D&D 5E Tactics in combat

[Flexor the Mighty!]

Can you reference the rules on hitting a comrade that might be providing cover?

I don't think there is. I put one in myself since I can't take a game seriously if you can just fire into melee combat pat your friends and not have a chance of hitting them. Or the other way around. Sand behind a comrade to get the cover bonus yet he can't get damaged by something that missed due to the cover.

 

[Kikuras]

I don't think there is. I put one in myself since I can't take a game seriously if you can just fire into melee combat pat your friends and not have a chance of hitting them. Or the other way around. Sand behind a comrade to get the cover bonus yet he can't get damaged by something that missed due to the cover.

A note of constant debate within my group. There's a very clear logic to that thinking. Of course the argument can be made that the increase to AC granted by cover also accounts for the care needed to avoid hitting a friend. That tends to lead me down a logic path of, "If you're so good at aiming your shots to miss, why can't you hit to begin with. I'm all about crunchy rules like hitting allies, but with 5e I'm looking more for an easy flow.

 

[Psikerlord#]

I prefer descriptive roleplaying in combat to a focus on tactics, although I enjoy both.

As far as tactics go in 5e, in TotM which I use, I think it mostly comes down to co-ordinating with your fellow players, choosing when to use certain abilities, choosing targets, engaging with the environment in an advantageous way, positioning (eg keeping out of melee, or trapping an enemy in melee) etc. I think there are as many tactics in 5e as you and your allies can think of.

 

[Rod Staffwand]

What's missing from D&D tactics?

All the basic concepts are there: surprise, focusing fire, flanking, cover and concealment, use of terrain to separate or compact enemy formations, team synergies, resource management, using stealth for reconnaissance, monster lore for enemy assessments, and all that's without cracking a single spellbook.

 

[SirAntoine]

What's missing from D&D tactics?

All the basic concepts are there: surprise, focusing fire, flanking, cover and concealment, use of terrain to separate or compact enemy formations, team synergies, resource management, using stealth for reconnaissance, monster lore for enemy assessments, and all that's without cracking a single spellbook.

Who has monster lore?

 

[Sunseeker]

Who has monster lore?

Wouldn't that be the Ranger? Falls under Nature or possibly any other intelligence check, depending on the circumstances?

 

[Shiroiken]

Can you reference the rules on hitting a comrade that might be providing cover?

It in the DMG under the DM Toolbox. It's entirely optional, but all DMs I know use it. Basically if you miss by the cover AC bonus, the attack is now targeting the cover. This often still provides a miss, because IME PCs tend to have higher AC overall than enemies.

Even with the penalty of cover, and the slim chance of hitting your ally, it's still a solid tactic.

 

[Thyrwyn]

I don't use that rule when I DM: a) not worth the hassle, and b) doesn't fit the style of game I run.

 

[iserith]

Who has monster lore?

Any adventurer worth his or her salt. It's just a matter of a player describing an action along the lines of "I try to recall lore about..." or "I want to see what I remember about..." and the DM adjudicating accordingly. Sometimes that will mean there's an Intelligence check and sometimes it's just a straight-up success or failure depending on the context.

 

[SirAntoine]

Any adventurer worth his or her salt. It's just a matter of a player describing an action along the lines of "I try to recall lore about..." or "I want to see what I remember about..." and the DM adjudicating accordingly. Sometimes that will mean there's an Intelligence check and sometimes it's just a straight-up success or failure depending on the context.

I like it, but you have a generous DM. Finding out about monsters often requires first hand experience.