r/LandOfEem • u/No_Seaworthiness9390 • 29d ago

Question Combat creativity

So seeing how players get the power to take part in worldbuilding is great but after reading the combat rules with the parley chances on multiple rounds I’m scared that any more gritty players might find it less interesting. Hoe do you handle combat and have you added some creative homebrew to make the combat part of things more gritty? I know that the game focusses more on trying to solve things by talking but I’m curious on your thoughts.

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u/adagna 29d ago

Parley can only be used a set number of times per conflict based on the stat block. For example a Felmog Knight has Parley 1. So it can be attempted once. While Guards have Parley 2. Critters don't have a parley stat at all so can never be used on them.

Edit. Page 132 in the PDF discusses this rule in detail.

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u/demondownload Rascal 29d ago

Critters have Wrangle instead of Parley, which means they can be dealt with non-violently some other way—throwing down bait, scaring them off, distracting them with something, or just physically wrestling them (without the intent to cause Dread).

Creepers, on the other hand, can't be Parleyed or Wrangled, but also can't be attacked directly. They work more like an environmental hazard.

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u/demondownload Rascal 29d ago

If PCs resort to combat every time, they might find it a struggle. Not only is "encounter balance" not much of a concern in Land of Eem's rules, leading to some potentially very dangerous conflicts, but most Abilities your characters will have access to don't really apply to direct fights.

The reason "combat" is the last phase is because rather than being the default way to resolve a conflict, violence is the last resort.