Freeform combat makes baby Nald'thal cry.
That said, well! Most important is that everyone post QUICKLY. One-liners if they can, slightly more if they HAVE to react to someone else. Otherwise six guys fighting for three rounds can take two hours. Minimum.
Let's seee...
1. Seems to me whoever initiates hostilities goes first. And should not act again until everyone else has.
2. The larger group will have the advantage. You're outnumbered, sucks to be you!
3. Disparities in strength should be worked out between PCs in a quick (if possible) OOC manner BEFORE the fight, before it turns into drama. If everyone's okay with one guy being equal to any other 2, then it's fine! If not, then assume All PCs Are Created Equal (which I hate and is why I don't freeform combat, but there it is).
4. A neat and clean way IS to pick and choose combat groups. If A and B square off, leaving C and D to fight it out, it means they can work much quicker. If it's a mass melee, it's gonna slow down and everyone needs to go before anyone else does.
5. Friendly fire is an interesting (and sometimes hilarious) quirk in mass combat. I see it coming about as part of someone's creative defensive emote, more than anything.
6. Well, as you know, I heartily approve of dice-based RP combat. It requires more forethought, having sheets and stuff, but if you're going freeform (unless you're working with people you know) there are gonna be stumbling blocks. Perhaps the best way to do things is to take a quick OOC time-out before combat begins and exchange some words with everyone, determining things like general combat aptitude and the seriousness of the fight, and its consequences.
Just my two gil~
That said, well! Most important is that everyone post QUICKLY. One-liners if they can, slightly more if they HAVE to react to someone else. Otherwise six guys fighting for three rounds can take two hours. Minimum.
Let's seee...
1. Seems to me whoever initiates hostilities goes first. And should not act again until everyone else has.
2. The larger group will have the advantage. You're outnumbered, sucks to be you!
3. Disparities in strength should be worked out between PCs in a quick (if possible) OOC manner BEFORE the fight, before it turns into drama. If everyone's okay with one guy being equal to any other 2, then it's fine! If not, then assume All PCs Are Created Equal (which I hate and is why I don't freeform combat, but there it is).
4. A neat and clean way IS to pick and choose combat groups. If A and B square off, leaving C and D to fight it out, it means they can work much quicker. If it's a mass melee, it's gonna slow down and everyone needs to go before anyone else does.
5. Friendly fire is an interesting (and sometimes hilarious) quirk in mass combat. I see it coming about as part of someone's creative defensive emote, more than anything.
6. Well, as you know, I heartily approve of dice-based RP combat. It requires more forethought, having sheets and stuff, but if you're going freeform (unless you're working with people you know) there are gonna be stumbling blocks. Perhaps the best way to do things is to take a quick OOC time-out before combat begins and exchange some words with everyone, determining things like general combat aptitude and the seriousness of the fight, and its consequences.
Just my two gil~
![[Image: MBLxxyE.gif]](http://i.imgur.com/MBLxxyE.gif)
