Over-the-top fight sequences

[Hand of Evil]

See the DM Advice link in my sig.

ADJECTIVES just having a list and using it for locations and actions.

Crazy rules: use them, things like all "bar maids" have two claw attacks and if both hit, that is a hair pull throw. Small/hafling NPCs get free climb for death from above attacks. "It's the Watch" causes panic.

 

[Razjah]

For crazy fights use things that move, similar to Shadow of the Colossus.

A fight where:
the ship is sinking
cannon fire is exploding on the beach
castle fight in the dining room
bar fights
a fight atop a giant sea turtle (Aladdin III-ish)
fight on the ship's rigging
any Indiana Jones style trap while looking for burried treasure

Additions to battles:
Barrels of blackpowder
caltrops
rolling cannons
waves rolling over the ship


These should help get cinimetic battles or at least give some food for thought.

 

[Lelldorianx]

The ship is sinking is an excellent idea -- maybe if I added some sort of sea monster or whirlpool / natural disaster (storms), it would bolster that feeling of urgency. The ship's rigging is another seemingly-awesome fightl ocation.

I can't get enough of the rolling cannons + hard-hitting waves... I think I've been inspired

As for Scaramouche, that has also given a ton of ideas (in fact, I've changed the abandoned church in the next session into an abandoned theater).

Hmmm... maybe a ship fire or exploding powder barrels would be a good addition. What do you guys think about fights in a marketplace? What sort of things should be remembered when running a combat within, say, the market of Freeport? I'd imagine crowds would gather rapidly around the combatants, for one.

 

[the Jester]

Any sort of terrain that can hurt someone- a cliff, a bonfire, a pool of lava, a spike-filled pit. Something where the two sides can try to maneuver one another into it.

Precarious places can change the odds- if a pc is outmatched by a brute bad guy, but can move the fight somewhere that requires balance to fight and the brute has much worse balance, for instance.

 

[Hand of Evil]

As far as locations:

• Boat yards - lot of platforms and ropes
• Streets - pick your area but a running battle down narrow alleys can be interestng; start with how wide is the street / alley and then add people and stir. This may become a hit and run game, basic fight break to run and then fight again. This is great to use if the party has to get somewhere and you can run it like a maze.
• Factory - "factory" such as cloth dyer and tanner, both of this will have vats of liquid and hanging racks. What makes this fun is the effect the liquids can have on characters; dyes mean someone may come out purple, tanneries the smell (plus that animal piss/brain matter is the liquid)

 

[Razjah]

You can make market place battles similar to those in the Assassin's Creed games.

-The stalls can be climbed
-Wagons used as cover
-Horses may bolt if they become scared which causes the crowd to disperse in an area
-Rooftop Archers to deal with raids (if your read Eragon think Terim)
-Areas that are being built, repaired, or having other work done could easily have scaffolding to work with
-If there are torches or lamps those can be used by the combatants
-The market could be under attack from pirate
-If rival pirates are fighting the battle may be a massive sprawling fight as they try to kill each other and escape the guards who are chasing them