How vivid is the violence in your game?

[dren]

As most other posters in this thread, there are times I use graphic descriptions. Combat wise, breezing through low level enemies is done with no more than to hit / damage. At other times, especially in challenging situations, I'll describe everything, from the sweat swiped off, the blood dripping, the sound of bones crunching, very similiar to close-ups in western movies. The players know something is up, especially when I mix styles in the same encounter...

But it's not just in combat when I get grusome. Some encounters are dramatic and they require the full level of detail, so players understand exactly what is going on. That's also when they start asking me questions, because the more they know, the better they react.

Game On!
Guessmith

 

[Umbran]

Anyway, my point is this - Do you think that vividly describing the unsanitary and shocking nature of violence could stem unnecessary violence on the part of players?

Considering the popularity of gore-filled movies and books, I think the answer to this in general is a clear "No".

For one thing, unless combat is infrequent in your game, the scene will quickly cease to be "shocking". For another, the players recognize that this is fiction, and so will not react as if it were real, shocking, unsanitary violence.

 

[Shadow64]

I try to describe things relative to how much hp they just took from Creature X. 1 hp from a 30 hp creature is a scratch, 7 hp from an 8 hp creature is a limb getting lost or something else major being lopped off, slashed, etc. The players seem enjoy it because after theyhit something hard they tend to look at me and go "S - what happens to him?"

Arrows in shoulders, legs and arms is common thanks to the wildlander in the group, a hammer embeded in the caved in chest/skull is also a favorite (the defender in the group likes his throwing hammers and he hits pretty hard with them), skin running like wax from the channelers burning hands and a slew of other things. The only thing they don't like is when i say "ok - creature x hits you and you feel something break...."

So far none of my descriptions have given them the willies. Well, except for last session where a goblin they had disarmed (literally, his arm was cut off) began to eat his own severed limb. That made one of them cringe and the others gave me a real, real odd look.

But, even for all the fun it is for both myself and my players they don't go looking for fights. So far all of the fights have found them.

 

[Pielorinho]

I guess I have a md-level of violence. D&D's combat is already so abstract that people shouldn't take life-threatening wounds before they drop beneath 0 hit points; I'll usually therefore describe the locaiton of the wound, but not much more. A typical description might be, "You block the giant's first hit with your shield, but your shield is knocked to the side in the attempt, and his second blow crushes into your shoulder, nearly knocking you over. Take 21 points of damage."

That said, I've got some gore and misery in other parts of the game. Last session ended with the PCs encountering a 5-year-old child born without lips and with useless tiny arms; I described the permanent rictus on her face, her oversized teeth like demon fangs set beneath beautiful huge brown eyes. Previous sessions have involved researching a bounty hunter who killed half-orcs and sold their body parts as aphrodisiacs, has involved a cult who tortured a man to death over months and rendered his fat into candles, has involved plenty of other icky stuff. I'm just better at thinking up ick beforehand, not in the middle of a session.


And Gellion,

Orc:*Explodes into ogre*

is either the weirdest combat maneuver I've ever heard of, or a great typo.

Daniel

 

[Desdichado]

Re: Question

I'd like to have more in my game...I try but in the heat of combat it just sounds lame for my lack of improvization ability in this particular arena.

There is a one small part of the DMG that gives like 20 examples of how to describe action when it comes to certain feats, skills or combinations of the same etc., has anyone seen anything else in this regard? Anywhere...?

My old MERP book had a chart just like this. Once we get out of our boxes, I could scan that page and send it to you, but that won't be for a few weeks.

 

[MarauderX]

Re: Re: Question

My old MERP book had a chart just like this. Once we get out of our boxes, I could scan that page and send it to you, but that won't be for a few weeks.

I also have an old 3rd party d100 source for wizards that have charts for all types of damage, from electrical to fire, cold, force, etc. It was great for the old games I used to run, as I would let the PC wizards who killed with a spell (or scored a house-rule crit) use the table to find a result. Things tended to sound like this:
"Your fire bolt slams your enemy squarely in the chest, sending him hurtling backward. His chest has a gaping hole and where his heart should be you can see his overcooked organs exploding from heat. If your opponent isn't dead yet, he should be for mercy's sake; score +20 to the damage rolled." Yes!!!

Being late teenagers, we all loved it, so I started describing where most blows hit a target. Arrows pierced eyesockets, swords hacked off limbs, and maces broke bones. It was great, and I like to give the vivid detail even now, although I tend to skip over it when there are a lot of critters to make things go faster.

 

[palelizard]

My DM has an old copy of Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay, typically on exceptional crits that result in death, he rolls on that critical chart for inspiration to describe the death. The has, on several occasions resulted in a very unhappy Bard or Wizard covered in gore from something along the lines of "The blow shaters the left femur, and continues up into the pelvis. Blood sprays in a 90 degree arc. The body falls and twitches several times. Death is instantaneous" after an enraged hit by the Barbarian.

 

[cptg1481]

Re: Re: Question

My old MERP book had a chart just like this. Once we get out of our boxes, I could scan that page and send it to you, but that won't be for a few weeks.

This would be swell....I'm in no rush, thanks for the offer....

My E-mail is cptgregory1481@comcast.net

Thanks again I look forward to it.

Also thanks to the wrangler who asked for what I wanted but in a better way...(ah, to be thourough instead of randomly inspired).

 

[Desdichado]

Re: Re: Re: Question

This would be swell....I'm in no rush, thanks for the offer....

My E-mail is cptgregory1481@comcast.net

Thanks again I look forward to it.

Also thanks to the wrangler who asked for what I wanted but in a better way...(ah, to be thourough instead of randomly inspired).

Cool! Send me an e-mail in a coupla weeks -- otherwise I'll forget all about it. Moving tends to drive stuff like that outta your head pretty good.

 

[Angcuru]

I try to get everyone to describe their attacks in great detail, and I in return give detailed descriptions of what their attacks do to their enemies.

There's nothing worse than: I attack it with my ax. 'You hit.' *rolls* 18 damage. 'It dies.'