D&D General Two Simple Ways to Make Combat More Engaging

[Jahydin]

Nothing I dislike more than to look over the screen and see people mentally checking out during what should be the most exciting part of the game! Over the years I've found no matter the "D&D like" system I'm playing, I always do two things with combat to make it more engaging:

1. Get rid of Initiative rounds
Nothing is more boring then pausing the game right when the action starts to figure out everyone's order. Worse, knowing you go dead last and just sitting there waiting for your turn. Get rid of it!

There's quite a few ways to do this. Some of my favorites:

• Just let the PCs go first and get on with it!
• Split actions up and narrate in loose order using common sense and what's fun. (For instance, initiative could go: Movement -> Missile Fire -> Melee -> Magic)
• Everyone rolls for Initiative, but the GM just starts going. He can be interrupted at anytime by anyone who rolled better than him and is ready to take their turn. (My absolute favorite)
• Popcorn Initiative
• Lightest weapons strike first. Unless you're approaching someone with a longer weapon, then the longer one goes first.
• Mix and match any of the previous!

2. Make combat descriptions matter
When players take the time to describe their attack in a way that seems beneficial, uses a weapon that seem perfect for job, or comes up with a clever idea not covered in the rules, reward them!

With the first two examples, I usually give a +1 or +2 bonus in secret and just narrate it as being "effective" in some manner. For the clever ideas, I'll usually tie it to a Skill Check and keep the effect close to the power levels of what's normally available in the system. If it's something that player really likes to do, I'll take the time to flesh out a whole new mechanic.

This goes a long way in encouraging players to think about what they could do on their turn other than just "attack". Complete game changer in OSR systems to add depth as well as to more complex games like PF2 to add variety to the same "routine" the PC is built to.

Anyone have any hacks of their own they use to make combats more engaging?

 

[JamesLFlowers]

Make the party work for it. Now I don't mean throw things overpowered so the party gets killed. But make the party think and work. Something more than the run up to the bad guy and bash him with the magic sword while the guy in the robe hits him with a Ray of Death and Destruction. Remember that the bad guys think (unless they are a Tarasque and then they just eat you and the rest of the town). Some of the most fun encounters I have ever played, we really had to think and work and use our skills, abilities, etc to defeat the bad guy.

 

[Bae'zel]

Unless the antagonists are mindless automatons (constructs or undead) have them waver or even flee when the PCs kill a few of them. Maybe that amazing critical where the Barbarian decapitated the champion makes the minions reconsider if it's worth it.

It makes the players feel badaass AND can shorten the fight duration if the antagonists flee / surrender.

Also exploding terrain. Barrels of flammable booze. Rickety platforms. Flimsy railings around bottomless pits. Give opportunites for the PCs to shove, trip, break stuff down. Goblin snipers giving you trouble? Why, there's an unsprung trap set up behind them that could be of use if triggered, say from a distance...

Bonus: the bad guys ALSO have these tricks available to them. PCs found a loophole by staying behind cover or creating a bottleneck? Announce the sound of reinforcements approaching from BEHIND them. Or the antagonist shaman casts a terrain spell that messes things up (get to higher ground!).

Zones of different heights help too (either literal miniature terrain or theatre of the mind). Give three dimensionality to a fight if possible.