Declaration of actions

[doominicus]

I am interested in the phase of declaration of actions before the initiative. In the other rpgs I have played, I never used it. But now I am inclined to use it.
Do you bother the players with "narrow" declaration (that is: attack, whom? move, where? and so on) or do you use the "wide" combat actions on pag129 of the PHB 4p?
And then, after the players roll their initiatives, if a player , on his turn, changes his mind, what do you do?
I tend to use the "wide" actions and if a player changes his mind allow him but with some penalties due to his uncertainty (I have read this somewhere. I don't remember where, perhaps the DMG of AD&D 1e)
bye

[redwullf]

I am interested in the phase of declaration of actions before the initiative. In the other rpgs I have played, I never used it. But now I am inclined to use it.
Do you bother the players with "narrow" declaration (that is: attack, whom? move, where? and so on) or do you use the "wide" combat actions on pag129 of the PHB 4p?
And then, after the players roll their initiatives, if a player , on his turn, changes his mind, what do you do?
I tend to use the "wide" actions and if a player changes his mind allow him but with some penalties due to his uncertainty (I have read this somewhere. I don't remember where, perhaps the DMG of AD&D 1e)
bye

My experience has been that the declaration phase really slows down combat in larger groups. I have up to 6 players at the table and by using declarations I effectively double the duration of each combat round. I'm a huge proponent of keeping combat smooth and fast, so I cut out anything that will bog it down, including declarations. But, that's just my preference.

[Lobo316]

I am interested in the phase of declaration of actions before the initiative. In the other rpgs I have played, I never used it. But now I am inclined to use it.
Do you bother the players with "narrow" declaration (that is: attack, whom? move, where? and so on) or do you use the "wide" combat actions on pag129 of the PHB 4p?
And then, after the players roll their initiatives, if a player , on his turn, changes his mind, what do you do?
I tend to use the "wide" actions and if a player changes his mind allow him but with some penalties due to his uncertainty (I have read this somewhere. I don't remember where, perhaps the DMG of AD&D 1e)
bye

My experience has been that the declaration phase really slows down combat in larger groups. I have up to 6 players at the table and by using declarations I effectively double the duration of each combat round. I'm a huge proponent of keeping combat smooth and fast, so I cut out anything that will bog it down, including declarations. But, that's just my preference.

What he said! Seriously, we've never played with any sort of declaration system in any version of D&D. The only thing I'd suggest is if your using some of the combat actions, like offensive focus (things the give you a bonus to something at a penatly to AC) you make sure to enforce the modifiiers all the way through the player next init (not the end of the round).

[Omote]

I've never done so until the CKG came out. There are several combat manuevers presented in that book that state that declaration must be made before initiative is rolled. In these cases, if you are going to do one of those actions/manauevers, then you must declare before initiative is rolled.

~O

[Arduin]

I use narrow, before init. If they change I judge at the time if it makes a difference. No way to have a hard fast rule without running into problems due to unreality.

N.B. in my game actions are simultaneous excepting a fraction of a second due to higher or lower init rolls.

[alcyone]

I've tried doing it different ways. I'm surprised people find declaration makes things take longer; in my group everything goes faster; no one waits for their turn to go look up a spell or something. The way it's done in Dark Dungeons is pretty neat; you say if you want to predeclare or not. If you declare first, you get a bonus to initiative. If you don't, you get to hear the monsters plans before you act. No changing your mind if you predeclare.

But usually I don't make anyone declare anything except spell-casting. That gives anyone going before the caster the opportunity to interrupt the spell. You can pick the target on your turn. You don't have to complete the casting, but if you don't, you can't do anything else, and you lose the spell. If you take damage you might lose the spell. I don't adjudicate that consistently, sometimes you make a SIEGE check.

[MormonYoYoMan]

Somehow, this thread makes me think of how a bunch of our folks in the Ozarks would play C&C.

Gamesmaster: Glen, what does Buster Bigfighter declare?

Glen: I declare, it shoah is good to be bustin' orc haids agin!

[koralas]

Definitely require declaration, IMO it speeds combat, not slow it down. Everyone must decide what to do, and have a time limit (within reason) to make their declaration. Actions can change on your turn (actually ends up moving you down the initiative order), but again within reason. If someone wants to move and attack a creature, and that creature is slain before the character gets there, they can redirect if another creature is within 10' (and still in their normal move range), or if another creature had moved closer than the original target. Ranged attacks, including spells at range, may be redirected normally.

In my experience it tends towards a fast, dynamic, and more narrative style of combat. It also helps with the confusion found in combat, and snap decisions that must be made.

[doominicus]

thanx to all for the hints. I'm going to check the reactions of my players to the declarations of actions because we never have played in that way

[Snoring Rock]

Somehow, this thread makes me think of how a bunch of our folks in the Ozarks would play C&C.

Gamesmaster: Glen, what does Buster Bigfighter declare?

Glen: I declare, it shoah is good to be bustin' orc haids agin!

Be careful there Dude. I am from the Ozarks (St. James, Missouri). Actually, some folks do sound like that, but none of them play C&C.

[MormonYoYoMan]

Somehow, this thread makes me think of how a bunch of our folks in the Ozarks would play C&C.

Gamesmaster: Glen, what does Buster Bigfighter declare?

Glen: I declare, it shoah is good to be bustin' orc haids agin!

Be careful there Dude. I am from the Ozarks (St. James, Missouri). Actually, some folks do sound like that, but none of them play C&C.

I'm married to an Ozark gal. We frequently attend her family reunions to see the guys try to pick up women.

[Arduin]

Be careful there Dude. I am from the Ozarks (St. James, Missouri). Actually, some folks do sound like that, but none of them play C&C.

My dad & grandma are from Mo. Descendant of C. Younger...

[Lord Dynel]

I didn't at first, coming straight off of 3.5 but the more I think about it, I probably will use it in the future. For one, as Omote said, there are some things that need the declaration stage. For purposes of spell casting, I think it works better (especially since there are no attacks of opportunity, thank goodness!). I personally prefer the method of announcing, and follow a similar stance as mentioned on page 53 of the 4th printing Player's Handbook:

Most Castle Keepres make you announce at the beginning of the round whether you are going to cast a spell. If so, and you roll a low initiative roll, then you have a chance to be struck before the spell goes off.

For me, the casters make the announcement during a declaration, then start casting immediately. The spell completes during their action for the round. So, yes, there is a possibility of being hit, which would result in the loss of the spell. There's also a chance that the foe would be killed or would flee combat, and might make the spell being cast useless. I think that since everything happens simultaneously, it makes more sense. The players would still have their declaration phase to strategize, too, so not all is lost for them.

[doominicus]

thanx Lord dynel, I think the same as u. probably I'll make the declaration phase at the beginning only for the actions that makes sense to be declared: spella, parry e combat focus (or what the hell is its name!)