Curious inquiry on how to go about fighting.
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Curious inquiry on how to go about fighting.
PlayerIII Sun Sep 02, 2012 6:44 pm
Right, I was wondering how you all went about the combat system in terms of labeling attacks enemies use.
If the party were fighting, say, some Timberwolves, and they use an attack, what should I as the DM type/say? (Note this game will be played via Skype)
Would I simply say full out this is its [-2] attack, this is what it is called and also what it does?
Or should I just do the effect? I.E. the damage, or if they were to gain resistance or something.
How do you go about it?
If the party were fighting, say, some Timberwolves, and they use an attack, what should I as the DM type/say? (Note this game will be played via Skype)
Would I simply say full out this is its [-2] attack, this is what it is called and also what it does?
Or should I just do the effect? I.E. the damage, or if they were to gain resistance or something.
How do you go about it?
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Re: Curious inquiry on how to go about fighting.
Stairc -Dan Felder Sun Sep 02, 2012 6:45 pm
Personally, I like having players read out their full power - it helps communication and means less work for the DM. Also it's fun to read out what cool power you're using.
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Re: Curious inquiry on how to go about fighting.
SilentBelle Sun Sep 02, 2012 7:05 pm
Also, encourage your players to rename their powers so they suit their characters. It's kind of up to the players to come up with what they are doing in combat. Of course you can always give them suggestion as to what they want to call their moves. (For example my alchemist character uses a move called Exploding Flask instead of Fireball)
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Re: Curious inquiry on how to go about fighting.
AProcrastinatingWriter Sun Sep 02, 2012 7:35 pm
I hate to say it, but I think you guys misread his post. 
He wasn't asking what you should do as PH when the characters attack, but what to say as PH when enemies attack. I think. 
Personally, assuming I read that right, I would simply describe a bit of what the creature does when it uses its attack (flavor) and announce any damage and modifiers that you know might apply. For example, if two Gargoyles both use Swipe Claw on the same turn, there's nothing against having one of them swoop down from above to attack a player and having another one use a headbutt on the ground - or even breaking off a pillar nearby and swinging it if you're bringing out a really heavy attack. Just make sure the effects of the attack gameplaywise stay exactly the same, neglecting dice rolls of course. The players don't need to know what those attacks are, they simply need to know that they can trust you to not spontaneously make up some kind of attack on the fly...well, that, and exactly how much damage they're going to take from that stunning pillar strike your Gargoyle just pulled off.
He wasn't asking what you should do as PH when the characters attack, but what to say as PH when enemies attack. I think. Personally, assuming I read that right, I would simply describe a bit of what the creature does when it uses its attack (flavor) and announce any damage and modifiers that you know might apply. For example, if two Gargoyles both use Swipe Claw on the same turn, there's nothing against having one of them swoop down from above to attack a player and having another one use a headbutt on the ground - or even breaking off a pillar nearby and swinging it if you're bringing out a really heavy attack. Just make sure the effects of the attack gameplaywise stay exactly the same, neglecting dice rolls of course. The players don't need to know what those attacks are, they simply need to know that they can trust you to not spontaneously make up some kind of attack on the fly...well, that, and exactly how much damage they're going to take from that stunning pillar strike your Gargoyle just pulled off.
- Further Advice for DMing in General:
- But that's just my personal way of doing it; DMing is like eating a Reese's. The only really wrong way to DM (or PH, in this system) a battle is to scramble to suddenly make your monsters overpowered and unbeatable when you realize the characters are getting the best of them. Well, that and to keep attacking a player once they're unconscious in order to try and kill them off when there are other perfectly conscious characters attempting to end your monsters, that's kind of a jerk move against that one particular player right there.
What I'm saying is, as someone playing the game in a different way, do whatever you like. As someone in charge of a game and its other players, do whatever your players respond best to. And those two rules don't just apply to battling, but to everything that you as a PH do. If you want to name off each individual attack and its PiP cost and what traits your monsters have and their HP and any and all skill checks' DC and what a character's true motivations are and drop hints as to where to go next, that's just fine if that's what your players want and need. If you want to keep everything a major mystery for the players to figure out on their own (my personal method) that's also fine too. And if you want to do something in between, keeping some things secret and being gushingly obvious about others, that is also fine. But always make sure it's interesting flavorwise and gameplaywise, since (I assume) your players are playing for fun after all.
But again, my suggestion for what you specifically asked for (Sorry, tendency to ramble) can be found a couple paragraphs above -assuming you WANT to go that route, of course.
Last edited by AProcrastinatingWriter on Sun Sep 02, 2012 7:40 pm; edited 1 time in total
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Re: Curious inquiry on how to go about fighting.
Stairc -Dan Felder Sun Sep 02, 2012 7:39 pm
AProcrastinatingWriter wrote:I hate to say it, but I think you guys misread his post.
Ah! If that's the case, I just tell them what's happened to their character. How much damage they take and what status effects they're suffering precisely.
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Re: Curious inquiry on how to go about fighting.
AProcrastinatingWriter Sun Sep 02, 2012 7:41 pm
Stairc -Dan Felder wrote:
Ah! If that's the case, I just tell them what's happened to their character. How much damage they take and what status effects they're suffering precisely.
See, now here's a guy who knows how not to ramble and how to get straight to the point.
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Re: Curious inquiry on how to go about fighting.
PlayerIII Sun Sep 02, 2012 8:09 pm
Also, I have another quick question. How does intimidate work in this system? It details skill checks having DC's to overcome to have them pass, but Intimidate usually has you face off against the targets Will or sense motive.
Last edited by PlayerIII on Sun Sep 02, 2012 8:24 pm; edited 1 time in total
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Re: Curious inquiry on how to go about fighting.
tygerburningbright Sun Sep 02, 2012 8:23 pm
PlayerIII wrote:But what about from the DM's side? Should I also detail the attack I am using? And if i do, should I say what it does aside from possible damage?
Also, I have another quick question. How does intimidate work in this system? It details skill checks having DC's to overcome to have them pass, but Intimidate usually has you face off against the targets Will or sense motive.
Er... what intimidate? In this system we use persuasion VS perception*. In general just set a DC and a pass/fail. When in doubt do what ever is appropriate.
*certain times you may be able to use one of the knowledge skills if it is a factual lie or use stunts to make a physical threat.
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Re: Curious inquiry on how to go about fighting.
PlayerIII Sun Sep 02, 2012 8:26 pm
tygerburningbright wrote:PlayerIII wrote:But what about from the DM's side? Should I also detail the attack I am using? And if i do, should I say what it does aside from possible damage?
Also, I have another quick question. How does intimidate work in this system? It details skill checks having DC's to overcome to have them pass, but Intimidate usually has you face off against the targets Will or sense motive.
Er... what intimidate? In this system we use persuasion VS perception*. In general just set a DC and a pass/fail. When in doubt do what ever is appropriate.
*certain times you may be able to use one of the knowledge skills if it is a factual lie or use stunts to make a physical threat.
There is two instances in the Players Guide that mention Intimidation. One, after reading it again is just a persuasion that is intimidating. but this text here, almost says otherwise:
"Remove all mind-affecting effects from you and all allies in sight. (This works for psychic, intimidation, fear, mind-control… anything that affects the minds of the characters.)"
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Re: Curious inquiry on how to go about fighting.
Stairc -Dan Felder Sun Sep 02, 2012 8:36 pm
The second refers to just flavor, similar to 'mind control'. Some versions of persuasion are intimidating, just as some uses of mechanics involve lockpicking.
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Re: Curious inquiry on how to go about fighting.
PlayerIII Mon Sep 03, 2012 1:30 pm
You guys are awesome. Thanks for the help. I may be back should I find myself staring blankly at the computer screen for too long again.
Might I say, though. I do highly recommend revamping the Players Guide. I feel it is not as neatly organized as it could be. Then again, just adding a glossary and a fair amount of key terms would be nice, I think.
Sorry if that sounds prudish.
Might I say, though. I do highly recommend revamping the Players Guide. I feel it is not as neatly organized as it could be. Then again, just adding a glossary and a fair amount of key terms would be nice, I think.
Sorry if that sounds prudish.
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Re: Curious inquiry on how to go about fighting.
Stairc -Dan Felder Mon Sep 03, 2012 3:22 pm
PlayerIII wrote:You guys are awesome. Thanks for the help. I may be back should I find myself staring blankly at the computer screen for too long again.
Might I say, though. I do highly recommend revamping the Players Guide. I feel it is not as neatly organized as it could be. Then again, just adding a glossary and a fair amount of key terms would be nice, I think.
Sorry if that sounds prudish.
If you have more specific suggestions, we'd love to hear them. It's so hard to make a player's handbook when you know all the rules (because you made them). Really hard to see what's confusing and what's not. It'd be great to hear your input.
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Re: Curious inquiry on how to go about fighting.
PlayerIII Thu Sep 06, 2012 1:23 pm
We just started running our game, so it would be prudent of me to give advice before I know how the game really plays. But, give me a bit for our game to develop and I will definitely throw some helpful advice your guys' way.Stairc -Dan Felder wrote:PlayerIII wrote:You guys are awesome. Thanks for the help. I may be back should I find myself staring blankly at the computer screen for too long again.
Might I say, though. I do highly recommend revamping the Players Guide. I feel it is not as neatly organized as it could be. Then again, just adding a glossary and a fair amount of key terms would be nice, I think.
Sorry if that sounds prudish.
If you have more specific suggestions, we'd love to hear them. It's so hard to make a player's handbook when you know all the rules (because you made them). Really hard to see what's confusing and what's not. It'd be great to hear your input.
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Re: Curious inquiry on how to go about fighting.
Stairc -Dan Felder Thu Sep 06, 2012 1:39 pm
Glad to hear it. Happy adventuring.
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