cross-posted from: https://lemmy.world/post/16752399
Recycle your unvisited rooms for next dungeons. I know it's cheap, but hey you're the only one who would know.
I've got an NPC who has been in the last six towns because nobody ever wants to talk to them
Or my experience with D&D...
Encounter giant pit monster
Everyone argues for 20 mins about how everyone else should use their turn
Repeat until monster is dealt with
Run out of time of the the evening, so go home
Chess clock / egg timer. If they don't decide fast enough then no action for them! You don't even need to actually do this (it would be a bit extreme in most situations), but the threat that it might happen should give them the necessary kick. Too much time deliberating? This monster just remembered it can take a legendary action on your turn!
My players like to save their worst rolls for perception checks to find secret doors. Even when they specifically know there's a secret door and just need to work out how to open it, out comes a parade of 1s and 2s.
So they means they still find it but it takes ages and a monster sneaks up on them in the meantime, right?
Mostly it's just meant that it takes ages - usually time is a big enough price that no other punishment is needed. Their recent actions generated a group of ghosts though, so ghosts wandering through the room while they're searching is now a thing.
