Comments on: Flogging a Dead Orc–When to End A Boring Combat Encounter http://www.livingdice.com/685/flogging-a-dead-orc-when-to-end-a-boring-combat-encounter/ Gaming. It's in the blood... Wed, 01 Feb 2012 20:16:51 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: CleverName http://www.livingdice.com/685/flogging-a-dead-orc-when-to-end-a-boring-combat-encounter/comment-page-1/#comment-35 CleverName Fri, 14 Nov 2008 11:02:46 +0000 http://www.livingdice.com/?p=685#comment-35 You have to pay attention to the monster's level. 4th is clearly designed so that you have about a 50% chance to hit monsters at the characters' level. Once the PCs are 3rd+ you can start intermixing encounters with monsters a few levels below -- now players only need to roll 6+ to hit. As far as 3.5 goes - you are kinda boned. Since there is little rhyme or reason behind CR and EL a GM can really find themselves in a pickle with monsters the players cannot hit or cannot damage because of the ridiculous damage immunity rules. It's was a mess. You have to pay attention to the monster’s level. 4th is clearly designed so that you have about a 50% chance to hit monsters at the characters’ level. Once the PCs are 3rd+ you can start intermixing encounters with monsters a few levels below — now players only need to roll 6+ to hit.

As far as 3.5 goes – you are kinda boned. Since there is little rhyme or reason behind CR and EL a GM can really find themselves in a pickle with monsters the players cannot hit or cannot damage because of the ridiculous damage immunity rules. It’s was a mess.

]]> By: Trask http://www.livingdice.com/685/flogging-a-dead-orc-when-to-end-a-boring-combat-encounter/comment-page-1/#comment-37 Trask Thu, 13 Nov 2008 15:46:56 +0000 http://www.livingdice.com/?p=685#comment-37 Oh, I don't know...maybe trip, grapple or disarm. Oops, they took all that out. Trask Oh, I don’t know…maybe trip, grapple or disarm. Oops, they took all that out.

Trask

]]> By: Haaldaar http://www.livingdice.com/685/flogging-a-dead-orc-when-to-end-a-boring-combat-encounter/comment-page-1/#comment-36 Haaldaar Thu, 13 Nov 2008 15:30:44 +0000 http://www.livingdice.com/?p=685#comment-36 From Trask..."Not to pick on 4th Edition Dungeons and Dragons, but the extremely limited encounter/daily powers make for incredibly dull combats after about 10 rounds. I played in a couple of games where most of the combat was every player using the same “at-will” power, over and over again." And what would your 3rd level Paladin do in AD&D or 3.5 other then "swing his sword" that can't be done in 4th edition? From Trask…”Not to pick on 4th Edition Dungeons and Dragons, but the extremely limited encounter/daily powers make for incredibly dull combats after about 10 rounds. I played in a couple of games where most of the combat was every player using the same “at-will” power, over and over again.”

And what would your 3rd level Paladin do in AD&D or 3.5 other then “swing his sword” that can’t be done in 4th edition?

]]> By: Wyatt http://www.livingdice.com/685/flogging-a-dead-orc-when-to-end-a-boring-combat-encounter/comment-page-1/#comment-34 Wyatt Tue, 11 Nov 2008 17:14:57 +0000 http://www.livingdice.com/?p=685#comment-34 One thing I'm particularly wary about though, is just ending the fight for them – because even if it is boring, players might want to finish it just for the challenge. Good advice, nonetheless. I recently had a fight I very much wanted to just end, but I didn't know what the players would think if I just did. One thing I’m particularly wary about though, is just ending the fight for them – because even if it is boring, players might want to finish it just for the challenge. Good advice, nonetheless. I recently had a fight I very much wanted to just end, but I didn’t know what the players would think if I just did.

]]> By: Mr Moose http://www.livingdice.com/685/flogging-a-dead-orc-when-to-end-a-boring-combat-encounter/comment-page-1/#comment-33 Mr Moose Tue, 11 Nov 2008 16:22:00 +0000 http://www.livingdice.com/?p=685#comment-33 We have a house rule that we use to keep battles from lasting forever. When the 2nd to last monster goes down, the final monster gets to take one more turn, then drops to 1HP at the end of that turn. Bosses excepted, of course. We have a house rule that we use to keep battles from lasting forever. When the 2nd to last monster goes down, the final monster gets to take one more turn, then drops to 1HP at the end of that turn.

Bosses excepted, of course.

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