Gericko,
I'll add a sample PDF to my To Do list.
Great idea. Thanks!
Search Posts
Hi Mark, There definitely is material to help with that. The Design chapter especially deals with creating combats that work based on player types and group dynamics.
Intriguing! If anyone has any questions about the book, feel free to post them here. I'll try to combat my penchant for making bad puns.
I find combat speed is often based on perception. Grindfests seem slow even if the clock has not moved much, whereas combats with drama and interesting choices feel like they're going fast though the clock and round count tell another tale. A couple things I like to do for improving combats is a) Guess how many rounds it'll take to finish, b) Use my stopwatch to time the fight in real time. These bits of feedback help me get an objective view of my GMing and the group's play. As for combat round count, I find it depends on a few factors: 1) Foe defense - how often will the PCs hit?
I won't know these things exactly until the initiative roll, but I can get a good idea in advance. And it's fun to make a round count guess based on these factors when I'm planning just so I can compare that against what really happens, to improve my GMing. For example, foes with high ACs (after buffs, etc.) and high HP will add a few rounds to the combat. And foes smart enough to identify and take out the spellcasters first will prevent sleep and black tentacles et. al. will also cause longer combats. Hope this is helpful.
You can't go wrong with a fighter. As a newbie, this class gives you more chances to survive tactical errors. It is simple to play. It is useful to any party. Tack on a great personality to roleplay, and work with your GM on some character goals and party integration hooks, and you're set.
Hi Mark, I love big dungeons. I say aim for that and to use 5 Room Dungeons tactically, as other commentators have mentioned. I think the big thing 5RDs offer you is a mindset shift. Rather than "kick in the door, kill stuff, take their loot," you can craft cunning challenges by thinking in bigger terms of 5 location areas that connect and react together or in part when the PCs make their presence known. For example, instead of going room by room, you can challenge the PCs in waves from a 5 area complex. You can also create stories within stories easier with the 5RD model, if you give each 5RD its own plot point. Even if your players don't roleplay, they'll appreciate the mini-stories they chew through each session. I just got the mega-adventure Slumbering Tsar in the mail. It's a massive book! I look forward to delving into its huge dungeons. I plan to sprinkle 5RDs in when PCs get off the tracks, when I feel like designing something, or when I think an area needs it. Love live mega dungeons!
One of the PCs in my Riddleport campaign is a pit fighter. I'm questing for ideas on keeping the other characters in the party busy while the pit fighter is doing his thing in the ring. * Spotting a pick pocket attempt
These might be good ideas, but i used them last fight. I need new material. :) Ideas? |