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Message: <blockquote data-quote="pointyman2000" data-source="post: 1560603" data-attributes="member: 17585">I guess one of the best things to do in the situation is to fall back on those imaginative moments.  Knowledge of the rules is very important, but I think it helps save on brainpower to do one thing at a time.  If you're GMing, you can move back and forth in mechanics and description.As an example:At the start of the fight, establish where everyone is and set the mood, lay heavy on the descriptions of the location, the sights, smells and sounds of the place.GM: "Okay,  you guys are in the dank, slippery sewer, knee deep in filty, stinking sewege when the zombies shamble noisily around the corner.  Thankfully you guys were ready for them, your weapons drawn"At each players turn, ask them to declare their action and describe it.  If they resort to a dull description, just nod and have them roll.  After seeing the result, don't read off the numbers, instead just go straight to the description, incorporating the whole action as described by the player, but adding an entire level of fluff onto it to make it "cool".GM: "okay fighter, you're up. What are you doing?"PC: "I hit him, going two-handed on my bastard sword." rolls "15" rolls again "9 damage"GM: "Alright! You run up to him, the sewer water splashing as you whirl,  gripping your bastard sword in both hands and swinging it down powerfully with a loud roar.  Your weapon cuts easily through the decaying corpse of the zombie, splitting it in half from shoulder to crotch!"At the end of the round, describe the scene as it was in recap.  It may seem tedious, but by running through the entire round in full narrative, you can keep the pace and mood amped using tricks such as faster talk speed and gestures.GM: "Okay guys, last round fighter tore a zombie in half vertically with his bastard sword, while Wizard torched one with Aganazzar's Scorcher.  Rogue buried his dagger in the back of another zombie's head as well.  But the fight isn't over, the remaining zombies suddenly burst into action, moving faster than you've ever seen before, limbs lashing out..."---For a character, it's a little easier.  Focus on what your character would do in the situation, and then pull it off with the rules.  If the rules don't allow it, then readjust, but keep to the spirit of your character concept, and you'll do fine.I guess the difference between D&D and White Wolf (I've GMed both) is that D&D really encourages tactics more that it can "force" a player to disregard character concept to survive by using a pure tactical level of fighting.</blockquote>

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