A Tool to Enable Consensus Decision Making
- Problem: your group fails to make timely decisions due to a consistent failure to reach
a consensus
- Desired Remedy: A tool that helps alleviate this detriment to fun
gaming.
- Proposed Tool: Options Identification Process and Voting Tool (see
below)
- Requirements: Buy-in from GM and players on the particular voting
tool that will be used.
A voting tool can resolve all four problems if your group and your DM agree to use a voting tool. We don't know the interpersonal dynamics in this group. (It matters). I will assume that you are all friends or at least on friendly terms.
Note about reality: Who the "alpha dog" in your group is may color your success in agreeing on a decision aid.
What you seek is an in-game usable form of Consensus Decision making
A generic process is illustrated by this flow chart and the previous link is a concise summary of the process that is subject neutral. (Not TTRPG centric, but process/tool set used in many walks of life).
Per your comment that the group is all adults, you could just stop here and look at the summary in the first link, and tailor your own tool. But we'll proceed ...
Apply the voting tool when you find yourselves in the dilemmas you described in the question.
First:
- Identify how many different actions or choices are being proposed.
- If you don't identify what your options are, you can't make a
decision.
- You can die roll to see who states his case first, with the DM as facilitator.
- Take turns as pointed to by the DM, as that disrupts play less.
Second:
- each player proposing an option states it, along with a brief "why"
for that choice.
Third:
- With DM facilitating, you all vote on each option.
- Each player has 2 votes available. You cannot apply two votes to a single option.
- Use a d6 to indicate your vote, in front of you at the table:
- 1 pip is no, 6 pips is yes.
- A brief "why not" for a no vote is an option here
- Rinse and repeat for each option.
DM keeps track of votes received. (as neutral facilitator).
If there were more than two choices to start with, drop option with lowest score, vote on remaining choices per above.
Fourth: Vote To Determine the Group Decision
Voting Criteria For Success:
Unanimous agreement
Unanimity minus one vote
Unanimity minus two votes
Person-in-charge decides
Pick from one of the above criteria. Your group has to agree on the level of consensus that is acceptable to all(See Social Contract comment further down).
For the final vote, I suggest Unanimity Minus One or Unanimity Minus Two.
If you end up with a hung jury due to which protocol was chosen (like Unanimous) you have two last resort options to get a decision.
"Person in Charge decides." You can roll for, or each night designate, someone as "person in charge" and accept their decision for hung juries.
Roll the dice (high wins) or flip a coin to decide between the last two choices.
Your problem statement indicates that you want the group to make decisions. The above is a time tested method, adapted for your described table, that will get you decisions.
Summary of Benefits: (to address your stated problems)
- Vote on choices to keep play moving by making decisions.
- Don't split the party.
- You'll have less wasted time.
- Each player participates in making decisions for the group when the group needs a decision.
- The GM doesn't pull his hair out.
Caveat to this answer:
- If you are the only person at the table concerned about this, the
above as a decision aid is probably doomed.
- If the other players care, then you have something to discuss within your group
and get buy-in.
- Getting buy-in on collaborative processes like this is part of your Social Contract, which from your problem statement is not robust in your group -- at least in this area.
Experience:
Small group dynamics and decision making have been in my professional life for a few decades. I'll use an informal group example of a decision process following the same steps tailored to a different situation:
- RL example: seven men, one van, Friday night, which bar to go to? Thumbs up and thumbs down rather than dice. Same basic process, different objective, small social group dynamics.
Best Answer
No, it's not a thing: hit dice don't do damage
Hit dice are used to calculate hit points and healing.
Damage comes from weapon damage dice and modifiers. See page 48 in the Basic Rules (Free to down load at WoTC) or the PHB (p. 149).
Example:
Great Axe: 1d12 + Strength Mod.
With a strength of 16, that means a Great Axe does 1d12+3 damage.
Hit dice and hit points are about how much damage the character takes before dying or being knocked out, or about how to heal. Nothing to do with adding damage in combat.