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2 years ago ::
Jun 03, 2011 - 4:51PM
#1
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Date Joined:
Oct 15, 2010
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I was wondering if anyone came across any house rules that encourage less focus fire tactics in combat? I can design encounters to lessen the effects, but I can't help but watch my party default into this tactic every time. The game design seems to encourage this, but I don't find it all that realistic, heroic, or engaging.
One thing I was thinking of was starting in round 2 of the combat, any enemy that has full hit points gets a +2 to hit. For every round they remain at full hit points, they get an additional +1. This would keep the tracking down to a minimum. All you have to do is check the round of combat and if the monster was not hit and apply the bonus. If they lost hp in any way, the bonus is gone for the remainder of the combat.
This would encourage the party to damage as many enemies as early on as possible. And if certain monsters were left alone because of focus fire, the combat can remain dangerous even if they are dropping monsters every round. You can throw in other rules like a defender adjacent to monster cancels it out (in line with the defender role). Controllers also gain a bit more value for their ability to damage >1 monster a round, a needed boost I think to this role (not just a minion killer).
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2 years ago ::
Jun 03, 2011 - 5:04PM
#2
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Date Joined:
Jun 15, 2008
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Interesting concept. Is it necessary though? And do your players get the +2 as well.
How is your usage of terrain? I notice in the published adventrues most fights have some significant enviromental chokepoints, pits, difficult terrain etc. that can be used to break up a line.
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2 years ago ::
Jun 03, 2011 - 5:29PM
#3
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Date Joined:
Jun 29, 2007
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I suppose that would work, but is focus firing really a problem?
I just think it's good tactics.
-O
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2 years ago ::
Jun 03, 2011 - 5:33PM
#4
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Date Joined:
Jan 15, 2009
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Conservation of Ninjutsu Powers enemies which are enraged and inspired when there allies go down... if they are not bloodied themselves ofcourse. Similarly they might have a big blow out attack before dying if they werent bloodied the previous round. These are perhaps subtle but rather more flavorful than across the board ideas. I have a blog where I talk about the same kind of thing for Players.... Seems the Conservation of Ninjutsu and how it prevents cascade failure of a team is useful on both sides of the board....
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2 years ago ::
Jun 03, 2011 - 5:48PM
#5
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Date Joined:
Jan 15, 2009
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I suppose that would work, but is focus firing really a problem?
I just think it's good tactics.
-O
It is but its harder than the games mechanics sometimes make it and it goes against certain fantasy fighting paradigms.
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2 years ago ::
Jun 03, 2011 - 5:50PM
#6
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Date Joined:
Jul 12, 2004
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I favor the 'monster B suddenly has a really nasty encounter power that recharges if it's ignored' approach.
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2 years ago ::
Jun 03, 2011 - 5:52PM
#7
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Date Joined:
Jan 15, 2009
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I favor the 'monster B suddenly has a really nasty encounter power that recharges if it's ignored' approach.
On a round it isnt attacked the recharge for certain powers go from 6 to 4,5,6
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2 years ago ::
Jun 03, 2011 - 5:54PM
#8
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Date Joined:
Jan 15, 2009
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Or make em just like a battle rager... temp hit points when they attack and bonus damage when they have temp hit points at the beginning of their turn.
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2 years ago ::
Jun 03, 2011 - 5:54PM
#9
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I suppose that would work, but is focus firing really a problem?
I just think it's good tactics.
-O
I concur.
I also think there's really no way to stop focus fire; unless the penalties for doing so are so severe as to be ridiculous, it's always going to be smarter to eliminate one foe than damage several. If there are 5 opponents, killing one reduces your incoming damage by 20%.
Another day, another three or four entries to my Ignore List.
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2 years ago ::
Jun 03, 2011 - 5:56PM
#10
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Date Joined:
Apr 15, 2001
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Some sort of monster reaction power (encounter) that gives resist 10 to all famage afterthe 1st hit each round? Recharge 4-6.
Reducing a character to a list of dice rolls and modifiers is not role playing*
*pg 30, AD&D 2nd Ed DMG, 1989.
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