Hi folks,
Recently started a new D&D5E campaign, and we're just getting to the point where combat is imminent.
Now I've run plenty of combat in 5E before, but I always use battlemaps or dungeon tiles and markers. This time, as I'm trying to run a more free-flow, narrative campaign, I was thinking of leaving off the battlemaps and sticking to narrative (read: "Theatre of the Mind") combat.
Unfortunately, my experience with TotM in 5E has been really negative thus-far... the system just seems overwhelmingly optimised for map-and-marker combat, at the expense of a lot of built-in tools for TotM. I'm going to try an persevere with using TotM for the more spontaneous action sequences and only using maps for the big set-piece "Marvel Battles", but I was curious if there are other DMs out there who have the same issues using TotM in 5E.
The biggest issue I see with TotM in 5E is that it puts all the stress for managing and directing the flow of the action on the DM. I think this strips a lot of agency from the players, and can leave the DM with all the blame if the fight "goes south".
What, as a DM, are your experiences with narrative combat in 5th? Are there any special tools or systems you use to make it more accessible for your players?
I think it’s wise to divide the combat encounters between big set pieces and minor skirmishes. Because by doing that, you can spend your prep time designing your set piece encounters while leaving “trash” combat encounters (random encounters, unexpected fights, etc.) to a very quick and improv-friendly rules set.
If I were in your shoes and table-time was at a premium, I would run my minor skirmishes narratively. (I can’t emphasize enough how important [MENTION=97077]iserith[/MENTION] ‘s advice is, so definitely keep a “Go back to 1” post-it handy). Anyway for narrative skirmishes, I want to dispense with absolute positioning in favor of relative position. You see this is some of the rules sets mentioned up thread. For me, there are only two zones/areas I need and two I *might* need.
I need:
1.) the Melee. Everyone who’s in the melee can move around and hit anyone else in the melee. These combatants are all engaged, close, whatever you want to say. They’re in melee.
2.) at Range. Everyone not in the melee is at Range. When you’re at range, you can shoot spells or missiles into the melee or at anyone else at range.
I might need:
3.) Above - aka “the dogfight” for aerial combats or higher platforms.
4.) Below - aka “the pitfight” for submerged or lower platforms.
That covers basically every range/area I need for a quick and dirty narrative combat.
Special considerations:
•Anyone can move into or within the melee freely, but anyone leaving it must Disengage (takes an action).
•If a character is mounted or has extra movement speed, then they consider every other combatant in melee, even the ones at range.
•A combatant can “move to cover from range” or “move to cover from melee.” When they do, attacks against them from the other side of cover get disadvantage but attacks from the near side get advantage. It’s a trade-off. I like this rule but it’s not necessary.
•Area affect spells, grenades, etc target 1 ally for every 3 enemies. 2 allies for 6 enemies. Etc. I like this rule too but you can just as easily say “no friendly fire” or “screw it, AOE hits everyone.”
•A rogue-type can “move to sneak attack/flank” but when they do, they are automatically included as a bonus target in any area affect attacks that might happen that round.
So you have players say things like “I move into melee with the hobgoblins while taking cover from ranged and attack with my spear: a 17 to hit for 5 damage.”
Or “I move to sneak attack and stab the hobgoblin in the back with my short sword: 18 to hit for 16 damage!”
And you say things like, “the goblins at range aim their bows into the melee and fire black-tipped arrows. Many bounce harmlessly off your cover but one gets through at a 16, dealing 4 damage.” Followed by “As the goblins dart around the melee at range and pepper you with arrows, the hobgoblins move together as a phalanx, granting one another advantage on their attacks as they advance. What do you do?”
Anyway, if you stick to relative position, “good enough” targeting, have everyone remember if they’re in melee or at range, and hit that play loop hard, you’ll get through trash encounters quickly and funnly (which is surely a word).