New DM Problem: Describing Attacks.

[Mark CMG]

Dave Noonan and I led a seminar at GenCon on DMing techniques, based on the Dungeon Mastering for Dummies book. Here's a handout I worked up for the seminar that might come in handy for you. I've attached it to this message.

Nice one, Mr. Mearls (and Mr. Noonan AND Mighty Halfling!). Thanks!

 

[Mark CMG]

As a recommendation, though, don't describe an evil monk's surprise punching attack as "He slams painfully into you from behind." Just... don't.

Trust me on this one.

Ahem.

Grandma is clutching her chest . . .

 

[frankthedm]

The femoral artery on an ogre is well within reach of a halfling with a dagger. Severing that will cause bleeding out in a very short time. The side of the knee is also in reach, and can inflict a rush of pain that can cause the subject to pass out. With a feint, maybe the target overreached with his misplaced swing, and stuck his axe in the ground, leaving him wide open to an array of vital position strikes.

You are free to house rule those, i bet others have as well. But those are not how sneak attacks work. Limbs are not vitals. Now if someone knocks the rogues's foe prone [with trip for example] [or somehow to a kneeling position] then the critter's vitals just might be in the rogues striking range.

Sneak Attack
If a rogue can catch an opponent when he is unable to defend himself effectively from her attack, she can strike a vital spot for extra damage.

The rogue’s attack deals extra damage any time her target would be denied a Dexterity bonus to AC (whether the target actually has a Dexterity bonus or not), or when the rogue flanks her target. This extra damage is 1d6 at 1st level, and it increases by 1d6 every two rogue levels thereafter. Should the rogue score a critical hit with a sneak attack, this extra damage is not multiplied.

Ranged attacks can count as sneak attacks only if the target is within 30 feet.

With a sap (blackjack) or an unarmed strike, a rogue can make a sneak attack that deals nonlethal damage instead of lethal damage. She cannot use a weapon that deals lethal damage to deal nonlethal damage in a sneak attack, not even with the usual -4 penalty.

A rogue can sneak attack only living creatures with discernible anatomies—undead, constructs, oozes, plants, and incorporeal creatures lack vital areas to attack. Any creature that is immune to critical hits is not vulnerable to sneak attacks. The rogue must be able to see the target well enough to pick out a vital spot and must be able to reach such a spot. A rogue cannot sneak attack while striking a creature with concealment or striking the limbs of a creature whose vitals are beyond reach.

Please note, if I did not hate rogues so much i would assume the 'vitals beyond reach' was meant for the critters, like hydras and kraken, who have limby targets that extend far beyond thier normal combat facing.

 

[Olaf the Stout]

It can't unless thrown...

A rogue cannot sneak attack while striking a creature with concealment or striking the limbs of a creature whose vitals are beyond reach.

I think Kmart Kommando's suggestions are all very legitimate. For some reason sneak attack seems to be one area that GM's frequently try to neuter. I really don't understand why.

Olaf the Stout

 

[RFisher]

My biggest problem with describing combat is that I not all that clear on what hp represent (despite having read so many descriptions over the years), so I don't really have any clue how to describe losing them.

(^_~)

 

[frankthedm]

Monster HP, durability of body[hit die], endurance[con].

Class HP: luck, rolling with the blow, divine intervention, keeping your guard so the hit lands somewhere less vital and endurance to keep going with all the wounds adding up[con].

The commoner shows the trauma the average human body can endure before incapicitation. 1d4+con mod. on the average that is 3 HP, 4 HP will trigger potentially lethal bleeding and or shock. 13 damage is the trauma that is assuredly fatal to the bulk of humanity.

 

[Kmart Kommando]

The peeps who keep trying to nerf sneak attack are probably the same ones that say the tome of battle is overpowered.
Throwing fistfuls of dice are always fun, whether you're on the giving or receiving end.

Oh, and none of my previous post was house rule, it was flavor text for sneak attack, and feinting. And knowledge (anatomy), 7 ranks, cross class, +3 Int, +2 synergy (Healing 5 ranks, also cross class).

 

[Hussar]

Cumulative damage.
"The creature, weakened by the damage already done to it, falls victim to your final thrust."

"You apparently nick an artery, judging by the blood the sprays. Your foe falls, suddenly lifeless."

My problem is how did you reach that femoral artery with a 3 inch dagger.

BTW, it's thrown knives anyway, so not to worry.

But, good catch on the limbs bit. Although, I wonder, does a head on a long neck count as a limb? Does that mean I cannot sneak attack into something's eyes/throat?

I'm thinking that bit makes more sense when talking about reach myself, but, then again, I don't have to worry about it with my halfling Master Thrower.

 

[ceratitis]

anothe way to make combat more descriptive is to take away dice all together. you can start with the damage rolls (use a laptop with dice programs) and describe the damage done. each player can (and should) still describe their own attack but you give a hit description by knowing how much damage was done relative to what the critter has. its a big change i know but if you and your players are willing it can fire up imaginations.
PC- is that desciption a close and personal one?

 

[DragonLancer]

I've been DMing for twenty years, and then as now, I find that I can start off with descriptions but as time goes by (whether over time or just in session) those descriptions drop away. There is only so many ways to describe an attack before you end up repeating yourself, and it becomes dull for both players and the DM.
Theres no easy solution.

Check out my "Hit List" a random set of tables to help describe hits and misses.
It's just what you're looking for, and uses the little-used d12 to boot!

Thanks for that. I'll give this a try out next session.