Guys, could anyone give me tips on how to make my Solo SH combats more interesting? I get kinda sad when it turns into a "punch u punch me" kind of combat :(
Im going to draw on face-to-face gaming here but it works for solo too: A big part of it is to always narrate what happens.
f.x. the orc attacks the hero? Okay, so the orc is coming at our hero down the hill, so he's throwing himself through the air, screaming.
It does 2 points of damage? It smashes into your shield, causing you to stagger. it does 6 damage? It crashes into you, sending you sprawling as the axe impacts your chest armor. It missed? You fend it off with your shield and the orc bounces off, stumbling back.
You can use it as a clue to tactical concerns (the orc bounced off, he's out of balance and I go first now) or just for flavor but basically:
Narrate what happens before rolling. Take the outcome of the roll into account when narrating the result (how much did you hit/miss by? How much damage? Where?)
A document I always have handy is the GM Moves from Dungeon World, and the Escalation Die from 13th Age helps. Combat becomes less "whiffy" as rounds pass, and the orc may end up going for a trip or disarm to gain some kind of advantage.
If you want mechanical teeth, grant a +1 or +2 momentary advantage to the side that has the upper hand at the moment. Make action narration center more about gaining or negating the advantage than the effects of hits.
In my experience combat can be dull when playing face to face as well. That's not a solo problem but depends on how much the system in general supports different options and it depends on the effort that you put into the narrative. That said it also helps to implement a simple maneuver system: Let the hero make some sort of skill check or modified attack roll as part of the attack action to gain some small temporary benefit. Example: If your attack hits make a strength, brawn, athletics etc. check to also throw your opponent of balance. If successful you get +2 attack on your next turn. If you fail the opponent gets +2 against you next turn since you are off balance. Combine that with a short narrative and you are set.
Think about the terrain. Perhaps there are obstacles and/or hazards about, that can hinder the unwary, or might offer an advantage if properly exploited, or both.
E.g., if you're fighting in a warehouse, there's plenty of crates to use for cover, and you could even jump up on them to gain a higher-ground bonus (+1to hit, -1AC). Of course, stacks of crates aren't a stable platform, so you'll need a Check (dex) to keep your balance. And they aren't meant to be stood upon, so if you roll a natural 1 on an attack, your foot breaks through and you're stuck (-2 all actions, lose dex bonus) until you make a Check (str) to free yourself.
Im going to draw on face-to-face gaming here but it works for solo too:
ReplyDeleteA big part of it is to always narrate what happens.
f.x. the orc attacks the hero?
Okay, so the orc is coming at our hero down the hill, so he's throwing himself through the air, screaming.
It does 2 points of damage? It smashes into your shield, causing you to stagger.
it does 6 damage? It crashes into you, sending you sprawling as the axe impacts your chest armor.
It missed? You fend it off with your shield and the orc bounces off, stumbling back.
You can use it as a clue to tactical concerns (the orc bounced off, he's out of balance and I go first now) or just for flavor but basically:
Narrate what happens before rolling.
Take the outcome of the roll into account when narrating the result (how much did you hit/miss by? How much damage? Where?)
My 2 Kroner
A document I always have handy is the GM Moves from Dungeon World, and the Escalation Die from 13th Age helps. Combat becomes less "whiffy" as rounds pass, and the orc may end up going for a trip or disarm to gain some kind of advantage.
ReplyDeleteIf you want mechanical teeth, grant a +1 or +2 momentary advantage to the side that has the upper hand at the moment. Make action narration center more about gaining or negating the advantage than the effects of hits.
ReplyDeleteIn my experience combat can be dull when playing face to face as well. That's not a solo problem but depends on how much the system in general supports different options and it depends on the effort that you put into the narrative. That said it also helps to implement a simple maneuver system: Let the hero make some sort of skill check or modified attack roll as part of the attack action to gain some small temporary benefit. Example: If your attack hits make a strength, brawn, athletics etc. check to also throw your opponent of balance. If successful you get +2 attack on your next turn. If you fail the opponent gets +2 against you next turn since you are off balance. Combine that with a short narrative and you are set.
ReplyDeleteThink about the terrain. Perhaps there are obstacles and/or hazards about, that can hinder the unwary, or might offer an advantage if properly exploited, or both.
ReplyDeleteE.g., if you're fighting in a warehouse, there's plenty of crates to use for cover, and you could even jump up on them to gain a higher-ground bonus (+1to hit, -1AC). Of course, stacks of crates aren't a stable platform, so you'll need a Check (dex) to keep your balance. And they aren't meant to be stood upon, so if you roll a natural 1 on an attack, your foot breaks through and you're stuck (-2 all actions, lose dex bonus) until you make a Check (str) to free yourself.