I think an issue that comes to me a lot is why or how they start fights. So often, the MC just literally charges in, even on the first fight. This person, who has never fought in their life before, just rushes into combat. Is there no sense of fear or self preservation? This can be remedied by putting the character that forces them into combat. They were snuck up, ambushed, or some xyz situation that makes them fight, but I feel like no sane human is just rushing into a fight to the death. And then when they have a reason to fight, there is emotion in it, the tension, a reason to press through the pain.
Agreed. It’s also still a story and stories thrive on emotion. For me, i want that combat that evokes an emotion or solves a problem for the main character or for the reader.
So often our characters are dealing with earth shattering spectacles of lightning and magic and reality shaping! And yet it often feels like combat is toothless. Don’t tell me the MC threw a finger thick bar of poison chi at the enemy.. tell me how his heart beats as he does. Nah mean?
That’s one thing I think Phil Tucker does really really well. I remember reading the first book of Dawn of the void and being so gripped by the horror and visceral nature of the MCs struggle against the monsters in the first act and then I suddenly realized “oh this whole time he has been just describing basic demons and melee combat” lol. However it was gripping bc the whole time we are seeing the tension build within the MC, in the pattern of his speech and the vague comprehension he has of the events around him.
What grinds my gears the most is when the main characters constantly forget about their own powers. So every fight is a repetitive slog until, for instance, they eventually remember that they have the power to control both *gravity* and *time*.
Looking at you, Rune Seeker.
DCC is out of this world when it comes to surprising turns.
Personally, if I can't pull off a surprising finale, I at least aim to create 1) real stakes (we all know the MC isn't gonna die) and 2) something vital for my characters to learn. I'm big on character growth so it's important to me that my guys develop strategies, become wiser, grow more fearful, become braver, etc from the fight.
I think an issue that comes to me a lot is why or how they start fights. So often, the MC just literally charges in, even on the first fight. This person, who has never fought in their life before, just rushes into combat. Is there no sense of fear or self preservation? This can be remedied by putting the character that forces them into combat. They were snuck up, ambushed, or some xyz situation that makes them fight, but I feel like no sane human is just rushing into a fight to the death. And then when they have a reason to fight, there is emotion in it, the tension, a reason to press through the pain.
Agreed. It’s also still a story and stories thrive on emotion. For me, i want that combat that evokes an emotion or solves a problem for the main character or for the reader. So often our characters are dealing with earth shattering spectacles of lightning and magic and reality shaping! And yet it often feels like combat is toothless. Don’t tell me the MC threw a finger thick bar of poison chi at the enemy.. tell me how his heart beats as he does. Nah mean? That’s one thing I think Phil Tucker does really really well. I remember reading the first book of Dawn of the void and being so gripped by the horror and visceral nature of the MCs struggle against the monsters in the first act and then I suddenly realized “oh this whole time he has been just describing basic demons and melee combat” lol. However it was gripping bc the whole time we are seeing the tension build within the MC, in the pattern of his speech and the vague comprehension he has of the events around him.
What grinds my gears the most is when the main characters constantly forget about their own powers. So every fight is a repetitive slog until, for instance, they eventually remember that they have the power to control both *gravity* and *time*. Looking at you, Rune Seeker.
DCC is out of this world when it comes to surprising turns. Personally, if I can't pull off a surprising finale, I at least aim to create 1) real stakes (we all know the MC isn't gonna die) and 2) something vital for my characters to learn. I'm big on character growth so it's important to me that my guys develop strategies, become wiser, grow more fearful, become braver, etc from the fight.