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Re: Spicing up Combat
Pat,
This a great response. I am tempted to come up with every question I
can think of just to get more reponses like this one :-)
Keep them coming! all of you!
John
PS God I love this group
--- In dq-rules@y..., William Hough <houghpt@y...> wrote:
> > Combat has of late been getting a little dull in my
> > group. I think
> > there are seveal problems, and I will try and
> > explain each of them in
> > turn.
> >
> > 1) It takes forever!
> > I have posted about this many times on many boards.
> > Some of you seem
> > to run very efficient combats, mine seem to take
> > hours. How do your
> > combats move so quickly? have you faced this
> > problem, and if so,
> > what techniques do you use to combat it (pardon the
> > pun).
>
> I always throw 3d10 for each attacking NPC; two of
> them are my percentile dice, the other is damage done
> in case of a hit (or successful cast). The third D10
> can also be used to determine spell Duration, in the
> event of a non-combative spell.
>
> Second - I know the combat system backwards and
> forwards. I do not have time during a combat session
> to be flipping pages. Between games, I read up.
>
> Third - Folks who tend to talk off-topic during a
> combat session also tend to lose their turn (next!).
>
> Fourth - I prefer that players tell what their
> character is going to do and - if it involves moving -
> I move their figure on the Tactical Display myself, as
> I move all miniatures; this way there is minimum room
> for arguement. I start at one end of the table and go
> around to each player. My one rule - make it short and
> comprehensible!
>
> > 2) Lack of flair.
> > I used to have a great player. he would always
> > describe the action
> > he was taking in entertaining detail.... "I throw my
> > sword to the
> > ground and jump on the demons back" etc... Perhaps
> > if I did more of
> > this, my players would "join in". How do you
> > describe your combats
> > to keep them fresh? It too often goes "I swing at
> > him <roll>"
>
> Many of my players prefer vocal taunts - much like the
> ones between Eroll Flynn and Basil Rathebone in The
> Adventures of Robin Hood (1938).
>
> RH: Did I upset your plans?
> SGG: You've come to Nottingham once too often!
> RH: After this day is done, my friend, there'll be no
> need for me to come again!
>
> You should encourage descriptions in the way you
> described, with perhaps a 10 xp bonus per combat for
> those who showed exceptional roleplaying.
>
> > 3) Gauging the opposition.
> > I am too afraid to kill my PCs, an that is my own
> > fault. So the
> > fights are often too easy. Do you guys have any
> > quick formulas to
> > measuring the qulity of a combat?
>
> When its a band of orcs, gnolls, pirates, etc., I try
> to match the party in ability and weaponry if not
> Damage Point for Damage Point. If it's a monster,
> well, sometimes, they win, sometimes they lose a party
> member or two. But whatever the critter, study that
> critter carefully, taking into account all of its
> abilities and strategems, and plan accordingly! For
> example, ever tried to fight a Gryphon (3-hex monster
> that can withdraw freely) while it was flying,
> swooping down at its leisure and making in-and-out
> attacks? Nobody gets a rear shot on him, that's for
> sure.
>
> Before the game, set up a mock Tactical Display for a
> combat you know will occur and play both sides; you'd
> be amazed what you find that needs modification.
>
> > 4) The players know a lot.
> > They have done extensive calculations to determine
> > the best way for
> > them to approach combat. SO it tends to be more
> > mathmateics than
> > entertainment.
>
> Exactly how much time do you allow between the time
> the players encounter the opposition and the time
> combat begins? If one of your players is a Military
> Scientest, the most they could have to plan between
> each round is 120 seconds (2 minutes). Probably it's a
> lot less.
>
> As a GM, you should at the very least know far more
> about every participating character in your group than
> your players should ever know about what's coming
> next. Measure their strengths and weaknesses, and
> again, plan accordingly! Sure the mighty dwarf has a
> giant club, but his TMR sucks! Sure the nimble elf can
> haul ass across a battlefield, but so what?
>
> Also, if you are one of those unfortunate GMs who have
> the displeasure of having a giant character loose in
> your game, just remember who the biggest target is.
> It'd be a shame if he just happened down a narrow
> mountain pass flanked on both sides by high cliffs
> which concealed a number of crack archers under cover
> (that also adds to their defense). It would also be a
> shame if these archers all had modified AG of 26 or
> higher so that they could prep and fire every Pulse...
>
> You are flustered, but not down and out!
>
> > Any thoughts/emotions/idea/accusations/denials on
> > any of these topics?
> >
> > John
>
> Fortitude!
>
> - Pat Hough
>
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