Discussion Takes and Advice on Writing Fight Scenes & Combat

[Jonyna Si]

Just throwing my two cents in without reading anyone else's post. Couple things I've learned about PvP over the years.

First off, be willing to take hits. However you determine hits, be it of your own valition, behind the scenes dice rolls, whatever, be willing to take that hit.

Secondly, and this is much more Chaos Specific, don't overuse the factory. I say this as a factory judge, but at the end of the day, no matter what cool gear you have, your opponent calls the hits.

THAT SAID!

If you are facing someone with factory stuff, try your best to at least skim over factory items in use when they become relevent. I've found the more you respect someone's gear, the more amicable the other writer can be, especially if they put an emphasis on that. Working factory sub strengths and weaknesses into the story of a combat can really make for good fights.

Don't worry too much about wins and losses. If your writing partner is worth your time, they won't either. There are definitely writers who put a bit too much emphasis on winning fights, and treat it like the only outcome worth pursuing, but at the end of the day, it's all down to the story of your characters clashing.

OOC things out of the way, here's some tips on actually doing good PvP

Figure out your character's preferred fighting style. It helps make a character feel more distinct, and can make for some fun repeat fights where characters can grow accustomed to each other and start getting tricky. I always recommend people treat their characters in PvP as fighting game characters. You have a moveset of sorts, and sticking to that allows for more interesting fights instead of just randomly throwing out stuff at the enemy.

And of course, Be Creative. One thing I recommend to people is, don't get too in depth on your powerset. The Force especially, is meant to be a very soft magic system. If I say I have Pyrokinesis, sure, I could just use it as a flamethrower at people, but Jonyna instead uses it as rocket boots to zip around. Figure out what your character's Gimmick is, and then make that gimmick one that's fun for enemies to interact with. I have another character, Anthony Gray Sun , who's entire gimmick is using water as a surfboard to bob and weave around the battlefield, making him very hard to pin down.

Finally, and I say this, be confident in your characters. Once you find your groove, don't be afraid to push your character in the narrative. The biggest culprit of character loses, at least in my experience, is people who fold at their first setback. Refer back to the last point, but you'll find that there are plenty of ways for your character to 'win'.

On the point of determining an outcome, I prefer a more freeform style myself. I don't go into a fight looking to win, but I do go into a fight trying to win. I find that makes the better story than to just have my character fall over and take the 3 count, as it can make for some really engaging fights where your character fights tooth and nail, only to come out either on top with a hard fought victory, or takes the L, but earns the respect of the other writer/character. That said, you can figure out an outcome before hand. Nothing wrong with it. I'll occasionally do that with fights I want to have a specific story beat in, as it can lead to some really fun moments.

 

[Caltin Vanagor]

As a person whose character is (by my own admission) "overpowered" and is fighting tooth and nail to keep me from full on retiring him. I DO downplay my character and do things to help those I am facing off against. Now, I have yet to read but one or two of these very thoughtful looking replies so if I repeat anything, please accept my apology.

A few things I remember in regards to readers and my opponent:

1. Sometimes less is more: you do not need a novella when a well written, descriptive sentence or two will do. If you are trying to be descriptive in what you are doing, that is great, but sometimes "a duck is just a duck".
2. Talk it out: even if I know the other writer, and what they can do, I DM them ahead of time and try to find out if they want to do anything specific. Then I make it my mission in this thread to help them achieve it, or at least come close. Communicate, it only helps make a better story.
3. "So killy my dude for them?*: no, not necessarily. Keep true to your character, but only you REALLY know what they can do. I follow the "2 out of 3 ain't bad" rule. If someone sets a trap or lunges an attack on my guy, I will work their ideas in for the most part and make them look as good as I can before it's my character's defense to take hold.

A few things for me:

1. Never hurts to ask: a quick dm "Hey, do you mind if I..." Goes a LOOONG way
2. HAVE FUN: it's a game
3. See #2

 

[Elise of House Marr]

I often try to compare my characters to canon/legends ones to determine how they square up. Then can compare feats with opponents. I don't have clear cut stats, especially once one reaches master and extends from there.

But I do roughly judge it by that. It just gives me an idea of what they can and can't do. Then I account secondly for their tactics and gear. For example, my character Shavara is a bastion of force energy, but as a duelist her skill is at best knight level. At best. She relies on a vast amount of power/skills in the force, her equipment, intelligence, and her shapeshifting abilities.

So in a battle where opponents are hurling force attacks at her, I know she can take it and dish it back. In terms of natural power she's meant to be one of the higher ends, she just isn't used to using it combatively. So it can be a bit wild, she could contend with people like Yoda or sidious (at least some versions) if they keep the fight on force terms as a result, because her force power itself is nearly a match and she has a good range of knowledge, but she also has enhanced physical abilities to endure, and her equipment is literally designed to handle force powers. Meaning fights with other force focused opponents come down to who outsmarts who because some of her equipment will make her stronger from direct force attacks. And the less surprised she is, the less panicked she is so she can focus more.

However, if she was attacked up close by someone like sidious or yoda, she'd be in big trouble. So I'd write at a disadvantage, maybe trying not to stumble, maybe rushing through shapeshifted forms, or hurtling objects at her opponents through the force to try and shove them away from her. Her alchemic sword and shield are indeed really helpful even against high tier duelists, but that skill gap against an enemy that can keep up or out-speed her is something I'd treat almost like a timer before I either see a way she can escape reasonably, or see a way to make her lose the fight reasonably. (if I expect to lose or feel like It'd be hard to not win I may message them just to ask about consequences either way. I've done that before on some of mine).

On the lower end, someone like Anen . Same species, so can shapeshift, he's even better at that than she is. BUT, while he can use a saber better than she can her sword, his ability to fight with the force is drastically inferior and so is his equipment for it. So, for example, an opponent who can manage to match his shapeshifted forms in physical attributes and is knight level or higher as a duelist, I would give a few posts of Anen struggling against them and either actively losing, or losing while trying to figure out a weakness. If there's not a good opportunity for him to win via strategy,

In a case where it seems it might be a tie, I think I have legit flipped coins and rolled dice to determine how I want some stuff to go. It's never a hard and fast rule and I just do it on my own if I'm not totally sure of the outcome. That said...there are times were people just ignore attacks I make or try and force an action, often in those cases I'm inclined to treating my character as operating as best as they could in the situation.

 

[Tulan Kor]

If you link a bunch of factory subs with every other word to emphasize that you use the factory and that you have submitted a bunch of obscure stuff that's pretty much just flavor text, I honestly hate that. Link your equipment in the top of your bio. I think the factory should be garnish on a dish, but the main course should not require me to look at a factory sub to determine what you're trying to use on me.

Personally, I just write "knife" or "sword" or something. A blaster is just a blaster to me, and I treat that the same. It's exhausting and it makes me turn off a writer's post if it's just a laundry list of equipment and it sucks to have to do homework on what they're trying to smack me with.

 

[Jacen Nimdok]

Just saw this extra question lol:

so another question for this discussion is how do you decide which hit to take and not? how do you decide on the impact and fast your character recuperates during the fight or if at all?

1. Don't have the character continue fighting after they've lost a limb. Unless you're writing comedy.

2. Have them be wounded in a place that isn't lethal. You can do some medical research if you're not sure what parts of the body are nonlethal to strike. I usually go for the shoulder. Also keep in mind that lightsabers and blasters in canon will automatically cauterize wounds, so the risk of bleeding to death is removed.

3. If both characters are injured they may stop fighting for a time in order to recuperate. Or you could have your character hide from their opponent and get a quick stim injection or stop themselves from bleeding. This can give them a quick extra boost, maybe just enough to keep going. But generally speaking, unless you're playing a species with rapid healing you should not be recovering during the fight itself.

 

[OTHERMOTH]

I'm in awe at how much advice this thread has gotten, barely under 24 hours! There might be more incoming, the more the merrier! Absolutely write in if you haven’t and wish to share your own take. This collective insight will definitely also be a big help for other players in the future who could use a reference.

I'm gradually reading through all of them. It is fascinating to see the variety of takes, especially regarding approach and mindset towards wins and loses.

And yep, it seems like that bonus question had got lost. If anyone wants to put your take on it, it would also be quite helpful:

although what i see an issue about taking hits is that, realistically, wouldn't it hinder your character's ability to fight? and if you take too many of those hits. for example, if your char was shot or is strike at quite severely.

so another question for this discussion is how do you decide which hit to take and not? how do you decide on the impact and fast your character recuperates during the fight or if at all?

 

[Caltin Vanagor]

I'm in awe at how much advice this thread has gotten, barely under 24 hours! There might be more incoming, the more the merrier! Absolutely write in if you haven’t and wish to share your own take. This collective insight will definitely also be a big help for other players in the future who could use a reference.

I'm gradually reading through all of them. It is fascinating to see the variety of takes, especially regarding approach and mindset towards wins and loses.

And yep, it seems like that bonus question had got lost. If anyone wants to put your take on it, it would also be quite helpful:

I (somewhat) answered this.

It's YOUR character.

I will do the "2 out of 3" personal rule to make it easier to make their character look good without fully fully destroying my own. It's finding your character's personality in a fight, not just "he gets up and punches"... But...

"Ow..."

Checking almost instinctively for a disjoint, a break in the jawline and finding some serious pain coming from it, (character) was reminded of the first time he was sucker punched.

He doesn't like being sucker punched.

Climbing to his feet, something happened that surprised even him
(Character) caught his opponent's fist in his grasp. An angry smile forming he simply uttered. "My turn."

You can take it further, to every level you want. It's YOUR character, but you will find that writing in tandem just like every partnership is "give and take". Make your opponent look good and certainly they will do the same. If either of you don't... well... It comes out in the writing. All will see it.