D&D General Do You Play Out Every Combat?

[Desdichado]

Yes, always. D&D is specifically geared towards combat in most editions of the game, especially every edition since 3e. If you want to "skip" over the combat, D&D is a poor choice. If the combat is "too easy" to bother with actually running it, then actually skip it and don't include it at all, is my take.

That said, I do prefer games that are theater of the mind and much quicker and simpler combat than any modern version of D&D.

 

[cranberry]

One of my per peeves is when random encounters don't make sense.

Years ago, the DM in my group rolled up a Yeti as a random encounter during a desert adventure...

 

[Reynard]

One of my per peeves is when random encounters don't make sense.

Years ago, the DM in my group rolled up a Yeti as a random encounter during a desert adventure...

You have two choices there: reroll, or make it make sense. If I were inclined toward the latter, I would have the yeti's tracks lead back to a destroyed caravan where it was obvious that the captured yeti (probably on its way from its native mountains to the fighting pit or menagerie of some sultan) broke loose from its cage/bonds and destroyed its captors. Driven mad with thirst and heat, it attacked the PCs.

 

[TiQuinn]

One of my per peeves is when random encounters don't make sense.

Years ago, the DM in my group rolled up a Yeti as a random encounter during a desert adventure...

I would kind of question what table that got rolled from and think that could still make for a cool encounter with some quick rationalization of why there's a yeti in the desert (magic portal? monster escaped from its captor?), having some quick context for oddball monsters in unexpected environments can really help.

 

[Reynard]

I would kind of question what table that got rolled from and think that could still make for a cool encounter with some quick rationalization of why there's a yeti in the desert (magic portal? monster escaped from its captor?), having some quick context for oddball monsters in unexpected environments can really help.

To me, this is exactly why we use random encounter tables: it is an opportunity to be creative in the midst of play.

 

[Quickleaf]

So, the 7th level party is traveling through the Goblin Forest and encounters Goblin Warband. The appropriate establishing and reaction rolls are made, and the goblins attack. The gobs have no chance outside of really, really bad rolling on the part of the players. The fight is not part of the main storyline or anything. Do you run the whole fight down to the last goblin HP? Do you run the first round or two and (assuming things are what you expect here) have the goblins run, surrender or just tell the players "you finish them off." Do you skip it entirely or fudge the dice so it was a more level appropriate encounter?

What if it isn't a random encounter? What if the Penultimate Battle (the one before the boss fight) has turned into a slog due to bad luck, bad tactics or some combination. Do you keep at it because it is important what resources the PCs use up before the boss fight? Do you cut it in the middle and "charge" the PCs some spell slots, hit dice, and/or other resources?

In D&D, have you implemented something like Quick Combats or Dramatic Tasks to deal with these sorts of things? If so, what and how do they work?

There's a lot of nuance to each of your questions, and also several points of failure (imho) in the example/premise. To engage in your questions in good faith, are you looking for a "question the premise" dialogue? Or are you more interested in a "show me examples of Alternative Narrative/Quick Resolution Combat systems" dialogue?

 

[Reynard]

There's a lot of nuance to each of your questions, and also several points of failure (imho) in the example/premise. To engage in your questions in good faith, are you looking for a "question the premise" dialogue? Or are you more interested in a "show me examples of Alternative Narrative/Quick Resolution Combat systems" dialogue?

Neither?

I am asking you what you do when "unimportant" fights come up, or if a normal fight turns into a slog, or you are running up against the end of the session in mid battle. that sort of thing.

 

[Lanefan]

I am asking you what you do when "unimportant" fights come up,

Play them through.

or if a normal fight turns into a slog,

Play it through.

or you are running up against the end of the session in mid battle

Either extend the session until the fight is over or stop mid-fight at the end of a round (and take lots of notes!) and pick up at the same place next session.

 

[Quickleaf]

Neither?

I am asking you what you do when "unimportant" fights come up, or if a normal fight turns into a slog, or you are running up against the end of the session in mid battle. that sort of thing.

Gotcha.

I don’t really have “unimportant” fights come up (or they’re so rare I can’t recall examples), which is partly a play style thing and partly a paradigm thing. However, I vary how I handle initiative, such as handwaving it when the rogue takes down a guard. EDIT: I’ve definitely been a player in aaaaawful slog unimportant fights in an OSE hex crawl game that made me want to tear my eyes out.

When there’s slog, I change the narrative (within the context that makes sense) to accelerate or end the combat. For example, we had a fight in a rickety mine shaft where I was able to have a stray attack trigger a mine collapse to mitigate slog of a choke point fight.

End of session combats have been a huge “it depends.” For climactic fights or fights players have been invested in, I’ve paused and continued next time. For other fights I’ve played fast and loose to find a way to end them between liberal interpretation of PC powers and creative twists (e.g. had floor give way at end of session where PCs were fighting zombies, so next session they could explore the elven dungeon they’d fallen into).