The Myth of Avoiding Combat in Horror RPGs

There’s a widespread belief that, in horror RPGs, combat is a failure state — that if player characters get into a  fight (and especially get to a fight with a monster), they have done something wrong. This idea appears in discussions around Call of Cthulhu, Delta Green, Trail of Cthulhu, Mothership, Vaesen, and other horror tabletop RPGs, and particularly in “cosmic horror” games. There are even systems like Cthulhu Dark where, by default, if you have to fight, you die. Because "fighting should never be an option".

Even discounting that such judgement implies restricting the options of the players unnecessarily, is it really true, either out of faithfulness to the genre's tropes, or lack of place in an appealing horror RPG experience?

Not so. In fact, combat plays an essential role, and dismissing it can only hurt the game.

1. Horror RPGs Feature More Than Just Unstoppable Monsters

One of the biggest misconceptions is that every fight in a horror RPG is a battle against an eldritch horror, alien entity, or supernatural force that cannot be defeated. But that’s simply not the case.  

Many fights involve human enemies—cultists, criminals, rival investigators, or desperate survivors. 

Many supernatural enemies can be harmed, slowed down, or driven off. 

I actually liked that in Call of Cthulhu, Mighty Cthulhu could be temporally defeated by a nuclear bomb. And, let us admit it, in Lovecraft's story, (spoiler warning) he is not so mighty, and does not rise after being rammed by a boat.

2. Horror RPG Scenarios Often Expect Combat

If you look at published horror RPG adventures—whether it’s Call of Cthulhu, Vaesen, Alien RPG, Vampire, or Fear Itself—you’ll notice something:  most scenarios are designed with combat encounters that are either unavoidable or very hard to avoid.

Moreover, if a scenario is designed with a way of defeating the opposition that completely avoids combat, it is not unlikely that that solution will feel anti-climatic to the players. 

3. Combat in Horror RPGs May Be about something else than “Winning”

Horror RPGs aren’t just about running and hiding. They involve desperate last stands, struggling against impossible odds, and even moments of unexpected victory. The belief that horror games should only be about evasion and investigation ignores how most horror stories actually unfold.

Unlike Dungeons & Dragons, especially 5E, where combat is designed around tactical balanced encounters meant to be won, horror RPG combat serves a different purpose:  

• Holding off a threat just long enough to escape.
• Making a stand to protect others.
• Flailing in desperation and hoping something works (which is only fun if there is a likelihood, even if a very small one, that it does work).  

Think of Ripley’s final confrontation in Aliens—she doesn’t fight expecting to "win" in a traditional sense. She fights because it’s the only option left. Horror RPG combat should feel desperate, uncertain, and full of tension.  And, guess what, (spoiler warning) in the end she does win!

4. Combat Adds Suspense and Drama to Horror RPGs  

A horror game without combat can feel too predictable. Players might assume that if combat happens, they’ve already lost, which removes tension. Moreover, it often creates the expectation in the players that there is a painless solution to the problem - if it cannot be killed, then for sure there is some clever trick to defeat it.  Instead, combat should feel:  

• Unpredictable – The outcome is never 100% guaranteed.
• Risky – Any fight can become deadly.  
• Tense – Players shouldn't often be sure if they’re making the right call.  

One of the best ways to achieve this is through "swingy" mechanics—rules that make combat outcomes feel uncertain.

When done right, combat amplifies horror rather than undermining it. In fact, one of the reasons combat is so popular is that it is a simple yet effective way of raising the tension.

Conclusion: Combat Is a Tool  

I’m not saying that horror RPGs should default to a series of combats like 5E D&D. Combat should be unusual and highstakes.   

However, instead of discouraging combat, horror RPGs should use it wisely —as a source of dread, uncertainty, and occasional cathartic triumph. When combat feels like a desperate gamble rather than a tactical exercise or an impossible endeavour, it enhances the horror experience.