Compelling Encounters!

[mmadsen]

Along a similar line as Wsmith, moving objects make great places to have combats. Wagons make ideal platforms.

And chariots. Wagons are, of course, perfect for westerns (e.g. Deadlands), as are trains. I suppose Dwarves might have mining carts.

 

[WSmith]

I suppose Dwarves might have mining carts.

Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom?

 

[LcKedovan]

Bumping this very good thread so that I can find it after the weekend.

*abuse* *abuse*

-Will

 

[mmadsen]

I thought I'd give this old thread a bump by relisting the suggestions for compelling encounters:

1. Choose a compelling location.
2. Mix-up the weather a bit.
3. Alter the lighting.
4. Change the footing.
5. Put the reward on the end of a stick.
6. Put more than one challenge, foe or conflict into the encounter and hit the party from all sides.

 

[Raven Crowking]

How? More specifically, what kind of game mechanics are you using for that?

Not sure what Nemmerle is using, but the Legends & Lairs series book for the wilderness (can't remember the name right now, but in the same line as Dungeoncraft) has excellent rules for using various environments in encounters. I've used it to enliven my wilderness!

Raven Crowking

 

[Felikeries]

~a form of ward,essence,slime,irradiance changes it's danger value
from the party's original encounter,with a suttle word durring a narration
of an area or an area to be approached maybe even as far away as the
next playing day

~having a real 'deterence' factor,that may be evoked through a DM
special trick,such that each player has a fear compelled,iether by
the nature of what happened in recent events,or whatsoever(humor?)

~using 'levitation','wild riding beasts','pings within the air' that occur
of their own variance rather than by purchase,magic item,or dungeon

~if the speaker (DM) is chagrined by players off from their characters,then
this may be chosen as style for DM to make brash or alter formulations
in the wording,however the players will have no return within the same
open reveille

~misconstrued evidence that dark is evil,light crystal castle is good,
a summoning trick will always allow control,rations are never volatile,
choas within a joined character never shows ultimate answers or actions,
prices will allow a mediun,or importantly that players never have to
make a chagrin of the game if they are low on recovery with an area that
has been known or is simple before them and more monsters is a deviant that
will make it's place
These will cast a weave of alter- mind tricks within the game when
made flurrysome faust of dithers in wisdomous adventurers

 

[mmadsen]

Not sure what Nemmerle is using, but the Legends & Lairs series book for the wilderness (can't remember the name right now, but in the same line as Dungeoncraft) has excellent rules for using various environments in encounters. I've used it to enliven my wilderness!

Could you share some examples?

 

[Plane Sailing]

Discussing snow game mechanics reminded me of a very common dungeon condition that doesn't seem to have any mechanics spelled out: low ceilings (and/or narrow tunnels). Am I just missing the rules in the DMG? If not, what rules is everyone else using for fights in goblin tunnels?

PHB rules for fighting in constricted spaces works fine for this situation (the specific example might be about Large creatures fighting and moving in a 5ft passageway)

 

[Evilhalfling]

Discussing snow game mechanics reminded me of a very common dungeon condition that doesn't seem to have any mechanics spelled out: low ceilings (and/or narrow tunnels). Am I just missing the rules in the DMG? If not, what rules is everyone else using for fights in goblin tunnels?

From the Underdark book -
if the hallway is narrow or low =
meaning it is 1/2 the required space for an individual
-2 to attack with light weapons, -4 with 2 handed, movement at 1/2
-2 ac

If hallway is both narrow and low =
1/4 movement and double above penalties
some piercing weapons count as on class size smaller, such as spears.
-4 ac

Crawl space
meaning 1/4 of the nessary space in either dimension
5' move only, -4 to hit with light, -8 with 2 handed, and the only missle weapon useable is a crossbow. Loose dex bonus to AC

There are 2 smaller catagories as well

or Squezzing rules pg 148 phb

Orignal rules on climbing around the outside of an ice covered mountain
from Glacial Rift of Frost Gaint Jarl :

"As the rim and ledges are covered with snow, each turn that the party moves roll d6 on 1 some member of party has slipped and fallen, then a 50% chance of the fallen chracter continuing to slide over the edge. Falling damage is capped at 10d6 due to cushioning of snow drifts.
visablity 150 ft on ledges, the wind is worse at the bottom reducing visablity to 30'. The floor is a maze of ice, snow, ice hillocks and mounds, with sharp peaks of ice and stone thrusting up like fangs. This reduces movement to 1/2. The force of the howling wind and eddying current causes levitating or flying creatures to move in a random direction equal to 1/2 the distance moved. "

To convert I would use balance checks DC 5 for movement DC 15 if running or charging, and a second check DC 15 if the first is failed by 5 or more to prevent sliding off. I would subsitute the weather and spot penalties from DMG. I really like the random movement of fliers - perhaps allowing a Fort Save for large or huge size.

 

[DanMcS]

In and around a water mill. It has two buildings, one on each side of the river. One side houses a pair of giant waterwheels which power a foundry. There are a number of half-finished tools, weapons, and assorted ironmongery, as well as a huge furnace- one water-wheel powers bellows for it. The other wheel is connected to a big axle which has studs sticking out from it. These hit the ends of 30 pound sledges which are mounted on pivots like seesaws. So there's a constant clanging din inside (-20 to listen checks, 50% chance a verbal spell fails), a hot area near the furnace (if you touch it, 2d6 heat damage), plenty of stuff to use as weapons, a huge rotating log that daring characters might fence upon (balance DC 15 every round, plus each attack and every time you get hit or fall to the ground below for a d6), and hammers that bang up and down on their own and could hit a careless combatant, or someone that falls of the axle (reflex save DC 13 or take 2d6 blunt damage if you end up under a hammer somehow).

A dam is upstream from the mill a bit, and is shaped like a V pointed upriver to force water onto the wheels faster. A toll bridge spans from mill to mill, along the top of the dam mostly. The spillway is about 15 feet below the reservoir level. To catch one of the water wheels as you float by in the river requires first a swim check DC 10 to get into position, then a reflex save DC 15 to grab the wheel, and finally a climb check DC 20 to hold on and get pulled out of the water. If you fail one of these, you probably (swim check DC 15) get dragged under the wheel and spat out the other side, taking a d6 damage in the process. If you make the swim check, you are simply swept past, perhaps towards another wheel, or if you've past the last one, down the channel into the lower pool.

The mill on the other side is practically serene compared to the forge, because it's just a grain mill. There is a big multiton circular stone grinder over top of a similar-sized stone one. This is powered by a single large wheel on this side of the river. There can be some big gears here if you want. The stone grinder spins, not fast, and can be stood upon. Balance DC 10 or fall if you try anything fancy on it, like attacking or getting hit.

No work is done on this side of the river after dusk. This is because the entire mill is filled with grain dust, and a candle would make it go up like a rocket. The PCs should probably know this, but might forget in the heat of battle, or might not care. A spark, electrical or flame, will detonate the mill as a 10d6 fireball + 5d6 shrapnel damage. Outside the mill and within 50 feet you get a reflex save DC 15 for half. Inside the mill, you probably shouldn't get a save, but I'd probably allow one at DC 25.

Some good mill pictures here: http://www.angelfire.com/journal/pondlilymill/graphics.html

Yes, I stole this whole idea blatently from Crighton's Timeline.