A recent thread on another board has started some discussion about the level of description that desired for an enjoyable combat in an role playing game. Since its mostly a matter of preferences compressing the various degrees of description into a simple poll would be difficult so I thought I'd ask people to post examples of what they like to see in their games.

Describe a combat hit that inflicts notable but moderate damage to the target in manner you would consider:

Ideal for your table.

To scant for you table

Overwrought and florid in your opinion

http://www.sfwa.org/2005/01/on-thud-and-blunder/

QuoteWith one stroke of his fifty-pound sword, Gnorts the Barbarian lopped off the head of Nialliv the Wizard. It flew through the air, still sneering, while Gnorts clove two royal guardsmen from vizor through breasplate to steel jockstrap.

Quote from: Piestrio;691310http://www.sfwa.org/2005/01/on-thud-and-blunder/

To scant?

Ideal:

QuoteI stab the monster for 12 points

To Scant:

Quote12 points

To Florid:

QuoteZorg the ranger slowly circles his foe and with panther like speed and grace makes a quick lunge toward the orc, his sword snakes out with impossible speed and touches the vile green skin for 12 points of damage.

I prefer the description of combat to be circumstantial and ad hoc. Basically, I prefer to have me and the players describe their actions, roll the dice if need be, and then describe the outcomes on a case by case basis.

Player: "I raise my sword and swing it upwards, trying to cut down the negotiations with the orc chieftain before it has time to react." *rolls, succeeds, damage.*
DM: "The orc is visibly startled as the blade strikes its cleft chin. It bleeds abundantly as it takes a few steps back and seizes its enormous mace, throwing a menacing look at you as its servants leap forward to protect its life..." *rolls a bunch of d20s*

I do not like games systems spelling everything out as much, for I do not like to be needlessly contrived in my imagining by the game's system and rules, though there is a world of excluded middle in between, from the RQ6 combat moves you describe ad hoc, to the critical hit and miss charts of Rolemaster and DCC RPG and the like.

Quote from: Benoist;691314I prefer the description of combat to be circumstantial and ad hoc. Basically, I prefer to have me and the players describe their actions, roll the dice if need be, and then describe the outcomes on a case by case basis.

Player: "I raise my sword and swing it upwards, trying to cut down the negotiations with the orc chieftain before it has time to react." *rolls, succeeds, damage.*
DM: "The orc is visibly startled as the blade strikes its cleft chin. It bleeds abundantly as it takes a few steps back and seizes its enormous mace, throwing a menacing look at you as its servants leap forward to protect its life..." *rolls a bunch of d20s*

I do not like games systems spelling everything out as much, for I do not like to be needlessly contrived in my imagining by the game's system and rules, though there is a world of excluded middle in between, from the RQ6 combat moves you describe ad hoc, to the critical hit and miss charts of Rolemaster and DCC RPG and the like.

pretty much this

Doesn't it usually go like this at most tables?

Player: "I swing my sword."
DM: "At what?"
Player: "The goblin."
DM: "Which one?"
Player: :points finger at mini: "That one."
DM: "Ok. Roll."
Player: :rolls dice and looks at sheet: "21".
DM: "Hit. Roll damage."
Player: :rolls dice: "15."
DM: "The goblin is dead."

Quote from: Endless Flight;691320Doesn't it usually go like this at most tables?

Player: "I swing my sword."
DM: "At what?"
Player: "The goblin."
DM: "Which one?"
Player: :points finger at mini: "That one."
DM: "Ok. Roll."
Player: :rolls dice and looks at sheet: "21".
DM: "Hit. Roll damage."
Player: :rolls dice: "15."
DM: "The goblin is dead."

not at my table.  Benoist pretty much nailed it.

Quote from: Endless Flight;691320Doesn't it usually go like this at most tables?

Player: "I swing my sword."
DM: "At what?"
Player: "The goblin."
DM: "Which one?"
Player: :points finger at mini: "That one."
DM: "Ok. Roll."
Player: :rolls dice and looks at sheet: "21".
DM: "Hit. Roll damage."
Player: :rolls dice: "15."
DM: "The goblin is dead."

I think it happens at my game table, usually after we've started a fight as I described and everyone's in the groove while the fight drags on: there's a point you reach when you don't need to describe every move any more, because people just see it, and it kind of flows from there.

If all the fights were nothing BUT like this, however, I could end up bored pretty fast.

Benoist's is good, though often I go with less verbosity, especially for large combats.

"You counter the orc's strike and down he goes. The other two are undeterred and pummel you with their axes, but you catch the blows with your shield" etc.

Or even "The melee continues; you've been battered for 6 points of damage, and the second goblin is bleeding badly" – it's a good idea when narrating to vary the depth of your descriptions, and besides, it's a fight, so sometimes it's a bit of a blur.

Not gonna lie, though, sometimes it gets to the "you hit. The gnoll's still up. The gnoll hits you back for 5 damage. You miss." when people are tired or distracted.

Depends on the game. I run three

D&D 3.5

Its more just the numbers and I save exposition for critical blows or down to the wire events. I don't waste time going deeper (I have 2-3 hour sessions on a week night a fight takes a fair bit of that.)

To me that level of rules and combat is a lot of boring non narrated fighting, not worthy of specific details.


My Amber Game is all descriptive and very specific to build excitement and express differing ranks and what may be effecting them. Some of it is simpler but I gloss over that and move on speeding time forward to the more crucial events.


My Sunday game

This is a Seventh sea conversion to Space opera / Firefly sort of Genre. Here I do more of a middle ground, while some blows are not defined to much a larger portion are than in a 3.5 game.

I think it comes down to the rules and how granular they are and how much is deserving of attention. If it takes twenty rolls to kill one dude, doubtful I will describe each one compared to game were it is done in 3 rolls. Then each blow is more dramatic and telling.

I believe a lot of roleplaying is done in combat as well as a shopping trip in town. Sometimes the roleplaying is even more telling/intense in combat when lives are at stake.

Just my thoughts

I try for a middle ground when I am GMing.

I have ended up associating the florid descriptive combat with overacting GMs who want to imprint their concept of the "story" on my gameplay.

Examples from today's session:

Player: I throw a spear at the closest orc. I got a 17.
GM: That hits.
Player: 5 points damage.
GM: He's hurt pretty bad, but still standing.
Player: I pull out my sword and charge.

Player: I cast Hold Person on the Gnoll.
GM: He fails his save and is paralyzed.
Player: I move behind him and slit his throat.

Player: I rolled a 3, miss.
GM: The Gnoll attacks you and does 8 damage.
Player: I'm dead.

What I like depends on the situation. Choosing rules with a certain level of detail (e.g., hit locations) implies at least so much in terms of description. Going beyond that (or sometimes even so far) is a matter of feel for when to keep up the pace of play and when to highlight notable events.

Quote from: Imp;691332Benoist's is good, though often I go with less verbosity, especially for large combats.

"You counter the orc's strike and down he goes. The other two are undeterred and pummel you with their axes, but you catch the blows with your shield" etc.

Or even "The melee continues; you've been battered for 6 points of damage, and the second goblin is bleeding badly" – it's a good idea when narrating to vary the depth of your descriptions, and besides, it's a fight, so sometimes it's a bit of a blur.

Not gonna lie, though, sometimes it gets to the "you hit. The gnoll's still up. The gnoll hits you back for 5 damage. You miss." when people are tired or distracted.

Oh yeah, if the battle's been going on for awhile the description grows more terse for us too until and unless some impressive results or some change of pace and exciting new tactic gets the momentum going again.