This topic was made after seeing several people without the abilities to combat correctly in the RP format of Legends of Arcadia. Please remember that throughout all of this, Bear RP sample still applies. However, I'm going to attempt to create a different approach with emphasis on how to emerge from a battle either victorious or with respect for the one who was victorious.
These tips for the basis of proper combat. After the tips I'll give you two examples. The first of a bad combat post and the seccond of a much better combat post.
1) Read every post your opponent makes in detail. This is vital. They have set the scene for the fight as much as you have and what they do directly affects you. Generally, you will find that if you write something that conflicts with the facts of a previous post, you'll have people yelling at you (figuratively speeking). Being consistant with others will put you in a good light.
2) If you are the first to post, be sure to set the scene and environment. If you don't, your opponent will do it for you and most likely have you fall into some rift you "didn't take into account." Scenery is dynamic and people will use it to their advantage if you don't.
3) Detail. This follows on from the second point. If you don't put in detail about how you attack, when and where you attack, someone else will do it for you. If you simply lunge at someone, chances are they'll side-step and send you tumbling head over heels. On the other hand, if you had them cornered over a thin bridge hanging over a boiling lake of lava, that's annother matter. Get my drift?
4) Respect. This includes god-moding and god-playing. You are not automatically more powerfull or skilled than your opponent. You cannot control their actions either. If someone aims and sends a bolt of lighting at you, you can't dodge it because lighting moves too fast. You can guard and move so that it scrapes you or still harms you to some extent, but to just jump away from an inescapable attack shows a lack of respect for your opponent.
5) Remeber that you don't automatically win a tournament by winning the battle - the other two of three factors are rules and style. You may lose the fight, but if you showed the dramatic style of defeat and kept to the rules all the way through in respecting your opponent, you can win overall.
Now for the examples. I'm taking traditional David an Goliath scenario.
Goliath stomped into the arena, muscles bulging as he swung his sword. He towered over the little david who whimpered before him, pleading for mercy.
Raising his big foot, he brought it down on the pipsqueek, squashing him to a pulp, blood spilling below his shoe.
Goliath laughed and the crowd cheered.
Firstly, this is way too short, especially for an opening post. Sometimes you'll get away with it furthur down the track, but not here. There is little detail. Further more, it excludes David from any input to the combat which shows a large lack of respect for him. Even more so, it kills David with ease. Such a super power is not allowed to exist.
Now for David's side. Presume this is a response post to a different opening post Goliath has made.
Twilight hung over the trees of this desert Oasis, a place he was told their show-off would take place. There was no croud to cheer, no judge to control their fight. The rising moon shone in the pool of water next to which he stood.
The ground shook. He was coming. Knowing his armor would provide no protection from this beast, he unclasped it and threw it into the water. One day someone would find a breastplate of rusted armor and wonder what happened here.
But now was not the time for such thoughts. The giant, Goliath, was marching ever closer. From this foe he might not be able to run, but he could hide.
Removing the sling from his belt, he searched for a suitable sized stone on the ground. Saul had told him that a powerful shot between the eyes could render any man unconscious. He now hoped to utilise that information.
Looking down at the ground, he felt a large shadow cover him. Goliath was close, but thanks to the setting sun, shadows streched far and he would have time to hide. Jumping into the bush, he loaded his sling and prepared to aim at the giant's forehead.
Several posts later...
David raced to the side, hoping to avoid the giant's stomp, yet the hem of his trowsers were narrowly caught under his foot. Scuttling like an ant, he dashed arround Goliath's feet, then slipped below the surface of the reflective pool.
Diving down, David fetched another stone from the pools bottom and resurfaced, the new stone already loaded in his sling. Spinning it faster than he had ever done before in his life, he flung it directly at the giant's head. Surprised with his own aim, it flew directly to the centre of his eyeballs.
I hope you see the comparison. Try and make your posts as detailed as the second example here.
These tips for the basis of proper combat. After the tips I'll give you two examples. The first of a bad combat post and the seccond of a much better combat post.
1) Read every post your opponent makes in detail. This is vital. They have set the scene for the fight as much as you have and what they do directly affects you. Generally, you will find that if you write something that conflicts with the facts of a previous post, you'll have people yelling at you (figuratively speeking). Being consistant with others will put you in a good light.
2) If you are the first to post, be sure to set the scene and environment. If you don't, your opponent will do it for you and most likely have you fall into some rift you "didn't take into account." Scenery is dynamic and people will use it to their advantage if you don't.
3) Detail. This follows on from the second point. If you don't put in detail about how you attack, when and where you attack, someone else will do it for you. If you simply lunge at someone, chances are they'll side-step and send you tumbling head over heels. On the other hand, if you had them cornered over a thin bridge hanging over a boiling lake of lava, that's annother matter. Get my drift?
4) Respect. This includes god-moding and god-playing. You are not automatically more powerfull or skilled than your opponent. You cannot control their actions either. If someone aims and sends a bolt of lighting at you, you can't dodge it because lighting moves too fast. You can guard and move so that it scrapes you or still harms you to some extent, but to just jump away from an inescapable attack shows a lack of respect for your opponent.
5) Remeber that you don't automatically win a tournament by winning the battle - the other two of three factors are rules and style. You may lose the fight, but if you showed the dramatic style of defeat and kept to the rules all the way through in respecting your opponent, you can win overall.
Now for the examples. I'm taking traditional David an Goliath scenario.
Goliath stomped into the arena, muscles bulging as he swung his sword. He towered over the little david who whimpered before him, pleading for mercy.
Raising his big foot, he brought it down on the pipsqueek, squashing him to a pulp, blood spilling below his shoe.
Goliath laughed and the crowd cheered.
Firstly, this is way too short, especially for an opening post. Sometimes you'll get away with it furthur down the track, but not here. There is little detail. Further more, it excludes David from any input to the combat which shows a large lack of respect for him. Even more so, it kills David with ease. Such a super power is not allowed to exist.
Now for David's side. Presume this is a response post to a different opening post Goliath has made.
Twilight hung over the trees of this desert Oasis, a place he was told their show-off would take place. There was no croud to cheer, no judge to control their fight. The rising moon shone in the pool of water next to which he stood.
The ground shook. He was coming. Knowing his armor would provide no protection from this beast, he unclasped it and threw it into the water. One day someone would find a breastplate of rusted armor and wonder what happened here.
But now was not the time for such thoughts. The giant, Goliath, was marching ever closer. From this foe he might not be able to run, but he could hide.
Removing the sling from his belt, he searched for a suitable sized stone on the ground. Saul had told him that a powerful shot between the eyes could render any man unconscious. He now hoped to utilise that information.
Looking down at the ground, he felt a large shadow cover him. Goliath was close, but thanks to the setting sun, shadows streched far and he would have time to hide. Jumping into the bush, he loaded his sling and prepared to aim at the giant's forehead.
Several posts later...
David raced to the side, hoping to avoid the giant's stomp, yet the hem of his trowsers were narrowly caught under his foot. Scuttling like an ant, he dashed arround Goliath's feet, then slipped below the surface of the reflective pool.
Diving down, David fetched another stone from the pools bottom and resurfaced, the new stone already loaded in his sling. Spinning it faster than he had ever done before in his life, he flung it directly at the giant's head. Surprised with his own aim, it flew directly to the centre of his eyeballs.
I hope you see the comparison. Try and make your posts as detailed as the second example here.
