Efficient Gameplay Guide

## Before the game

### Switch the chat to your character

In most of the cases your nick differs from your character's name, what makes speaking and acting as character a bit inconvenient from the perspective of other players. You can do it by picking your character name from the drop-down list under the chat.

### Set player avatar size to small

You will see more of the map. It's in My Settings tab of the Roll20 table.

### Prepare your sheet.

After you open it, you can double click to minimize it. Give it a glance - if you suspect any missing feature/spell/attack - please fix it in the meantime, as fast as possible.

### Set your character to Always Roll Advantage and Auto Roll Damage & Crit

There's a cog icon in your sheet, where you can set it. It should be enabled by default. This should speed the game up.

## During the game

In any moment, you can roleplay your character in aspects which don't require rolling dice. All non-spoken actions should be performed with /me (or /e) command. Here's an example:

```
**Musiette Coriandar:** What a nice weather, isn't it?

```

```
Musiette Coriandar combs her hair slowly

```

Before you roll dice, make sure GM has time to resolve your action. In combat we follow strict initiative order, but outside of it - just don't be too greedy with your rolls and be polite to other players (they also want to roll some things). If any player performs an action and rolls dice to check result, other players should pause performing their dice rolling actions, until GM responds to the last action rolled.

When players start to roll chaotically, GM usually asks them to roll initiatives, just like during the combat - to make sure everyone can execute actions.

To say something out-of-roleplay, we stick to round brackets convention:

```
**Haseid Ekko:** (can I cast Fireball AND Mage Hand in one turn?)

```

### Just roll

If you want to use your skills/abilities, usually you don't need to ask a GM - just roll. Of course do it only when there are no other rolls to process - GM's throughput is limited.

### Just roleplay

It is advised to roleplay all actions after a resolved roll, for example:

```
Koragit Thume groans when crossbow bolt pierces his arm

```

```
Duadin jumped over the fence with agility of a cat

```

If there's something you can roleplay, then just do it - it gives GM more time for managing mechanics of the game.

### Manage your sheet

GM has little to no time to manage your sheet during the session. If your character has gained or lost an item during the game - make sure to adapt the sheet accordingly. Basic items are draggable from Roll20 compendium tab. If you couldn't find mentioned item there, try to copy item's details from 5eTools. If it's a homebrewed item, then ask GM about its weight, at least (so that you won't end up on sea bottom if GM discovers your three full-sized cannons during your swimming check).

```
Dimple Fleebottom investigates the skeleton

```

```
You found a Narrow Grappling Hook!

```

```
**Dimple Fleebottom:** (what is its weight? how long is it?)

```

```
**GM:** (see compendium for grappling hook)

```

Similarly, try to adapt all changes in your character's resources like health, spell slots, ki points, sorcery points, rage counters. GM will sometimes try to adapt your health, since he's got an easy access to it through your character's token - make sure you don't stack your changes and revert duplicated modification (whether it was you or the GM).

### Whisper your secrets

If you want to do something secretly, type /w gm <message>. It prevents metagaming - you don't want to be hunted by a player whose character you've robbed. Example:

```
To GM: I want to steal a bread from Rampal

```

```
From GM: Sure, roll Stealth and Sleigh of Hand in private

```

- followed by Stealth and Sleigh of Hand rolled directly to GM.

## During your combat turn

You can find a nice cheat sheet for combat actions here.

When your turn begins, use /me command to describe the context of your actions, for example:

```
Lykel approaches the giant and strikes enemy twice with his sword!

```

- followed by moving character token to a proper place, two sword attack rolls and a description of Extra Attack feature, which enables Lykel striking twice.

During your combat turn you can do following things in any order:

### Move

Move distance equal to your speed, moving your token on the map. Standing up from being prone costs you half of your movement. Difficult terrain (which requires you to do something more than just running) costs you twice the distance passed.

### Use Action

Commonly used for weapon attacks, casting a spell, activating features, doubling movement, disengaging enemies, grappling enemies, helping friends in their actions, trying to hide or preparing action for later use.

### Use Bonus Action

Bonus action can be used for offhand attacks, casting cantrips or activating features which require bonus action. Remember: Bonus Action and normal Action are NOT interchangeable!

## Between your combat turns

When it's not your turn, you can still use /me to roleplay and use reaction-based activities, for example:

```
Lykel - seeing incoming projectile - casts a Shield just before the arrow hits him!

```

- followed by description of Shield spell.

Between your combat turns you can:

### Use Reaction

Some features and spells can be used as reaction. Alternatively, if you readied an action trigger during your turn or before combat, you can now use previously prepared action as reaction, if previously defined circumstances appear.

### Communicate

Saying things usually doesn't cost you action nor bonus action, so feel free to roleplay your character, while DM handles other player's turn! Of course you can communicate during your turn, too, but it can disrupt your decision making, in result making the combat longer. Example:

```
**Hurik:** We aren't your enemies! Your real enemy hides behind the bushes over there!

```

```
Hurik points to a direction where the Black Dwarf hid himself

```