What is a Combat?

A lot of RPGs place a significant weight on combat scenes and it’s easy to see why. Narratively, fights to the death are exciting, high-stakes moments. In terms of the gameplay, combat provides a clear indication of relative success (How many Hit Points have you lost, how many enemies are still fighting?) and offer the player a wealth of choice; what resources will you expend or conserve, what positioning is best or most ‘in character’, will you heal your allies or attack the enemies …

Combat frequently adopt a different structure to other aspects of a game. What was freeform and flowing becomes regimented with precise a precise turn order and parameters to what players can attempt. The tension rises but the pace of the game slows. The GM is put under some pressure, running all of the enemy creatures and engaging with each player on their turn before moving on to the next. The players on the other hand, often have little input between their turns, with few decisions to make.

It’s sometimes said that table-top RPGs are games where a three hour walk takes two minutes and a one minute fight takes an hour. Keeping battles feeling fast paced and energised is a skill we never stop developing. Preparing for

DELETE FROM HERE

A lot of RPGs place a significant weight on combat scenes and it’s easy to see why. Narratively, fights to the death are exciting, high-stakes moments. In terms of the gameplay, combat provides a clear indication of relative success (How many Hit Points have you lost, how many enemies are still fighting?) and offer the player a wealth of choice; what resources will you expend or conserve, what positioning is best or most ‘in character’, will you heal your allies or attack the enemies …

Combat frequently adopt a different structure to other aspects of a game. What was freeform and flowing becomes regimented with precise a precise turn order and parameters to what players can attempt. The tension rises but the pace of the game slows. The GM is put under some pressure, running all of the enemy creatures and engaging with each player on their turn before moving on to the next. The players on the other hand, often have little input between their turns, with few decisions to make.

It’s sometimes said that table-top RPGs are games where a three hour walk takes two minutes and a one minute fight takes an hour. Keeping battles feeling fast paced and energised is a skill we never stop developing. Preparing for

DELETE THIS TO

A lot of RPGs place a significant weight on combat scenes and it’s easy to see why. Narratively, fights to the death are exciting, high-stakes moments. In terms of the gameplay, combat provides a clear indication of relative success (How many Hit Points have you lost, how many enemies are still fighting?) and offer the player a wealth of choice; what resources will you expend or conserve, what positioning is best or most ‘in character’, will you heal your allies or attack the enemies …

Combat frequently adopt a different structure to other aspects of a game. What was freeform and flowing becomes regimented with precise a precise turn order and parameters to what players can attempt. The tension rises but the pace of the game slows. The GM is put under some pressure, running all of the enemy creatures and engaging with each player on their turn before moving on to the next. The players on the other hand, often have little input between their turns, with few decisions to make.

It’s sometimes said that table-top RPGs are games where a three hour walk takes two minutes and a one minute fight takes an hour. Keeping battles feeling fast paced and energised is a skill we never stop developing. Preparing for