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D&D 5E GM: Who Do You Target? [READ OP BEFORE VOTING]
- Thread starter Reynard
- Start date
Include a chance to flee, and a chance to surrender and offer a nasty deal to the PCs.
Cap'n Kobold
Hero
Priority-dependent.
Attack the Cleric if the priority is "the DM wants to try to kill one of their player's characters."
Attack the Fighter if the priority is "the NPC wants to fight and escape."
The Cleric isn't a threat to them escaping. The Wizard probably isn't either unless the NPC can read the Wizard's character sheet and knows that they have their most powerful spell slot remaining.
With the Fighter incapacitated, they're not distracting the NPC so they can score more telling blows than they could normally. A misty step and move might either negate the Rogue's cover, or give the NPC cover from the Rogue.
Attack the Cleric if the priority is "the DM wants to try to kill one of their player's characters."
Attack the Fighter if the priority is "the NPC wants to fight and escape."
The Cleric isn't a threat to them escaping. The Wizard probably isn't either unless the NPC can read the Wizard's character sheet and knows that they have their most powerful spell slot remaining.
With the Fighter incapacitated, they're not distracting the NPC so they can score more telling blows than they could normally. A misty step and move might either negate the Rogue's cover, or give the NPC cover from the Rogue.
Jefe Bergenstein
Legend
No one. The only sensible move is to try and escape or surrender and that action is better used to flee. They can't kill anyone, and the cleric is just going to healing word whoever they hit, so attacking is useless. Even if they could kill anyone, they die the next turn anyways.
If they have to attack someone, may we well be themself. 5E bosses are such pushovers due to action economy/popup healing, may as well get the inevitable over with quicker lol. Last Saturday my 4th level party of 4 dealt over 100 points of damage against a flying AC 23 "boss" in under 2 rounds.
If they have to attack someone, may we well be themself. 5E bosses are such pushovers due to action economy/popup healing, may as well get the inevitable over with quicker lol. Last Saturday my 4th level party of 4 dealt over 100 points of damage against a flying AC 23 "boss" in under 2 rounds.
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W'rkncacnter
Hero
i mean, that's just completely and blatantly outside the parameters of the scenario, then. also you used your bonus action twice.
how in the HELL did they manage THAT?
CleverNickName
Limit Break Dancing (He/They)
Powerful and intelligent is a deadly combination, especially for a BBEG. I'd be cunning and ruthless. My tactics would vary greatly, depending on whether or not the BBEG has lair actions, legendary actions, and henchmen, but I would focus on permanently removing opponents from the board one by one.
If the BBEG is a spellcaster: drop the fighter and then Misty Step to cover, making sure to stay in Counterspell range for the cleric's attempt to save him. Next round, double-tap the fighter, saving my reaction for the next incoming cleric or wizard nonsense, and demanding they surrendur. If the party doesn't flee or surrender, I'd steal the fighter's most impressive-looking piece of equipment and run away, making them chase me through my obstacle-course lair of traps, pets, and henchmen.
If the BBEG isn't a spellcaster: same story, except I'd drop the cleric first, then move to cover to escape the wizard/rogue's targeted attacks. Double-tap the cleric on my next turn, demand their surrender. If they don't flee or surrender, I would loot the cleric's most impressive-looking piece of equipment and run away, making them chase me through my obstacle course above, and harrying them at range every time they try to stop and rest.
But the best bet would be to use my action to disengage, then bonus action to Misty Step or whatever out of reach. Repeat as necessary until the party either breaks pursuit, or the only one that can keep up with me is the rogue. Then I'd turn on the rogue, drop him, then double-tap him, and then loot his body and flee once more as the rest of the group is trying to catch up. My escape route would have lots of twists and turns and blind corners to keep anyone from having a clear line of sight to me at any time, and lots of boobytraps and pets to make them regret chasing me. Then just when they think I've escaped, I'd double-back and attack them just as they're trying to rest. In short: I'd never let the fighter "get up in my grill" again, especially while I'm also easily targeted by both the wizard and the rogue. A powerful and intelligent opponent would try to gain and keep control of the battlefield and conditions long before any dice are rolled.
If the BBEG is a spellcaster: drop the fighter and then Misty Step to cover, making sure to stay in Counterspell range for the cleric's attempt to save him. Next round, double-tap the fighter, saving my reaction for the next incoming cleric or wizard nonsense, and demanding they surrendur. If the party doesn't flee or surrender, I'd steal the fighter's most impressive-looking piece of equipment and run away, making them chase me through my obstacle-course lair of traps, pets, and henchmen.
If the BBEG isn't a spellcaster: same story, except I'd drop the cleric first, then move to cover to escape the wizard/rogue's targeted attacks. Double-tap the cleric on my next turn, demand their surrender. If they don't flee or surrender, I would loot the cleric's most impressive-looking piece of equipment and run away, making them chase me through my obstacle course above, and harrying them at range every time they try to stop and rest.
But the best bet would be to use my action to disengage, then bonus action to Misty Step or whatever out of reach. Repeat as necessary until the party either breaks pursuit, or the only one that can keep up with me is the rogue. Then I'd turn on the rogue, drop him, then double-tap him, and then loot his body and flee once more as the rest of the group is trying to catch up. My escape route would have lots of twists and turns and blind corners to keep anyone from having a clear line of sight to me at any time, and lots of boobytraps and pets to make them regret chasing me. Then just when they think I've escaped, I'd double-back and attack them just as they're trying to rest. In short: I'd never let the fighter "get up in my grill" again, especially while I'm also easily targeted by both the wizard and the rogue. A powerful and intelligent opponent would try to gain and keep control of the battlefield and conditions long before any dice are rolled.
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Crimson Longinus
Legend
It seems that the enemy is in rather poor position, so unless there is some reason for them not to fear death, fleeing might be prudent.
I don't think there is obvious correct choice for them, due the fact that their chances of winning regardless of what they do are not that great. Also, like pointed out earlier, the initiative order matters. In any case, sometimes when there is no obvious reason for an enemy to attack specific PC, I just randomise it to be fair.
I don't think there is obvious correct choice for them, due the fact that their chances of winning regardless of what they do are not that great. Also, like pointed out earlier, the initiative order matters. In any case, sometimes when there is no obvious reason for an enemy to attack specific PC, I just randomise it to be fair.
FrozenNorth
Hero
Fighter. He’s the only one in melee, so dropping him opens up : Move then Misty Step (or Move Misty Step Move) which isn’t available if you need to Misty Step to avoid an attack of opportunity.
Being able to Misty Step during your move increases the odds that you can place yourself in a position where neither the rogue nor the wizard have a clear shot, particularly since they are already at range from you.
Being able to Misty Step during your move increases the odds that you can place yourself in a position where neither the rogue nor the wizard have a clear shot, particularly since they are already at range from you.
Vaalingrade
Legend
Did the fighter cease to exist in this scenario?
Lanefan
Victoria Rules
One variable we're not told about is what (if any) significant magic items the BBEG has seen the PCs use against him during the fight.
An intelligent BBEG knowing that a particular character has a powerful item would IMO go for that character, kill it, and (if action economy allowed) somehow turn that item against the party...or at the very least escape with the item, to deprive the PCs of its further use.
Absent that, and absent knowing how much of a nuisance each PC has been so far relative to the others, and absent knowing whether the BBEG has lair actions or other tricks up his sleeve, there's no way for a vote here to be meaningful. Maybe take out the Fighter then misty step behind some cover*, on the off chance the other PCs lose track of where you are for long enough that you can regroup and-or misty step again?
* - we know there's cover present in the scene because the Rogue is using some of it.
An intelligent BBEG knowing that a particular character has a powerful item would IMO go for that character, kill it, and (if action economy allowed) somehow turn that item against the party...or at the very least escape with the item, to deprive the PCs of its further use.
Absent that, and absent knowing how much of a nuisance each PC has been so far relative to the others, and absent knowing whether the BBEG has lair actions or other tricks up his sleeve, there's no way for a vote here to be meaningful. Maybe take out the Fighter then misty step behind some cover*, on the off chance the other PCs lose track of where you are for long enough that you can regroup and-or misty step again?
* - we know there's cover present in the scene because the Rogue is using some of it.
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