As the title suggests. If the characters encounter for example an Umber Hulk, do I say to them "A very angry looking Umber Hulk is heading you way", or do I describe the Umber Hulk (which looking at the artwork would be along the lines of a very large, brown biped, with claws, mandibles etc.) A question from a relative newbie DM.
If they have never seen an Umber Hulk before in character, absolutely describe it. "A large, brown bipedal beetle starts storming towards the party, it's claws clicking against the walls, mandibles snapping audibly." something like that.
Basically, if they wouldn't have seen it before (like, everyone knows what a tiger looks like. Everyone knows what a dragon looks like), you describe it. If they have seen it before or it's reasonable they would have seen it before, just name drop it.
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
Formerly Devan Avalon.
Trying to get your physical content on Beyond is like going to Microsoft and saying "I have a physical Playstation disk, give me a digital Xbox version!"
Depends on how likely their characters are to recognize the monster, and if there’s any visual impairments that might prevent them from identifying it from their current distance. You also might consider that you could toy with the party and leave the description vague. “DM said we see tentacles. I think we’re fighting _________. They’re resistant to acid! Kill it with fire!” “Congrats. You just one-shotted a common octopus.”
But if they’re hunting a certain type of enemy and find it, I don’t see any reason not to say “You see the silhouette of an Umber Hulk. The light is too bad to be sure if this is the one you’ve been tracking. But you can tell it has noticed your presence. Roll initiative.”
If they’ve never seen it before, describe it. Additionally, I let my players use a free action to make a nature/arcana/history/etc. check to attempt to recognize it. The DC to recognize a monster isn’t very high, but if they roll really well, then they might learn info about its resistances and weaknesses.
I also try to limit communication during combat to what could reasonably said in those 6 seconds. If someone finds out that the monster is vulnerable to fire, then they have to say that in under 6 seconds on their turn. They can’t have a whole conversation about it between turns.
As the title suggests. If the characters encounter for example an Umber Hulk, do I say to them "A very angry looking Umber Hulk is heading you way", or do I describe the Umber Hulk (which looking at the artwork would be along the lines of a very large, brown biped, with claws, mandibles etc.) A question from a relative newbie DM.
If they have never seen an Umber Hulk before in character, absolutely describe it. "A large, brown bipedal beetle starts storming towards the party, it's claws clicking against the walls, mandibles snapping audibly." something like that.
Basically, if they wouldn't have seen it before (like, everyone knows what a tiger looks like. Everyone knows what a dragon looks like), you describe it. If they have seen it before or it's reasonable they would have seen it before, just name drop it.
Formerly Devan Avalon.
Trying to get your physical content on Beyond is like going to Microsoft and saying "I have a physical Playstation disk, give me a digital Xbox version!"
Depends on how likely their characters are to recognize the monster, and if there’s any visual impairments that might prevent them from identifying it from their current distance. You also might consider that you could toy with the party and leave the description vague. “DM said we see tentacles. I think we’re fighting _________. They’re resistant to acid! Kill it with fire!” “Congrats. You just one-shotted a common octopus.”
But if they’re hunting a certain type of enemy and find it, I don’t see any reason not to say “You see the silhouette of an Umber Hulk. The light is too bad to be sure if this is the one you’ve been tracking. But you can tell it has noticed your presence. Roll initiative.”
I tend to use descriptions instead of names. Unless they're fighting the same things repeatedly, or have a reason to know that type of enemy.
Excellent replies, thank you very much.
If they’ve never seen it before, describe it. Additionally, I let my players use a free action to make a nature/arcana/history/etc. check to attempt to recognize it. The DC to recognize a monster isn’t very high, but if they roll really well, then they might learn info about its resistances and weaknesses.
I also try to limit communication during combat to what could reasonably said in those 6 seconds. If someone finds out that the monster is vulnerable to fire, then they have to say that in under 6 seconds on their turn. They can’t have a whole conversation about it between turns.
They say a picture is worth a thousand words. If you can get a good picture and show them it would instantly let them see what they are fighting.