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Swashbuckling help needed... my players stay out!
- Thread starter Desdichado
- Start date
Stairs, grand sweeping curving marble stairs with a smooth (very) rail that yells out to the players...'slide down me!'
The dancefloor...one party member has to slip information to the others while weaving, bobbing, circling, bowing as the dance goes on. This works for trying to listen to a conversation too.
Hide and seek chase - have your map, think about 'fun' locations; the roof, the jump down to the stables, swing into the open loft, the leap to the back of a horse or carriage as it rolls away. It the players see an NPC do it, they will try it, this could set the stage, for once they do they may continue.
So I was at the ENnies and I noted to one or two people I should get pictures of the place for it was great idea for an adventure. Those that went know what I am talking about. But you can find places in your area that provide ideas, such as state houses or historical homes, or look for pics on the internet and use them for your players to get an idea of scope.
The dancefloor...one party member has to slip information to the others while weaving, bobbing, circling, bowing as the dance goes on. This works for trying to listen to a conversation too.
Hide and seek chase - have your map, think about 'fun' locations; the roof, the jump down to the stables, swing into the open loft, the leap to the back of a horse or carriage as it rolls away. It the players see an NPC do it, they will try it, this could set the stage, for once they do they may continue.
So I was at the ENnies and I noted to one or two people I should get pictures of the place for it was great idea for an adventure. Those that went know what I am talking about. But you can find places in your area that provide ideas, such as state houses or historical homes, or look for pics on the internet and use them for your players to get an idea of scope.
How about a wine barrel (or two) getting punctured. At first, it provides a moment of comic relief as someone (perhaps a participant in the seance) takes a drink - after all, this was the last barrel of a particularly good vintage, so this will be the last chance in the entire world for anyone to get it. However, after a few rounds, when the floor is soaked in alcohol, it's a hazard just waiting for someone to cast a fire spell.
A second 'assassin' could be an entertaining gimmick. He's not really a fighter, just a nervous cat burglar trying to score some jink on the side by offing some rich lady for a lucrative client. He's been patiently hiding in the rafters all night long so that he can get a clean shot to drop something heavy on her, or shoot a poisoned dart into her neck or something. And of course, after each time he painstakingly manuvers into position for some silly attack, either she evades him completely by accident or gets pulled to safety by a dashing PC - or his attack is ruined by the action happening down below; for instance, a ninja using the table as a springboard to the rafters bumps the thief on his way up, making him drop his weapon and sending him sprawling into a precarious position.
Courtesy of thesaurus.com:
Entry: run
Function: verb
Definition: move fast
Synonyms: abscond, amble, barrel, beat it, bolt, bound, bustle, canter, career, clear out, course, dart, dash, decamp, depart, dog it, escape, flee, flit, fly, gallop, hasten, hie, hotfoot, hurry, hustle, jog, leg it, light out, lope, make off, make tracks, pace, race, rush, scamper, scoot, scorch, scramble, scud, scurry, shag, shoot, skedaddle, skip, skitter, smoke, speed, spring, sprint, spurt, take flight, take off, tear, tear out, travel, trot, whisk
Entry: jump
Function: verb
Definition: leap
Synonyms: bail out, barge, bob, bounce, bound, buck, canter, caper, clear, curvet, dive, drop, fall, gambol, hop, hurdle, hurtle, jerk, jiggle, jounce, lollop, lop, lunge, lurch, parachute, plummet, pop out, pop up, quiver, rattle, ricochet, saltate, shake, skip, sky, somersault, spring, surge, take, top, trip, vault, waver, wobble
Entry: dodge
Function: verb
Definition: avoid
Synonyms: circumlocute, dark, deceive, ditch, duck, elude, equivocate, escape, evade, fence, fend off, fudge, get around, hedge, juke, lurch, malinger, parry, pussyfoot, shake, shake off, shift, shirk, short-circuit, shuffle, sidestep, skirt, slide, slip, swerve, tergiversate, tergiverse, trick, turn aside, weasel
Entry: strike
Function: verb
Definition: hit hard
Synonyms: bang, bash, bean, beat, boff, bonk, box, buffet, bump into, chastise, clash, clip, clobber, clout, collide, conk, crash, cuff, ding, drive, force, hammer, impel, knock, nail, percuss, plant, pop, pound, pummel, punch, punish, run into, slap, slug, smack, smash into, sock, swat, thrust, thump, touch, wallop, whop
A second 'assassin' could be an entertaining gimmick. He's not really a fighter, just a nervous cat burglar trying to score some jink on the side by offing some rich lady for a lucrative client. He's been patiently hiding in the rafters all night long so that he can get a clean shot to drop something heavy on her, or shoot a poisoned dart into her neck or something. And of course, after each time he painstakingly manuvers into position for some silly attack, either she evades him completely by accident or gets pulled to safety by a dashing PC - or his attack is ruined by the action happening down below; for instance, a ninja using the table as a springboard to the rafters bumps the thief on his way up, making him drop his weapon and sending him sprawling into a precarious position.
Courtesy of thesaurus.com:
Entry: run
Function: verb
Definition: move fast
Synonyms: abscond, amble, barrel, beat it, bolt, bound, bustle, canter, career, clear out, course, dart, dash, decamp, depart, dog it, escape, flee, flit, fly, gallop, hasten, hie, hotfoot, hurry, hustle, jog, leg it, light out, lope, make off, make tracks, pace, race, rush, scamper, scoot, scorch, scramble, scud, scurry, shag, shoot, skedaddle, skip, skitter, smoke, speed, spring, sprint, spurt, take flight, take off, tear, tear out, travel, trot, whisk
Entry: jump
Function: verb
Definition: leap
Synonyms: bail out, barge, bob, bounce, bound, buck, canter, caper, clear, curvet, dive, drop, fall, gambol, hop, hurdle, hurtle, jerk, jiggle, jounce, lollop, lop, lunge, lurch, parachute, plummet, pop out, pop up, quiver, rattle, ricochet, saltate, shake, skip, sky, somersault, spring, surge, take, top, trip, vault, waver, wobble
Entry: dodge
Function: verb
Definition: avoid
Synonyms: circumlocute, dark, deceive, ditch, duck, elude, equivocate, escape, evade, fence, fend off, fudge, get around, hedge, juke, lurch, malinger, parry, pussyfoot, shake, shake off, shift, shirk, short-circuit, shuffle, sidestep, skirt, slide, slip, swerve, tergiversate, tergiverse, trick, turn aside, weasel
Entry: strike
Function: verb
Definition: hit hard
Synonyms: bang, bash, bean, beat, boff, bonk, box, buffet, bump into, chastise, clash, clip, clobber, clout, collide, conk, crash, cuff, ding, drive, force, hammer, impel, knock, nail, percuss, plant, pop, pound, pummel, punch, punish, run into, slap, slug, smack, smash into, sock, swat, thrust, thump, touch, wallop, whop
StalkingBlue
First Post
Hm. What if you involve your players?
For this combat, you could award attack or damage bonuses for every combat action that is described in a cinematic way.
Or you could announce that you're giving out RP XP for stylish combat move descriptions.
Or run a tally of gp in the ship's hold that magically increases with every 'wow factor' stunt a player narrates...
Or whatever your players fall for.
If they don't need numerical awards, all the better. Invite them in, they just might be eager to contribute. SOmetimes players just need to be told they are welcome to imagine and narrate stuff. DnD combat especially doesn't encourage this without specific invitation from the GM.
randomling recently ran an absolutely brilliant JChan type game for me that went light on the rules. I've pointed her here, I'm sure she has cool ideas.
For this combat, you could award attack or damage bonuses for every combat action that is described in a cinematic way.
Or you could announce that you're giving out RP XP for stylish combat move descriptions.
Or run a tally of gp in the ship's hold that magically increases with every 'wow factor' stunt a player narrates...
Or whatever your players fall for.
If they don't need numerical awards, all the better. Invite them in, they just might be eager to contribute. SOmetimes players just need to be told they are welcome to imagine and narrate stuff. DnD combat especially doesn't encourage this without specific invitation from the GM.
randomling recently ran an absolutely brilliant JChan type game for me that went light on the rules. I've pointed her here, I'm sure she has cool ideas.
The_Warlock
Explorer
A seance...
Well, let's assume big round table stereotype...
On it are one or more incense burners lit with fragrant (possibly hallucinogenic and narcotic incense to help access the spirit world), Lots of thick velvet drapes to close of dampen sound, preferably a secret door or two into the room behind the drapes or wall hangings. Also, a thick tablecloth on the table so someone very sneak might be able to sneak under the table while the seance is going to wait and listen.
A high ceiling, prefereably with a skylight for easy roof access. And rope or chain leading to a winch and pully to open it (even if the pulley isn't used, assassins can open the skylight from the outside and slide down the line)
One or two banks of candelabra - the kind that hold 2 or three dozen small candles (good for hitting with the flat of a sword individually and launching across the room as impromptu flaming missiles).
At least one interior balcony (a musician's height where normally a quartet plays to a sitting hall) above the main floor, but below the ceiling/skylight, preferably with a silk rope-like over hang on it's rail that if cut at one end someone can ride down as it unravels to the main floor below and with a kick off the wall can cause to land in the middle of the table - assassins in hot pursuit).
Perhaps a handbell owned by one of those sitting at the table normally used to summon servants which could be launched at, or picked up and used to bludgeon an enemy with a faint ringing sound.
The chance for fire, screaming women, everyone fighting in a hallucenogenic haze, and if steampunk - maybe some wall mounted gaslights - currently off, but twisted toward an enemy (candle in hand of the hero) and turned on full can cause a small jet of flame to startle or dazzle them.
The One Warlock
Well, let's assume big round table stereotype...
On it are one or more incense burners lit with fragrant (possibly hallucinogenic and narcotic incense to help access the spirit world), Lots of thick velvet drapes to close of dampen sound, preferably a secret door or two into the room behind the drapes or wall hangings. Also, a thick tablecloth on the table so someone very sneak might be able to sneak under the table while the seance is going to wait and listen.
A high ceiling, prefereably with a skylight for easy roof access. And rope or chain leading to a winch and pully to open it (even if the pulley isn't used, assassins can open the skylight from the outside and slide down the line)
One or two banks of candelabra - the kind that hold 2 or three dozen small candles (good for hitting with the flat of a sword individually and launching across the room as impromptu flaming missiles).
At least one interior balcony (a musician's height where normally a quartet plays to a sitting hall) above the main floor, but below the ceiling/skylight, preferably with a silk rope-like over hang on it's rail that if cut at one end someone can ride down as it unravels to the main floor below and with a kick off the wall can cause to land in the middle of the table - assassins in hot pursuit).
Perhaps a handbell owned by one of those sitting at the table normally used to summon servants which could be launched at, or picked up and used to bludgeon an enemy with a faint ringing sound.
The chance for fire, screaming women, everyone fighting in a hallucenogenic haze, and if steampunk - maybe some wall mounted gaslights - currently off, but twisted toward an enemy (candle in hand of the hero) and turned on full can cause a small jet of flame to startle or dazzle them.
The One Warlock
Desdichado
Hero
Well, a quick update. I'd been planning this little seance with the High Lord's wife as the preferred potential hook to follow after finishing my last adventure, but I was really wanting more feedback from my players on which of the many plot hooks they were interested in pursuing.
And today, that answer has finally started to come out; turns out few of the characters have any interest in potential corruption at the High Lord's household, and are instead much more interested in the crimelord and what he can offer them.
<sigh> I don't have any great ideas for where to go with that one; I actually didn't even have hooks per se associated with him.
But hey, any GM worth his salt can take these kinds of things and run with them, right? The crimelord owns and operates a bath house called the Steams; it has a large room with cold and hot pools scattered throughout and then several rooms on the periphery of that that are essentially saunas. It has just a little bit of a Japanese flavor; most of the side rooms are just separated from the main room by rice paper walls, that are probably quite fragile in the humid environment (although very fancy in this setting). I haven't given much more thought other than that to what's in the bath house, but I did envision multiple floors, including an extremely fancy office for the crimelord, complete with arcane library of forbidden lore and maybe some "crackhouse" type elements; contraband and illegal substances being packaged and hidden, etc.
I suppose I should have a laundry room for all those towels too... maybe I can steal that laundry room scene from Three Musketeers as a location while I'm at it...
And today, that answer has finally started to come out; turns out few of the characters have any interest in potential corruption at the High Lord's household, and are instead much more interested in the crimelord and what he can offer them.
<sigh> I don't have any great ideas for where to go with that one; I actually didn't even have hooks per se associated with him.
But hey, any GM worth his salt can take these kinds of things and run with them, right? The crimelord owns and operates a bath house called the Steams; it has a large room with cold and hot pools scattered throughout and then several rooms on the periphery of that that are essentially saunas. It has just a little bit of a Japanese flavor; most of the side rooms are just separated from the main room by rice paper walls, that are probably quite fragile in the humid environment (although very fancy in this setting). I haven't given much more thought other than that to what's in the bath house, but I did envision multiple floors, including an extremely fancy office for the crimelord, complete with arcane library of forbidden lore and maybe some "crackhouse" type elements; contraband and illegal substances being packaged and hidden, etc.
I suppose I should have a laundry room for all those towels too... maybe I can steal that laundry room scene from Three Musketeers as a location while I'm at it...
The Steams can work just fine. Presumably behind all those fragile walls are plenty of pipes and valves. You can swing or climb on them. Not to mention they can be a more active element. Perhaps everytime someone hacks a pipe, you can roll 1d6 to see what's in it:
1: Cold water, low pressure
2: Cold water, high pressure (has a bull rush/trip effect associated with it)
3: Hot water, high pressure (as cold water, with 1d4 damage)
4: Scalding blast of steam (similar to burning hands, then fills a 20' radius with steam a la obscuring mist, but only works on the first round it is opened)
5: Nothing
6: Raw sewage! W00t! Or maybe something else, hehe.
A player could also check 3 pipes a round by reading labels and twiddling with valves. This could lead to a fun moment of tension as one player defends another who is looking for a steam pipe ("No... no... just a little bit- found it! DUCK!").
One thing that helps when villains (or PCs) are using 'combo attacks' that are stylistically cool but not anything special in game mechanics is to have them actually use the Aid Another action, and boost AA from its wimpy +2 to a more substantial +4 or even +6. So when the first ninja swings on the celing pipe with his feet forward, he's not actually making an unarmed attack against the PC, he's using Aid Another: the PC leans backward, easily dodging the blow, only to be clobbered from behind by someone carrying a priceless antique vase.
A locker room can provide lots of improvised 'shield' bonuses and 'shield bash' attacks for a clever opponent. And of course, if you shove one onto someone and miss, you'd better be careful not to start a domino chain, or who knows what might happen to you...
And of course, if you're going to have a fight at a bathhouse, you absolutely need to have the screaming naked women. No questions asked.
1: Cold water, low pressure
2: Cold water, high pressure (has a bull rush/trip effect associated with it)
3: Hot water, high pressure (as cold water, with 1d4 damage)
4: Scalding blast of steam (similar to burning hands, then fills a 20' radius with steam a la obscuring mist, but only works on the first round it is opened)
5: Nothing
6: Raw sewage! W00t! Or maybe something else, hehe.
A player could also check 3 pipes a round by reading labels and twiddling with valves. This could lead to a fun moment of tension as one player defends another who is looking for a steam pipe ("No... no... just a little bit- found it! DUCK!").
One thing that helps when villains (or PCs) are using 'combo attacks' that are stylistically cool but not anything special in game mechanics is to have them actually use the Aid Another action, and boost AA from its wimpy +2 to a more substantial +4 or even +6. So when the first ninja swings on the celing pipe with his feet forward, he's not actually making an unarmed attack against the PC, he's using Aid Another: the PC leans backward, easily dodging the blow, only to be clobbered from behind by someone carrying a priceless antique vase.
A locker room can provide lots of improvised 'shield' bonuses and 'shield bash' attacks for a clever opponent. And of course, if you shove one onto someone and miss, you'd better be careful not to start a domino chain, or who knows what might happen to you...
And of course, if you're going to have a fight at a bathhouse, you absolutely need to have the screaming naked women. No questions asked.
Desdichado
Hero
Yes, absolutely. And maybe even screaming naked PCs...rkanodia said:
I got this off Atlas-Games.com. Will this do?Joshua Dyal said:
Wuxia Style Combat" and "Faceless Hordes"
>Sarcasm Mode< Wizards' Miniatures General Warning: Using Wuxia Style Combat and Faceless Hordes from Buring Shoalin will seriously hamper the Wargame known as Dungeons and Dragons and turn it back into a pure Roleplaying Game. We do not want this to happen, as everyone should count spaces and make combat in D&D as boring as possible. >/Sarcasm Mode<
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Desdichado
Hero
That does look interesting. Although I'm not so much looking for new mechanics as I am ideas like rkanodia's -- using locker room doors as improvised shield bash attacks, for example, is a fun idea.Sir Elton said:
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