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Anyone tried Narrative Combat?
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<blockquote data-quote="skalvar" data-source="post: 2733366" data-attributes="member: 25815"><p>Hello Everyone!</p><p></p><p>Barsoomcore, I'm glad you enjoyed running a conflict under the <em>Narrative Combat </em>system. I also agree with your assessment that you shouldn't use it for every combat. We did not intend for <em>NC</em> to completely replace standard d20 combat. It is a supplement for when you need to do something the map-based tactical system handles poorly or when you want greater control over scene focus. </p><p></p><p>To explain that idea a bit better lets examine Umbran's example of 1st/2nd level characters against kobolds. It's actually one the playtesters explored in some depth, so I may get a bit longwinded. I’ll also try to avoid NC specific terminology though its obviously easier to describe this if you’ve read the book…</p><p></p><p>In standard d20 combat we control the encounter threat by varying the number of combatants, their level, and the map. The level of detail in each character’s action (the players' characters and the kobolds) remains the same regardless of the number of combatants. This causes a fight against four kobolds and a fight against forty to scale in a roughly linear fashion. The bookkeeping, on the other hand, expands exponentially.</p><p></p><p><em>NC </em> handles the encounter based on how much detail the Game Master and the players want from it. A minor encounter may take a single round and involves simple descriptions on the players’ part. A more complex encounter, or one the players decide to make exciting, could take several rounds (usually no more than three) and involve complicated action/reaction descriptions. The mechanics behind the descriptions remain consistant and as simple as I could squeeze into d20 without breaking it.</p><p></p><p>To take this down to the next level of detail, let's examine a specific scene.</p><p></p><p><strong>Example Scene: </strong>The adventurers burst though a ratty curtain. On the other side they find forty kobolds and a kobold shaman getting ready for a meal.</p><p></p><p>In standard d20 we break out the map and the paper figs or discard the entire map variable (and its associated controls/tactics). An experienced Game Master uses various tricks to compile kobold attacks and establishes a casualty threshold at which the kobolds retreat. He may also use the "swarm" approach, where the kobolds are mechanically 4 or 5 "creatures" with a hit point pool.</p><p></p><p>In narrative combat we first decide how important this scene is to the overall adventure. A minor encounter has a comparatively lower damage threshold and damage events with no actual opponents. A medium encounter might have a opponent and modest thresholds/events; the opposed character extends the length of the scene and makes it more interactive. An important or climax encounter might have multiple thresholds and several "tiers" or "cells" allowing for changing tactical/strategic situations along with one or more opposed characters. In some cases you might even break back into standard d20 combat because it gives you the right tools and feel.</p><p></p><p>To make these airy nothings more concrete, let us go one step further down. From the above scene:</p><p></p><p><em>Minor:</em> The kobold shaman is window dressing and foreshadowing. He ducks out the back while the characters scatter the camp in one combat round. The kobold’s fall back and regroup, initiating a series of other encounter templates (linked or not) building up to a climax.</p><p></p><p><em>Medium:</em> The kobold shaman casts one spell as an event then retreats. He is still not actually present as an opposition character. The thresholds and incoming damage events are primed for 2-3 rounds of combat and the Game Masters/players give longer descriptions of their activities. The combat end sets up a number of other templates representing the kobolds fall back positions.</p><p></p><p><em>Important/Climax:</em> The kobold shaman ignores the characters, instead turning to the idol of his fallen god. He needs to make 2 Knowledge (religion) skill checks (DC 14) to add both magic and fire to the damage the kobold warriors do as they charge forward. The characters must shut him down before he does so (the mechanics allow for three approaches and you could script more). Meanwhile the kobold chieftain comes out of his tent on the second round increasing the kobold’s damage threshold and event based damage. He may be an actual opponent or just a special effect accompanying the increasing event.</p><p></p><p>Does that help?</p><p></p><p>Shannon</p><p></p><p>P.S. </p><p>Oh, and a confession on the author's part - in the middle of a session I handwave a bit myself. <img src="data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7" class="smilie smilie--sprite smilie--sprite8" alt=":D" title="Big grin :D" loading="lazy" data-shortname=":D" /></p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="skalvar, post: 2733366, member: 25815"] Hello Everyone! Barsoomcore, I'm glad you enjoyed running a conflict under the [I]Narrative Combat [/I]system. I also agree with your assessment that you shouldn't use it for every combat. We did not intend for [I]NC[/I] to completely replace standard d20 combat. It is a supplement for when you need to do something the map-based tactical system handles poorly or when you want greater control over scene focus. To explain that idea a bit better lets examine Umbran's example of 1st/2nd level characters against kobolds. It's actually one the playtesters explored in some depth, so I may get a bit longwinded. I’ll also try to avoid NC specific terminology though its obviously easier to describe this if you’ve read the book… In standard d20 combat we control the encounter threat by varying the number of combatants, their level, and the map. The level of detail in each character’s action (the players' characters and the kobolds) remains the same regardless of the number of combatants. This causes a fight against four kobolds and a fight against forty to scale in a roughly linear fashion. The bookkeeping, on the other hand, expands exponentially. [I]NC [/I] handles the encounter based on how much detail the Game Master and the players want from it. A minor encounter may take a single round and involves simple descriptions on the players’ part. A more complex encounter, or one the players decide to make exciting, could take several rounds (usually no more than three) and involve complicated action/reaction descriptions. The mechanics behind the descriptions remain consistant and as simple as I could squeeze into d20 without breaking it. To take this down to the next level of detail, let's examine a specific scene. [B]Example Scene: [/B]The adventurers burst though a ratty curtain. On the other side they find forty kobolds and a kobold shaman getting ready for a meal. In standard d20 we break out the map and the paper figs or discard the entire map variable (and its associated controls/tactics). An experienced Game Master uses various tricks to compile kobold attacks and establishes a casualty threshold at which the kobolds retreat. He may also use the "swarm" approach, where the kobolds are mechanically 4 or 5 "creatures" with a hit point pool. In narrative combat we first decide how important this scene is to the overall adventure. A minor encounter has a comparatively lower damage threshold and damage events with no actual opponents. A medium encounter might have a opponent and modest thresholds/events; the opposed character extends the length of the scene and makes it more interactive. An important or climax encounter might have multiple thresholds and several "tiers" or "cells" allowing for changing tactical/strategic situations along with one or more opposed characters. In some cases you might even break back into standard d20 combat because it gives you the right tools and feel. To make these airy nothings more concrete, let us go one step further down. From the above scene: [I]Minor:[/I] The kobold shaman is window dressing and foreshadowing. He ducks out the back while the characters scatter the camp in one combat round. The kobold’s fall back and regroup, initiating a series of other encounter templates (linked or not) building up to a climax. [I]Medium:[/I] The kobold shaman casts one spell as an event then retreats. He is still not actually present as an opposition character. The thresholds and incoming damage events are primed for 2-3 rounds of combat and the Game Masters/players give longer descriptions of their activities. The combat end sets up a number of other templates representing the kobolds fall back positions. [I]Important/Climax:[/I] The kobold shaman ignores the characters, instead turning to the idol of his fallen god. He needs to make 2 Knowledge (religion) skill checks (DC 14) to add both magic and fire to the damage the kobold warriors do as they charge forward. The characters must shut him down before he does so (the mechanics allow for three approaches and you could script more). Meanwhile the kobold chieftain comes out of his tent on the second round increasing the kobold’s damage threshold and event based damage. He may be an actual opponent or just a special effect accompanying the increasing event. Does that help? Shannon P.S. Oh, and a confession on the author's part - in the middle of a session I handwave a bit myself. :D [/QUOTE]
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