The Value of Dynamic, Speedy and Unpredictable Action and Combat

 My group is fizzing out a bit on D&D, and it's probably because the new edition (5/75 or whatever version # you want to give it) is mainly a continuation of standard 5E, which is easily the least exciting version of D&D when it comes to dynamic combat and variables. While it is true that 5E spun out of the 3rd and 4th edition eras where the amount and volume of combat mechanics was either so overwhelming or so procedural that it led to an arms race in rules mastery and tactical acumen among many gamers, the 5th edition response is to create a tepid experience which is fun for a while but eventually it all starts to feel very much like the same thing, over and over again. This might be forgivable if it was quick, but D&D combat is often anything but, even when it is sufficiently simplified that you basically have combat down to a basic roll to hit or save, deal damage, repeat process.

Other game systems manage to do much better and more dynamic combat, but not too many manage to hit the perfect trifecta of being dynamic, speedy and unpredictable. As it happens, perhaps one of the best game systems of all time for dramatic, fun and fast combat comes from the Fast! Furious! Fun! RPG itself: Savage Worlds. Indeed, Savage Worlds is so fast that if you are too used to running typical combat and pacing modules in D&D style format, then it can be a bit shocking to watch Savage Worlds compound the same experience in to less than half the time, leaving the GM scrambling for more content.

This is a roundabout way of me saying that Savage Worlds is back on the menu in my game group, and we will be playing it again, perhaps as early as this weekend, although I have also promised Mothership (which is also engrained with a fast, furious and fun approach to combat!) I'm just so very, very tired of the distinctly samey feel of all things in 5E/5.75E these days, but at least I can identify the burnout as being system-based, and not idea based!

Savage Worlds and Mothership both fit the bill for this sort of more engaging and dynamic but very fast combat approach. I think Mork Borg fits in well, and if you go back to the OSR era then any number of classic OSR games can fit this bill as well. Among more contemporary systems we can get quick and dynamic combat out of Cypher System, too. I'll have to try Dragonbane eventually and see how it feels as well.....I am sure it will be dynamic and unpredictable, but not so sure how speedy it will be.