Post/Author/DateTime	Post
andrewknaut 01-25-08, 05:37 PM	So I'm going to be DMing a new game starting Sunday, and I have grown board of the group finds the BBEG, they fight, one (or more) goes down, and they get the loot. Sure their could be several opponents, and the bosses are normally maximized, but I want something different. Terrain can be one thing, as well as having the group have to split up and do two different things. One idea I had was that someone was capture (a group member, or just an NPC) and is going to die. The BBEG is seen and running away, or encountering them. The group now has to split up and save both the NPC and fight off the BBEG. Does anyone else have any ideas?
AntontheDM 01-25-08, 05:58 PM	Try having combat in conditions they're not used to, fog, rain, or thunderstorm against some enemies whom have no penalties. Let them work for evil badguy without knowing it. There doesn't always have to be loot, maybe they fight their way through a dungeon the only realize it has already been cleaned out. Throw in more roleplay opportunities instead of roll-playing.
JackSnape 01-25-08, 06:02 PM	Attempting to split the party can be a lot of fun, but rarely works for me. If you do capture a PC be sure to act like a Bond bad guy when you get him. Tell him everything, strap him to your certain death machine, then leave :) Overpowering the party is good, but be careful, you don't usually want to TPK them. Terain: my favorites are spinning gears (contrive a reason to send them to mechanus) or in a VERY confined space. I also had success with putting PCs on a ship and having goblins fire flaming arrows at them from the shore:devil: One of my favorites is to make a BBEG who is near un-killable, ie a ghost or vampire or anyone who can be >gone< in 1 round. Then you can hound them with the same BBEG until you get sick of him and then let him die. For some interesting things you can add to nealry any conflict look at this old thread full of great ideas. JohnnyT's interesting combat thread
Sci_fi_Messiah 01-26-08, 11:50 PM	I like making bosses with unique twists or that require one of the combat maneuvers detailed in the PHB. I have one boss that's a mummy straight out of the MM, but he'll get back up the round after you drop him to zero Hp with full health because his heart is in one of the urns in the room and it must be destroyed to destroy him. I have another that only attacks late at night - it's a cloud of fog (the fog apparition) that can't be damages and can attempt to drain a character's breath. The only way to defeat it is to expose it to sunlight, because it fears evaporating. That's how I mix it up.
Sildatorak 01-27-08, 01:08 PM	Bringing in opponents who don't clearly fit into the category of "enemy" will help. Known (neutral) mercenaries on guard duty, rival adventurers competing to bring home the treasure, and "monsters" whose intentions are misunderstood are all good for adding a dimension beyond just "You are evil and die! Hurray treasure!"
Divokej 01-27-08, 02:19 PM	Make them defend something. Use waves of mooks and then send in the leader with mooks and a higher level henchman or two. Don't give them time to recuperate. A long battle that would nprmally be four encounters one after another. Send in some scirmishers, then maybe some scary and unexpected creatures, then regular mooks, then shocktroopers with the BBEG and his henchmen. Also, Lords of Madness talks about various ways to do combat other than the typical heroic way. Generally, encounters get harder culminating in the BIG fight. Well, you could start a little harder than normal and then get to a point where every fight is almost difficult, make the players sweat a bit, then have the boss fight that really works them and after the boss fight there's another fight. Don't have a the entire party versus one superman. The party will win but there is a good chance that one of them will go down.
Shadowshimmer 01-28-08, 07:55 AM	Combat is interesting when the party is in a dangerous environment or split up. I had the party split up in a maze one time where the Cleric and the Rogue ran into a Minotaur without any of the fighters or magic users. Boy was that fun. A dark combat room where the walls move and no lights was great with the Gnome swinging is vorpal sword at the enemy and the party all around him. That did not end well for them.
T_Stalker 01-28-08, 09:52 AM	Once, just once, I would like to do a combat/chase scene with a flaming hay wagon. Preferably on that "Lightning Rail" from Eberron. (I'm not very familiar with the setting, my DM dislikes the thought of having warforged in a DnD Fantasy setting.)
Nerdicus 01-28-08, 11:22 AM	A fight on a boat, in a storm, with waves crashing over the side of the ship. Every 3 rounds has a round of the wave washing over the deck and needs some balance, strength check to stay onboard. All the while fighting something like Sauhagin or something. I did one of these and it worked great! T_Stalker: Anyone who has a problem with Warforged in a DnD setting obviously hasn't taken the time to actually read about them, and how they fit into the setting. I pitty the fool.(Said like Mr. T)
damixmastermike 01-28-08, 02:05 PM	15. I once started a campaign with a 4-horse wagon chase through out a large metropolis. Fun things you can do with this include: (a) Alchemist's Fires being throw at wagons (b) Jumping between wagons (c) Shooting arrows at riders & ropes holding the carriage together 16. As a DM, I try spice up combat with a lot of noise. It greatly stimulates my little PCs. Really aggressive music (Facking in the Bushes by Oasis is amazing) and me yelling keeps them on edge. I seriously slam the table and yell at them.
trapspringer 01-28-08, 03:39 PM	...k. Try changing up the environment. Make it a factor. Dynamic, threatening surroundings force the players to come up with new strategies.
KruniacZio 01-28-08, 05:49 PM	Gelatinous Lizard-folk+swamp=interesting combat. :D