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View Full Version : [3.x] advice needed: good ideas for non-combat sessions



sokbeest
2010-11-06, 02:05 PM
My gaming group only has time to meet for a few hours most weeks. We generally only have only enough time to handle one encounter per session.

Thing is, we seem to be drifting toward what could be described as "monster of the week." The focus of almost every session is a combat. Combat is ok, but I have the sense that the players would really enjoy some non-tactical sessions... but I'm stumped for ideas.

The party is only level 3, but they have decent skills and magic to handle different situations. The campaign is pretty Greyhawkian, with moderate magic access and wilderness, urban, and subterranean settings nearby.

I'd really appreciate any advice from other DMs on how to provide stories that don't climax in fights. I'd also love to hear from players about non-tactical game experiences that you've enjoyed.

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A Ladder
2010-11-06, 02:32 PM
you could try an India Jones type dungeon delve. One full of traps, pits, and spikey death. Maybe focus on them getting a piece of treasure out and/or helpless princess/key plotline figure. But once they grab it all sorts of poo hits the fan (water rising throughout the dungeon, poison gass leaking into thier rooms, doors closing from the way they come so they have to find alternative routes, or if you want super cheesey rip-off = have a big ol' boulder chase them).

In a one-off I ran the party liked the idea that they had to be constantly on the move and couldnt take the time to slowly figure stuff out and had to rush through things. (they were being chased by much higher level knights). The feel of time slipping away really adds some (good) stress to an encounter. ( I really like water rising slowly, makes 'em freak).

Galsiah
2010-11-06, 03:58 PM
Politics. If you want non combat adventures, have the PC's get caught up in the local politics. Let them go to a town and be approached by recruiters for various guilds and causes. Once the PC's are in one, let the fun begin. Have certain factions hate each other, have some be trading partners, etc. Any kind of social interaction can be thrown into a political adventure.

Another option is to have a combat happen, but have it be one the PC's can in no way beat. You could make it so they get their rears handed to them then have whatever they just fought give them a quest to get an item or bring a particular person to them, etc. Alternatively, you could have it be a powerful demon that they can't beat, and let them get away and try and bring a powerful wizard to banish it, maybe setting them up for an apprenticeship with the wizard. You could even have them go through a stealth session, maybe let them break some important NPC out of prison or something?

nedz
2010-11-06, 04:09 PM
There are lots of options:

Crime:

Murder Mystery - if thats your thing.

A Heist, either:
The PCs have to do some break'n and enter'n
The PCs have to catch/stop another heist

Prison Break: similar to Heist

etc.

Religeon:
Lots of options here, but these really depend upon your PCs or the setting.
Convert some barbarians
Expose some cult (will probably lead to combat at some point in the future)

Exploration:
Travelling to another town.
Mountaineering
Messing about with boats
Catch a ledgendary horse

Trade:
Some business opportunity to exploit.

...