Rules and hints for improvisation and creativity in combat situations

[Polydamas]

Originally Posted by OldSam

Everyone knows a lot of scenes in movies and novels where the heroes have trouble or even no chance defeating an opponent in a "normal" combat, using the typical fighting skills, weapons etc. - At that point very often they improvise somehow, using the environment or finding a creative solution...

One example - Conan in 'The Hall of the Dead':
He confronts a monster in the form of a giant slug, fifty feet long with the ability to spit a corrosive acid with deadly accuracy. The slug chases Conan throughout the city until he climbs up to the roof of a decaying temple and manages to knock over some gargoyle statuary, one after the other, crushing the monster to death...

>> Now the question: What are good ways, hints etc. to realize something like that in GURPS? How to encourage players to try these approaches and how to 'help' them succeed doing that? <<

Note: All ways of improvisations are meant here, realistic and cinematic (though plausible) alike.

One of the issues here is that in fiction, the writer can set up the situation and ensure that the protagonists succeed. He can put them in a tight spot on Friday and spend the weekend thinking how they will escape.

In a game, "improvise an unlikely solution in a hurry or die" is risky, because any significant chance that they won't find a solution or that their try will fail compounded across a series of adventures, and because they have to solve the problem in real time.

Ways for players to shape the environment in which their players exist, such as the Serendipity advantage and spending points to create favourable circumstances, are very helpful. Serendipity is the official way for a player to say "I want there to be a chandalier within jumping distance of the balcony" or "while the bad guys are searching the parking lot, I rummage through the glove compartment and under the seats of the pickup. I find a gun right?"

GURPS Cliffhangers also recommends putting cliffhangers at the end of the session, and planning several possible escape routes, so the players have time to plan a response.