Discussion Takes and Advice on Writing Fight Scenes & Combat

[OTHERMOTH]

I've been on the site for about 5 months. I'm still figuring out the reigns on writing fight scenes. I've been also reading threads of fights and all, sometimes its a little daunting to me reading how people write their characters in combat. To me I'm like: woaw, these chars are so powerful and cool, my chars would def get their ass kicked in 2 seconds flat if they ever fought them. I haven't actually written many combat scenes on site.

Honestly, it might stem with me tending to write things more little realistically, and that is probably not the best for writing fight scenes in this world. I know it makes sense players like powerful characters, however, I have a habit of downplaying my characters and probably shouldn't because that is no fun.

So I'm throwing a discussion. Just a few prompts. How do you write your characters in combat? What are your advice on 'downplaying' or 'overpowering' characters? What do you think is a good etiquette for writing fight scenes so that its enjoyable for both parties? When do you decide which side loses eventually if both are significantly evenly matched? D20s, yes or no?

 

[Chi Chuchi]

For me it greatly depends on which character is doing the fighting, most of my current roster are pretty bad or just ok at it. From there I gauge my opponent, I could bring super heavy impenetrable armor and beskar cutting lightsabers, but it'd get boring as heck and the other writer likely wouldn't have fun either. So I may tailor my loadout to them if I know who I'm fighting and from there its give and take. See what they're doing, try to counter or accept it as a person in the situation would with the tools and experience they have. If you can communicate ooc with them and ask what they're hoping for.

The few times I ever really went all-out was in a match with an equal character who's writer I was talking to over discord and we both decided to just have fun with it and go crazy, and an exhibition match with a space dragon that was more for show and fun than serious.

Otherwise its give and take in a fight, people like it when you acknowledge their actions, or what they've set for the scenery/tone. If I'm thinking stuff is bad ooc, sometimes my character's thoughts and actions reflect that. Even just running away. If I'm happy ooc, my character may grow bolder or more confident. Generally I want my opponent to work for a victory though, I don't reward lazy writing or just doing the same stuff over and over. Other times I also want to drag it out a bit and give each writer a cool moment or two, either a moment of glory or realization and growth. Recently I had a great fight with Kebii'kara and lost, but I loved every moment of it.

Also try not to call hits on other people, at least any that do anything. At the same time let people hit you occasionally, most people have armor, we can use it.

 

[Jasper Kai'el]

I never like downplaying characters when I go into a fight. I find that the best way to go into a conflict is to assume that you both are on equal footing, a give and take between parties as you both see fit. Typically, if my character is the one who has more experience, its a determination of my partner recognizing that I am most likely in a higher skill level then them. And the same goes for myself when I feel that another character may be stronger than my own. It's always okay to recognize that you aren't as strong as your opponent and run with the story. Ultimately nobody on the site can call shots, so what damage you and your opponent take is up to personal choice, so always be open to communicating and working through the story in what feels the most satisfying for the narrative. That, I feel, is a lot more fun then being stronger than another person in a pvp. Sometimes it's just rewarding to wing it and come to an agreement in the moment with your writing partner. Just don't overthink and focus on having fun and making the experience enjoyable for both writers. From there you sorta figure everything else out.

 

[Valery Noble]

This is a good discussion idea, and I'd love to offer my thoughts! First of all, while people do write powerful characters, I see plenty that aren't as well. Among the Jedi, Padawan characters are still by far the most popular, as an example. But I don't feel people generally writing to just overpower others or to downplay them.

If someone does write like that, the fight won't be fun and they lost a potential writing partner. So if you encounter it, just stop posting to the thread if they aren't willing to cooperate. It's not worth your time and effort to write with someone who makes you feel bad about your character.

But again, I don't see it happen that much. Folks are generally chill and willing to discuss things.

As for tips!

Communication.
Easy one but it can help a lot, especially if you write with someone you haven't yet written with. You don't have to discuss the entire outcome or progression of the story, but maybe work on a story angle together. PvP scenarios can be a lot more than just fighting - give characters an actual objective to complete. So even if someone might lose a fight, maybe they do (partially) complete their task and it still feels satisfying.

Positivity
Keep the demeaning stuff to IC dialogue and the actual IC rivalry. Don't powergame and don't write entire paragraphs about why the other character sucks or is worse, weaker or whatever than yours. If you collaborate and write something fun together, the other writer is more likely to want to write with you again and respect you and your character.

Take hits
Simple as that, take hits and build up tension with another writer.

No unbeatable attacks.
What I mean here is, don't write attacks that can only have one or two outcomes. If you throw a nuke at someone, it will never hit unless they want their character to die, and that is highly unlikely.

For Force Users, my advice is to avoid Force attacks that can't easily be blocked or can only either kill or be negated entirely. An example is writing that you try to Force Crush someone's heart. It will never work and is not fun for someone to try and defend against.

For NFU's, avoid weapons that do that as well. I sometimes see disruptors, and certain types of those incinerate a target at atomic level. Doesn't work in PvP writing because you either die or avoid the hit.

In general, attacks that can have various degrees of injuries are the best, so your opponent can actually take hits that don't kill immediately.

Outcome
The outcome of a duel can be discussed OOC or you can just go with the flow. Characters rarely die, so I always suggest thinking about ways for a fight to end. This doesn't have to be with a character losing a duel. Something/someone else can get inbetween or use what I mentioned earlier about setting objectives to help end a story once a certain task is completed.


There is a lot more advice I could give if desired, but this is a good start.

 

[OTHERMOTH]

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?

 

[Lavria Xedrim]

Best advice I can give is this:

No matter what character you have - they can be completely crappy at fighting or they can be a battlemaster - but the thing that works best is to write your combat like it's happening in a movie. Let your actions flow. If your opponent throws a Force Push at you for instance, in a movie you won't stand and look at them raising their hand like a salt pillar. You're gonna move and do something to interrupt it. Or someone throwing a grenade - have it look epic like an action scene of you diving to get out of the blast radius. Or take that damage. Either way, let your actions flow. Don't write it like it's Stop Motion. And through it all, OOC communication with the writer of your opponent. I always remember the 3 tenants of PVP: Communication, Collaboration and don't be a c***. Stick to those while writing your fight like it's taking place in a movie and you're gucci.

PS: Even when writing it like a movie, do remember to leave your attacks relatively open-ended like "He fired a particle bolt in the Sith's direction" - the Sith still has an opportunity to do something about that action. No one likes a hit-caller - it's always your opponent's or your choice if they're/you're going to take that damage or not.

PPS:

how do you decide which hit to take and not?

That is entirely up to you - do you want your character with battlescars? Do you want your character to lose an arm or leg and get cybernetics? Do you want your character to die? No one can decide that for you but you.
One thing I can say is that it's always fun to write the underdog - at least for me. You don't have to downplay your character - you can still have a strong fighter, but your opponent could be just that little bit stronger. To write that struggle to stay alive and to try and subdue your opponent is quite fun. Or write that you're evenly matched skill-wise - that impasse and trying to get the upperhand has it's own allure sometimes. But the ultimate choice for damage is yours and yours alone. How much do you want to screw up your character is the question.

 

[Valery Noble]

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?

I usually do progressive injuries. You usually don't want to take a huge hit at the very start and have your story be over within 2 posts. So I'd start with grazing strikes, bruises, smaller cuts, etc

Then as the fight continues, characters might get tired and take bigger hits. The defender (person taking the hit) has all the control here. You can turn an attempt to get your head chopped off into a cut somewhere else along the body, so play around with it and add tension with the injuries you take.

It does all depend on the fight though. You could also take a big hit at the start and explore a fight where you defend yourself with a broken arm. Or sometimes I see Padawan/Apprentice level characters deliberately going for a story against a Master/Sith Lord where the more experienced fighter doesn't take many hits, but the story is about survival for the young.

 

[Valery Noble]

Another small thing I'd like to add is that if you ever worry about taking hits, the outcome or something related to your fight, remember that other writers are probably a lot like you in that regard. This discussion isn't new, and your writing partner might feel the same way. Or they're experienced and have gone through these doubts in the past themselves.

So as myself and others pointed out, talk to your writing partner throughout the story and work on it together

 

[OTHERMOTH]

I often like hurting my characters yes, as portrayed in behind the enemy lines, while other younger padawans were beating up a sith lord, she was dying across the map. Although that is probably not very fun if someone is looking for a good fight - definitely agree that communication is key as advised in this thread.

 

[Sinestra]

Like a friend says — 90% is OOC communication, 10% is RP; thats probably the general rule for roleplaying as a whole. It’s a group experience after all, not a one person’s novel.

Beyond that, my own take which also kind of expands beyond just combat — immersion. If I’m writing a padawan/acolyte and I’m dueling a Master/Lord, I expect to get cooked more or less and vice versa.

 

[Darth Vinaze]

Outcome
The outcome of a duel can be discussed OOC or you can just go with the flow. Characters rarely die, so I always suggest thinking about ways for a fight to end. This doesn't have to be with a character losing a duel. Something/someone else can get inbetween or use what I mentioned earlier about setting objectives to help end a story once a certain task is completed.

This all the way. Like it's been said communication is king, and having a baseline understanding of what both writers want to see happen in the fight is so important.

To me, outcome is not just who wins and who losses, but it's also about understanding how the fight can/will impact the characters going forward. I always like to ask dueling partners what they would like to see in the fight, and sometimes that manifests as a set of boundaries within which the writers can still bring some spontaneity to their attacks and its anyones game, and sometimes it manifests as thoroughly choreographed joint-written posts where we know who's going to win from the start.

Both of these styles of fights have been fun for me in the past. I'm also a big fan of writing character deaths when it fits the theme or the stakes, and I can definitely say those cannot be done without good communication with other writers.

 

[Kyric]

Lose every fight your writing partner does not say they want to lose.

Winning is irrelevant on this board. It really is. That isn't because of the board or the writers, but the story itself. Everyone is here to tell a different story. No one person takes precedence. So, write your story with the intention to grow and improve your character. Every defeat is another chance for them to learn something new. To become a stronger, more fearsome foe.

Your enemies will return from the dead. They will reveal they are liches. You will question whether you're on a Star Wars board or on a Super Smash Bros Brawl board. Just write the stuff you find fun.



Star Wars is a universe with powers that let you heal or bypass injuries. If you want eat damage? Go for it. Heal, Drain, and Body are answers to getting stabbed. Very cool.

OTHERMOTH lets write a duel right now. We can work together over DMs or Discord to get you comfortable. Lets get you in some of these skirmishes or invasions.

 

[OTHERMOTH]

Kyric would love to

 

[Kahlil Noble]

Lots of good stuff covered, I'll offer my own.

Less is more.

When you start rambling on about your character and go into line after line to chain attacks or set up a scene for your character to be great, it leaves little room for others to respond. The most awkward feeling for me as a writer is when there's something done in someone elses post that my own character would normally react to, but rather than giving the chance there's another four or five paragraphs on what the other writer has their character doing. Do I brush it off? Do I cut off their post and drastically change it by responding in a way that would cancel everything else they wrote?

I tend to go with the second, to keep true to my own character, and I believe it's important to be clear about that OOC with those you write with. But also yea less is more don't try and do everything you can think of in one post. Let it breath, and remember this is RP, you want interaction. It's a lot of fun (for me) when things don't go as intended and things have to change. Give it that chance.

 

[Jacen Nimdok]

How do you write your characters in combat?

It depends on the character. Some people will write a PC who has a lot of abilities and skills. I usually have them specialize in a particular area like telekinesis or telepathy, then give them weaknesses or gaps in their knowledge of other abilities. So, someone who is a telepath specialist may not be good at lightsaber combat; they compensate for this by distracting their opponent with illusions. This can come across as a bit more like a comic book superhero than a Jedi or Sith, but it's easier for me to keep things balanced and I overall find it more fun.

You can also take inspiration from video games. If you've ever played an SW game where you play as a Jedi, Sith, etc, you can copy their style of combat. This can be tricky, however, and requires a good grasp of the differences between video games and RP. A video game is often a power fantasy for the player, but with RP you have to be cooperative and fair to the other players.

What is your advice on 'downplaying' or 'overpowering' characters?

I touched on this a little bit in my previous answer, but it is worth noting that your observation about most characters on the site being ridiculously powerful is correct. Some people respond to this by making their characters just as insanely powerful. I don't like that approach, I find it boring and phony. I prefer to get creative and give people things they don't expect - and I've found that a lot of people enjoy being surprised in combat. It certainly keeps things interesting.

You do have to be careful, though. Whipping out an obscure Force power that only a handful of characters in canon have ever used is a bit goofy. But bringing a gun to a lightsaber fight or writing a character who knows only one Force ability and can find ways to use it creatively can be a lot of fun, IMO.

What do you think is a good etiquette for writing fight scenes so that its enjoyable for both parties?

I wrote a post about this a while back, if you're interested. Basically, you should strive for clarity and simplicity. Avoid technical language, don't have your character do more than 2 significant actions per post, keep your posts fairly short and to the point, etc. Take hits, do more with less, and don't obsess over stats. Oh, and make sure your fight has a purpose and your character is motivated to be there.

When do you decide which side loses eventually if both are significantly evenly matched?

Unless you both agree OOC on the outcome, you basically keep posting until one or the other decides to lose. Most people won't drag out a fight; invasions and other public threads have a time limit of a couple weeks, and even if you're in a private duel I think the average writer has a good grasp on when the drama has reached its peak. I consider a willingness to lose to be the mark of a good writer. I've been in duels where I had my character lose or even die. Weirdly, I've never killed off someone else's character, but I have defeated a few opponents.

I've also had experiences where it was clear the other writer was not going to even consider losing. These fights usually suck from the very start. They'll write their character never taking hits, describe your character's actions in a demeaning way to make you look weak or incompetent, etc. In those cases I usually just end the fight early by retreating. This gives them the power fantasy they want - and it allows me to never write with them again, lol.

D20s, yes or no?

Sometimes, lol. I'm not at all consistent with my use of dice rolls on the site, but when I do roll it's usually because I'm in the mood for a little chaos. I used to be a lot more controlling when it came to my characters' narratives and where they would go. Nowadays I'm more likely to just go with the flow, and that includes introducing the D20 as a randomizer.

 

[Grrwunhoooll Agaburry]

Im not going to say what everyone/anyone should do for PVP, but I will say what I do.

1. Send a DM via chaos or Discord if it is some I know or dont know( especially if I dont know them)
2. Discuss any potential story arcs or goals the Writer may want to explore while dueling.
3. Collaborate and take the duel away from the direction of winning and losing and more into story building and character progression
4. Get cooking
5. Throughout the duel, I check in with the other writer and ask their opinion about the duel or tell them things I like about how they portray their character in writing and combat.
6. Enjoy reading a epic duel when its all done.
7. The end.

Any and all other details I discuss with my writing partner as "Story plots" This includes taking hits, injury, escapes, and all that stuff.

 

[Kyric]

Im not going to say what everyone/anyone should do for PVP, but I will say what I do.

1. Send a DM via chaos or Discord if it is some I know or dont know( especially if I dont know them)
2. Discuss any potential story arcs or goals the Writer may want to explore while dueling.
3. Collaborate and take the duel away from the direction of winning and losing and more into story building and character progression
4. Get cooking
5. Throughout the duel, I check in with the other writer and ask their opinion about the duel or tell them things I like about how they portray their character in writing and combat.
6. Enjoy reading a epic duel when its all done.
7. The end.

Any and all other details I discuss with my writing partner as "Story plots" This includes taking hits, injury, escapes, and all that stuff.

This is really the best advice you'll find.

Follow this every time, you will profit. If your writing partner cannot, drop the thread.

 

[Mellifluous Magenta]

I often like hurting my characters yes, as portrayed in behind the enemy lines, while other younger padawans were beating up a sith lord, she was dying across the map. Although that is probably not very fun if someone is looking for a good fight - definitely agree that communication is key as advised in this thread.

I admit when I came into that thread I was more looking for a more proper fight rather than one-sided beat-up. That said, I decided to roll with the story idea you had and it ended up being a lot of fun. It’s always cool to be able to help someone write a “formative experience” that influences their character’s future in a significant way.

 

[Ko Vuto]

Personally I've never been a very competitive, especially when it comes to PvP in chaos. I generally have my character take a lot of damage in my threads. For me what I like to strive for is nice narrative flow. A push and pull between the fighters.

How I like to write my characters in combat kinda depends on the character in question that I'm writing. For Ko who has began to favors Ataru and is a Kel Dor I like for him to be deceive and quick. I'm not super big on long drawn out fights since, 1. it doesn't make that much sense for Ko as a character and 2. I think it can create a snow ball effect in the combat where things can get a little out of control.

Another thing when it comes to overpowering or underpowering a character for the fight that I like to value situational context for the fighting. Which can kinda fly in the face of conventional power scaling. I think factors such as a character's mental/emotional state can be a big deal (especially if they're a FU) as well as environmental factors. I believe a good example of this in Lore is the fight between Anakin and Obi-Wan. Since from a power scaling perspective Anakin should've won on paper. He had way more raw power and wasn't as doubtful about what he was doing. But because of Obi-Wan's fighting style and experience he was able to hold his own and get the W.

Also for me, I often try to empathize with my character while in combat, and putting some more emphasis on believability over realism. It's easy for me as a writer to conjure up some 2,000 IQ play in a fight for my character to hard counter everything my opponent is doing, especially since you can't call shots in PvP here. But I often need to remind myself that while I may have hours and days to think up the perfect response to fight and defeat an opposing character, my PC might just have a second or less to react. So it's kinda hard to image that they could pull of some complex 4D chess move mid-fight. Even if they are an FU. Which I think can help me feel more grounded in my PvP.

I don't really know if any of this is actually good feedback, I'm just kinda wanting to express my own opinions when it comes to PvP on the site and how I like to view and approach things.

But one last thing that can be a big help is to understand who your writing partner is. For example in one thread currently going on, Ko is facing off against Domina Prime in a rematch. As writers we're both anime-junkies and just wanna indulge in that power fantasy for our fight. So we kinda have an unspoken agreement to just go balls to the walls with our fight since we're both looking for some bombastic action. So I wouldn't discount sort of managing and changing your expectations between writers and threads either if everyone is having fun. It can make the 'powerscaling' of your characters a little unreliable. But I don't really think that's much of an issue.

 

[Kaleleon]

At first I thought this was about how to write actual combat, and not just how to interact and have communication in a combat thread. Either way, good discussion topic.

As for answering.

Most have already answered this thread with many of my own thoughts. Specifically Grrwunhoooll Agaburry as that is pretty much the exact same route I take when doing combat threads. The difference about that is sometimes, a combat thread calls for something like that. Invasions, Skirmishes, etc. Other times, I have not contacted individuals about combat for other reasons. Either I know the person well enough and we are just having some fun fighting RP, the other writer is someone who I may or may not want to interact with. It depends upon your digression how you do, or don't use the words stated above by so many other people.