tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3871409676946408069.post963739474194711144..comments2023-10-14T03:58:59.333-06:00Comments on The Tao of D&D: GreynessAlexis Smolenskhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10539170107563075967noreply@blogger.comBlogger7125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3871409676946408069.post-30247791635713036062016-02-05T08:38:45.160-07:002016-02-05T08:38:45.160-07:00I do actually pay a great deal of attention to lin...I do actually pay a great deal of attention to line of sight. I don't allow missile weapons to be fired through two friendlies unless there is a height advantage - and I have a simple friendly fire rule.<br /><br />Please note: I don't have any problem whatsoever with my combats being stale or grey. I still play in the mindset of the paragraph I quoted. My admonitions were for more modern games played by others that, like Tim says, are the same rolls over and over again with no changes. Alexis Smolenskhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10539170107563075967noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3871409676946408069.post-58586178910530154152016-02-05T04:35:21.165-07:002016-02-05T04:35:21.165-07:00Hi Alexis,
As regards missile fire in melee, and m...Hi Alexis,<br />As regards missile fire in melee, and magical ranged attacks, <br />Have you considered limiting effectiveness by using line of sight?<br />One could say the rules on missile weapons and ranged magic assume clear line of sight.<br /><br />A problem with the maps and minatures birds-eye view of battle, is that screening of line of sight (LOS) isn't normally considered. <br /><br />Consider a line of defenders engaged and the missile chaps are rearward but not on an elevated fire platform. The effective target size of the engaged enemy is much smaller (cover). Opportunities to fire at exposed targets are less frequent (lower rate of fire). Rearward enemies cant be seen at all (no target), unless they are much bigger. Indirect fire on unseen individuals is utterly random and impossible if there is overhead vegetation or interior ceiling to limit your arc of fire. This would mean that for misile folks to be effective (i.e. normal rate of fire, damage and chance to hit) they would have to move to get clear LOS, they would have to get elevated, or flank or get in amongst the melee. There is no safe place.<br /><br />K<br />(Set crossbows to stun)<br />kimbohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12961382206655820923noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3871409676946408069.post-88985265280380831272016-02-04T22:02:30.739-07:002016-02-04T22:02:30.739-07:00Nope. Suggesting that others make a simple change...Nope. Suggesting that others make a simple change to their combat - not to my system, but just adjusting their own in a specific way.Alexis Smolenskhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10539170107563075967noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3871409676946408069.post-51792488325553522172016-02-04T21:34:06.992-07:002016-02-04T21:34:06.992-07:00And I've also participated in one of your comb...And I've also participated in one of your combats in your on-line campaign...though it was a brief one.<br /><br />I'm sorry...I thought you meant you were considering changing it up even more.<br />; )JBhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03263662621289630246noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3871409676946408069.post-33263784375427367792016-02-04T19:33:54.481-07:002016-02-04T19:33:54.481-07:00Well, I've given examples of my combat system ...Well, I've given examples of my combat system many times. It works as Tim describes in the comment above.<br />Alexis Smolenskhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10539170107563075967noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3871409676946408069.post-1108102557213839402016-02-04T19:09:04.832-07:002016-02-04T19:09:04.832-07:00Interesting. I've played (and enjoyed playing)...Interesting. I've played (and enjoyed playing) war-games and one thing it has instilled in me is a great love of (and respect for) melee combat. Usually, the war game rules are designed so that, when one side CAN come to grips with the enemy, the results are swift and decisive. I've never considered the relative sameness of melee and missile combat in D&D, though the former is still a bit more brutal (especially with monsters) due to higher damage rates and numbers of attacks per round.<br /><br />I would be highly interested in seeing your own ideas for how to implement these changes.JBhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03263662621289630246noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3871409676946408069.post-62339459586060440492016-02-04T17:36:03.567-07:002016-02-04T17:36:03.567-07:00I remember the hour-long slogfests that were my 4t...I remember the hour-long slogfests that were my 4th edition games. It is exactly as you describe: with X "at-will" powers, Y "encounter" powers and Z "daily" powers (for martial and non-martial classes), every player simply used their encounter power once an encounter, used the same at-will power over and over, and then saved the daily for the boss fight. It was the same rolls over and over again with no changes. We all hated it.<br /><br />Stunning as a mechanic has been one of the biggest aids in promoting a more strategic combat experience for my players, along with fostering fear and urgency. If you read Alexis' blog and you want to make combat more interesting but haven't tried stunning, I highly recommend it! Even in "theatre of the mind" games without battlemaps or grids, it allows an additional degree of strategy to unfold, as the chronology of combat is less fixed and allows for individual variance. My games have become a lot more exciting thanks to it.Timhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03496502173819113887noreply@blogger.com