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General Tabletop Discussion
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Tier 2 and 3 combats
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<blockquote data-quote="Quickleaf" data-source="post: 9217374" data-attributes="member: 20323"><p>I love that [USER=7020951]@J-H[/USER] asked this question and that you responded.</p><p></p><p>To look at these combats through my lens of "1 twist/complication per tier", these are all non-complicated combats. There are no twists, maaaaybe a hint of a twist in #2 but not really. These are combats designed through a low-level play paradigm.</p><p></p><p>EDIT: Quick examples of adding 2-3 twists/complications to each of these encounters...</p><p></p><p>1. <strong>Chimera</strong> swoops down on the forest path...</p><ul> <li data-xf-list-type="ul"><strong>Twist #1 "Help us!": </strong>The encounter begins seeing smoke and flickering orange light ahead, where a wagon has been knocked off the trail and set aflame along with the tops of some pine trees. The pines trees crackle. As PCs get close they can hear sounds of people needing aid.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul"><strong>Twist #2 Blazing pines/Smoke fire: </strong>The chimera was out chasing down the cowardly wagon driver or the horses that got away, and its swooping back low over the party. It's not too smart so maybe it does a strafing run with its fire breath that either doesn't reach deep enough or PCs have cover/three-quarters cover against. But the real threat is the super-heated pine trees, wherein sap / pinecones start exploding over their heads... creating a blanket of smoke that makes it hard for wizard to get line of sight to chimera.</li> </ul><p>2. Battle in ruins against <strong>Gorgon</strong>, <strong>7 soldiers</strong>, and a <strong>Giant...</strong></p><ul> <li data-xf-list-type="ul"><strong>Twist #1 Labyrinth below: </strong>The ruins are crumbling and have unstable sections. Blasting magic, intense violence involving slamming creatures into the walls, or very heavy beings like a paladin decked in armor, a giant, or a gorgon, may cause parts of the floor to collapse, dropping into a labyrinth 40 feet below.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul"><strong>Twist #2 Cover, cover everywhere: </strong>Due to the layout of the ruins there are ample places the intelligent foes (soldiers & maybe giant) can get total cover against snipers/casters. Fortunately, it's old stone and the cover is destructible. Unfortunately, see twist #1 above. Hehehe.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul"><strong>Twist #3 A light wind blows from the east: </strong>Storm clouds are on the horizon. At start of second round, a light wind blows, causing the gorgon's petrifying gas to drift twice as far!</li> </ul><p>3. A pride of <strong>8 lions </strong>& a <strong>golden lion </strong>deep in the jungle...</p><ul> <li data-xf-list-type="ul"><strong>Twist #1 Motivation: </strong>The lions are unusually agitated because of recent humanoid intruders that wounded some and scattered the pride. This can be learned with speak with animals, if the golden lion can talk and they try to speak with it, or if a sleuth PC pieces clues together. There might be a way to avert violence!</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul"><strong>Twist #2 Ambush: </strong>Lions will try to spring an ambush, preferentially pouncing on any surprised PCs in pairs (for Pack Tactics). This isn't guaranteed against well-prepared PCs, so I have one more twist up my sleeve...</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul"><strong>Twist #3 On a slippery slope:</strong> It's the jungle! It's wet and the terrain ain't flat! Anyone knocked prone (e.g. by a pouncing lion) immediately slides down the muddy slope (along with the lion) 1d6 x 10 feet. This creates some distance between PCs and added tension.</li> </ul></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Quickleaf, post: 9217374, member: 20323"] I love that [USER=7020951]@J-H[/USER] asked this question and that you responded. To look at these combats through my lens of "1 twist/complication per tier", these are all non-complicated combats. There are no twists, maaaaybe a hint of a twist in #2 but not really. These are combats designed through a low-level play paradigm. EDIT: Quick examples of adding 2-3 twists/complications to each of these encounters... 1. [B]Chimera[/B] swoops down on the forest path... [LIST] [*][B]Twist #1 "Help us!": [/B]The encounter begins seeing smoke and flickering orange light ahead, where a wagon has been knocked off the trail and set aflame along with the tops of some pine trees. The pines trees crackle. As PCs get close they can hear sounds of people needing aid. [*][B]Twist #2 Blazing pines/Smoke fire: [/B]The chimera was out chasing down the cowardly wagon driver or the horses that got away, and its swooping back low over the party. It's not too smart so maybe it does a strafing run with its fire breath that either doesn't reach deep enough or PCs have cover/three-quarters cover against. But the real threat is the super-heated pine trees, wherein sap / pinecones start exploding over their heads... creating a blanket of smoke that makes it hard for wizard to get line of sight to chimera. [/LIST] 2. Battle in ruins against [B]Gorgon[/B], [B]7 soldiers[/B], and a [B]Giant...[/B] [LIST] [*][B]Twist #1 Labyrinth below: [/B]The ruins are crumbling and have unstable sections. Blasting magic, intense violence involving slamming creatures into the walls, or very heavy beings like a paladin decked in armor, a giant, or a gorgon, may cause parts of the floor to collapse, dropping into a labyrinth 40 feet below. [*][B]Twist #2 Cover, cover everywhere: [/B]Due to the layout of the ruins there are ample places the intelligent foes (soldiers & maybe giant) can get total cover against snipers/casters. Fortunately, it's old stone and the cover is destructible. Unfortunately, see twist #1 above. Hehehe. [*][B]Twist #3 A light wind blows from the east: [/B]Storm clouds are on the horizon. At start of second round, a light wind blows, causing the gorgon's petrifying gas to drift twice as far! [/LIST] 3. A pride of [B]8 lions [/B]& a [B]golden lion [/B]deep in the jungle... [LIST] [*][B]Twist #1 Motivation: [/B]The lions are unusually agitated because of recent humanoid intruders that wounded some and scattered the pride. This can be learned with speak with animals, if the golden lion can talk and they try to speak with it, or if a sleuth PC pieces clues together. There might be a way to avert violence! [*][B]Twist #2 Ambush: [/B]Lions will try to spring an ambush, preferentially pouncing on any surprised PCs in pairs (for Pack Tactics). This isn't guaranteed against well-prepared PCs, so I have one more twist up my sleeve... [*][B]Twist #3 On a slippery slope:[/B] It's the jungle! It's wet and the terrain ain't flat! Anyone knocked prone (e.g. by a pouncing lion) immediately slides down the muddy slope (along with the lion) 1d6 x 10 feet. This creates some distance between PCs and added tension. [/LIST] [/QUOTE]
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