PhoenixPhyre
2018-01-04, 07:38 PM
Note: the following is intended in a mostly-humorous vein, although a semi-serious point hides within.
I like cooking. And I like RPG theory. Now--my attempt to unify the two!
I present the culinary theory of encounter design!
In short, a good encounter is like a good dish. All the parts--the monster selection, the terrain, the tactics, and the descriptions all work together and become much more than the sum of their parts. In this dish called combat, the foes provide the main ingredients, while the terrain and tactics form the spices and sauces, and the descriptions are the plating and presentation. Combinations of encounters form an adventure
In this particular post I want to expand on the enemy part of the analogy. Different types of ingredients can be roughly classified into a few categories; so too can monsters. As I see it, one breakdown of the types of ingredients are as follows.
Starches
These provide the bulk of the dietary energy from a dish. Often bland by themselves, they also serve as a vehicle for other flavors. Examples are potatoes, grains (in the form of bread or pasta or cooked in many other ways), root vegetables.
By analogy, "starchy" monsters are those that while not complex, allow the rest of the encounter to work well and deliver its proper punch. I see things like the basic undead, basic humanoid or beast NPCs, etc as fitting this group. Alone, they're not much of a fun fight except in huge numbers. Supporting another, more complex monster they can give the "boss" breathing room to pull his fun toys out.
Proteins and fats
The proteins and fats give the solidity to the dish. Whether supplied by mushrooms, meat, fish, dairy, etc, they provide lasting flavors and richness. Not usually complex in and of themselves, they enhance and support the rest of the flavors.
By analogy, these are your basic brutes. Long lasting walls of meat that back up the simpler "starchy" monsters and provide backbone. A basic, no-frills encounter can be done with just meat and potatoes--a bunch of goblins backed by an ogre.
Greens
Greens (raw leafy vegetables and other bulky, low-calorie foods) provide bulk. They make the whole meal more filling without making it heavy. Often subtle in flavor and served alone.
These are the easy/medium encounters that are not the focus of the campaign. Usually served alone--things like wandering monsters or creatures that don't really play well with other monsters (either ecologically or in combat terms). Use them as interesting filler encounters. That, or these are the non-combat challenges--the skill checks, the puzzles, traps, etc.
Flavorings
These high-potency ingredients such as peppers (capsicum or piperine-containing), herbs, and other strong-tasting things provide a needed punch of flavor. If too much is used, however, the dish will be one-dimensional and unpleasant. Not all dishes need them, however.
These are the high-complexity monsters that don't do well alone. Mages, Priests, most non-legendary casters. Be careful in their use--too much makes a one-note encounter (or campaign). The right amount, however, can drastically improve an encounter by being the backup that the starches are delivering.
All-in-one
Perfectly ripe fruit. A prime steak, seasoned with nothing but salt. Things like this are a dish by themselves. Only a few things have both the complexity of flavors and the heft to stand alone.
These are your legendary dragons or other solo monsters. A diet of nothing but steak and fruit will bring ruin--so too overusing these heavy-weight monsters can break the rhythm of a campaign.
Are there dishes you're particularly fond of? Share your encounter-building recipes (or propose your own categories).
I like cooking. And I like RPG theory. Now--my attempt to unify the two!
I present the culinary theory of encounter design!
In short, a good encounter is like a good dish. All the parts--the monster selection, the terrain, the tactics, and the descriptions all work together and become much more than the sum of their parts. In this dish called combat, the foes provide the main ingredients, while the terrain and tactics form the spices and sauces, and the descriptions are the plating and presentation. Combinations of encounters form an adventure
In this particular post I want to expand on the enemy part of the analogy. Different types of ingredients can be roughly classified into a few categories; so too can monsters. As I see it, one breakdown of the types of ingredients are as follows.
Starches
These provide the bulk of the dietary energy from a dish. Often bland by themselves, they also serve as a vehicle for other flavors. Examples are potatoes, grains (in the form of bread or pasta or cooked in many other ways), root vegetables.
By analogy, "starchy" monsters are those that while not complex, allow the rest of the encounter to work well and deliver its proper punch. I see things like the basic undead, basic humanoid or beast NPCs, etc as fitting this group. Alone, they're not much of a fun fight except in huge numbers. Supporting another, more complex monster they can give the "boss" breathing room to pull his fun toys out.
Proteins and fats
The proteins and fats give the solidity to the dish. Whether supplied by mushrooms, meat, fish, dairy, etc, they provide lasting flavors and richness. Not usually complex in and of themselves, they enhance and support the rest of the flavors.
By analogy, these are your basic brutes. Long lasting walls of meat that back up the simpler "starchy" monsters and provide backbone. A basic, no-frills encounter can be done with just meat and potatoes--a bunch of goblins backed by an ogre.
Greens
Greens (raw leafy vegetables and other bulky, low-calorie foods) provide bulk. They make the whole meal more filling without making it heavy. Often subtle in flavor and served alone.
These are the easy/medium encounters that are not the focus of the campaign. Usually served alone--things like wandering monsters or creatures that don't really play well with other monsters (either ecologically or in combat terms). Use them as interesting filler encounters. That, or these are the non-combat challenges--the skill checks, the puzzles, traps, etc.
Flavorings
These high-potency ingredients such as peppers (capsicum or piperine-containing), herbs, and other strong-tasting things provide a needed punch of flavor. If too much is used, however, the dish will be one-dimensional and unpleasant. Not all dishes need them, however.
These are the high-complexity monsters that don't do well alone. Mages, Priests, most non-legendary casters. Be careful in their use--too much makes a one-note encounter (or campaign). The right amount, however, can drastically improve an encounter by being the backup that the starches are delivering.
All-in-one
Perfectly ripe fruit. A prime steak, seasoned with nothing but salt. Things like this are a dish by themselves. Only a few things have both the complexity of flavors and the heft to stand alone.
These are your legendary dragons or other solo monsters. A diet of nothing but steak and fruit will bring ruin--so too overusing these heavy-weight monsters can break the rhythm of a campaign.
Are there dishes you're particularly fond of? Share your encounter-building recipes (or propose your own categories).