Dave Zumwalt wrote:

>Okay then. Here's a situation I need help with.
>
>I would like to run a PBEM 3rd Edition D&D adventure. But I do not wish for 
>the game mechanics, especially rolling dice for each combat action, to slow 
>the game down. In face-to-face pen and paper, battles can sometimes take an 
>hour. If the players and I have to roll dice and email the results back and 
>forth, or use one those dice server things, battles will probably take 
>weeks. I need help coming up with a solution.
>
>One thing I tried was making up homemade combat rules that don't involve 
>dice. Basically, every roll is a ten. If thats over the needed number it's a 
>damage bonus. If it's less is a damage penalty. Each hit or spell does 
>average damage to the monsters who have average hit points. Everybody "Takes 
>Ten" on saving throws and skill checks unless they can "Take Twenty." I 
>thought this would be slick, even allowing me to fast forward the combats 
>and post results from multiple rounds of combat. However, I convinced only 
>two players to try my system. What do you think of it?
>
>What other tricks do you know of that speed play? I suppose I could do all 
>the rolling myself as DM, but the temptation to fudge the results would be 
>high.
>
>Any advice from your own play by email experiences would be greatly 
>appreciated.
>
>
Sounds  like you are looking to play a quite role-playing heavy game, 
which doesn't focus on combat to much. Maybe D&D isn't  the right system 
for that? It's excels in combat, and options in combat. Even if this 
quick method of combat gives a fair outcome, you'll still have to wait 
for player action if you want them to decide which opponent to attack or 
what spell to cast. If you take that option from them, then I think it 
would be best to just decide the battle's outcome as a whole and post  a 
cinematic description for the players.
But what's the use of playing D&D then? Use some less rules-oriented 
system, or play free form.

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