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Articles
Add Magnificence
to Your Melee
- Making Combat Memorable -
by Colin
Chapman
All too often, combat in the game
consists of little more than "I hit him with my sword",
"I do 7 Hit Points of damage". With the dramatic
opportunities that combat presents in DUNGEONS & DRAGONS,
this monotonous approach fails to enliven the game, or fire the
imagination. Roleplaying need not stop when combat begins, as
this article demonstrates.
Be Descriptive
Combat is full of sensations. Describe the grunts and cries of
combatants, the thud and clash of weapons, the expressions on the
faces, the moves opponents make, their actions and reactions, the
sounds and smells.
No combatant is ever completely aware of
everything going on around them in a fight. A good GM trick is to
occasionally, secretly, tell one player that their character
notices something another character doesn't, such as a pit they
may be about to step backwards into, a hidden sniper drawing a
bead on them, an opponent blindsiding their unsuspecting friend,
and so on, and give them a round or two to do something, even if
only to quickly shout a warning. This trick can bolster the sense
of camaraderie and teamwork among the players surprisingly well,
and adds more dynamism to the conflict.
There Are Always Consequences
Only psychopaths and other miscreants enter combat at the drop of
a hat. Use of force should be appropriate to the situation, and
bear in mind the character's outlook on life. Like people in the
real world, the inhabitants of fantasy worlds are almost always
aware of the possible consequences of their actions, and whether
their actions run counter to morality, local law, etc. Lethal
force should only be used when faced with little recourse, unless
the character is a deviant, or a native of a particularly violent
culture, or race, such as an orc.
For example, someone using a knife in a barroom
brawl would be considered a sick thug, unless their assailants
were also brandishing such lethal weapons. Characters who behave
in violent fashion, or react with disproportionate force, should
expect to be reviled, hunted, imprisoned, or executed, by local
authorities, relatives and allies of their victims, and so on.
Consequences are something every character should expect.
The Environment
One of the most overlooked aspects of any combat, and the first
that should be born in mind, is the actual location of the fight.
Considering the characters' surroundings for a moment can add a
whole new dimension to a conflict. Ask yourself such questions
as:
Are there potential obstacles or obstructions
that can be ducked behind, jumped on, off, or over, interposed
between the attack and target, or that might impede a combatant,
such as boulders, tables, pillars, trees, or balconies?
Are there perils in the surroundings that might
harm, kill, or otherwise inconvenience an incautious or unlucky
combatant, such as a cliff-edge, open pit, lava flow, untriggered
trap, or patch of ice?
Does the environment in any way prohibit the
use of certain weapons, or make their use more difficult? Some
weapons, for example, require considerable space to be swung
effectively, such as greatswords, so a fight in a short, narrow
corridor would make their use very difficult. Similarly, fighting
in close formation may make it hazardous to use some weapons, as
the space needed to use them may be occupied by an ally. Weather
conditions, such as powerful gales, thick fog, etc. can make the
use of missile weapons problematic at best, and even melee combat
can be effected if you can't see any opponent more than a yard
away, or if a lot of flying debris, sand, etc. makes life
difficult.
With a good grasp of the environment comes the
ability to bring it into the conflict. Imagine how it can be used
to the benefit and/or detriment of the combatants. Opponents can
be forced towards perils, boulders can be used as cover, and so
on. A Fumble on any roll during the combat may also involve the
environment somehow, such as a trip or blunder into an object,
suddenly finding oneself maneuvered to the brink of the lava flow
or a missed attack resulting in the weapon getting stuck in a
tree or pillar.
Bystanders
The presence of bystanders during a fight is also often
overlooked. Crowds often gather to watch fights, and may goad the
opponents on, and even place wagers on the outcome. Not only can
bystanders get in the way, they can easily be hit by stray shots
or blows, taken hostage or used as shields by nefarious
individuals, or even enter the combat themselves on either side,
or against both, the classic example of which is the local
military or law enforcement attempting to stop the conflict and
incarcerate the combatants.
Firing into any melee, whether bystanders or
involved or not, is a difficult and dangerous proposition, due to
the continual movement of the combatants. Missed shots may easily
hit an unintended target, such as an ally. See page 124 of the
Player's Handbook, and pages 65-66 of the DUNGEON MASTER'S Guide.
Aside from intelligent bystanders, there are
always cases of animals becoming involved somehow. Herd animals
may stampede, posing a threat to everyone, while a predator may
leap unexpectedly into a melee, in the hopes of taking a wounded
individual on the periphery of the fight. Certain motive plants
can also provide an added element to a fight, especially if they
are not recognized as such from the onset.
Improvise
The sword the character bears is not their only weapon. Try and
add the occasional unarmed strike into a combination of blows; it
is more interesting, and can surprise an unexpecting opponent. A
swift kick can force an opponent back, giving the character room
to maneuver or flee, while a solid punch can stun, and a headbutt
can bring you in so close that your opponent cannot bring any
weapon larger than a dagger to bear. In the interests of
encouraging such swashbuckling flair, a good DM will ignore the
ruling that such attacks provoke Attacks of Opportunity, because
although the attack was an unarmed one, the character is still
actually armed.
The character should also exploit the
environment of the fight. Many objects, such as chairs, rocks,
ropes, nets, wall hangings, or pots of oil, may be used as
impromptu clubs, missiles, entangling implements, incendiaries,
and so on. For instance, rugs may be pulled from under
assailants, barrels of oil spilled to create slick patches, or
chandeliers shot down to fall on assailants below. Even an
unskilled or unarmed combatant can be terribly effective if they
make intelligent use of their surroundings.
It's Not the Size of Your
Weapon, It's How You Use It
The majority of weapons can be used to perform a variety of
strikes, in a variety of ways. Give some thought as to what form
an attack takes. Is it a thrust, a lunge, a wild swing, an
overhead blow, a feint, or a backhanded swipe? A weapon can even
be used in unorthodox ways: a strike may be made with the flat of
the blade, possibly subduing or intimidating an opponent; a staff
may be used to thrust; a subdual blow can be made with a weapon's
handle or pommel; many melee weapons can even be thrown if the
situation is desperate enough. Although the DM may penalize such
unorthodox weapon usage as noted on page 124 of the Player's
Handbook, he should also be prepared to give appropriate bonuses
to Intimidate Skills checks, for example.
Consider how a combatant can be taken out of
the fight quickly without necessarily being gradually bludgeoned
or sliced in a protracted melee. Opponents can be disarmed,
tripped, pinned, grappled, thrown, knocked out, entangled, or
knocked over, for instance.
Combat Feats such as Cleave, Dodge, and Spring
Attack just beg to be used descriptively, and should be used with
frequency and panache. Simply state you are using the Feat, and
describe how the character attempts to pull it off.
Few combats should ever be to the death; only
the most deeply stupid, insane, frenzied, or foolishly courageous
combatants will continue fighting when badly wounded or
outclassed. A hasty retreat is a key survival strategy for
practically every living being.
Particularly bloodthirsty or lethal maneuvers,
such as attempts to slice an opponent's head off, pierce their
eyes, or eviscerate them should be rare, and used only when
dramatically appropriate. Should players continually attempt such
maneuvers against every opponent, they should expect all the NPCs
they attack to fight them in like fashion.
Motion is Continuous
The way that some combats are conducted, it is hard to imagine
the combatants doing much more than standing toe-to-toe and
trading blows. In truth, combat is fluid, and continually in
motion. Bear some thought as to how the characters move about,
and how this can be used to advantage or disadvantage.
Do they try and outflank an opponent, or move
to a better attacking position? Do the combatants circle each
other warily? Do they attempt to close in, or move away? How do
they dodge: duck, sidestep, roll, or leap? Do they press an
opponent, forcing them back, or yield and give ground? Do they
charge or leap into a fight, weapon raised high, calmly walk
forward, or wait for their opponent to come to them?
Once again, the environment is very important
when considering the motion of the various characters.
Chandeliers or ropes may be swung from, sails slid down with a
dagger, pillars ran around, tables dived under, jumped on, and so
on. Although anyone can roll, leap, or dive, characters with the
Jump and Tumble Skills can be made particularly impressive by use
of motion, cartwheeling, backflipping, somersaulting, or going
into elaborate springs and rolls.
Combatants who find themselves on the ground
may be in peril if their opponent is still standing, and may be
forced to roll or flail wildly in an attempt to avoid being
struck, and provide themselves with the moment needed to regain
their feet.
Motion in certain environments can add a whole
new dimension, quite literally, to a fight. Airborne combats, for
example, can feature attacks from above, below, diving attacks,
swoops, and so on, while underwater combats also occur in three
dimensions, but slow down motion, and make non-thrusting weapons
far less effective.
Repartee
Just because the action has started, it doesn't mean that the
talking has ceased. Characters should engage in appropriate
dialogue when fighting, hurling expletives, insults, and
imprecations at opponents, shouting warnings and encouragement to
colleagues, screaming battlecries, engaging in the cut and thrust
of witty repartee with like-minded antagonists, and so on. Just
as players speak the words of their characters when roleplaying
any other situation, they should do so here.
Flesh Wounds or Torrents of
Blood?
The damage opponents suffer can be as detailed or vague as befits
the gaming group's tastes, playing style, and campaign style.
Never simply state the amount of Hit Point
damage inflicted by any blow-describe it. Small amounts of damage
comparative to the character's Hit Points might be cuts, nicks,
grazes, bruises, etc. while heavy damage can result in
bone-crunching impacts, or deep gashes, causing blood to flow.
Collateral Damage
A battle can take a serious toll on the surrounding environment,
and the effects are worth thinking about. Use of fire in any form
may ignite combustibles, and cause a hazard. Attacks that miss
their intended target may hit something else, thereby damaging
it, and the use of items as cover, fighting platforms, etc. will
almost certainly result in them being damaged. A fight will
practically always leave signs of its occurrence, even if only in
the form of splashes of blood.
Combat in DUNGEONS & DRAGONS
can, and should, be as gripping and exciting as any fight scene
in an action movie, and if given as much thought and effort as
possible, will take its place alongside any other roleplaying
scene for a sense of character and drama.
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