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General Tabletop Discussion
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good rules for PCs vs army units?
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<blockquote data-quote="Quickleaf" data-source="post: 7599254" data-attributes="member: 20323"><p>Tactical complexity is at odds with brevity. You can sacrifice one for the other, but you can't have both.</p><p></p><p>The more tactical choices presented to players/DMs, the longer rounds take. That's why you have very abstracted mass combat rules in BD&D – the emphasis there was not on tactics but on troop composition, the objective being arriving at a resolution reasonably quickly.</p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p>I ran a roughly 3-hour long fight with the PCs (and aarakocra allies) facing off against 21 gargoyles. The PCs had very limited access to magic weapons. It could easily have been a slog.</p><p></p><p>However, despite the length, it turned out to be one of the most gripping intense sessions we've had. One player commented that he could envision the whole scene taking place like a <em>Lord of the Rings</em> film or fantasy anime.</p><p></p><p>I accomplished this with a couple steps:</p><ol> <li data-xf-list-type="ol">I was well-organized with all the stats/notes/abbreviated tactics I'd need on just 2-3 printed pages.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ol">I also took specific notes on potential random actions for the gargoyles. See below.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ol">I framed the scene vividly. Aarakocra summoning an air elemental while their leader performed a ritual. At night, one of the PCs noticed the moonlight coming through clouds glinting off stony form of many gargoyles on the wing. A brief volley of longbows and other long-range attacks, and then the battle as rain and winds pelted the cliffside aarakocra settlement the PCs were defending. Many choices of the PCs came from how I framed this scene.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ol">I created a table of developments/twists that I rolled on every even round. I've pasted this below. Doing this kept the fight fresh & helped up the tension.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ol">Lastly, I incorporated Dungeon World GM moves as a table of "complications" – I rolled when players failed key checks, when players dawdled, when players tried to “brute force” a challenge (rather than engaging with the narrative & playing smart), or when play presented a golden opportunity. This also helped keep the fight fresh and make failure interesting.</li> </ol><p></p><p><strong>GARGOYLE RANDOM ACTIONS (d6)</strong></p><ol> <li data-xf-list-type="ol">Attack & terrorize the weak.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ol">(aarakocra young, Na, unconscious characters, pets/familiars).</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ol">Desecrate the Cleansing Chamber.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ol">Disrupt the air elemental summoning of the monks.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ol">Grapple a dangerous foe in pairs, then drop that foe off the cliffs.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ol">Hunt down Mwaxanaré to abduct her.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ol">Raid Asharra’s library or the scavenger’s market, stealing valuables.</li> </ol><p></p><p><strong>DEVELOPMENTS (d8 on even rounds)</strong></p><ol> <li data-xf-list-type="ol">Na is missing! Is he trapped? Hiding? Taken by gargoyles? Trying to help?</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ol">Mwaxanaré – not heeding Asharra’s warnings – goes to use a golden egg.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ol">Plummeting dead gargoyle breaks a 15-foot stretch of walkway.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ol">The air elemental is destroyed! Any gargoyles it was facing enter Kir Sabal.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ol">Wounded aarakocra is falling to death unless PC uses reaction to intervene.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ol">Building crumbles from magic missiles, 4d6 bludgeoning, dust, and cover.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ol">A RANDOM NPC/PC (d12) is overwhelmed and needs help!</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ol">An aarakocra youngling brings arrows or a healing potion in the nick of time, but needs a window to escape to safety.</li> </ol><p></p><p>Regardless of the particular mechanics you settle on, I'd consider incorporating aspects of my approach.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Quickleaf, post: 7599254, member: 20323"] Tactical complexity is at odds with brevity. You can sacrifice one for the other, but you can't have both. The more tactical choices presented to players/DMs, the longer rounds take. That's why you have very abstracted mass combat rules in BD&D – the emphasis there was not on tactics but on troop composition, the objective being arriving at a resolution reasonably quickly. I ran a roughly 3-hour long fight with the PCs (and aarakocra allies) facing off against 21 gargoyles. The PCs had very limited access to magic weapons. It could easily have been a slog. However, despite the length, it turned out to be one of the most gripping intense sessions we've had. One player commented that he could envision the whole scene taking place like a [I]Lord of the Rings[/I] film or fantasy anime. I accomplished this with a couple steps: [list=1][*]I was well-organized with all the stats/notes/abbreviated tactics I'd need on just 2-3 printed pages. [*]I also took specific notes on potential random actions for the gargoyles. See below. [*]I framed the scene vividly. Aarakocra summoning an air elemental while their leader performed a ritual. At night, one of the PCs noticed the moonlight coming through clouds glinting off stony form of many gargoyles on the wing. A brief volley of longbows and other long-range attacks, and then the battle as rain and winds pelted the cliffside aarakocra settlement the PCs were defending. Many choices of the PCs came from how I framed this scene. [*]I created a table of developments/twists that I rolled on every even round. I've pasted this below. Doing this kept the fight fresh & helped up the tension. [*]Lastly, I incorporated Dungeon World GM moves as a table of "complications" – I rolled when players failed key checks, when players dawdled, when players tried to “brute force” a challenge (rather than engaging with the narrative & playing smart), or when play presented a golden opportunity. This also helped keep the fight fresh and make failure interesting.[/list] [B]GARGOYLE RANDOM ACTIONS (d6)[/B] [LIST=1][*]Attack & terrorize the weak. [*](aarakocra young, Na, unconscious characters, pets/familiars). [*]Desecrate the Cleansing Chamber. [*]Disrupt the air elemental summoning of the monks. [*]Grapple a dangerous foe in pairs, then drop that foe off the cliffs. [*]Hunt down Mwaxanaré to abduct her. [*]Raid Asharra’s library or the scavenger’s market, stealing valuables.[/LIST] [B]DEVELOPMENTS (d8 on even rounds)[/B] [LIST=1][*]Na is missing! Is he trapped? Hiding? Taken by gargoyles? Trying to help? [*]Mwaxanaré – not heeding Asharra’s warnings – goes to use a golden egg. [*]Plummeting dead gargoyle breaks a 15-foot stretch of walkway. [*]The air elemental is destroyed! Any gargoyles it was facing enter Kir Sabal. [*]Wounded aarakocra is falling to death unless PC uses reaction to intervene. [*]Building crumbles from magic missiles, 4d6 bludgeoning, dust, and cover. [*]A RANDOM NPC/PC (d12) is overwhelmed and needs help! [*]An aarakocra youngling brings arrows or a healing potion in the nick of time, but needs a window to escape to safety.[/LIST] Regardless of the particular mechanics you settle on, I'd consider incorporating aspects of my approach. [/QUOTE]
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