|
Hello,
I came back a while ago from a convention where one of the better DMs did his best to describe each blow in the combat. I liked it quite a bit. So I wanted to check and see how many DMs and players out there actually did this and how many liked it.
To clarify, I'm not talking about a two minute description of each roll of the die, just a quick, clean-cut description that keeps the combat from being a bunch of die rolls.
-Shawn S.
I always try to describe the attack and damage of the attack being used as closely as possible. I find it gives flavour and realism to the game. I also try to keep track of the weapon moves the players descibes and try to tie them in to the descriptions. I once ran an entire battle free-form (no-die) and just descibed the hits and misses as my mind envisioned them and the players described them. The better they described their moves, the more likely I would understand and more likely they would hit!
As an aside, I played in a game with a DM who had a habit of describing the blow of the weapon after the attack roll but BEFORE the damage roll. Made it funny when he would describe my axe falling on the orc's shoulder, biting deep into his chest and I roll for 1pt of damage!
Hello,
I came back a while ago from a convention where one of the better DMs did his best to describe each blow in the combat. I liked it quite a bit. So I wanted to check and see how many DMs and players out there actually did this and how many liked it.
To clarify, I'm not talking about a two minute description of each roll of the die, just a quick, clean-cut description that keeps the combat from being a bunch of die rolls.
-Shawn S.
On a good day I manage to describe every third attack ... Its best when the PCs are fighting a troll or something as I'm pretty good at roleplaying monsters getting the stuffing kicked out of them (OK actually I sound like Chewbacca getting the stuffing knocked out of him - but my players are entertianed which is teh important bit). However vivid play-by-play in the combat scenes ... not my strong suite. Very annoying that.
Actually now thats got me thinking ... if I'm good at playing the monsters and bad at describing the combat I should probably just focus on playing up the monsters. Seems kind of obvious now that I think about it but it might just work.
In an online game I play in the DM I think handles description quite well.
We all take our turn and say our action, roll, and say anything our charater is going to say etc. When the end of the round rolls around the DM types up a one paragraph summary saying what happened. He's a good storyteller and will do thinks like if we did alot of damage he'll detail where we hit etc. When I edit the logs to turn it into a more story like fashion I find his paragraphs are like reading out of a book.
Next time he's online I'll see about getting permission to post one of his recaps.
I came back a while ago from a convention where one of the better DMs did his best to describe each blow in the combat. I liked it quite a bit. So I wanted to check and see how many DMs and players out there actually did this and how many liked it.
I totally know what you mean. I try and describe the battles as intensely as I can. A big part of the energy of a good game can be from the feeling of emminent danger from big sharp bits of metal whizzing around. The heaviness is important. Often, even when an attack misses, the whistle of the blade past the character or adversary can mean a lot.
It makes things feel more serious. It's particularly good if the DM does his research to know what realistic damage looks and feels like from different weapons. There tends to be a lot of hollywood damage in games, which tends to make the game feel like Mortal Kombat or some B movie slasher flick, which can be unfortunate (or great...heh-heh depending on the game)
I usually describe critical hits, fumbles and final blows. Or particular attacks like bull rushes and trips.
Ultradan
Yeah, when I took over from my previous DM I impressed the players by how I always described the effects of their actions. I think I ended up recycling descriptions though, and the novelty wore off somewhat. It slows down combat a little, but if you can quickly come up with descriptions, it makes it interesting.
I also describe what happens to the characters when they get killed. Usually it's just floating off to the plane of their deity and spending eternity farming for Pelor, but sometimes it's more fun.
I tend to be more discriptive with a smaller group.May me and one or two players. if the group gets up to five or six? I usually don't have time because somemany people are throwing so many things at me at once.
Most of the time, I don't. I think that each player has a mental image of what their character is doing in the combat, and I don't want to horn in on that. If it's a big hit, like a crit, failed saving throw, or a death blow, sometimes I'll describe it.
Usually, I reserve the descriptions as clues for the PCs. I usually describe the first hit on a monster, to give them a general sense of how effective the x amount of hit point damage will be. I'll describe the hit that takes a foe to around half its hit points to let them know they are hurting it, and I usually describe the last 10-15 hit points of a tough creature as going through it's "death throes," to let the PCs know they are close to killing it.
I also describe hits where damage reduction, spell resistance, and other special qualitites are a factor.
I hate hearing you take so much damage. What happened? I like to hear descriptions of combat and spell effects. As a player it just erks me to just hear dice roll and thier results. As a DM I prompt playyers to describe thier attacks, what does your power attack, rage, bull rush look like?
In my current campaign I have eight players and being able to describe combat is importnant to keep everyone on the same page when the eigth player gets his chance to act at the end of the round.
I'm with Wereplatypus on this one. In early phases of a campaign, where the opponents are not formidable, I'll describe more blow by blow (except for repeated misses), but when you're fighting a creature with a couple hundred hit points, this can get tedious. So I save the sauce for telling blows, general descriptions that give the players a clue as to how much fight the enemy has left in it, and anything special that changes the tactical situation considerably (grapples, bull-rushes, spell-effects, special attacks, etc.)
Another thing I like to do is give some indications of how close they are to hitting--so if the roll just fails a touch attack, I describe it as a near miss, if it nearly penetrates the enemy's armor I describe a glancing blow that doesn't draw blood, etc. It's also important to give some descriptive clues about damage reduction (this one is tricky because this quality works differently for different kinds of creatures) and energy resistance so that players have a chance to adjust their tactics.
One time I got so caught up in the moment I grabbed my brother by the neck and started choking him(not hard). There were a couple of new people there and they thought we were really nuts.
Hello,
I try to describe combat every chance I get. Currenlty I DM for my children and wife. The children are 8 and 11,and 15, I normally coach them through there combat moves, like when my son (8) says "I attack the kobold with my greatsword" I will normally say out loud "Vaharn Hefts his greatsword over his head and brings it crashing down on the vile kobold (dice roll) and manages to cut deeply into its chest" or arm or ect.. ya get the picture. The older too don't need as much coaching unless they are having a bad day and I need to put on a grand show, which I don't mind doing
In other groups in which the players are more experienced at playing the game, I let them dictate how far they would like the describing to go, normally I don't have to describe what there characters are doing but will describe the creature attacks, to me that is a good portion of fun of being a DM.....What say you??
Thank ya
Hello,
I try to describe combat every chance I get. Currenlty I DM for my children and wife. The children are 8 and 11,and 15, I normally coach them through there combat moves, like when my son (8) says "I attack the kobold with my greatsword" I will normally say out loud "Vaharn Hefts his greatsword over his head and brings it crashing down on the vile kobold (dice roll) and manages to cut deeply into its chest" or arm or ect.. ya get the picture. The older too don't need as much coaching unless they are having a bad day and I need to put on a grand show, which I don't mind doing
In other groups in which the players are more experienced at playing the game, I let them dictate how far they would like the describing to go, normally I don't have to describe what there characters are doing but will describe the creature attacks, to me that is a good portion of fun of being a DM.....What say you??
Thank ya
I say combat description is a big part of the fun. I to like to get players involved in describing their characters actions and moves.
I only describe crits; fumbles, and killing blows.
I came back a while ago from a convention where one of the better DMs did his best to describe each blow in the combat. I liked it quite a bit. So I wanted to check and see how many DMs and players out there actually did this and how many liked it.I totally know what you mean. I try and describe the battles as intensely as I can. A big part of the energy of a good game can be from the feeling of emminent danger from big sharp bits of metal whizzing around. The heaviness is important. Often, even when an attack misses, the whistle of the blade past the character or adversary can mean a lot.
It makes things feel more serious. It's particularly good if the DM does his research to know what realistic damage looks and feels like from different weapons. There tends to be a lot of hollywood damage in games, which tends to make the game feel like Mortal Kombat or some B movie slasher flick, which can be unfortunate (or great...heh-heh depending on the game)
Whats wrong with mortal combat action?
"You swarm into the tiny room and stab the hobgoblin's belly with your dagger. Roughly 3.6 gallons of blood splatter the walls and floor, then dissapate within seconds."
I have some pretty good mental images so I'll try and describe as much as I can but if the best I can work up is a lame "you slash him across the chest" then I don't bother.
A lot of my characters describe their own actions but they don't know how effective it will be even after they roll damage. So what we do is they tell me what they attempt to do and I tell them how well it worked.
I try to get descriptive, but I sometimes go too far, and probably need to ask my players if they think I'm overdoing it. I handle the hit points for the players, and that helps "Oh, he just nicks you in the thigh." or "Thrusting deeply, he CRITICALLY HITS you, piercing through your armor and deep into your chest. You don't think you can take any more shots like that."
I recently read of a house rule that when you kill something, you get to describe it. I think I'll throw this one in the mix, too.
Telas
I have some pretty good mental images so I'll try and describe as much as I can but if the best I can work up is a lame "you slash him across the chest" then I don't bother.
As a player I would rather hear "sword swings.., and a miss", or "shoot longbow, hit 4 hit points damage, rather than hearing dice roll and "oh you take 4 points damage." Although I like to hear a good description from a DM I can be content at feeling in the details on my own. I just want to know what is going on.
A lot of my characters describe their own actions but they don't know how effective it will be even after they roll damage. So what we do is they tell me what they attempt to do and I tell them how well it worked.
I like to do this a lot. Currently I have a large group and a few players who are great at describing thier actions, even to the point of roling damage and describing it's effects on thier enemies. For me as a DM I really enjoy when everyone participates in the story telling. This could be how a PC fights, casts spells, manifest spell like abilities, climbing walls, seducing barmaids, picking locks, what ever.
I encourage players to say things like, "I'm going for his head!" and then, on a successful hit, I know where to put my description ("Your blace cuts open his chin!"). It also allows me to utilize the "effects" of called shot (although this is not in the rules) if they do massive damage. For instance, if they say they're going for the knees and then reduce the NPC/monster by something like 35%-45% of its hit points I will describe the shot effectively kneecapping the opponent and reducing their initiative place, or giving them a point of Dex loss, etc.