9 ways to make combat run faster
Long combats are the most common complaint at the table. These habits come up again and again among GMs who run fast, tense fights.
1. Roll monster initiative as a group
Five identical goblins donât need five initiative rolls. Roll once for the group and have them act together. It cuts down the turn order and the bookkeeping.
2. Show the turn order
When players can see whoâs next, they plan during other peopleâs turns instead of after their own turn starts. Use a whiteboard, index cards on the GM screen, or the initiative tracker on a tablet facing the table.
3. Announce âon deckâ
Every time a turn starts, say whoâs next: âMira, youâre up; Theo, youâre on deck.â That one sentence saves a surprising amount of time.
4. Use average damage for monsters
Every stat block lists average damage next to the dice. Using it means one less roll per attack, and you can save rolling for big, dramatic moments.
5. Roll attack and damage together
Ask players to roll the d20 and the damage dice at the same time. If the attack misses, ignore the damage.
6. Describe less on misses, more on kills
A miss can be one word. The blow that drops the ogre deserves a sentence or two. Put your description time where it matters most.
7. Let monsters flee
Most creatures donât fight to the death. When the fightâs outcome is obvious, have the survivors run or surrender. The last three rounds of a won fight are rarely fun.
8. Track hit points out loud
Tell the players when a monster is âbloodiedâ (below half HP). It helps them decide what to do and makes the fight feel like itâs moving.
9. Set a turn time limit (gently)
You donât need a sand timer, but a friendly âten seconds, what do you do?â keeps things moving. If someone isnât ready, have them Dodge and come back to them.
Building the fight in advance? Check its difficulty with the encounter calculator so youâre not surprised by a three-hour slog.