This post pairs together with yesterday’s 25 Ways to Say “You Hit It” post. As mentioned there, these are hopefully good lists to include in a GM’s notebook/screen to better describe an attack. Critical hits & fails as well as severe or killing blows are easy to describe (there is so many visual things one can say) but the more common attack results in between can sometimes get monotonous.

Just pick one from the list below and if it isn’t appropriate for the weapon used or opponent type, just switch to another description or tweak it as needed. Here’s the list:

Your opponent side-steps out of the way. You strike your opponent but its armor/hide is not pierced. Your opponent parries your strike. Abruptly your opponent slides away from where you expect. Your opponent dodges left, but your attack doesn’t catch up to it. Your weapon flies wildly missing your opponent. From the corner of your eye, you are distracted by movement and your attack sails wide. Your attack connects, but glances off your opponent’s armor/hide. You misjudge your opponent’s movement and your attack misses. Your opponent stops your attack with his shield/bracer. Your weapon seems unbalanced and doesn’t move as you expect. Your opponent raises his weapon and successfully parries. Your opponent howls, and you flinch throwing your attack off. You nick your opponent, but the strike is so minor that no damage is done. A light catches your eye and throws off your attack. Your opponent changes his stance and you miss. Your weapon only catches some of your adversary’s clothes. Your attack hits only armor/hide. Timing your strike, your opponent shifts out of the way. Your opponent shifts his most heavily armored/protected part to your weapon’s path. The armor/hide of your opponent absorbs the attack. You change your grip to adjust to your opponent’s move, but it is too little and too late. Your opponent’s armor/hide is too strong for your strike. Your attack hits the most protected part of your opponent, doing no damage. A call from a party member distracts you and your attack does not connect.

Hopefully soon we’ll add 25 more to this and/or to the “You Hit It” post. Got a suggestion to add? Please post it here below.