Ways to make combats more interesting

[XCorvis]

Nightcloak's recent post in the DM's Notebook thread got me thinking about this. Help me fill out this list:


Fights in your game are getting a little dull. How do you spruce them up and make them fresh, interesting and memorable?

Mixed groups of monsters - Instead of two of one type of creature, use two different creatures. They have different tactics, and may work together differently than two similar monsters. Two monsters that normally don't work together can create a lasting impression on your players.

Three-way fight - The PCs stumble upon two groups of fighting creatures and a massive melee insues. Or, the third group is the one that stumbles upon the PCs fighting another group. This is a good way to change the difficulty of a battle mid-way through, depending on who attacks who.

Interesting terrain feature - Add one or two special obstacles that enhance or impede a fight. A fight in a wizard's tower is OK, but it's more interesting with teleporters, or a magical fountain, or a permanant Wall of Force.

Interesting location - Make the fight take place somewhere unusual - inside a brewery, the roof of a building, on the floor of a senate chamber, in a pool with a waterfall, etc. Usually, interesting locations also have some interesting terrain features.

PC levels - Add some PC levels to your monsters for some unexpected suprises. Players shake with fear when you utter the phrase "the troll rages", or "the mind flayer casts a spell". Even just one or two levels can be important: five 1st level goblin fighters and a 1st level goblin bard can be suprisingly effective against a low-level party.

PrCs - Add a prestige class level. Many monsters can qualify for prestige classes "out of the box," or with minimal advancement.

Deceitful Monsters - Choose a monster, then have it pretend to be some other kind of monster. It may be using a Polymorph spell, or a simple disguise, but many players know monsters by their description and you can take advantage of it. Have a white dragon use "Change Self" to make his scales red - the players will abandon their fire spells and wonder why cold spells aren't working, giving the white dragon an advantage. It's most effective when the disguise has well-known weaknesses, but having a drow disguised as a normal elf can be very disconcerting for the players.

More?

 

[LogicsFate]

Anything that forces the PCs to change tactics part way through the fight, Like very decitful monsters or shifting locations collapsing floors or traps in the area are allways fun

 

[JimAde]

Adding class levels is a well-known approach, but it never occurred to me that some monsters could qualify for PrC's without taking regular classes first. That's brilliant. Any examples?

 

[derbacher]

Well, I think this is one way to make more interesting combats...

Remember the consequences.

Use of force should be appropriate to the situation. Lethal force should only be used when faced with little recourse, unless the character is a deviant, or a native of a particularly violent culture, or race, such as an orc.

For example, someone using a knife in a barroom brawl would be considered a sick thug, unless their assailants were also brandishing such lethal weapons. Characters who behave in violent fashion, or react with disproportionate force, should expect to be reviled, hunted, imprisoned, or executed, by local authorities, relatives and allies of their victims, and so on. Consequences are something every character should expect.

 

[XCorvis]

Adding class levels is a well-known approach, but it never occurred to me that some monsters could qualify for PrC's without taking regular classes first. That's brilliant. Any examples?

Thanks, but I can't take credit for it - I've seen it several times.

A Medusa can qualify for Assassin by rearranging some skill points, and Duelist has pretty easy requirements too. Don't be afraid to rearrange some of the monster's skills and feats. Sorry, I can't recall any more immediately, but the easier the requirements are, the more likely that it is that a creature can take it with minimal requirements. Some of the Complete Adventurer PrCs should be pretty easy for intelligent monsters like Mind Flayers.

Here's another couple:

Divergant Monsters - Give your monsters a little twist by swapping out some of their skills and feats for different selections. Or go even farther and swap out some major abilities. An Umber Hulk could trade off it's confusion ability for some energy resistance without drastically altering its CR.

Unusual Tactics - Have the monsters use tactics that the PCs don't normally expect from them. Ogres who usually rush screaming into melee might have some military training: they could form ranks with longspears in front and longbows (ouch!) in back. A mind flayer with a potion of water breathing might attack from an underground stream, or flying kobolds could drop rocks (or incendaries) on the pcs.

 

[XCorvis]

Anything that forces the PCs to change tactics part way through the fight, Like very decitful monsters or shifting locations collapsing floors or traps in the area are allways fun

Good points! You've given me more ideas!

Changing Locations - Change the location part way through the fight. This could be as simple as having your villian run up a flight of stairs to his lair, or more complex, like having a floor collapse and dump everyone into the chamber below.

Split the Party - Similar to Chaning Locations, except only some of the PCs are moved. Traps are a good way to cause this, and smart villians love this tactic - divide and conquer.

Reinforcements - Part way through the fight some enemy reinforcements arrive. The PCs have already used up some of their resources, and they need to adapt to the newcomers. Using Summoning spells is a good way to bring in custom reinforcements. If the PCs use a lot of fire, summon a fire elemental or salamander.

Smart Enemies Fight Smart - Be careful not to play intelligent monsters like any other bruiser. Smart enemies will try to anticipate the PCs. They use information to their advantage - they want to know who the warriors and spellcasters are, what their specialties /spells are, common party tactics, etc. They make plans for the PCs coming, have minions, lay traps, make sure they have time to prepare, have spells/magic items to defend against the most likely attacks and to take advantage of PC weaknesses. There's lots of room to expound on this topic...

 

[XCorvis]

Well, I think this is one way to make more interesting combats...

Remember the consequences.

Great idea, but it's one of those things you have to build up to. The first time you use consequences in this way, the fight itself is not very memorable. Once the PCs understand what's going on, then fights can be more interesting as they try to take people alive or subdue them, or have to deal with non-combatants.

 

[themind]

Well, you took all of my ideas already. I will have to see if I can think of more to add.

 

[derbacher]

Use all the combat rules. Trip them to the floor. Disarm them. Grapple and pin them down. Sunder their weapons (watch the paladin cry ). Don't have the (intelligent, at least) monsters just stand there swinging! Keep them moving, frustrate the full attack options of your players, jump up on furniture and swing from the chandelier! Run away, drink a potion, and come back again refreshed!

Don't forget to talk while fighting! Witty repartee is always fun. ("I am the greatest swordsman in all of Spain. Prepare to die.")

Don't let the PCs know how damaged the opposition is, just describe the wounds, how badly staggered the orc is from that last sword blow, how the evil lich just laughed when you hit it with that fireball. Always keep them guessing as to how long the opponent will last.

-----
Mission continues.

 

[Mr_GrinReaper]

lol. The princess bride?
Score!

Yea. That especially goes hand in hand with strange places for battles, like on a boat about to fall over a waterfall. (With pirates in it) That would be a fun little scenario to spring. Fight your way out of the boat before it falls and everyone "dies".

That would be veeeery interesting. I have just intrigued myself with my own suggestion. Thats kind of annoying.