D&D 4th Q&A
how does one get around the tedium of the combat? After one's dailies and
encounters are expended, it's just one or 2 attacks over and over until
the fight's over.
I really don't want to drop out of my friend's game but the tedium is
just absolutely crippling.
well it helps if everyone knows there stuff and plans out their turn before it gets to them, rolling damage and attack dice at the same time, these things help speed up and even out the flow of 'basic' combat. often times you can actually roll before your turn, and simply tell the DM 'I hit AC 19 for 8 damage'.
Personally, I also try crazy stuff, even if it might get me killed. for instance if you have any sort of 'push' powers see if you can't push baddies off a cliff or (my favorite) into the Iron Maiden in the torture room :P such things often require putting myself in risky situations, which makes even better if I pull it off, and if they knock me down, makes it more interesting for the rest of the party (in that there's now a complication).
also, Banter and Description. even if the combat has come to standing in a line hacking at the enemy while they hack back (like mmo basic melee) you can always banter. if not with the enemy (because of language or intelligence barriers) then at least with the other party members. I always pick another party member to be my 'rival', sometimes friendly, sometimes not. this always gives me someone to brag to or pick on, and if they reciprocate it can add an entire new dimension to combat. think of Lord of the Rings: in the movies, the only interesting thing Gimli had going for him was his rivalry with Legolas, otherwise he was just shitty comic relief. Description is also important, and not just the purely physical (I swing my sword at his neck), but also the emotional and even metaphysical at times. describing such things brings a little life to the enterprise, and distances the proceedings from the 'souless puppets attacking flimsy automatons for imaginary loot' trap that D&D can fall into.
I highly recommend listening to the Penny Arcade Podcasts over on the WotC site for examples of how to keep it interesting.
encounters are expended, it's just one or 2 attacks over and over until
the fight's over.
I really don't want to drop out of my friend's game but the tedium is
just absolutely crippling.
well it helps if everyone knows there stuff and plans out their turn before it gets to them, rolling damage and attack dice at the same time, these things help speed up and even out the flow of 'basic' combat. often times you can actually roll before your turn, and simply tell the DM 'I hit AC 19 for 8 damage'.
Personally, I also try crazy stuff, even if it might get me killed. for instance if you have any sort of 'push' powers see if you can't push baddies off a cliff or (my favorite) into the Iron Maiden in the torture room :P such things often require putting myself in risky situations, which makes even better if I pull it off, and if they knock me down, makes it more interesting for the rest of the party (in that there's now a complication).
also, Banter and Description. even if the combat has come to standing in a line hacking at the enemy while they hack back (like mmo basic melee) you can always banter. if not with the enemy (because of language or intelligence barriers) then at least with the other party members. I always pick another party member to be my 'rival', sometimes friendly, sometimes not. this always gives me someone to brag to or pick on, and if they reciprocate it can add an entire new dimension to combat. think of Lord of the Rings: in the movies, the only interesting thing Gimli had going for him was his rivalry with Legolas, otherwise he was just shitty comic relief. Description is also important, and not just the purely physical (I swing my sword at his neck), but also the emotional and even metaphysical at times. describing such things brings a little life to the enterprise, and distances the proceedings from the 'souless puppets attacking flimsy automatons for imaginary loot' trap that D&D can fall into.
I highly recommend listening to the Penny Arcade Podcasts over on the WotC site for examples of how to keep it interesting.