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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Flyspeck23" data-source="post: 1050838" data-attributes="member: 10648">First : let combat take place in unusual settings. I'm not necessarily talking about a dance on a volcano, but just the usual 30x30 feet room with a bunch of orcs gets pretty boring pretty fast.Use slopes, chasms, platforms, walls and so on. Make every combat unique, as far as possible.Second : Describe the action, in as much detail as you can handle.Third : Take your players by surprise.That kobold over there is actually a powerful sorcerer. That bugbear is a rogue/assassin with poisoned blades and a really mean sneak attack. That ogre is raising the morlae of his companions, because he's a bard. And so on. Don't just use the monsters directly out of the book. Give them class levels or more hit dice. Give them unusual equipment.Fourth : Roll attack and damage dice together (not only you, but your players too).You won't believe how much this speeds up combat until you try it.Fifth : Some advice for really large groups (my own consists of seven players at most).- make the group of opponents large enough so that everybody has his/her hands full (a single opponent with lots of attacks and at least good maneuverability might suffice)- spread your attacks, so that even if it's not the players' turn, they know they should pay attention ("is that me lying on the floor?"). If you think that this will weaken their opponents, add levels/hit dice/more opponents.Sixth : Show your players that you mean business.Make your encounters tough. Let them hit the ground on a regular basis. From time to time oppose them with an encounter they can't possibly win (they can still run, though). Let someone die in an encounter if you must (this ain't got to be one of the player characters, but a friend (NPC) of them).Hope that helped.</blockquote>

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