So I have been a 4e convert from 3.5 edition now for approximately 6 months. I play a bi-weekly game with three of my co-workers, one of the guys’ wife, and a couple personal friends. One of the things I really enjoy in 4e are the powers that each class has. A fighter doesn’t just have, “I hit the beholder with my broadsword,” and then just rolls some dice. A fighter now has abilities like Crushing Surge which is described in the provided flavor-text as:
The feel of your weapon crunching against the enemy puts your heart back in the fight.
Now THAT is what I call fun! Here’s the problem, though. Party enters a battle. Herod the fighter, what do you do? “I step forward up next to the goblin and use ‘Crushing Strike’ on him.” Not bad, but a little mundane and mechanical sounding. So a couple rounds later, Herod the fighter “uses Crushing Strike on the Ork.” Next round: “I use Crushing Strike again.”
No, it’s not a good idea to just use the same power over and over–you want to shake it up and use what is tactically the best in the given scenario. But if you are using this verbal method to describe what you do, how boring and mechanical does that feel over time? Takes the imaginative connection away between player and character. Yeah, I may be dealing out a lot of damage with the powers but it just isn’t FUN.
Power Descriptions – Making Them Interesting
So, you’ve got these cool powers and abilities. Why waste them by just announcing the name of the power and throwing a d20? To do so not only wastes the spirit of the power itself, but the overall spirit of the game being played. Very quickly people’s minds turn from the amazing fantasy spectacle in their minds to a turn-based set of rule mechanics for virtual battles. A game is a game but the mindset is a very important difference here. Half, if not more, of the fun in D&D is the imagery that the DM and other players paint in your mind about what is going on during the game.
Why not work to make them more interesting? Here’s an example:
Infernal Wrath – Tiefling Racial Power
This power causes damage to an enemy who hits you in combat. The flavor text reads as follows:
You call upon the hellfire burning in your soul to punish your enemy
Already sounds good but what most people end up saying in-game is:
“Oh, he hit me. I use Infernal Wrath and inflict… *rolls d6, adds modifiers*… 9 damage.”
Alternately, the player can say:
“Upon being struck, hellish rage boils up from within me, tapping into the roots of my dark heritage and I unleash burning flames on the Kobold, letting it feel the wrath of my retribution.”
Now, which one is more interesting? Which one conjures up a more clear image of the character, the feelings he is experiencing, and the resulting attack that is unleashed. Which one makes the game more fun?
Finding Inspiration
So how do you come up with these descriptions? Start with the flavor text of the power for inspiration. Look over what the power actually does, what it is called, etc. Then try to envision, in your mind, what it would look like to use such a power in a real-world battle. Be creative, inject some of your character’s personality into it, inject dialogue if need be. Whatever you can think of to make playing that power more fun and vivid, use it. If you are still figuring out your character’s personality, this could be an opportunity to flesh that out.
Watch movies, read comic books or novels for inspiration. Every movie/book hero has a demeanor… the badass who keeps it cool under pressure, the arrogant bastard who KNOWS he’s better than his enemies, the clown who cracks jokes even when he’s taking a beating. How would YOUR character use his powers–take that, and run with it.
Final Suggestions
Now, this level of gaming is not for everyone. No matter what, there will be players who are just to shy/self-conscious/whatever to use such descriptions. That’s okay. Don’t pressure them, just focus on your own character. If you are that player, think about it, watch others in the group who may be doing it. Eventually, though not always, most players will start joining in, to some degree or another. One player fully immersing themselves in the game can bring the entire group deeper into the game.
What about you? Share examples of how you have described your powers in the comments section below and thanks for reading my blog!
My rogue uses Sand in the Eyes in nearly every fight. Only once has he used actual sand.
pdunwin,
Hah, I play a rogue and use Sand in the Eyes almost every encounter (although I’m thinking about retraining). The DM called me out once because there wasn’t any sand around. So I’ve used “dirt,” “pebbles,” and other sorts of available debris. My favorite so far when there was nothing around, “I take out some salt from a small pouch and throw it in their eyes.”
They got a kick out of that.
One player in the game I DM has a list of flavor text for each power. It’s fun, although the other party members have not followed his lead.