Combat, it’s nearly the staple of memorable role playing anecdotes and the climax of many adventures. Yes, interactivity and story telling are completely necessary too, but if you try to run a game with no combat for more than three sessions straight you’re likely to get players that are so edgy and action hungry that they’ll start a riot to relieve the monotony.

However sometimes the combat scene just isn’t exciting, and the climatic end fight seems like a poorly retold boxing match. Take the following example of combat between a fighter and an orc.

(Note, dice rolls are included only to provide a clearer example of play progression.)

GM: "You see a large orc charging out of the darkness towards you, roll initiative."

Player: (rolls) 18!
GM "k, you go first action?"

Player: "What’s he wearing for armor? and what about his weapon? is he armed?"

GM: "He’s wearing chain mail and carrying a two handed battle axe."

Player: "How tall is he? Does he look like a warrior or a vagabond?"

GM: (makes intelligence roll for the player) "he stands approx 7’ tall and looks to carry the axe with skill, he approaching to fast for you to make out any other details."

Player: "I’m going to stab him with my sword."

GM: "RTS" (roll to strike)

Player: (rolls) "14+3=17"

GM (rolls) "you hit. Damage?"

Player: (rolls) "15"

GM: "Okay the orcs now trying to strike back at you with his axe."

Player: "I’m going to parry with my sword" (rolls) "12"

GM: "You fail, he hits you in the shoulder doing," (rolls) "8."

Player: "Damn! I’m going to try to smash him in the face with my elbow since he’s so close."

GM: "k rts"

Player: (rolls) "a 8…"

GM:(rolls) "You fail as he steps back dodging your blow."

Combat continues…..

Does this look familiar to you? Unfortunately this is the standard rut far to many long running games can fall into, with simple, bland, (if any) descriptions of the enemy or the fights interaction.

While it might speed up game play, (especially in online chat rooms where typing takes a while) in the end it leaves combat as bland non descriptive occurrence that’s barely memorable over the long term let alone exciting.

Providing a good description sometimes speeds things up by giving players ready information is the opening line. In the previous example if the gm had described the orc better the player would have known the weapons and armor he was carrying as well as an approximate build and skill of the enemy; thus preventing the question & answer session that ensued dragging the game down.

Making the game exciting is not just the player or the game masters job, but both. The game master for his end needs to describe the enemies with more detail than "a large orc," or "a mean looking filthy gang member."

They need to give some description to the combat effects as well, rather than say you hit, put some detail behind the blow. (after they tell the damage altering the description accordingly) If it’s a good strike let your words represent it, if the enemy is angered by having a solid blow land between their legs describe it!

For players remember to put some life into your characters actions, don’t just swing the sword at the enemy put some detail into your blow. When you take a hit have your character respond accordingly.

In the end combat is a dance of words as intriguing and as detailed as the establishing description of a landscape, or main villains looks. As long as either the gm or player keeps up the in depth description the other will eventually rise to the occasion to match.

After all no one like being out done with cool maneuvers in combat and having the npc or your character do something cool and descriptively enthralling will inspire everyone else at the table to do the same.

Let’s take another looks at that combat scene replayed with some description tossed in.

GM: "You see a large orc charging out of the darkness towards you, his chain mail shining in the torch light and a large rusty battle axe gripped in his hands as he closes the distance with a few quick strides."

(makes intelligence roll for the player)

"Your well trained eye immediately notices his 7’ tall muscular frame is covered by a multitude of scars across his arms and his grip on the battle axe is firm and comfortable. Roll initiative."

Player: (rolls) 18!
GM "You manage to ready yourself for combat and turn to face the approaching creature with scarcely seconds to spare!"

Player: "Swaying to the side I draw my sword and thrust it towards his abdomen hoping to impale him as he approaches.

GM: "RTS" (roll to strike)

Player: (rolls) "14+3=17"

GM: (rolls) "you hit. damage?"

Player: (rolls) "15"

GM: "Your sword point skips across chain links before burying itself several inches into his stomach, the orc grunting in pain at the wound as he attempts to slam the axe into your shoulder."
Player: "Stepping back and pulling out my blood slick blade I try to parry his chop with my sword, bracing myself agianst the blow." (rolls) "12"

GM: "You raise your sword a fraction of a second too late as his axe crashes down against your shoulder plate, raising sparks and inflicting.." (rolls) "8 to your armor."
Player: "Damn! Staggering slightly under the blow I quickly step forward a half a pace and attempt to smash him in the face with my elbow."

GM: "k rts"

Player: (rolls) "a 8…"

GM:(rolls) "The Orc seems to see you elbow coming out of the corner of his eye and steps back, your elbow sailing past his jaw by mere inches, the tip of his tusk snagging for a fraction of second against your leather sleeve."

Combat continues…..

Notice how much more intense and intriguing this was, more like an excerpt from a fantasy novel than corporate meeting notes? How much easier is is to picture the two combatants dueling?

When done correctly a little more detail in the combat can not only enhance the players interest but also provide the other players who are waiting for their actions something exciting to listen to (or read in the case of online rping) rather than sit impatiently for their characters turn.