Upgrade your account to a Community Supporter account and remove most of the site ads.
Rocket your D&D 5E and Level Up: Advanced 5E games into space! Alpha Star Magazine Is Launching... Right Now!

Reply to thread

Message: <blockquote data-quote="timbannock" data-source="post: 4627110" data-attributes="member: 17913">Well, coming from a 4e mindset, I like the idea that every monster has its own little list of abilities with separate names and functions.  Each maneuver is different, even if it's just from a "fluff" standpoint.  I.e., instead of every animal having "bite/claw," they might have "rending tear," "clamping maw," "ravenous pincer" or whatever.  Somehow those different names cause me to describe the attack very differently, which is good.  I like adjectives ;-)Aside from that, I also strive to give set-piece battles special "location-based maneuvers."  To steal my favorite example, the White Dragon at the end of The Kobold Hall in the 4e DMG fights in a room with frozen pillars and icy pools.  I added stalactites of ice that could be hit, and if they broke, would impale the person below them.  There were also pools of ice that would flash freeze if a Cold attack hit the square; anyone in that square would be held fast unless they broke free.  Fire attacks could melt or explode the icy pillars, causing a burst of icy shards in a few squares around the pillar (and reducing the pillar to rubble, giving rough terrain and some cover).Stuff like that which the Players as well as the main badguy can use, and are just as effective as their normal suite of actions (sometimes moreso, for terrain that can only be used once).On the one hand, I generally shy away from save-or-die effects.  Yet I try to make it seem like every struggle is life-or-death from the get go.  How do you do that, you ask?Well, start off with a big-time attack.  Something not likely to kill, but that is likely to suck away A LOT of HP right off the bat.  The attacks after might not be as powerful, but the players are already hurting.Again, using 4e, the recharge mechanic does this well.  The White Dragon's breath is DEADLY, but if the PCs can knock him down before it recharges, they are in a lot better shape.  They know that dragon's breath is a recharge attack, so they know they have a time limit...but they don't know how long.Lead off with a nasty attack, and save one more nasty one for later.  Once you do this enough, the players expect it, and so they know it's only a matter of time before they get hit HARD again.And, of course, I'm not afraid to drop a few characters from time to time (usually, I aim for at least one a session).  If the fights swing in the players' favor, then they know every fight will be tough, but they can succeed.  If they swing in my favor, they know that they are in DEEP TROUBLE, and they may not get out alive.</blockquote>

Verification