RSS
Use terrain in combats.
Really. Don't make all your fights occur on level ground or in rooms that might as well be basketball courts. Tell your players there are tables that could be jumped on, or turned over to create cover. There are pits and stalagmites and cooking fires.
The heroes are crossing a rope bridge over a yawning chasm when enemies appear at both ends. Or a roc descends from the sky. There's a mezzanine level, with combatants throwing things down at the heroes from above. Half the room is flooded.
Always think about the combat terrain and make sure there is some interesting feature that a clever player could use (or clever enemies could use) to their advantage.
Commentary by memnarch (who has not seen the movie)
Ooooo, a pit that doesn't have the usual problems with it that someone's fallen into! That's gotta be a first for Star Wars right? Well, besides the cryofreezer in Episode V. That's more down to Luke having the hops than it being a not-dangerous pit though.
And dang, that looks like a solid hit on Phasma! Reflective armor won't do much against blunt force even if it's throwing plasma sparks around! I wonder how long it took between Finn falling down the pit and then rising back out in the movie. Falling more than a few feet onto one's back would knock the wind out of just about anyone lacking armor or padding.
I can't wait to see if this has downed Phasma or if she's gonna get back up for Round Two.
Transcript
Finn: I brace myself against the railing of the deck pit.
GM: Uh...
Finn: Okay. Right. I try to press Phasma back, away from the pit.
[SFX]: 15! {Annie’s attack roll for Finn}
[SFX]: krzhrzhk!
GM: <roll> She blocks and stands firm.
GM: <roll> She hits you for <roll> 8 damage. Make a Dex roll.
[SFX]: wham!
[SFX]: 6! {Finn’s Dex roll}
GM: You topple into the pit. Take another <roll> 6 falling damage.
Rose: Finn!
Rose: I shoot at Phasma to distract her!
[SFX]: pow! pow!
GM: She turns to face you and fires back.
Finn: A pit with no railing must be a deck lift for fighters. I hit the up button while Phasma’s distracted.
Finn: Hey, Phasma!
{Finn winds up for an attack as the deck lift raises him above the level of the deck}
Finn: Do you know, sometimes when people fall into pits and are assumed dead, they’re not?
[SFX]: Smash! {Finn unleashes a mighty blow across Phasma’s helmet}
Finn: The only thing better than the high ground is surprise high ground.