Post/Author/DateTime	Post
#1 Jimbro Apr 09, 2015 5:26:54	I recently wrote a piece on my blog about spicing up combat. It includes some tricks and tips to keep combats from turning into a chore. I'm wondering what people do to keep their own combats from turning into a slog of attack and damage rolling until one side is dead all the time? Share with me! I want to know what genius ideas are out there.
#2 iserith Apr 09, 2015 6:02:26	Get player buy-in on the idea that turns are for acting, not for thinking about what to do. When it's time for a character's time in the spotlight, the player goes immediately or offers to delay his or her turn. Alternatively, the player can ask for a suggestion from fellow players, but must take the first serious offer that is made - this isn't a time for brainstorming until the player hears something he or she likes. This simple method cuts down significantly on how long a combat takes which means time for more content. It also means that any given player isn't waiting very long for his or her next time to shine. These are selling points for players and DMs both.   Prior to each player's turn, the DM can re-frame the scene in pithy and exciting terms. For example, "Ragnar just cut down the orc shaman, but two warriors rushed him to seek vengeance. A bowman sixty feet away is taking aim at you while two more are charging up from the flank to get at the wizard and cleric and will be there in mere seconds. What do you do?" This cuts down on players asking questions instead of acting boldly. It also underscores the frenetic tempo and chaos of battle.   I'm also a big fan of countdowns. I also very much prefer scenarios where all pillars of the game - combat, exploration, and social interaction - come together in the same scene.
#3 sirkaikillah11 Apr 09, 2015 11:20:31	Be descriptive about combat. I've had Dms roll behind the screen then just mumble, "you take 5 damage." "What? How? Who?" you don't have to be RA Salvatore in your descriptions, "Goblin thrusts sword into your hip". simple stuff like that is far better than just "You take 5 damage"   Use terrain features. Pitfalls, chandeliers to swing from, bridges over deep gorge of molten lava. Nothing is more boring than a battle on a flat featureless plain.   Give villians annoying accents. I gave half- dragon Cyanwraith Langdrossa a terrible nasally french accent. My players hated him immediatily.   Use intiative cards or a list, something in view of all the players so they know who's turn it is and who turn is next. It gives players a heads up. I'm not as strict as Iserith in regards to how my players use thier turn. I know some of my players can pay attention, plan thier move before their turn, but on thier turn, they go through the decision process all over again. But after they proccess and it seems to me they are mulling over taking thier turn, I start the countdown.   Invoke emotion. have the villiians make things personal, berrate Pcs. I get up and yell on the table in charactor. My villians personally call out pcs. Things can get really heated and interesting on our game table. But this isn't for everybody, I believe Isireth would disagree with invoking emotions. If players take things to personally and can't leave the drama on the table it might not be for them.   throw in an ex factor. In the last encounter I had some one set a fire in a courtyard with wagons full of exotic cooking oils and black powder. A distraction for assassins trying to kill our half-elf bard. One PC spent the whole encounter rallying his enemies to fight the fire. Our tiefling warlock took the distraction of a fire and assassin attack to investigate thier suspected enemies.   As Iserith advised combine exploration, combat and social interaction. Put hidden shadows dark, corners or dark unkown character in the battle space to explore, have villians engage pcs in a dailouge while they are fighting it out. Make it viceral stand up at the table use a crappy accent and loudly berate the pcs, in character. Then be descriptive about combat. Encourage your players do describe thier pc's combat moves. Also describe magical effects.   PS I respect Isireth's advice a lot. He can really break down another's issue and give great advice. But I have different ideas and have been succesful with different dming techniques. Take the advice given on these posts examine them and decide what may work for you and your group.
#4 AndyDay Apr 09, 2015 12:11:59	Whenever I plan for a session, I use the general rule: use it now. Any time I have a cool idea, I use it immediatley, instead of putting it in my pocket to save for later. There is no later, there's only now!
#5 Rhenny Apr 10, 2015 15:05:39	I make the foes move and sometimes run or reposition to take advantage of terrain, traps, pieces of furniture, cliffs, etc.     I also make sure that I describe usable features so the players can also benefit.     Many times, for the last blow on a foe with 4 or less hp, I don't even have players roll for damage.
(Reply to #4) bawylie	AndyDay wrote:
#7 strider13x Apr 09, 2015 19:07:34	I ask players to describe how they lost thier own Hit Points, and then react to that narrative when an opponent next attacks! Once they are reduced to 0 then I as DM narrate how they go down.   Conversely, I describe how the opponent avoids a PC's killing blow, which helps indicate how many HP they have left depending on description, but I allow the player to describe the final kill shot! Lots of heads roll in our group...   I use descriptors for HP loss that are not always meat nor have any mechanical implications but sound cool and open room for more interactive combat narration. I inform my players by using skillful-dodging or luck-avoidance descriptors when they are over 1/2 HP remaining, and more gruesome blood-letting and bone-crushing descriptors when they are less than 1/2. I may describe how an Orc slips and falls because the player described an attack as going for the legs, now this is only HP loss with no Prone condition or Move penalty and the Orc immediately is back on thier feet, but it fits the narrative so we roll with it. I once had a Hag that caught the Wizards Cantrip in mid air then threw it back at the entire party! Actually she lost 8 HP and then cast Burning Hands, but what sounds cooler? A fighter once slayed a Dragon in one blow! It was a total of 7 Attacks thanks to Action Surge, Criticals, a Hammer of Thunderbolts, and GWM feat doing a grand total of 192 HP damage but we narrated it as a leaping strike to the beasts skull as it lowered its head to breathe fire on the party! Awesomeness indeed!
#8 Danny_Montanny Apr 10, 2015 6:49:24	Really understanding the abstractions of hit, miss, damage, HP, and AC are a must. Use those abstractions when describing the combat makes for a much more varied and flavorful scene.   I alway ask my players to pay attention and have an idea of what they're going to do. After the results of their actions are resolved, we collaborate on the description of what happened. I feel this makes for a better cinematic experience. After the round is up, I do a quick exciting recap of everything that happened.
#9 Ralif_Redhammer Apr 10, 2015 8:38:15	Sounds advice in that blog entry. I definitely agree with spicing up the environment. I always pepper my combat encounters with chandeliers, burning braziers, unstable bookcases, and the like. If the players don’t take advantage of them, well, then the monsters will.