An apology for RPG combat (and why I love it)

[Mercurius]

I'm not a particularly bloodthirsty guy - I've never gotten into a serious fight, never gone hunting or fishing, have been (mostly) a vegetarian for the last twenty years, dislike gore in movies, prefer violence to be moderate in movies and books, etc. But I take issue with the common perspective that combat taking center stage in an RPG is a bad thing, because I enjoy, no love, a good D&D (or other RPG) combat session, and generally find it to be one of the most fun aspects of the RPG experience.

But what about role-playing, you say? Sure, there is room for that - but it is not the main reason I play RPGs. In fact, I am not all that interested in playing a role, or at least it is secondary to my enjoyment. My main interests in RPG are the imaginative experience, exploration and adventure, figuring out puzzles, the excitement of combat, developing a plot, etc. I do enjoy role-playing, but it isn't in my top tier of RPG interests.

What I find, well, odd and maybe a tad irritating is the castigation of combat in RPGs, claiming that X-game or Y-edition is "too combat-focused." Well, why not? We can play ourselves in real life, we can play different roles in different situations, but we can't necessarily travel to exotic places, explore ruins of lost civilizations, delve into monster infested dungeons, and discover magical treasure. Sure, elements of that can be experienced, but not to the degree that we can role-play in real life.

To put it another way, I get plenty of interpersonal relationships in life, I get to "act out" different aspects of myself in different situations, but what I don't get enough of is action and adventure, and the free play of the imagination. Hopefully I can work to bring more of that into life, but for the most part imaginative play is relegated to activities such as playing RPGs, reading, writing, doing art - stuff I don't have as much time for as I'd like, and that is unfortunately not as much a part of mainstream society as, say, playing and shifting roles in different contexts; wearing different "hats", you might say.

To put it another way: RPG combat is good. And so there you have it.

 

[I'm A Banana]

But I take issue with the common perspective that combat taking center stage in an RPG is a bad thing,

I don't think this is a common perspective. Some people think so, sure, but I'm willing to bet very few people would get rid of combat in a heroic adventure game like D&D. It's in-genre, and it works, and it's got legacy.

We can play ourselves in real life, we can play different roles in different situations, but we can't necessarily travel to exotic places, explore ruins of lost civilizations, delve into monster infested dungeons, and discover magical treasure.

None of that has anything to do with any kind of combat, though.

To put it another way, I get plenty of interpersonal relationships in life, I get to "act out" different aspects of myself in different situations, but what I don't get enough of is action and adventure, and the free play of the imagination.

You don't get to "act out" as a hero, though. As elven wizard, or a dwarven paladin, or a halfling cleric, or a gnome druid, or a human necromancer, you don't get to do that. Those are all characters whose interpersonal relationships in a make-believe fantasy universe aren't going to be anything like your quotidian daily existence. So it's good, if you want to focus on their interpersonal relationships, to have rules support for that.

To put it another way: RPG combat is good. And so there you have it.

I don't think you'll have much dispute here, at least as far as D&D is concerned.

But the specifics get muddier.

RPG combat is good, but minis-based grid combat with an action economy is not always good for every group. RPG combat is good, but it's also not the ONLY thing that people are interested in doing in a game of heroic adventure. RPG combat is good, but sometimes people don't want much of it, or want a quick resolution to it.

RPG combat is good.

But it is not the whole enchilada.

 

[Corathon]

To put it another way: RPG combat is good. And so there you have it.

I agree with this. I enjoy combat also. But i enjoy other things about RPGs besides combat, some of which you named in the OP. If a game were too focused on any one aspect (including combat) I would enjoy it less.

And by "game" I don't mean "session" or "edition", I mean a particular campaign.

 

[CuRoi]

But what about role-playing, you say? Sure, there is room for that - but it is not the main reason I play RPGs. In fact, I am not all that interested in playing a role, or at least it is secondary to my enjoyment. My main interests in RPG are the imaginative experience, exploration and adventure, figuring out puzzles, the excitement of combat, developing a plot, etc. I do enjoy role-playing, but it isn't in my top tier of RPG interests.

I'm confused...so what you describe is NOT roleplaying how?

MY pet peeve is people assuming roleplaying means dressing in funny costumes and using outrageous accents (which, to be fair to those that do dress in silly outfits and use outrageous accents, can be fun in the right atmosphere.) But to me, roleplaying is just what you say: imaginative experiences, exploration, adventure, puzzles, exciting combat, plot development, etc.

So I'm not sure where you aren't playing a role if you are doing all of the above. It sounds like you have invested in your character enough that you are exploring a make believe world and engaging in make believe combats which you most likely want your character to survive. You may not be speaking in "thees" and "thous" but it isn't necessary. You are fulfilling a task in a group of fellow advenurers involved in some sort of creative plot creation that evolves from exploration of a make believe world. You ARE roleplaying.

And yeah, the combat is cool too

 

[ExploderWizard]

ENOUGH TALK!!!

 

[HelloChristian]

I enjoy combat as well, provided there is a purpose for it. Mindless hacking bores me, but armed conflict to settle a long-simmering dispute is delicious.

 

[Mark CMG]

To put it another way: RPG combat is good. And so there you have it.

You aren't really putting it another way since the general concensus is that RPG combat is good, though many seem to think that an RPG might want to be a little more RPGish in addition to combatty. Of course, much of what you describe aside from combat could use more RPing solutions and suggestions in an RPG and less focus on cut-to-the-chase dice rolling solutions simply to steer back to combat. We'll see if the minds behind 5E manage to surprise us with an evolved game that isn't just a new way to present combat and mechanics that seem to avoid RPing.

I think design teams for many RPGs, our local favorite included, find it easier to focus on combat in the rules. It's a comfort zone for design and though it seems to sell less and less and have a shorter and shorter edition cycle, it does make some money out of the gate, and maybe that's the safe way to approach things. But it's been done so many times I'm not sure a 5E can be enough if presented as merely a somewhat innovative look at how to create a combat system and tack just enough RP rules onto it to get away with calling it an RPG. I think most people expect more if they're going to shell out for yet another rendition with their favored brand slapped on it. Again, we'll see.

 

[Agamon]

While I've played great games without combat rules (Dread) and even without conflict rules (Fiasco), there's nothing wrong with kicking a little butt, amiright?

 

[Beginning of the End]

What I find, well, odd and maybe a tad irritating is the castigation of combat in RPGs, claiming that X-game or Y-edition is "too combat-focused." Well, why not? We can play ourselves in real life, we can play different roles in different situations, but we can't necessarily travel to exotic places, explore ruins of lost civilizations, delve into monster infested dungeons, and discover magical treasure.

I think that's kind of the point: You just named four cool things you can do in D&D. Of those four things, combat is only part of one of those things. (And it's only a part.)

 

[S'mon]

I love RPG combat. The best combat has reason, and context, and a build-up, like the battle in my game last night between the PCs and a pack of Shadar's Bandits at the Stone Axe Inn - lots of roleplay & an escalating situation, two mutually hostile groups roused to battle and spoiling for a fight, all within a larger context of personal & political dynamics, with long-term implications for the campaign...