thus, I rarely cut players/NPCs off, but it can get ridiculous. Also it disables certain, specific kinds of storytelling - not telling your friends fast enough that you just set off that trap, for example, or the good ol' and perpetually too-late "he's got a bomb!" Thoughts? Experiences? Cake?
#2 BrannonB Oct 15, 2008 22:19:49	Cake, please.
#3 Nived Oct 15, 2008 22:21:00	Reminds me of an old issue of Deadpool where he's fighting Wolverine (on the recommendation of Deadpools psychologist) and his psychologist makes comment on how much Wolverine can say in one leap. Ah good ol' 4th wall breaking Deadpool comics. But I digress, six words is far too few, say "one Mississippi, two Mississippi..." up to six in your head when they start monologuing. You don't need to cut them off at six, but maybe give them a 'wrap it up' signal.
#4 warweaver Oct 15, 2008 23:31:41	Yeah, I never limited it before because I'm a big fan of dramatic dialogue and I want to make sure everyone gets their taunts/threats/oaths/DarthVaderNooos in before the fight against Mr. or Ms. BBEG ends. But in 4e with the rounds fast but numerous, it might not be as much of a problem, and a more "realistic" system is possible. And Deadpool is great. As is Eddie Izzard. I like where this thread is going.
#5 samyueru Oct 16, 2008 12:38:12	Cake, please. But the cake is a lie!
#6 pudgeheap Oct 16, 2008 12:41:45	The title of this thread is deceptive. I was going to say, dialogue exists in 4e? Instead I'd say that it's a free action, as long as it's 3 sentences or less you're okay.
#7 warweaver Oct 16, 2008 13:14:04	The title of this thread is deceptive. I was going to say, dialogue exists in 4e? Heh, sorry. Maybe that ! should be a ?.
#8 mvincent Oct 16, 2008 13:41:28	What rubric do you go by? No more than six words a round (for six seconds)? Twice that? One sentence? A few sentences, as per PHB p.267: Free Action: Free actions take almost no time or effort. You can take as many free actions as you want during your or another combatant’s turn. The DM can restrict the number of free actions in a turn. Examples: speaking a few sentences, dropping a held item, letting go of a grabbed enemy.
#9 inkblot Oct 16, 2008 19:07:17	I don't have any dialogue rules. It seems like player characters are almost always laconic. When they do talk in battle, they always keep it short anyway. Actually, my own characters are usually the most talkative (especially when I roleplay each of my Cleric's prayers). I let players share ideas, so long as they're not acting on information their characters wouldn't have. Jim can help Mike decide what Mike's Wizard should do, because it's feasable that the Wizard would come up with that idea on his own. There ain't no rule against two people playing one character.
#10 leowulf Oct 16, 2008 21:47:56	In my games dialogue is a free action. Somebody could pull out a copy of _War and Peace_ (as a minor action) and read from it dramatically (as a free - if protracted - action) before taking their standard action to throw the book as an improvised ranged weapon. But if the PC is attempting to affect the universe around him, dialogue stops being free. Now the PC is rolling a D20 to see if his Bluff or Intimidate or whatever works, and taking a move-equivalent action or standard action to do so. The grey area is PC to PC dialogue. A little back-and-forth is okay, but the party can't take a 10 minute time-out to debate the relative merits of this or that tactic. All they have time for is something like, "Cover me - I'm going slow-mo", or "Blast the big guy - Why? - He's got a bomb!"
#11 mvincent Oct 17, 2008 11:40:11	"Cover me - I'm going slow-mo"
#12 falstyr Oct 18, 2008 11:09:43	I can already imagine how a player will start citing a page worth of dialogue. Then I role a fatigue check and the villain drops dead out of boredom. Or he just gets another turn within that same round to shut the player up. Whatever... :P