Community

On just describing attacks: I try to just cycle through body parts that may be hit and a good vocabulary stock verbs like "pierces", "smashes", "punctures", "slashes", "shreds", "bruises", "stabs", "mauls", "bashes", "batters", "slices", "lacerates", "blasts", "singes", "shocks", etc. You could make a list of such targets and verbs, perhaps in category by weapon/attack type (blade / claw / spell / etc.) and just cycle through them to keep things varied.

On generally improving descriptiveness in the game: we have a house rule called "Role Player's Bonus". I originally added it just to reward PC's for Role Playing, but they've started to grant it to me as well! It's nice for making descriptive and dramatic color an optional, but valued, part of the game.

Has nothing to do with XP.

Here's the rule:

Role Player's Bonus

If you describe in florid detail your action, or deliver a witty or poignant line in character as you attack or interact, you may at the DM's discretion gain a +1 suspension-of-disbelief advantage to your next roll.

(Corollary: DM may at PC's discretion get a similar bonus to creature roll for similar lines; I don't ask for it, but sometimes they'll spontaneously grant it if I have a really good line or description).

monkeydm wrote:

Role Player's Bonus

If you describe in florid detail your action, or deliver a witty or poignant line in character as you attack or interact, you may at the DM's discretion gain a +1 suspension-of-disbelief advantage to your next roll.

(Corollary: DM may at PC's discretion get a similar bonus to creature roll for similar lines; I don't ask for it, but sometimes they'll spontaneously grant it if I have a really good line or description).

That corollary is a really interesting idea - I think I'll have to steal that one, thanks :)

Ok, so what I've gathered so far:

a) use a couple of words to describe daily powers and normal attacks. Use a full sentence to describe encounter powers. Use a couple of full sentences for critical hits and daily powers.

b) make a list of body parts, and a list of adjectives that describe combat, and glance over them when the player rolls their dice. Then use them to describe the battle.

c) Let the players describe what happens when they hit and give XP for good or entertaining descriptions.

One trick I've used is to not describe every single attack. I started doing this, and I quickly learned that narrating every single attack gets either a) difficult coming up with new things or b) boring and repetitive.

My solution is that I only describe attacks with the following conditions:

[LIST]
[*]The first attack of each encounter, in order to get the excitement going.
[*]Whenever a creature scores a critical.
[*]Whenever a creature is bloodied by an attack.
[*]Whenever an attack kills a creature (or drops a PC)
[*]Some information needs to be conveyed to the party.
[*]The character does some sort of unusual or creative action (swinging from chandelier, bull rushing monster over cliff, ect).
[*]If there hasn't been a description in awhile, just to keep the combat from "Hit, Hit, Miss, Miss, Hit..."
[/LIST]

Here are a few suggestions:

First attack
[LIST]
[*]Baylis senses the danger and rushes to action, swiftly drawing and firing two shots on the lead Ogre.
[*]Ellene's reflexes kick into high gear as she deftly maneuvers into the cavern, flinging daggers at the surprised orcs.
[/LIST]

Critical
[LIST]
[*]Devon calls upon the light of Pelor, and his blinding beam strikes the zombie true. You hear a savage howl from the beast and smell the stench of seared rotten flesh.
[/LIST]

Bloodied
[LIST]
[*]The orc's swings become wild and frenzied, and you feel a sickening crunch as his maul strikes you in the head, your ears ring as you are nearly driven to the floor, blood rushing from your open wounds.
[*]Edric easily parries a few blows aside, and suddenly there is an opening. You drive your sword in, and feel the blade slide along bone.
[/LIST]

Kill
[LIST]
[*]In the chaos of battle Baylis, with the trained eye of an export hunter spots an opening in the defenses of the Orc Chieftan. You let loose a shaft, and in the moment of release you know it is a killing strike. And just as swift as you release the orc clutches at the feathered shaft protruding through his neck. He staggers and falls, as his life's blood spills on the cavern floor.
[/LIST]

Important information
[LIST]
[*]Your scorching blast lands true, and yet the creature seems to shrug off the full effects of your attack. (Fire resistant creature)
[/LIST]

As for unusual activities, that should be pretty easy, just let the action guide you. I also tend to use description for daily powers as well. Again, you'll need to use the description of the individual power. I tend to keep the longer drawn out descriptions for kill shots and bloodied, and try to keep them short and sweet for the others.

I know this isn't exactly what you asked for, but I hope it helps. Good luck!

FalconGK81 wrote:

One trick I've used is to not describe every single attack. I started doing this, and I quickly learned that narrating every single attack gets either a) difficult coming up with new things or b) boring and repetitive.

My solution is that I only describe attacks with the following conditions:

[LIST]
[*]The first attack of each encounter, in order to get the excitement going.
[*]Whenever a creature scores a critical.
[*]Whenever a creature is bloodied by an attack.
[*]Whenever an attack kills a creature (or drops a PC)
[*]Some information needs to be conveyed to the party.
[*]The character does some sort of unusual or creative action (swinging from chandelier, bull rushing monster over cliff, ect).
[*]If there hasn't been a description in awhile, just to keep the combat from "Hit, Hit, Miss, Miss, Hit..."
[/LIST]

Here are a few suggestions:

First attack
[LIST]
[*]Baylis senses the danger and rushes to action, swiftly drawing and firing two shots on the lead Ogre.
[*]Ellene's reflexes kick into high gear as she deftly maneuvers into the cavern, flinging daggers at the surprised orcs.
[/LIST]

Critical
[LIST]
[*]Devon calls upon the light of Pelor, and his blinding beam strikes the zombie true. You hear a savage howl from the beast and smell the stench of seared rotten flesh.
[/LIST]

Bloodied
[LIST]
[*]The orc's swings become wild and frenzied, and you feel a sickening crunch as his maul strikes you in the head, your ears ring as you are nearly driven to the floor, blood rushing from your open wounds.
[*]Edric easily parries a few blows aside, and suddenly there is an opening. You drive your sword in, and feel the blade slide along bone.
[/LIST]

Kill
[LIST]
[*]In the chaos of battle Baylis, with the trained eye of an export hunter spots an opening in the defenses of the Orc Chieftan. You let loose a shaft, and in the moment of release you know it is a killing strike. And just as swift as you release the orc clutches at the feathered shaft protruding through his neck. He staggers and falls, as his life's blood spills on the cavern floor.
[/LIST]

Important information
[LIST]
[*]Your scorching blast lands true, and yet the creature seems to shrug off the full effects of your attack. (Fire resistant creature)
[/LIST]

As for unusual activities, that should be pretty easy, just let the action guide you. I also tend to use description for daily powers as well. Again, you'll need to use the description of the individual power. I tend to keep the longer drawn out descriptions for kill shots and bloodied, and try to keep them short and sweet for the others.

I know this isn't exactly what you asked for, but I hope it helps. Good luck!

Actually it is exactly what I'm looking for, and if your examples are ones you made up and not quotes from books, then you ought to pursue a career as a writer!

FalconGK81 wrote:

If you institute a bonus XP system, I highly, HIGHLY, recommend that you add up all the experience earned and divide it amongst the party evenly. Be sure that when giving out expereince you spell out how much was earned in this way. Those who chose to participate still get the benefit without penalizing those who are less creative or just don't engage as easily. However, the fact that they know exactly how much XP was earned would incentivize them to grow out of their shell a bit, without it being too much pressure. Win/Win.

I like this idea. It keeps it fair. I also give XP to individuals if they give up a statistical advantage for a roleplaying reason. From my example before one of my players took two opportunity attacks in order to rescue a townsperson. I granted them (at level 1) 100xp for them alone (because none of the other players took this kind of risk).