Combat takes up too much space in the game. I’ve been thinking for awhile now that I’d like to resolve all combats with a single roll, or a simple system of 3 rolls. Really reign it in so that play remains more firmly rooted in the exploration and planning phases. Yet also, combat involves so many fun intricacies to tinker with. I’m about to advocate for increasing its complexity, presumably further stretching out the time required to resolve any fight. At some point I ought to sit down and ponder a resolution between these two opposed desires of mine. Find a synthesis between them that really makes me happy. For now, though, I am satisfied merely to acknowledge my own inconsistent moods on the matter.
Most of the games I’ve played in tend to gloss over the space required to use a given weapon. These are typically objects designed for battlefields! A longsword or flail needs enough space to be swung effectively. Arrows and thrown spears need enough vertical space to arc through the air. Halberds and other pole weapons are such great massive things that moving through an interior space with them may often be impossible, or require the sort of effort that getting a couch into a 3rd story apartment does. All of these weapons would be rendered nearly useless in the subterranean vaults which adventurers commonly frequent in their search for lucre.
To be absolutely clear: I’m not advocating we pursue a faux-realistic dungeon delve ideal where daggers are the only functional weapon. Big swingy weapons are cool. Dungeons are cool. Cool + cool = more cool. That said, dungeons contain variously sized spaces. A rule as simple as “medium weapons work well in dungeon rooms, but attack with disadvantage in corridors” adds a valuable wrinkle for players to consider when looting a tomb. They may want to scout corridors, or run away from corridor encounters towards the nearest room. They may want to enter the dungeon equipped with smaller weapons specifically so they can ambush weapon-wielding monsters in corridors. It’s a little thing, but whenever I’ve managed to be on top of it in my games (which hasn’t been often, I admit), we’ve had a lot of fun with it.
Secondary weapon characteristics like this have always been a fascination of mine. All the little things that differentiate them outside of their damage range and number of hands required to wield them. In the past I’ve been strongly drawn to intricate systems of codifying these. This weapon has the “Basher” and “Smasher” traits, that one has the “Trippy” trait, that sorta thing. Having played with such systems under a few different referees, and run one myself, it unfortunately seems to wind up being one of those things that’s too tough to keep track of at the table. I tried going the other way with in when I ran Fuck the King of Space back in 2018. That game used d6 damage for every weapon, with an explicit encouragement for players to propose unorthodox uses for their weapon during play. Despite that game including an all-star list of the most creative players I’ve ever run with, that approach was just too open-ended to work, and wound up being frustrating for all involved.
I think the best approach for me may be to ‘stay in my lane,’ so to speak. As referee, I can consider how my player’s equipment choices may result in bonuses or penalties to their declared actions. If it gets them thinking about unique applications for their gear, so much the better.
Check out the hashtags #DICEMBER or #DICEMBER2021 on your social media of choice to see other participants.
