[RPG] Are rounds just for combat, or should we be using them at other times in the game

dnd-5enon-combattime

There have been assertions made that rounds and turns only exist within the confines of combat for D&D 5e, or in particular that during a short rest there are no rounds when looking at things like simultaneous effects happening within the confines of a short rest.

The idea that rounds and turns only exist within the confines of combat is something I personally disagree with, rule differently in my games, but I would like to make sure I am not mis-interpreting the rules on when to use rounds in the game.

What is the correct interpretation for this?

Of particular interest to me, and what spawned the idea for this question as well as the problem it's looking to solve, is the idea of resolving simultaneous effects during longer activities. So for example, a short rest is measured in an hour, a long rest is measured in 8 hours spans of time. Both of these have defined start and end points, and in particular the game specifies a lot of things happen at the end of [insert rest here]. These things happen at the same time and need to have an order resolved for the game to work.

Similarly, I would like to get an idea of what sort of other non-combat situations might be suitable for using time tracking in rounds based on people's experience.

While I accept that any time you need to use initiative in the game (chases or combat for example) you need to measure time in rounds, measuring time in rounds does not necessarily require a strict initiative order. For example, solving a complex puzzle with per round effects that repeat on a loop, and demonstrating that loop in rounds, but allowing your players to determine the order of their actions dynamically in each round, without going turn by turn, even allowing for two players actually doing two things at the same time.

Best Answer

Rounds, and where necessary turns, are used whenever there is a need for fast-paced tracking of time, regardless of whether or not it is in combat or not

This is hinted at in the optional rule for Xanathar's Guide to Everything for resolving simultaneous effects:

Most effects in the game happen in succession, following an order set by the rules or the DM. In rare cases, effects can happen at the same time, especially at the start or end of a creature's turn. [...]

(Xanathar's Guide To Everything > Chapter 2: Dungeon Master's Tools > Simultaneous Effects)

This makes it clear that most things in the game have a defined order of operations, but some things actually can happen at precisely the same time, and need some adjudicating.

The Player's Handbook has the following to say about rounds, in Chapter 8: Adventuring > Time:

[...]

In combat and other fast-paced situations, the game relies on rounds, a 6 second span of time described in chapter 9, "Combat.".

This makes it clear, that any time we need to track something that is fast-paced, whether combat or not, we should use rounds to track this. It also makes clear that how we do this can be the same for both combat and fast-paced non-combat situations.

Are simultaneous events fast-paced?

Simultaneous effects are by definition fast-paced, since they are literally two or more things happening at precisely the same time. There cannot be anything more fast-paced than resolving a race condition between two simultaneous events.

Are simultaneous events situations?

Generally, if we are interested in tracking time in such a fine grained way in the game, then it's a "situation" under the normal meaning of that word. Not all simultaneous events have to be a situation, but any given set can be. For example, someone falling and their griffon mount trying to catch them as they fall out of the saddle is an example of a simultaneous situation, and one in which you would want to track time in a fine-grained way using rounds.

Conclusion

Ergo, we use rounds and turns to track precisely when simultaneous events happen (if the people at the table think it needs to be resolved in finer detail). We would also use rounds to track any other fast-paced events that we would want to break down and track at a more fine grained level.


What other sorts of events might warrant this treatment (but not necessarily require the full fixed initative)?

A few event types come to mind:

  • Splitting the party with one group focused on a time sensitive matter, but the other group not (thanks @ThomasMarkov)
  • A puzzle with different effects that change each round, which you as the DM want to communicate to the players, but not necessarily force them each to say yes or no to doing something after a particular effect.
  • Trying to open a difficult lock with multiple attempts in a time-pressured situation (the enemy is coming and we need to escape!)
  • Defusing a bomb (or figuring out how to defuse it before it explodes)
  • You have to get something on the other side of a portal before it closes