Player Interested Mainly in Combat

[dreaded_beast]

I DM a group with one player that is mainly interested in just combat. Everyone else likes combat as well, but they also like a healthy dose of role-playing. The combat-oriented player role-plays as well, but only to pass the time until the fighting starts and will often be bored in doing so.

How can I give my combat-oriented player more combat-like encounters without neglecting the role-playing needs for the rest of my group?

 

[NCSUCodeMonkey]

I DM a group with one player that is mainly interested in just combat. Everyone else likes combat as well, but they also like a healthy dose of role-playing. The combat-oriented player role-plays as well, but only to pass the time until the fighting starts and will often be bored in doing so.

How can I give my combat-oriented player more combat-like encounters without neglecting the role-playing needs for the rest of my group?

The short answer is that you won't be able to make him/her happy all of the time. Generally speaking, I try to make sure that there is at least one combat in each session so that my "butt kickers" stay happy. Last session was combat lite and my combat guy was chomping at the bit, trying to pick a fight with everything in sight.

One good trick that can really sate combat-oriented players is to try to place combats at the beginning and end of the session. It's difficult to time, sometimes, but that way they start the session on a high (get the blood pumping) and end the session with a bang.

Random encounters can also be your friend. Even if the session and situation doesn't really call for combat, a random encounter gives your combat folks a chance to roll the dice. When the session seems to be all about trade agreements and travel preparation, throw in a random encounter with an Ettin or something.

NCSUCodeMonkey

 

[Geoff Watson]

You can role-play in combat, so make the combats more interesting so the role-players can role-play there.

Eg: recurring villians that the PCs recognise, innocent bystanders nearby, wierd locations, etc.

Geoff.

 

[BlueBlackRed]

Either talk to him about it and let him know that he's never going to be happy if he doesn't like to rp. So he needs to get with the rest of the group or...
Help him find a group of like-minded players.
And if that doesn't work, buy him a D&D Minis Handbook and tell him this is what he'll be doing on game nights now. Just somewhere else.