Author: Harlequin Jones (---.rr.com)
Date: 05-21-2003 16:21
Great column.
I just want to add to something you touched on briefly at the end: tactics. If a game allows for players to make meaningful decisions in combat, even a hack-n-slash session can satisfy certain types of players. It wasn't just their character design that helped them win, but the way they played.
This can be as simple as choosing between all-out-attack, attack and defend, or all-out-defend (to use a GURPS-ish example) or between strike, block, dodge, and haymaker (Hero).
If all one does is attack, attack, attack until one or the other is dead, combat is dull. I've played D&D games that suffered from this.
If one roll of a "fighting" skill resolves an entire combat, that's dull too - once again, character design is all that matters. Such a game better have interesting conflict and challenges in other areas.
HJ
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