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*Pathfinder & Starfinder
Speeding up combat with Skirmishes & Set-Pieces
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<blockquote data-quote="Quickleaf" data-source="post: 5804530" data-attributes="member: 20323"><p>Yeah good stuff, I use "random encounters" and I do something similar. Youre right that trust and DM fiat are necessary. The big challenge for me is getting players to break out of the power mold of having a rigidly defined set of options with marginal (at best) narrative. A trick I use to encourage exciting out-of-the-box thinking is automatic criticals and instant minion-ization, encouraging one shot kills. I'll throw in fun stuff like a "daze" which causes a monster to become susceptible to another monster's incoming area spell, or "push" effects which toss monsters off castle walls.</p><p></p><p></p><p>I don't know how many times I've seen this same scenario, and every time it makes me think I'm playing a different game from those kinds of players.</p><p></p><p></p><p>Yeah I do the same thing, in addition to halving standard monster HP outright. I tend to avoid soldiers, or if I am using them to use soldiers a couple levels below PCs. I also like to include "combat outs" for alternative methods to resolving the fight.</p><p></p><p></p><p>Cool! <img src="data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7" class="smilie smilie--sprite smilie--sprite1" alt=":)" title="Smile :)" loading="lazy" data-shortname=":)" /></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p>Yep, that's the same issue I notice. 4e's power system locks up the creativity of some players. This more old school approach tries to unlock it. But just because the fights are off the grid and go by fast doesn't mean there can't be developments changing the course of the fight. When a pack of murderous orcs charge the party's rear it doesn't matter much if they are playing the miniatures mini-game or not - the rear line now needs defending.</p><p></p><p></p><p>I notice that with quick skirmishes there rarely is lethal challenge to the PCs so they can be seen as "throwaway fights" meant only to tax the PCs' resources. So what I like to do is give every skirmish a strong secondary goal, such as protecting villagers during the raid, beating the enemy quickly within X rounds, avoiding detection, taking one enemy captive, killing the leader with minimum casualties, making a bumbling NPC wannabe hero look good, etc.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Quickleaf, post: 5804530, member: 20323"] Yeah good stuff, I use "random encounters" and I do something similar. Youre right that trust and DM fiat are necessary. The big challenge for me is getting players to break out of the power mold of having a rigidly defined set of options with marginal (at best) narrative. A trick I use to encourage exciting out-of-the-box thinking is automatic criticals and instant minion-ization, encouraging one shot kills. I'll throw in fun stuff like a "daze" which causes a monster to become susceptible to another monster's incoming area spell, or "push" effects which toss monsters off castle walls. I don't know how many times I've seen this same scenario, and every time it makes me think I'm playing a different game from those kinds of players. Yeah I do the same thing, in addition to halving standard monster HP outright. I tend to avoid soldiers, or if I am using them to use soldiers a couple levels below PCs. I also like to include "combat outs" for alternative methods to resolving the fight. Cool! :) Yep, that's the same issue I notice. 4e's power system locks up the creativity of some players. This more old school approach tries to unlock it. But just because the fights are off the grid and go by fast doesn't mean there can't be developments changing the course of the fight. When a pack of murderous orcs charge the party's rear it doesn't matter much if they are playing the miniatures mini-game or not - the rear line now needs defending. I notice that with quick skirmishes there rarely is lethal challenge to the PCs so they can be seen as "throwaway fights" meant only to tax the PCs' resources. So what I like to do is give every skirmish a strong secondary goal, such as protecting villagers during the raid, beating the enemy quickly within X rounds, avoiding detection, taking one enemy captive, killing the leader with minimum casualties, making a bumbling NPC wannabe hero look good, etc. [/QUOTE]
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Speeding up combat with Skirmishes & Set-Pieces
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