I like fighting. But I don't do it to win or lose, and I don't want to do it with strangers whom want to "win". When I approach combat, the most important thing to me is:

 

"What result is going to be the most entertaining for the majority of players in the long run?"

 

Odds are, it isn't going to be the main villain or their main squeeze, or main hero or their friend casually getting their ass-whipped by a complete stranger they may never see again.

 

 

"Is this person important to other people's stories?"

This does not qualify for always winning; but if you're new to the room and to the people roleplaying in it? The other players may not have any investment in your victory. The victory ends up only being for your character, and may hurt other people's characters. See the following entries:

 

* The Worf Effect.

This means, that it can end up being pretty silly if every person whom comes along, immediately targets, confronts, and tries to defeat the only character willing to aggressively put up a fight. You have to remember, other players get impressions of eachother, and ideas for how they'd like someone else to engage in an SL with them:

 - "This guy is fun, and makes me feel good. I'd like my girl to get to know him."

- "This girl's cute, and I want my guy to fuck her."

- "This guy's a bad-ass, I want to keep him around, maybe we can team up to take on X.."

 

And when you suddenly throw these people getting smashed in the face, it subtly changes people's perspectives on the character in a subconscious way. Especially if it's happened more then once to that individual whom may be humoring new players to encourage RP and community. Certain roles people have (naturally) fallen into help form free-form RP.

 

* The Worf Effect in Action; not such a great warrior. (Piccard wins more fist fights then this guy.)

 

If you're going to fight someone for your character to "win"? Build it up over a few sessions, or have good story-progressing reasons to do so to avoid unnecessarily damaging someone who has active and established relationships with people whom may or may not be present.

 

 

"Fairness"

We are not in a competition with eachother. We are writing a story together. That means there's no such thing as "fair" or "unfair". A character isn't designed to defeat all kinds of fights. Some characters are brawlers good at throwing mooks (or red-shirts) around (although quantity should always be taken into account ... breaking free of a massive grapple and murdering one out of spite before you go down is generally in poor taste -- killing someone else's NPCs just to prove how bad-ass you are is an egotistical move.).. some characters are assassins and tricksters -- they're not good at duels, they're good at taking out individuals whom are unable to effectively defend themselves due to distraction, flanking, poisoning or being unaware of someone sneaking up on them and use an early advantage to cause a wound or hinderance or condition (such as catching you in your knickers!) that will cause them to win the fight.. others are duelists and weapon masters whom will typically defeat any non-weapons master in a 1 on 1 fight.. others are 'The Noble', whom send NPCs (often named NPCs with histories, and a place in their character's life and interaction with other players) to fight in their stead, whom deserve nearly as much credit as players -- my human noblewoman (Gwendolyne Rosehand) character kept a Master-At-Arms named 'Dethaniel' for years whom players often complimented me on him and his way of interacting with a scene that was heart-warming, playful and eye-rollingly humorous.. he was a feared bad-ass in his own right. And a recovering alchoholic. Almost all arch-types defeat 'The Non-Combatant'.

 

... but ultimately? None of this matters if you're fighting OOCly for the wrong reasons. Or if you're going to throw things in the air because you don't want your character to lose when it logically, or narritively makes sense to the wider story and other players. Fair doesn't exist ... someone might use poison, or throw a knife or poisoned dart while your back was turned (when you logically should not be able to dodge it) .. it isn't about equally taking hits or missing hits.

 

If someone's armored, and has a sword? And you're stripped to the waist, and have a sword ... and exausted:

 

* Armor is important. (Amazing video on the effect of medieval weapons against the carcass of a pig with and without armor.)

 

Look at the damage done to a pig hide with, and without armor with even simple chainmail. The difference is: "A nasty bruise.. or internal organ damage and massive hemoraging." Armor isn't "nice to have" ... contrary to anime stereotypes -- it's completely necessary to a medieval warrior. That warrior doesn't survive four or five sword strikes because he's a bad-ass ... he survives four or five sword strikes and guts you in one swing because he's wearing steel and you're not ... and he can trust it to protect him so he doesn't have to parry -- so he can attack when your sword is out of position to protect yourself.

 

Asking for people to 'trade hits and be fair' is silly.. and assumes that there is equal credit to both sides when that's actually rarely the case in most fights, and should rarely be the case, given the circumstances most players come to fight in; Balance Fallacy.

 

I usually avoid IC fights with strangers unless OOCly, there's an agreement on who and why someone should win -- it doesn't have to be me, but there has to be an intention behind winning that is good for the setting and wider player enjoyment wider then just the individual -- if you've got things already going with other players, and need some "street cred"? I might be able to help you out so long as you are prepared to deal with consequences too -- it may not be what you want, but -- it can help you gain weight with other people. Gain plot weight. Set up dominos. Build tension. Then strike a blow for great justice.

 

"Fighting in a way that makes sense"

My characters don't do Flynning when they fight. They use weight, leverage and balance. Parry with the "strong" of your sword (the base of your blade) close to your hand ... and the "weak" of your enemy's blade (the end / tip further from the enemy's grip)... footing, and stance, positioning, height, and reach.. using a shield to sweep an enemy's weapon wide-- or to get it inside and then rush, rush, push, push to keep your enemy from drawing their weapon back between yours and their body..

 

My character(s) could step in behind your backswing and intentionally set themselves up to *take* a lesser body hit (especially while wearing armor) just to pin your weapon out of position as they lunge with the tip of their blade aimed at your body..

 

It is for this reason that it is important to articulate a response appropriate to eachother's percieved positioning.

 

* Movie on Longsword Techniques. This video shows realistic depictions of stance, leverage, parries, and gripping the enemy blade's with gloves on.

 

* Fencing Techniques. This video is of course about stage fighting, but uses real attack concepts to create more realism.

 

* Slow-motion Combat. Mostly Flynning, but watch the vibration of the weapon impacts.

 

I love fighting. I love sparring matches between characters who know eachother and gain character development from it. But if you're going to fight? Do it for the right OOC reasons.

 

You don't have to be a professional at this, or anything -- but as with all things, I love people whom bring logic to the table.

 

Very Respectfully,

  - The Dominant Drowess

 

 

PS:

As a general rule of thumb, I tend to recognize a couple tiers of character "power" in combat. Each tier, 2 on 1 can put up a good/equal or close fight against the next tier. Here it is;

 

1) The farmer's daughter. Large dog.

2) The avergae man. Trained attack dog.

             - Including that big guy that knocks you out at the bar.

3) Guards, trained warriors, and professional combatants/Wizard's Apprentice; the majority of combative NPCs.

             - Orcs and most mortal soldiers are included in this pile.

4) Large Dragon, Bears, Weapons Masters, Powerful Adventurer (Paladin with a Holy Avenger), Wizard, Demons, Giant, Ancient Vampire.

            - Large dragon means 'body the size of a horse' -- wings go further then that.

5) Massive Dragon (capable of swallowing a human whole), Arch-Mage, Famous/Named Major Demon Lord or Fiend, Liche, Arch-Angel

6) Demi-deity or other creature of massive power whom are virtually impossible to defeat by born mortals without true divine intervention.

            - Usually capable of remaking portions of reality at their whim.