Maximum number of melee attacks per round

[N-Pendzialek]

I'm interested to know how people handle the maximum number of melee attacks per round in 4th edition.
We play a mid circle group from circle 5 -6 and the warrior in our group asked if we have a maximum limit of attacks. We play ED campaigns since 1st edition and always had a maximum of 3 attacks per adept. Now in the 4th edition an adept of the 8th circle could get 3 attacks for sure and 5 attacks if his dice rolls are good enough.

1. standard melee weapons attack
2. second weapon if dual wield
3. second attack
4. momentum attack (depends on rolls)
5. attack through air dance (depends on roll)

My main problem with this is not the damage done etc. You can always make the enemies hard enough for the adventure groups, but whats bothering me is that it's a pain in the ass to master a group of NPCs in combat if each has the chance of 5 attacks....

For now we kept the rule of 3 maximum attacks, but that affects the choice of the optional talents.
I am thankful for any suggestions solving the issue.

[Kasbak]

I've never had a problem handling NPC's with multiple attacks. There are tons of opponents out there that get multiple actions per round by default. Enraged Cadaver Men get 4 attacks per round for example (assuming the stats are the same for ED4). Easiest method I found is to go to each NPC and get all the attacks for the round rolled first, especially if they're the same dice. Note the numbers, and then go over them with the player in order on whether it hits, if they want to use Avoid Blow, etc. As each attack hits, roll the damage, or if it doesn't move on to the next number in the list. Once that NPC is out of rolled attacks, move on to the next. I find it's faster to make rolls one after the other than to roll in between each action. Of course, this method won't work for everything, such as a Claw Frenzy where continued attacks depend upon whether or not the prior attack hits, but those just end up getting addressed on a case by case basis.

[Ral76]

I think the main problem is not handling a multitude of attacks of the same kind from NPCs (like a Cadaver man attacking 4 times or a horror just having many actions per round).
Difficult for me to handle is for example a warrior NPC fighting your group, then a GM has to roll up to five different attacks (based on different talents) influenced by different talents/buffs/boni whose results may trigger optional attacks. That means checking after each roll if the treshold for the optional bonus attack is fulfilled - or asking immediately if the player wants to avoid the attack etc. let him/her roll and then roll or dont roll the bonus attack. Any suggestions how to easily handle let's say an adept group of 5 fighting a player group of 5 is appreciated. The goal I am looking for is to shorten fights and minimise downtime for the players where they basically can't do anything except wait for rolls to be made and watch one of their fellow players responding to one action.

[Razan_GM]

Thats easy, just assume all enemy npc got all talents at the same step. You always roll the same step. You want some to be less efficient, substract from the roll.

[Telarus_KSC]

What Razan means, is that if the NPC is a Warrior(2), then all Talent Ranks are @ 2, etc. But mid to high Circle Adepts are very mechanically deep, it's true.

I have also taken to pre-rolling all NPC Initiative tests in blocks of 10. Mark any init result that costs Strain with an asterisk (*) so you can subtract the strain as appropriate. If the NPC is getting damaged and no longer wants to take the Strain cost, you can re-roll regular initiative on the fly.

[Razan_GM]

Also if all talent/skill ranks are the same, but Stat value is different lets say Dex 7, Cha 5 and talent ranks 3, it gives you step 10 and 8, but you still can roll step 10 for both just subtract 2 from second roll.