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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Herremann the Wise" data-source="post: 826639" data-attributes="member: 11300">I thought I'd start a thread that will hopefully grow into a nice resource for DM's.One of the most important things in combat is providing adequate and believable description of events. Being able to describe the Barbarian's slashing blow to an opponents ribcage or the Rogue's rapier thrust deep into a combatants vitals can really reward  your players. Having a good list of descriptions that you've read a few times will normally give you the instantaneous response your players deserve. I've played in very muted games where the first description is something like - "you take 6 points of damage" as against "your chest is violently compressed as the ogre's mace delivers a stinging blow".However, before I start, it might be worth reviewing some of the basic things to think about so you can decide upon the correct thing to say:- Is the blow a slashing, piercing or bludgeoning action?- Is the blow a critical hit?- Was the blow ineffective even though it still hit the opponent?- How much damage did it really do?For example you might have a strike do 18 hp's damage however, on one occasion, it takes a PC or Monster down to 70% and on another it takes them right down to 10%. In the first instance, you might describe the strike as "an accurate thrust that elicits an intake of breath" where as the second instance would be far more dramatic "The blow rattles your opponent to his knees as a flood of blood gushes from under his ruined armor, spewing to the floor".For this, I normally work on a scale as follows:100% to 60% - standard bumps, scratches and flesh wounds.60 to 25% - a little more vigorous but nothing too dramatic.25% and under - this is what you save your good ones for.Anyway, I might as well get the ball rolling with perhaps one of my favourite descriptions of all time, that from Tad Williams' Stone of Farewell [adapted and transposed out of the 3rd person]:1. "Your blade snakes out of the reach of your opponent and then only a moment later it returns; its point slides beneath your opponent's chin and then hammers upwards a hand's-width or more, through the jaw and into the braincase!!! You roll free of his spastic clutch and struggle to your feet."A nice way to have the Heroes kill the villain they've been chasing for the last 16 months of real time.However, sometimes it is not the epic descriptions that are needed but the mundane.2. "You avoid the main slash but unfortunately your body is collected by the weapon's guard."(The blow that just hits)3. "With barely an effort, the sword tip slices into a gap in your armor."(The blow that easily hits but does little damage)4. "Both blows hit, with the second biting deeper into the shoulder than the first."(For the double hit)However, as usual, it is the more expressive that make the criticals FEEL like criticals.5. "The blackened mace thunders into the fleshy side of your jaw forcing you back onto your knees. You stand back up and shake your head only to see a decent sized puddle of blood and gore on the ground"(I suppose the trick is not taking away any vital body part that the would adjust the PC's abilities)6. "You crack your whip full into your opponent's face only to have it wrap around their unprotected neck. With all your strength you pull the hide free but with devestating result as their wail of pain is choked into silence."7. "With an economy of movement, your subtle blow takes your opponent in the groin. It is when heads turn to see the scream of agony howling from deep within your opponents throat that you know the blow has done significant damage"(This one's bound to get a chortle or two as the player's imagine what might of happened)I could go on but this thread is not supposed to be all about my descriptions but yours. Feel free to add or make up whatever you like - even adding a possible scenario if you wish. I'm hoping with enough responses, we'll have a good resource for DM's to look through for finding the simple, poetic, verbose, humourous, imaginative or just plain violent description they are after.Best RegardsHerremann the Wise</blockquote>

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