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Initiative:
If I have the scenario printed out, I use index cards. At the very minimum I have the players put their Name, Init mod, Roll initiative for the first encounter. I like to have Perception and Sense Motive modifiers, Will saves, and conditionals (Can't be flanked. Always acts in the surprise round, Trap Spotter, etc.)
If I'm running from my laptop, I open a spreadsheet and type in all the pertinent information. A simple sort is enough to get everyone in order, and Delay and Ready work well as long as I remember to re-sort afterward.
Honestly I've gotten to where I prefer the spreadsheet because it lets me track initiative separately for all the critters on the board. Goblin Alchemist 1 going on a 7 and Goblin Alchemist 2 going on a 12 makes more sense than all the Goblin Alchemists going in a block. Sometimes I even separate out the animal companions/eidolons into their own initiative, but that usually gets me dirty looks from my players.
Buffs/Debuffs:
As a GM, I usually don't give this as much attention as I should. Round/level I try to track as best I can. Minute/level lasts the fight (sometimes two fights at higher levels). Anything longer than that, I just tell my players about how long it's been since the last encounter and let them track their own buffs.
As a player, I track round/level with d10s and minute/level and longer by asking the GM how long it's been since the last encounter.
Is it weird that I micro-manage initiative, but I'm laissez faire about buffs?
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I use my laptop at in-person games, and use Combat Assistant (check the Downloads) to track initiative. Doesn't require an online connection.
You put in your player's names and whatever other detail you like in each row, then whenever you want to move somebody up or down, you put the cursor in whoever's row you want to move and press CTRL-UP or CTRL-DOWN.
You can adjust the length to add as much info in there as you like. For bad guys, I usually enter in hit points, AC, saves and their primary attack, so I don't have to keep fiddling about in the book's stat blocks.
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These are some things that work for me. YMMV.
Initiative
I use a Combat Pad.
I write Initiative bonuses next to the names at the beginning of the scenario.
When it is time to roll Initiative, I hand the Combat Pad to one of the more experienced players and ask them to record initiatives for me from the other players. This gives me time to place miniatures on the map, open bestiaries, and roll initiatives for the baddies. The player then hands the Combat Pad back to me and I place it facing away from me where everyone can easily see it.
Hit Points
I use a 5x8 portion of a Paizo Flip Mat (the general terrain one) like Codanous (he might have gotten that idea from me). ;)
I write abbreviations for the monsters on the Flip Mat (such as “O1", “O2", "O3" for three orcs). I record the accumulated damage below each entry (instead of subtracting from their total hp). I recommend this because for most people adding is faster than subtracting.
Sometimes, especially for low-level games, I write the damage directly on the map next to the miniature.
Buff/Debuff Tracking
I use a combination of things. The simplest, but slowest, is to simply write the buff/debuff down on the Flip Mat that I am using for hp recording. I will sometimes use tally marks to count off rounds of duration.
For a debuff that lasts either exactly one round, or that requires a save each round, I turn the miniature figure on the table in a direction that is “weird”, usually away from the PCs. I use this for things like daze or hold person, etc. I don’t need to write anything down; the facing of the mini is enough of a visual clue that I remember the debuff.
Sometimes I place a die on the table next to the mini with the number of rounds remaining in the buff/debuff. This is a great use for my d12s.
Lastly, I use the Condition Cards. These are the best. When I need one, I usually ask one of the players who is not involved in the action to find it for me in the deck. You can place the d12 you use to track duration right on the card.
Other Tips
I use my players a lot when GMing. If I need something looked up, I often ask one of the players to look it up for me. This includes spells, feats, etc. Anything that crops up that I need clarification on. I try to ask them to look it up well before I need it. I don’t ask players to look up things that I want to spring on them for dramatic effect, however.
Another way that I use my players: when the baddies cast a spell, use a breath weapon, or use any other ability that requires a fistful of dice, I ask everyone at the table to roll one (sometimes two) of the dice each out in front of them. I roll the rest (which usually amounts to only 3 or 4 more). I can go around the table and add up the dice.
Sometimes, if I need to look something up, or I’m otherwise busy with some other part of the game, I will ask a player to roll the saving throw for a monster they just cast a save-or-suck spell against.
Like Walter mentioned above, you don't need to wait for someone to add up all of their damage from their attacks if the result is not going to affect the next player in initiative. Just ask the first player to give you the total damage when they are done and move on to the second player.
Similarly, if an attack obviously hits, tell them it hits. Don't wait for them to add up all the little "+1"s. If you know the monster has only 3 hit points left, just tell them "you killed it." Don't make them add up a bunch of dice.
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Heh. When I do that last one, my players tend to pout at me, "But I want to know by how much I killed it![/i] Or maybe I have just been adding too many effects when damage is done or a good hit is done. "You hit the skeleton so hard that not only does it turn to dust, but the dust squirts out for ten feet to make a mark on that wall."
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Heh. When I do that last one, my players tend to pout at me, "But I want to know by how much I killed it![/i] Or maybe I have just been adding too many effects when damage is done or a good hit is done. "You hit the skeleton so hard that not only does it turn to dust, but the dust squirts out for ten feet to make a mark on that wall."
I don't know how many times I've been playing my Magus and started to say, "he takes 15 lethal damage, 7 non-lethal cold damage, is fatigued, entangled, and I rolled a 17 on my intimidate!" only to be interrupted with, "he's dead." Usually, I end up finishing off with "and his dead body is fatigued, entangled, and intimidated." Somehow it feels better to say the full affect of the attack even if only 5hp of damage mattered. (Which is unfortunately usually the case).
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Here's how I run combat:
1. I use a custom GM screen (The Savage World one). I have clips on the top and I clip pictures of NPCs and monsters on the outside for the players to look at. On the inside I clip scenario specific rules and printouts of the Monster (so I don't need to keep referring to the books)
2. For Initiative I use the Combat Pad and I control it rather than one of the players. This is so that I can control the momentum of the fight - there's nothing that breaks pace more than having to wait for someone to tell the table whose going next. I prefer to point at the next player and say 'OK <name>, go!' - I always refer to the PCs name, never the players name.
I track time effects on the pad (poison, spell effects, etc)
3. I track monster HPs on a scrap of paper and track upwards, not downwards as I find it quicker to add rather than subtract.
Eg
Ogre 1 - 35: 4, 15, 24, 31, 36(dead)
4. I do use the Condition cards but only when I know that there will be an effect coming up (eg I know there's a grappling monster). I keep them nearby,
5. I have wipeable index cards (thanks 'All Rolled up'!) that I also write PC conditions on and throw them on the table to remind the PCs (eg Bard Inspire +2/+2, Bless +1/- +1 saves/Fear)
6. I typically print out the maps beforehand (and cut them into the rooms) - I can then lay them out - rather than waste time at the table drawing on plain flip-maps. They look far better too ;)
7. If I'm using flip-maps (eg Warehouse), I lay them out before the game and cover them with either black card, or the map of Golarion because....
8. I start EVERY PFS game showing the players the World, explaining where they are and, if necessary showing them the journey they have taken. It surprises me the number of players say they've never seen the map before!
9. Back to combat. I don't tell the PCs the AC of monsters for the first couple of rounds - once a couple of people have hit, then I tell them - this speeds things up and doesn't remove the mystery of how hard the monster is to hit.
10. I never name the monster ('a goblin attacks you'). I either show the players a pic or describe it and wait for a Knowledge roll.
11. I always roll my dice behind the screen - but I do ask the players at the beginning if they want me to roll in the open (as some people don't like it otherwise). This is only to maintain the mystery of how hard the monster hits (players can't work out the to hit + or the damage dice rolled).
12. I use descriptions of the damage, but most on the killing blow or when the monster looks really weak.
13. Though I have an iPad I try not to use it - I always have a physical copy of the Core and Bestiary with me anyway - everything else I tend to print out.
14. I prepare the minis beforehand and try to match them up as much as possible. I keep them behind the screen - this means I don't waste time looking for an appropriate one.
15. If a Monster has multiple attacks I will roll multiple d20s (different colours) at the same time after mentally assigned each one (red=bite, black=claw1 etc). This speeds things up a lot. I never roll damage until I've confirmed a hit though - not sure why. :)
16. I have 2 A3 sized transparent perspex sheets which I bought on Amazon for a couple of £ each! I put these over paper maps to hold them flat and they also allow me to write on them.
I think that covers it.
Basically i try and make the rules/numbers/wait time disappear into the background so that the Players aren't waiting for me, and also so that combat feels a quick as possible.
I hope that helps.