MechaPilot
Explorer
"What happened to morale?"
Mine has been gone for many years now. I assumed that was how the world works.
Mine has been gone for many years now. I assumed that was how the world works.
What happened to Morale?
Ath-kethin
Elder Thing
I use the morale rules in the DMG. I don't like it as much as I liked the Morale rules in 2e (which is where I started), but I like it better than an "everything fights to the death" approach.
I mean, people argue on here about how it's unrealistic for hippo-people to have grenades, but never about how unrealistic it is that nothing ever poops itself, drops its weapons, and begs for mercy? What a valorous world they assume.
Now, that's fantasy.
I mean, people argue on here about how it's unrealistic for hippo-people to have grenades, but never about how unrealistic it is that nothing ever poops itself, drops its weapons, and begs for mercy? What a valorous world they assume.
Now, that's fantasy.
I think the mistake it to assume the default is "fight to the death."
Perhaps the default is, 'Fight until the GM thinks they'd surrender or run." The optional rule is for GMs who want a mechanistic way to decide the question, rather than leave it up to personal judgement.
Perhaps the default is, 'Fight until the GM thinks they'd surrender or run." The optional rule is for GMs who want a mechanistic way to decide the question, rather than leave it up to personal judgement.
The biggest problem with monsters giving up is that they can only escape if the archers and spell casters want them to escape. Very few monsters can get away before their few remaining hit points have been taken from ranged attacks. If they can't flee the PCs have a problem, what do you do with a bunch of captured monsters?
I like using morale checks or my own judgement to have monsters give up but it rarely works well. I do have a house rule that if surrender is accepted and then the PCs decide to kill their captives, the monsters get advantage on all attack rolls for the rest of the fight as a sign of their anger and desperation. It has only come up a couple of times in the last few years.
I like using morale checks or my own judgement to have monsters give up but it rarely works well. I do have a house rule that if surrender is accepted and then the PCs decide to kill their captives, the monsters get advantage on all attack rolls for the rest of the fight as a sign of their anger and desperation. It has only come up a couple of times in the last few years.
S
Sunseeker
Guest
I use morale all the time, but I spice it up a little.
Each morale check an NPC (or group of NPCs) succeed on gives them a +1 to all non-morale rolls (including damage).
Each morale check an NPC (or group of NPCs) fail gives them a -1 to all non-morale rolls.
Capped at 3, if they get 3 successes before 3 fails they fight to the death. If they get 3 fails before 3 successes they run away.
I don't run morale for or against players. The mind of a player is enough fun to toy with that they'll make their own internal morale checks.
Each morale check an NPC (or group of NPCs) succeed on gives them a +1 to all non-morale rolls (including damage).
Each morale check an NPC (or group of NPCs) fail gives them a -1 to all non-morale rolls.
Capped at 3, if they get 3 successes before 3 fails they fight to the death. If they get 3 fails before 3 successes they run away.
I don't run morale for or against players. The mind of a player is enough fun to toy with that they'll make their own internal morale checks.
Flexor the Mighty!
18/100 Strength!
In my 5e and S&W games I use the B/X morale rules, monsters have a score of 2-12 and at certain points in an encounter I roll and if its over their score on 2d6 they disengage, flee, avoid, etc. For most I roll on initial encounter, first death on their side, leader is killed, half are dead, etc. I like letting the dice determine that. Though sometimes circumstances dictate that there will be no morale check.
Use one of the grittier variant healing systems in the DMG?
Ancalagon
Dusty Dragon
Yup. I think all you need to do is
- Remove full HP healing on a long rest (you regain hit dice, but not hit points)
- Replace the dying rules. Your HP can go in the negatives. You bleed out 1/round. If you reach -10 (or -con?) HP, you die.
Ancalagon
Dusty Dragon
A thing to remember about morale breaking is that it's not a rational, calculated withdrawal (although for some extremely disciplined foes it might) -it's a rout. People flee, unit cohesion is lost, and it may be *more* dangerous for the foes fleeing than standing and fight - but they are panicking. So even though it may not make sense (due to archers etc), they do it anyway.
The surrender thing *is* a problem...
I think the Cyclopedia have the same rules. I have to say... it's simple and elegant.
Flexor the Mighty!
18/100 Strength!
Yeah they are exactly the same, maybe the RC has some more situations to check on but the mechanic is the same.
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