Post by Kiga on Mar 10, 2013 4:44:02 GMT -5
This is not a definitive guide to combat, as it's a really big subject.
If you're interested in my insight into combat, then please read on. I hope you enjoy!
One of the best things a writer can do when writing anything and perhaps particularly combat, is to identify their own strengths when it comes to writing. I am not referring to their grasp on grammar or their particular flair when they right but instead, I am referring to their knowledge base and what experiences they have to draw from. For example, you might have never watched a Kung Fu film. Or you might have watched a Kung Fu film, but don't know how to throw a punch, or how that feels. Or maybe, you know how to handle yourself, but had no clue that a knife hand to the philtrim will render someone unconscious without trauma to their brain. There's an awful lot to fighting and if you look at the real world of martial arts. it's readily apparent it's a pretty deep subject. And that's just unarmed combat!
Of course, we're writing fantasy here so we can get away with many things that simply don't apply to real combat. You can decide you'd like to beat up a dragon with crazy, aerial spin kicks and it could be a fantastic story. What is and isn't considered practical in the real world needn't be a concern (and believe me, no one really agrees on that anyway), so you need to figure out how you want to write, what you want to write and just how it is your character fights. Every character should have a combat 'style' so to speak, or at least in anything they have devoted their time to and progressed in. Not only is this a very realistic trait, but your character SHOULD stand out in combat in their own way. One character may be the bare knuckle, south paw pugilist, whilst another may be a grappler. Throw other talents into the mix and magic, not to mention magical items; you've got a very colorful world which should be an exciting read every time.
So, how to figure out what goes and what doesn't in combat? Let's break this down into sections.
What do you know about combat?
The first thing you consider, is your knowledge base. Do you know anything about fighting? Have you seen any cool action films you'd like to emulate in your writing? Does it work in our setting? Is your character built for it? If you read any of Grayell's combat scenes, he has a pretty identifiable style. Anyone who has read his stuff as long as I have can envision him standing there, whether he's going to go for his sword or get grimy and beat someone up. He also, almost always, tries to do something different whilst staying within the combat concept he has. Now, he has some pretty serious combat experience in real life but I know for a FACT that he will close his eyes in the middle of a parahgraph and shadow box an entire combat encounter before he writes it if need be. I think it's a great tool if you want to get very specific in combat with what type of attack you make and where you're trying to hit.
Formulate your combat style.
Not everyone is trying to drive one knuckle into someone's armpit and is then getting them in a wrist lock to toss them off a cliff. A lot of that stuff might be confusing to read for other people who don't necessarily have a grasp on combat. So, better than trying to over-complicate what you write, my suggestion is to develop a simple frame work to use in combat and work with that. Things to consider are these:
All of those accept the last should be easy for you to figure out in all honesty. The last is the trickier part and that's what I'd like to address next. Choosing whether you want to get down to the nitty gritty, or whether you want to have what I will term 'descriptive simplicity.'
Descriptive Simplicity vs Technical Writing.
Let's say you've got a background in fighting in a style that you want to write about on the board, such as wrestling. You make a wrestling style of character and you know what works, you know how to take someone down and get them on your terms and how to take them out of the fight. You can express things in game that you cannot do in real life, like actually kill your opponent and your experience shows. But the problem is, you need to establish between what is informative, what is interesting and what is just plain confusing.
For example:
In my opinion at least, that's not half bad. It demonstrates the character knows how to fight, he's thinking about what he needs to and applying his knowledge. It's short, descriptive and takes the Orc.
It reads better than something like this:
Ok, I have had enough. It makes sense and shows some thought, but it's a science lecture. We're not teaching people how to fight.
But what if you don't know ANY of those things? You could watch more movies of course, or you could settle for descriptive simplicity.
There's nothing truly technical about that post. But it's a much better read than the prior example due to it being both simple and descriptive. I think any reader could agree they'd rather have a more creative combat scene than a technical one. Understanding the mechanics of combat and even how the human body works is wonderful, but is a pointless tool if the writer has no knack for entertaining the reader.
What hurts and how?
The other side to combat, is knowing how an opponent takes damage. Beyond the 'I punch like this', or 'swing my sword this way', the writer should consider where they want to hit the opponent. I will say however, that if you have no general idea of how to inflict damage on a target, simply stating you are trying to hit them can be enough. Don't get too carried away with sweeping kicks or complicated techniques for the sake of a good read because most of the time, it simply won't be. It will just be complicated, rather than a smooth and entertaining read. If you would like to be more specific in your combat posts and don't have the benefit of knowledge on just how someone pulls apart another person, then consider the basics. Blows to the head can stun, damage to the eyes can blind, injury to the gut could cause nausea and shortness of breath, injuries to limbs can render someone useless, a hit to the lower back can cripple someone and so on.
Types of damage.
Understanding the type of damage your weapon does is also incredibly useful and this can be broken down into three really simple categories: piercing, slashing and bashing. These weapons also act in either a linear or circular style.
Piercing weapons such as spears, arrows and rapiers run through the target and are useless for slashing. They have a fine point but drive deep into their target, causing massive trauma to that area. They don't impact a large area of course, but running someone through is a sure way to kill them. They are linear in their attacks and circular when defending, sweeping side to side only to knock enemy attacks away and to confuse the opponent. Ranged weaponry almost always falls into this category but does not deal as much damage as a melee weapon. An arrow or knife must hit the right area on a target, normally having to slip past armor and hit an organ to deal major damage.
Slashing weapons such as swords and claws are swung wide with great force to hack into and cleave the enemy. When they hit they are terribly damaging, but they attack in a circular fashion which is slower than outright stabbing and poking at the enemy. They combine both defense and attack with their sweeping movement and are generally larger weapons, requiring more energy on the part of the wielder to use
Bashing weapons such as clubs as staffs are often overlooked. They vary in weight which usually defines their potential for damage as well. For example, a staff does not inflict a great deal of damage unless it hits key areas. It is very swift though, defends easily and has great range. A mace on the other hand, is a very simple weapon, but is designed to crush both armor and bone with dramatic effect. No other weapon ignores heavy armor like a large crushing weapon, turning the opponent into a can of tuna, waiting to be crushed. Bashing weapons are also circular, requiring strength on the part of the user to deal damage.
Melee weapon types.
There is an awful lot of variety when it comes to melee weapons, because they all do the same thing in different ways. They let you hurt someone and really, all that requires is hitting therm with something both hard and fast. But what does what and how? Why would someone use a small weapon versus a large one?
Generally speaking, smaller weapons are faster than slashing weapons and depending on their utilization, stabbing weapons are quicker than slashing ones. The fastest way between two points is in a straight line, so you can see why stabbing with a dagger is quicker than trying to slash it across someone's body. Never mind that it will do more damage that way. Of course, stabbing may not be an option and repeatedly doing one thing with your weapon won't keep you alive.
Also, the weight of the weapon will slow it down. A long sword is quicker than a claymore because it requires less muscle to move it about. Once that claymore is swung, you don't want to be in the way and it will slice through the air as quick as a blur, but there will be more time between attacks. It is simpler harder to bring to bear and it will tire the user out faster.
Other factors to consider are leverage and momentum. An axe is a very heavy head on a simple shaft and whether it is a hatchet or a great axe, that head lends it power when it is swung. In fact, it's hard to slow down once swung and the longer any weapon is, the tougher it can be to change or alter your attack. Some weapons like flails, or nunchaku have a chain, or joint or some other form of very fluid leverage and these weapons are miserable to stop in swing. They deliver tremendous power but really make it tough on the user to control.
The length of your weapon can also be a good and bad thing. Having more reach on your weapon may seem ideal, but it means that any enemy stepping inside your optimal range is going to have you at a disadvantage. A spear is largely useless if someone slips by the head and get up close. Now both your hands are occupied and you likely won't have time to react.
There is too much variety in melee weapons to consider them all, but these common aspects of all weaponry should apply to your own particular preference and help you imagine how it might play out.
Ranged weapon types.
This, I might know a bit about! If you look in the FAQ, you will find a nifty post that explains the order of ranged weapons and their speed vs their power. You can read it here.
Things you want to consider with ranged weapons is not just the damage they deal, but how quickly you can shoot or throw them, how far they travel and just how much damage they can do. None is superior to the other as they all have strengths and weaknesses, so I will touch on them here.
Shuriken; These deal the least damage. They don't travel terribly far because they don't weigh a great deal, but there is no ranged weapon faster than these. They are easy to throw in a hurry. It is hard to kill someone with shuriken as they don't sink far, but they are enough to mess someone up if used correctly. Magical shuriken are certainly a fix for their lack of damage, look for some that really deliver a punch.
Throwing Knives: These are commonly heavier than shuriken. The trade off is that they aren't so quick to throw and are a bit tougher to be accurate with. Still, an expert can be dead on and a big enough throwing knife can certainly kill someone if hitting them in the right area. They still don't travel very far.
Wristbows: Wristbows are nifty because they leave your hand open to carry something. You do need two hands to operate on though. They are pretty quick and rely on simply mechanics, but the don't have the tension of a proper bow. The projectiles are small and inflict piercing damage, so they don't deal as much damage as a throwing knife might. They are pretty accurate too, but their range is limited and the low weight of their projectile really limits their accuracy at range. Still, they can be ideal for someone not wanting to close an immediate gap as you can quickly shoot them instead.
Bows: Bows have been around a long time and in the hands of a master are deadly. But there are a lot of misconceptions about bows. They are slow to shoot. Developing a faster style means your accuracy suffers. They are not truly designed for open warfare but are a hunting weapon and are ideal for ambushing your prey. This is why they were utilized in large numbers and archers were considered highly expendable. Because we are set in fantasy, we could consider you drawing a bow of more than 120 pounds, which is unheard of these days but was common with the old English Longbow. Being accurate takes time and precision, unless your draw fast and shoot on instinct. You have to reach for and nock another arrow though.
Crossbows: Crossbows hit harder than normal bows and can be very accurate, because they are a steadier platform to aim from. They aim much like a gun and the user can pull the crossbow into their shoulder to steady their aim. There is no strain on the body once the bolt is ready and the user can take his time aiming, unlike a bow which gets very tiring. Bolt are commonly made of both wood and metal and are hit very hard. They can be very accurate as well, but as the bolts are heavier and shorter than conventional arrows, they may not fly as far. Loading a crossbow is very time consuming though, whether you have to rely on your strength or mechanical means, making it a perfect sniper weapon but not something to count on more than once in open combat.
Glaives: If glaives ever existed, they had to be a truly scary thing. I don't think they did, but they work like this. They are massively heavy, doubled ended and often double edged weapons that take both ranged talents and brawn to use. They throw like a massive throwing knife and hit harder than anything. They are quite capable of killing a large target, such as a cow. However, once thrown, you have to get it back. There is no infinite ammo supply. They make a great deal of noise and can be seen coming. Still, they move fast and aren't as easy to dodge; given their size. Their range is questionable, if only because the effectiveness of such a huge missile against someone who may see it coming is highly variable.
You are the weapon.
So, what else can you do to improve your combat posts? Consider the following things that are often neglected and can make your post more interesting:
Footwork - Nobody fights standing still. Well, there is sanchin-dachi, but I'm not sure anyone is crazy enough to try that. Your character should be moving, in their own particular style; and even ranged characters should be swift on their feet to both avoid incoming attacks and to better get off that perfect shot.
Personality - No one fights without shouting, yelling, grunting or having some kind of reaction A totally quiet fighter is an assassin in all honesty and well, assassins can be pretty boring at times. We should know what you're thinking and how you feel about your situation.
Trial and error - People miss. They don't hit, they stumble, they fall, they curse and swear and swing wildly. Unless your opponent is simply not a match for you, battle should be a give and take and it's rare someone is good enough to perform flawlessly. Even archer's with level 5 dual handed ranged talent should be spending arrows to make their mark and even then, chances of taking their target down. In melee, even the most seasoned fighters should see some stalemate with other, experienced adversaries. You're also human, or something like it; and you will exert yourself and even get tired - or injured!
Your gear - People often neglect their gear. Is it any good? Is it epic? Really, it does make a difference and you should think about the gear you have on hand when fighting. Are you even wearing suitable armor? Many people forget that armor is for more than fashion, or whatever fancy magic effects is upon it. Here's a simple idea too - have gear to start with! Don't save up for some priceless treasure instead of upgrading from your starter gear
Teamwork - Make yourself a better player by setting the enemy up for your teammates, or reacting to them doing as much. A team is far more successful than a group of individuals working alone and it makes combat far less chaotic - it also nets you more recognition from your GM as well.
Fight smart - Or at least in character. Use your environment. Fight from the high ground, kick that bucket at the enemy, duck behind cover. GMs will give you information about your surroundings and if not, ask them for it. You can always bug them with a PM so as to not ruin the flow of your thread if you like. Again, this will get you more recognition. Now, if your character is a battle mad berserker, well go nuts ya big lug.
Utilize applicable skills - Ok, so reading off some ancient story with your Lore talent may into save you in combat, but many skills can still be useful even in the heat of battle. Rewards await for the person clever enough to figure it out.
Be creative - Our system prides itself on allowing freedom for players. Whilst we ask that you keep modesty in mind, people can get tired of reading the same old 'I draw my sword and attack like this'. You should mix it up, try something new and whilst it might push the boundaries of being confusing, it can end up being one of those great moments that everyone remembers.
Get hurt - That's right! The best fight scenes in Hollywood have the hero getting hurt during the fight, it adds to the challenge and makes things far more realistic. You aren't super human and you sure as heck aren't immune to damage, so get beat up now and again. It could just be a scratch, or a bruise, or you could go all out and need serious medical attention. But show us you're not overpowered and you will garner far more respect.
Violence - Combat leads to people getting badly hurt and more than likely, killed. It's simply the grim reality of being an adventurer. We don't need violence for violence sake, but we do expect you to not pretty it up and make it just plain silly. Remember, you're taking someone, or something's life.
Things that might seem strange...
The big showdown - You will notice some veteran characters doing this from time to time, playing out some grand, John Woo styled showdown; but each and every time they do that at their own peril. The character's ability and talents should be more than adequate to justify such a scenario, as should their gear and just how seasoned they are. It's been my experience that the more senior players who do this also have a knack for getting themselves beat up in glorious fashion, something others may not address very often.
Partners in crime - Yet another thing to consider is whom you are writing with. It's very common that players will have 'partners' when they write and if you read a thread from an outside perspective, sometimes it can be a little confusing. People get used to the expectations and habits of their writing partners and at times will take certain 'liberties' with one another that may seem a little more than you might expect in the course of normal play. This isn't an issue, so long as it does not interfere with other participants in that thread and all due consideration is given.
Just plain lucky - At other times, you may notice some players who really seem to be pushing their luck. This can be an oversight on the part of the player, or their perception of the situation and their potential may differ from the GM may differ, or they may simply be testing the waters and are fully prepared to have the GM tell them when they are hurt or something terribly happens as a consequence. This is all very normal and is in fact inevitable in our game, but so long as the intention of the player is not to god mode or grand stand repeatedly, than it's an acceptable issue that doesn't lead to any complications.
Magic is not covered in this guide - That's because Magic has a guide all of it's own and if you're a magic user, you owe it to yourself to read it!
Remember, combat should be fun, violent, explosive and exciting. It should have more ramifications than just beating up the boss to steal his treasure. As it's often the climax of any thread, make sure you give it your all and don't forget to enjoy yourself!
If you're interested in my insight into combat, then please read on. I hope you enjoy!
Writing better fantasy combat.
One of the best things a writer can do when writing anything and perhaps particularly combat, is to identify their own strengths when it comes to writing. I am not referring to their grasp on grammar or their particular flair when they right but instead, I am referring to their knowledge base and what experiences they have to draw from. For example, you might have never watched a Kung Fu film. Or you might have watched a Kung Fu film, but don't know how to throw a punch, or how that feels. Or maybe, you know how to handle yourself, but had no clue that a knife hand to the philtrim will render someone unconscious without trauma to their brain. There's an awful lot to fighting and if you look at the real world of martial arts. it's readily apparent it's a pretty deep subject. And that's just unarmed combat!
Of course, we're writing fantasy here so we can get away with many things that simply don't apply to real combat. You can decide you'd like to beat up a dragon with crazy, aerial spin kicks and it could be a fantastic story. What is and isn't considered practical in the real world needn't be a concern (and believe me, no one really agrees on that anyway), so you need to figure out how you want to write, what you want to write and just how it is your character fights. Every character should have a combat 'style' so to speak, or at least in anything they have devoted their time to and progressed in. Not only is this a very realistic trait, but your character SHOULD stand out in combat in their own way. One character may be the bare knuckle, south paw pugilist, whilst another may be a grappler. Throw other talents into the mix and magic, not to mention magical items; you've got a very colorful world which should be an exciting read every time.
So, how to figure out what goes and what doesn't in combat? Let's break this down into sections.
What do you know about combat?
The first thing you consider, is your knowledge base. Do you know anything about fighting? Have you seen any cool action films you'd like to emulate in your writing? Does it work in our setting? Is your character built for it? If you read any of Grayell's combat scenes, he has a pretty identifiable style. Anyone who has read his stuff as long as I have can envision him standing there, whether he's going to go for his sword or get grimy and beat someone up. He also, almost always, tries to do something different whilst staying within the combat concept he has. Now, he has some pretty serious combat experience in real life but I know for a FACT that he will close his eyes in the middle of a parahgraph and shadow box an entire combat encounter before he writes it if need be. I think it's a great tool if you want to get very specific in combat with what type of attack you make and where you're trying to hit.
Formulate your combat style.
Not everyone is trying to drive one knuckle into someone's armpit and is then getting them in a wrist lock to toss them off a cliff. A lot of that stuff might be confusing to read for other people who don't necessarily have a grasp on combat. So, better than trying to over-complicate what you write, my suggestion is to develop a simple frame work to use in combat and work with that. Things to consider are these:
All of those accept the last should be easy for you to figure out in all honesty. The last is the trickier part and that's what I'd like to address next. Choosing whether you want to get down to the nitty gritty, or whether you want to have what I will term 'descriptive simplicity.'
Descriptive Simplicity vs Technical Writing.
Let's say you've got a background in fighting in a style that you want to write about on the board, such as wrestling. You make a wrestling style of character and you know what works, you know how to take someone down and get them on your terms and how to take them out of the fight. You can express things in game that you cannot do in real life, like actually kill your opponent and your experience shows. But the problem is, you need to establish between what is informative, what is interesting and what is just plain confusing.
For example:
"Character X grabbed the orc's arm just above the wrist. He knew he needed leverage to take him down and therefore, drove his foot into his enemies' knee, twisted his hips and rolled with his attacker to the ground. His arms were now locked about the Orc's neck and Character X squeezed with all his might."
In my opinion at least, that's not half bad. It demonstrates the character knows how to fight, he's thinking about what he needs to and applying his knowledge. It's short, descriptive and takes the Orc.
It reads better than something like this:
"Character X knew that his opponent had to weigh somewhere in the vicinity of 300 pounds. He grasped the Orc's wrist and rotated, pulling it back some 33 degrees and then shifted his weight to his rear leg. With a twist of his hips, he raised his lead leg and drove his foot into the back of the Orc's knee, tearing the miniscus and reducing his enemies capacity to bear his own weight. He then turned his hips and using simple physics and leverage...."
Ok, I have had enough. It makes sense and shows some thought, but it's a science lecture. We're not teaching people how to fight.
But what if you don't know ANY of those things? You could watch more movies of course, or you could settle for descriptive simplicity.
"Character X wanted to take the big Orc down. He slapped an iron grip on the Orc's arm and with a kick to the leg, tumbled with his enemy to the ground. Eager arms woound around the creatures neck, squeezing with all the might he could muster."
There's nothing truly technical about that post. But it's a much better read than the prior example due to it being both simple and descriptive. I think any reader could agree they'd rather have a more creative combat scene than a technical one. Understanding the mechanics of combat and even how the human body works is wonderful, but is a pointless tool if the writer has no knack for entertaining the reader.
What hurts and how?
The other side to combat, is knowing how an opponent takes damage. Beyond the 'I punch like this', or 'swing my sword this way', the writer should consider where they want to hit the opponent. I will say however, that if you have no general idea of how to inflict damage on a target, simply stating you are trying to hit them can be enough. Don't get too carried away with sweeping kicks or complicated techniques for the sake of a good read because most of the time, it simply won't be. It will just be complicated, rather than a smooth and entertaining read. If you would like to be more specific in your combat posts and don't have the benefit of knowledge on just how someone pulls apart another person, then consider the basics. Blows to the head can stun, damage to the eyes can blind, injury to the gut could cause nausea and shortness of breath, injuries to limbs can render someone useless, a hit to the lower back can cripple someone and so on.
Types of damage.
Understanding the type of damage your weapon does is also incredibly useful and this can be broken down into three really simple categories: piercing, slashing and bashing. These weapons also act in either a linear or circular style.
Piercing weapons such as spears, arrows and rapiers run through the target and are useless for slashing. They have a fine point but drive deep into their target, causing massive trauma to that area. They don't impact a large area of course, but running someone through is a sure way to kill them. They are linear in their attacks and circular when defending, sweeping side to side only to knock enemy attacks away and to confuse the opponent. Ranged weaponry almost always falls into this category but does not deal as much damage as a melee weapon. An arrow or knife must hit the right area on a target, normally having to slip past armor and hit an organ to deal major damage.
Slashing weapons such as swords and claws are swung wide with great force to hack into and cleave the enemy. When they hit they are terribly damaging, but they attack in a circular fashion which is slower than outright stabbing and poking at the enemy. They combine both defense and attack with their sweeping movement and are generally larger weapons, requiring more energy on the part of the wielder to use
Bashing weapons such as clubs as staffs are often overlooked. They vary in weight which usually defines their potential for damage as well. For example, a staff does not inflict a great deal of damage unless it hits key areas. It is very swift though, defends easily and has great range. A mace on the other hand, is a very simple weapon, but is designed to crush both armor and bone with dramatic effect. No other weapon ignores heavy armor like a large crushing weapon, turning the opponent into a can of tuna, waiting to be crushed. Bashing weapons are also circular, requiring strength on the part of the user to deal damage.
Melee weapon types.
There is an awful lot of variety when it comes to melee weapons, because they all do the same thing in different ways. They let you hurt someone and really, all that requires is hitting therm with something both hard and fast. But what does what and how? Why would someone use a small weapon versus a large one?
Generally speaking, smaller weapons are faster than slashing weapons and depending on their utilization, stabbing weapons are quicker than slashing ones. The fastest way between two points is in a straight line, so you can see why stabbing with a dagger is quicker than trying to slash it across someone's body. Never mind that it will do more damage that way. Of course, stabbing may not be an option and repeatedly doing one thing with your weapon won't keep you alive.
Also, the weight of the weapon will slow it down. A long sword is quicker than a claymore because it requires less muscle to move it about. Once that claymore is swung, you don't want to be in the way and it will slice through the air as quick as a blur, but there will be more time between attacks. It is simpler harder to bring to bear and it will tire the user out faster.
Other factors to consider are leverage and momentum. An axe is a very heavy head on a simple shaft and whether it is a hatchet or a great axe, that head lends it power when it is swung. In fact, it's hard to slow down once swung and the longer any weapon is, the tougher it can be to change or alter your attack. Some weapons like flails, or nunchaku have a chain, or joint or some other form of very fluid leverage and these weapons are miserable to stop in swing. They deliver tremendous power but really make it tough on the user to control.
The length of your weapon can also be a good and bad thing. Having more reach on your weapon may seem ideal, but it means that any enemy stepping inside your optimal range is going to have you at a disadvantage. A spear is largely useless if someone slips by the head and get up close. Now both your hands are occupied and you likely won't have time to react.
There is too much variety in melee weapons to consider them all, but these common aspects of all weaponry should apply to your own particular preference and help you imagine how it might play out.
Ranged weapon types.
This, I might know a bit about! If you look in the FAQ, you will find a nifty post that explains the order of ranged weapons and their speed vs their power. You can read it here.
Things you want to consider with ranged weapons is not just the damage they deal, but how quickly you can shoot or throw them, how far they travel and just how much damage they can do. None is superior to the other as they all have strengths and weaknesses, so I will touch on them here.
Shuriken; These deal the least damage. They don't travel terribly far because they don't weigh a great deal, but there is no ranged weapon faster than these. They are easy to throw in a hurry. It is hard to kill someone with shuriken as they don't sink far, but they are enough to mess someone up if used correctly. Magical shuriken are certainly a fix for their lack of damage, look for some that really deliver a punch.
Throwing Knives: These are commonly heavier than shuriken. The trade off is that they aren't so quick to throw and are a bit tougher to be accurate with. Still, an expert can be dead on and a big enough throwing knife can certainly kill someone if hitting them in the right area. They still don't travel very far.
Wristbows: Wristbows are nifty because they leave your hand open to carry something. You do need two hands to operate on though. They are pretty quick and rely on simply mechanics, but the don't have the tension of a proper bow. The projectiles are small and inflict piercing damage, so they don't deal as much damage as a throwing knife might. They are pretty accurate too, but their range is limited and the low weight of their projectile really limits their accuracy at range. Still, they can be ideal for someone not wanting to close an immediate gap as you can quickly shoot them instead.
Bows: Bows have been around a long time and in the hands of a master are deadly. But there are a lot of misconceptions about bows. They are slow to shoot. Developing a faster style means your accuracy suffers. They are not truly designed for open warfare but are a hunting weapon and are ideal for ambushing your prey. This is why they were utilized in large numbers and archers were considered highly expendable. Because we are set in fantasy, we could consider you drawing a bow of more than 120 pounds, which is unheard of these days but was common with the old English Longbow. Being accurate takes time and precision, unless your draw fast and shoot on instinct. You have to reach for and nock another arrow though.
Crossbows: Crossbows hit harder than normal bows and can be very accurate, because they are a steadier platform to aim from. They aim much like a gun and the user can pull the crossbow into their shoulder to steady their aim. There is no strain on the body once the bolt is ready and the user can take his time aiming, unlike a bow which gets very tiring. Bolt are commonly made of both wood and metal and are hit very hard. They can be very accurate as well, but as the bolts are heavier and shorter than conventional arrows, they may not fly as far. Loading a crossbow is very time consuming though, whether you have to rely on your strength or mechanical means, making it a perfect sniper weapon but not something to count on more than once in open combat.
Glaives: If glaives ever existed, they had to be a truly scary thing. I don't think they did, but they work like this. They are massively heavy, doubled ended and often double edged weapons that take both ranged talents and brawn to use. They throw like a massive throwing knife and hit harder than anything. They are quite capable of killing a large target, such as a cow. However, once thrown, you have to get it back. There is no infinite ammo supply. They make a great deal of noise and can be seen coming. Still, they move fast and aren't as easy to dodge; given their size. Their range is questionable, if only because the effectiveness of such a huge missile against someone who may see it coming is highly variable.
You are the weapon.
So, what else can you do to improve your combat posts? Consider the following things that are often neglected and can make your post more interesting:
Footwork - Nobody fights standing still. Well, there is sanchin-dachi, but I'm not sure anyone is crazy enough to try that. Your character should be moving, in their own particular style; and even ranged characters should be swift on their feet to both avoid incoming attacks and to better get off that perfect shot.
Personality - No one fights without shouting, yelling, grunting or having some kind of reaction A totally quiet fighter is an assassin in all honesty and well, assassins can be pretty boring at times. We should know what you're thinking and how you feel about your situation.
Trial and error - People miss. They don't hit, they stumble, they fall, they curse and swear and swing wildly. Unless your opponent is simply not a match for you, battle should be a give and take and it's rare someone is good enough to perform flawlessly. Even archer's with level 5 dual handed ranged talent should be spending arrows to make their mark and even then, chances of taking their target down. In melee, even the most seasoned fighters should see some stalemate with other, experienced adversaries. You're also human, or something like it; and you will exert yourself and even get tired - or injured!
Your gear - People often neglect their gear. Is it any good? Is it epic? Really, it does make a difference and you should think about the gear you have on hand when fighting. Are you even wearing suitable armor? Many people forget that armor is for more than fashion, or whatever fancy magic effects is upon it. Here's a simple idea too - have gear to start with! Don't save up for some priceless treasure instead of upgrading from your starter gear
Teamwork - Make yourself a better player by setting the enemy up for your teammates, or reacting to them doing as much. A team is far more successful than a group of individuals working alone and it makes combat far less chaotic - it also nets you more recognition from your GM as well.
Fight smart - Or at least in character. Use your environment. Fight from the high ground, kick that bucket at the enemy, duck behind cover. GMs will give you information about your surroundings and if not, ask them for it. You can always bug them with a PM so as to not ruin the flow of your thread if you like. Again, this will get you more recognition. Now, if your character is a battle mad berserker, well go nuts ya big lug.
Utilize applicable skills - Ok, so reading off some ancient story with your Lore talent may into save you in combat, but many skills can still be useful even in the heat of battle. Rewards await for the person clever enough to figure it out.
Be creative - Our system prides itself on allowing freedom for players. Whilst we ask that you keep modesty in mind, people can get tired of reading the same old 'I draw my sword and attack like this'. You should mix it up, try something new and whilst it might push the boundaries of being confusing, it can end up being one of those great moments that everyone remembers.
Get hurt - That's right! The best fight scenes in Hollywood have the hero getting hurt during the fight, it adds to the challenge and makes things far more realistic. You aren't super human and you sure as heck aren't immune to damage, so get beat up now and again. It could just be a scratch, or a bruise, or you could go all out and need serious medical attention. But show us you're not overpowered and you will garner far more respect.
Violence - Combat leads to people getting badly hurt and more than likely, killed. It's simply the grim reality of being an adventurer. We don't need violence for violence sake, but we do expect you to not pretty it up and make it just plain silly. Remember, you're taking someone, or something's life.
Things that might seem strange...
The big showdown - You will notice some veteran characters doing this from time to time, playing out some grand, John Woo styled showdown; but each and every time they do that at their own peril. The character's ability and talents should be more than adequate to justify such a scenario, as should their gear and just how seasoned they are. It's been my experience that the more senior players who do this also have a knack for getting themselves beat up in glorious fashion, something others may not address very often.
Partners in crime - Yet another thing to consider is whom you are writing with. It's very common that players will have 'partners' when they write and if you read a thread from an outside perspective, sometimes it can be a little confusing. People get used to the expectations and habits of their writing partners and at times will take certain 'liberties' with one another that may seem a little more than you might expect in the course of normal play. This isn't an issue, so long as it does not interfere with other participants in that thread and all due consideration is given.
Just plain lucky - At other times, you may notice some players who really seem to be pushing their luck. This can be an oversight on the part of the player, or their perception of the situation and their potential may differ from the GM may differ, or they may simply be testing the waters and are fully prepared to have the GM tell them when they are hurt or something terribly happens as a consequence. This is all very normal and is in fact inevitable in our game, but so long as the intention of the player is not to god mode or grand stand repeatedly, than it's an acceptable issue that doesn't lead to any complications.
Magic is not covered in this guide - That's because Magic has a guide all of it's own and if you're a magic user, you owe it to yourself to read it!
Remember, combat should be fun, violent, explosive and exciting. It should have more ramifications than just beating up the boss to steal his treasure. As it's often the climax of any thread, make sure you give it your all and don't forget to enjoy yourself!