How do you describe your combat?

[punkorange]

I might just print out and convert a mud damage system.
Your *"pathetic " ^"slash " `"mauls" the giant.


* deft, great, pathetic, strong, weak
^ slash, smash, cut, slam, bash
` scratches, wounds, hurts, does UNSPEAKABLE THINGS to

 

[reanjr]

My descriptions vary wildly with the importance/difficulty of the ensuing combat. I find the hardest thing to do is to describe it in such a way that doesn't affect later actions. For normal blows I usually stick with nothing or "You [insert weapon type here] the [insert target here]'s [insert body part off top of head here] with your [insert weapon here]. It [insert vocalization or gesture here] in [insert fury/anger/pain/consternation/annoyance here]." Example ad-libs:

weapon type: slashing
target: orc
body part: shoulder
weapon: longsword
vocalization: grunt
emotion: pain

You slash the orc's shoulder with your longsword. It grunts in pain.

If it's a critical, I'll usually describe the attack a bit better.

Your longsword bites deeply into the orc's shoulder, sending a spout of blood and putting a silent look of agony and surprise on his face. *make facial expression*

Misses I rarely describe.

Killing blows I describe like criticals except I make the attack land somewhere... critical... Like the neck, head, chest, stomach, etc.

I'm not big on standard D&D combat, though. I use the Book of Iron Might, though, and when a player uses something out of that I go all out on description. It's nice to have a basis for description (like exactly what you were trying to do and how) that Iron Might gives you.

 

[Hand of Evil]

Depends on the weapon nd amount of damage but have some words I use to denote combat.

20% or less of Hit point damage done: you cut, you nick, you pound, you score, you slice, you scratch, you strike

up to 50%: you slash, you cleave, you crush, you batter, you thump, you beat, you hack, you tear

more than 50%: you gut, you smite, you hew, you hammer, you pummel, you slit, you lacerate, you rip, you raze

 

[Arrgh! Mark!]

Depends on the game. As I far prefer the idea that hit points are tiredness points than actually taking wounds, I have a lot of "hurried blocks, deft footwork, voiding parry" sort of stuff for taking damage.

When they deal it and do killing damage - little holding back. "Your rapier stabs through his throat like a piece of meat. He coughs blood even as you turn to face the next traitor and toss your dagger, finding his eye."

"Your katana slices clean through his arteries, covering your face with blood as he lets out a final choking scream."

Hits however tend to be "You dance around, finding an opening in his guard and taking his shirt." (5 points damage)

or "Your sword-draw is faster, but not enough to cut him any more than a nick." (5 points)

On the other hand, some games simply require massive amounts of punishment.

No matter the combat, I always describe vividly - even if it's short. I have no patience for slow decisions though - I count six seconds before they decide, and if they haven't decided I move on.

Letting players describe is good only when you grant them the ability to describe death-blows in my opinion. But then, very good.

 

[Ibram]

I always try to go for descriptive combat:

how I describe it depends on the ammount of damage dealth:

Low damage: "You narrowly parry the assasins blade, steping back to avoid further attacks"

Medium Damage: "You desperatly block the Orcs axe, sending you realing backwards" or "you duck and weave to avoid the crossbow bolts tearing through the air but one still manages to slice across your leg leaving a shallow cut"

High Damage: "Your blades cross, and in an instant you twist back blood seeping from a deep cut on your leg"

Crit or death blow: "the Hobgoblin charges at you roaring a war cry but you easily step under his blade and slice upwards, slicing cleen throuhg his stomach to his spine."

 

[Evilhalfling]

Letting players describe is good only when you grant them the ability to describe death-blows in my opinion. But then, very good.

Im converted *yoink*

 

[Thanee]

In my PbP I describe the hit depending on the attack roll in relation to the AC and staged AC (Dex, shield, armor, etc - an attack roll lower than 10+Dex+dodge+size is a miss, then lower than that +shield is blocked, than lower than that +armor is deflected by the armor, and after that it's a hit) choosing the location of the hit in an arbitrary fashion somewhat depending on the damage done and the weapon used and of course the mutual size and position of the combatants. The severity of the damage in relation to the total hit points and current hit points is included in the description as well.

Bye
Thanee

 

[ecliptic]

I generally find that if I try to describe too much, then my players try to look past it.
DM: Your mace connects rather hard with the man's jaw, staggering him back a step or two.
Rogue: If I hit him in the head and knocked him back, couldn't he get like a penalty to his next attack.
Fighter: Yeah, and I think I should get an AoO on him as he staggers.

Thats because that is because you are using the wrong descriptions.

I usually use crits as full on hits and normal hits as glances off armor and grazes.

 

[azmodean]

I find my discriptions hampererd by the nature of DnD HPs. That's part of the reason I'm trying to shift my group to a wound-based system (make a saving throw each time you take damage, on a failed save you take a wound, the severity of which depends on the amount by which you missed the save. If you fail the save by a LOT you drop. Wounds impose penalties to subsequent saves, and to other things if I can talk the group into it. Unfortunately the system in UA is just too streamlined, for instance you are disabled 1 out of every 20 times you take damage, no matter how tough you are.)

*AHEM* sorry.

Anyway, I save the descriptiveness for crits, particularly effective attacks, or killing blows, while I try my utmost to drop a little flavor text on misses so that they know how much it missed by. (if the attack didn't hit the target's touch AC: "your opponent deftly evades your strike", then touch + shield, then touch +shield + armor, and finally touch + shield+ armor + natural armor: "the blow was solid, but it was unable to penetrate his scales/feathers/hide/etc") Also I try to do the same at least the first few times DR kicks in for a particular opponent.

"does UNSPEAKABLE THINGS to" That cracks me up every time I see it.

 

[Ferret]

Thinks like:

You sword strike the side of the orc, but deflected by the armour it only grunts in pain.
or
The Giant weasel leaps up and bites down on your neck, you collapse in a pool of blood.

I might also just say that they don't die. or look battered etc.