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Novas and Workdays, Big Fights and Little Fights
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<blockquote data-quote="ComradeGnull" data-source="post: 6000650" data-attributes="member: 6685694"><p>So keying off some comments [MENTION=63]RangerWickett[/MENTION] made in <a href="http://www.enworld.org/forum/new-horizons-upcoming-edition-d-d/328412-what-5e-needs-learn-d-d-4th-edition.html" target="_blank">this thread</a>, I had the following 'modular' idea:</p><p></p><p>So, there are now two types of combat encounters: Big Fights and Little Fights.</p><p></p><p>Little Fights: These fights are 'taking out a goblin sentry', 'fighting two town guards', or 'fighting a handful of bandits' (scaled out to an appropriate level). These fights:</p><p>1) Use only resources that are always available, or that are abundant enough to not be exhausted in 1-2 encounters.</p><p>2) Use simple combat rules- only a move and an attack per round, maybe.</p><p>3) Don't use any power, spell, etc., that <strong>requires </strong>a battle grid. You can use one if you like, but it's fine without it.</p><p></p><p>Big Fights: These fights are 'boss' fights- dragons, evil warlords and wizards, etc.</p><p>These fights:</p><p>1) Use big, splashy, powerful player and NPC resources <em>that are only available during Big Fights</em>.</p><p>2) Are centered around enemies that are scaled to be hard to put down in a few rounds- they can't be stunlocked to zero, etc. There may be a few 'lesser' creatures in the room, but the focus is probably on a BBEG (Elite, Solo, whatever you wish to call them.</p><p>3) Feature powers, spells, etc., that really should be used with a battle grid. You can not use it if you have a religious objection to squares, but it works much better with it. Much better.</p><p></p><p>The DM decides if an encounter is a Big Fight or a Little Fight. That determines what powers/resources PC's have available, and lets them know the scale/scope of the fight. </p><p></p><p>If you want a low-rules, quick style of play: all fights are Little Fights.</p><p>If you want a 4e style of play: all fights are Big Fights, but you may need to shepherd your resources a little bit more (i.e., AEDU-style)</p><p>If you want to have several small encounters as you move through an environment, followed by a big boss battle at the end: several Little Fights followed by one Big Fight.</p><p></p><p>In a mixed fight world, players have no incentive to rest after killing one goblin, because they know they will get new resources (recharge plus new, Big Fight-only) & powers once they hit the Big Fight. Little Fight-only games are essentially 1/2/3e style games- you have a pool of resources that gradually diminishes, and then you rest at the end of the day. Fights are quick, and maneuvers and in-combat tricks like dropping chandeliers on people or tripping them with sticks are handled by the DM's judgement. Big Fight-only games move you solidly back into 4e territory. For a mixed game, Big Fights can be treated as 'pushing yourself past your normal limits', 'bullet time fights' (tip o' the hat to [MENTION=44243]Shadeydm[/MENTION] for that phrasing), whatever.</p><p></p><p>Thoughts?</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="ComradeGnull, post: 6000650, member: 6685694"] So keying off some comments [MENTION=63]RangerWickett[/MENTION] made in [URL="http://www.enworld.org/forum/new-horizons-upcoming-edition-d-d/328412-what-5e-needs-learn-d-d-4th-edition.html"]this thread[/URL], I had the following 'modular' idea: So, there are now two types of combat encounters: Big Fights and Little Fights. Little Fights: These fights are 'taking out a goblin sentry', 'fighting two town guards', or 'fighting a handful of bandits' (scaled out to an appropriate level). These fights: 1) Use only resources that are always available, or that are abundant enough to not be exhausted in 1-2 encounters. 2) Use simple combat rules- only a move and an attack per round, maybe. 3) Don't use any power, spell, etc., that [B]requires [/B]a battle grid. You can use one if you like, but it's fine without it. Big Fights: These fights are 'boss' fights- dragons, evil warlords and wizards, etc. These fights: 1) Use big, splashy, powerful player and NPC resources [I]that are only available during Big Fights[/I]. 2) Are centered around enemies that are scaled to be hard to put down in a few rounds- they can't be stunlocked to zero, etc. There may be a few 'lesser' creatures in the room, but the focus is probably on a BBEG (Elite, Solo, whatever you wish to call them. 3) Feature powers, spells, etc., that really should be used with a battle grid. You can not use it if you have a religious objection to squares, but it works much better with it. Much better. The DM decides if an encounter is a Big Fight or a Little Fight. That determines what powers/resources PC's have available, and lets them know the scale/scope of the fight. If you want a low-rules, quick style of play: all fights are Little Fights. If you want a 4e style of play: all fights are Big Fights, but you may need to shepherd your resources a little bit more (i.e., AEDU-style) If you want to have several small encounters as you move through an environment, followed by a big boss battle at the end: several Little Fights followed by one Big Fight. In a mixed fight world, players have no incentive to rest after killing one goblin, because they know they will get new resources (recharge plus new, Big Fight-only) & powers once they hit the Big Fight. Little Fight-only games are essentially 1/2/3e style games- you have a pool of resources that gradually diminishes, and then you rest at the end of the day. Fights are quick, and maneuvers and in-combat tricks like dropping chandeliers on people or tripping them with sticks are handled by the DM's judgement. Big Fight-only games move you solidly back into 4e territory. For a mixed game, Big Fights can be treated as 'pushing yourself past your normal limits', 'bullet time fights' (tip o' the hat to [MENTION=44243]Shadeydm[/MENTION] for that phrasing), whatever. Thoughts? [/QUOTE]
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