Descriptive Combat

[koraban]

I have just started a Lords of Olympus game. the players have got a hang of the system and everything around it quickly.

but from my point of view i think i could do better when it comes to describing combat. i have read Amber/LoG&S/LoO so have a grasp of what they suggest to do when it comes to combat.

i was wondering if people have suggestions from their own table or other sources that have great ideas for descriptive combat.


thanks in advance

[RPGPundit]

Welcome to theRPGsite!

I would suggest taking a careful clinical approach; make sure the players don't just say "I punch him" or something like that. They need to specify where and how they're striking. Likewise, describe in detail the movements and specific method and location of attacks from NPC opponents.

[zircher]

I love this fight scene from Sherlock Holmes.  (The link goes to the time stamp where it gets interesting.)
https://youtu.be/BGCMfprPJoA?t=97

[soltakss]

I have just started a Lords of Olympus game. the players have got a hang of the system and everything around it quickly.

but from my point of view i think i could do better when it comes to describing combat. i have read Amber/LoG&S/LoO so have a grasp of what they suggest to do when it comes to combat.

i was wondering if people have suggestions from their own table or other sources that have great ideas for descriptive combat.


thanks in advance

I normally play RuneQuest, or one of its variants. Combat is descriptive in many ways and you can visualise the combat very easily.

[jhkim]

I have just started a Lords of Olympus game. the players have got a hang of the system and everything around it quickly.

but from my point of view i think i could do better when it comes to describing combat. i have read Amber/LoG&S/LoO so have a grasp of what they suggest to do when it comes to combat.

i was wondering if people have suggestions from their own table or other sources that have great ideas for descriptive combat.

The description from Amber is reasonably good. You're trying to make combat less about random success/failure, and more about strategy, tactics, and trade-offs... and cheating.

In Amber Diceless games, I try to emphasize what sort of trade-offs the character has in attacking. i.e. If she charges, then she can get both of the guards but will probably take another hit. If she trades shots at a distance then she can keep both of them down without getting hit while the other characters do something.

I try to work with whatever the player is trying to do - i.e. assume that the character is an expert and competent, but emphasize how the enemy is also competent and dangerous. So, for example, in a diceless game I was running last weekend, a PC was pinned against a wall from surprise by a powerful but smaller opponent. He said that he was stomping at her leg to weaken her hold, then twisting away. I let him pull out of that, but said that he had a finger broken in the attempt.