Fightin' 101
Mista Collins
First Post
No why must you give people this advice. It is always fun when a party decides to split up. I, as a DM, always snicker when I get the usual "I am going here, while you guys do that" line. It makes it interesting. But you have just give some player's wisdom their DM's probably didn't want them to have
Mercule said:
This is different for every game and every DM, but I've shut more than one tactics discussion down at my own gaming table. Some I've done because there is no way the conversation being had at the table could be being had in the game at that precise time. It is a simple matter of the characters either having tactical plans ready or doing there best to wing it once the drek hits the fan.
Likewise, it depends on who comes up with a strategy. When someone starts throwing out ideas, I stop them and ask them if what they are about to say fits with the character they are playing. Very few of my players like to take on the reigns of leadership, or play anything resembling a military tactitian. The tactics may be valid, and may be very simple from the outside looking in... But if the characters wouldn't think of it, the players need not bother to discuss it.
Also, it is a good idea for the players to come up with a plan for when things go wrong, and when to go for that plan. (running like hell is a good plan -- just make sure to carry the halflings and gnomes and to leave the dwarves behind).
Another sound idea(s): Monk->Stunning Fist (or Mage->Color Spray) and then Rogue->Sneak+Expert Tactician (with Sneak dmg). Or Mage->Enlarge Person on the Barb wth the greatsword. Or cast 'Slow', the best bang-for-buck spell ever. Entangle is neat too (with ranged weapons), as is Web or Grease. Use Tanglefoot bags (cheap and good too).
Another sound idea(s): Monk->Stunning Fist (or Mage->Color Spray) and then Rogue->Sneak+Expert Tactician (with Sneak dmg). Or Mage->Enlarge Person on the Barb wth the greatsword. Or cast 'Slow', the best bang-for-buck spell ever. Entangle is neat too (with ranged weapons), as is Web or Grease. Use Tanglefoot bags (cheap and good too).
20 Generic Tips for Fantasy Roleplayers
Copyright 2000-2003 by SteveC. All rights reserved. (Originally published in Lejends) Permission granted to make copies for personal, non-commercial use.
This article lists 20 general tips for use in any generic Fantasy Roleplaying Game. While it is "aimed" at all you FRPGers out there, even SF-RPGers might find a trick or two, especially when your ship crash-lands on some low-tech, backwater world. Many D&D references will be made, although you can apply the same pointers to other FRPGs, with a little modification.
Slings: You Gotta Love'm!
Improvise, Adapt, Overcome!
Don't Put All Your Eggs In One Basket
What Can You (Learn To) Do That I Can't?
Always Leave When You're Half Dead (If Not Before)
Who Needs a 10' Pole?
Know Your Enemy 101
I Can't Carry It All!
Ask For It!
If It Don't Exist, Invent It!
Help Each Other
"I Aint Never Been Lost, But I Was Once A Might Confused For Three Days!"
What Good Are You?
Who Do You Want To Be?
Know Your System/GM
Know Your Enemy 102
Party Order
Plan B
The Face Man
Try Being Nice, First!
Slings: You Gotta Love'm! Probably everyone is familiar with Fritz Lieber's Grey Mouser, and how he sharpened two half-coins and sewed them into the lining of his cloak, so that he could free them and cut himself loose with them when he was tied up. You all know it; you all hate it: the situation where the Bandit Leader and his horde of smelly troops (or some other, similar, group of vastly outnumbering NPCs) have captured your poor first level PCs, stripped them of all their weapons, armor, and few remaining coppers, beaten them half silly, and sent them off into the wilderness to lick their wounds (unlimited or otherwise)... One cheap, common, and usually overlooked item that can aid a poor PC in such a situation is the sling.
For years, I have had my PCs take a couple of these (and they are both free and weightless, in D&D 3.x!), and squirrel them away for hard times... Even though they are listed on my equipment sheet, I have never yet had a robber take them. Why? You can replace your bootlaces with them. You can braid long hair with them. You can use them to lace up or tie your tunic or pants, tie your blanket and bedroll, make a strap for your canteen or water gourd out of them... Unless the robbers strip you naked, you can probably get away with at least a couple, and have a missile weapon at hand.
If your game includes a Leatherworking or Survival skill, you can probably make one of these with a sharpened rock and dead animal, without too much trouble, too. For ammunition, scrounge a few rocks, and you're ready to go back for your gear. Now while slings are the obvious choice (due to their easy concealability), obviously clubs and staves are also readily available (these, too, are free in D&D 3.x, although they are not weightless). Most tools can be used as one or the other (a few might even work as spears). Garottes are also easily made and concealed. In a tough situation, use whatever's at hand. A kind GM (Game Master) might even let you improvise such weapons as stone axes, knives, spears, and morningstars (generally, making effective bows and arrows takes too long, and GMs seem prejudiced against allowing you to make one when you need it... No one seems to think you incapable of making a simple sling or club, though)!
Improvise, Adapt, Overcome! As can be seen from the above, you can take items intended for one purpose, and use them for another. For an adventurer to survive, (s)he will need to become adept at this... Try to see more than one use for any item you encounter. A candle? Sure it sheds light, but it's also a source of wax. Wax can be used to waterproof things, seal small holes, stick things together, preserve foods sealed inside it, etc. A crowbar? Useful for opening things, sure, but also an effective club, good for sticking into those dark holes (as opposed to an unarmored hand), handy in setting off traps that you can't disarm, handy in stopping sliding walls from crushing you to death, useful in opening doors, chests... You get the idea. Using the old "What do we have, and what do we need?" method will get you out of a lot of difficulties, even without magic or high-tech.
Don't Put All Your Eggs In One Basket: Ever have the Cleric with all the Healing potions (not to mention the rope) disappear down a pit trap to the level two stories down? Oops! No more healing... Want to jump down after them? The same applies to other important items. If the party has money, everyone should have a first aid kit, pack with food and water, some simple survival gear (rope and grapnel, knife, fire starter, bedroll and blankets, maybe even a handaxe or machete and tent, if weight is no problem, torches (if needed), oil for burning undead, etc.). Ever have a Thief break/lose his picks and tools? If so, I bet no one had a replacement, eh? Even if no one else can use them, a well-off party should invest a few coin in "backups" of essential equipment. In games such as RuneQuest, Hero Quest, and D&D 3.x, anyone who wants to can learn to pick locks and disarm traps.
This process can be extended even furhter: If the party finds a Ring of Spell Storing, for instance, which is full of healing spells, perhaps someone besides the Cleric should carry it. While a +5 Scimitar will most likely go to a Druid, when fighting a tougher undead opponent, the Fighter might make better use of it!
The trick here is not to put all the ability in one area into a single package, where the loss of one character can injure the whole party. If you find five Healing potions, let everybody carry one, even if it means the Paladin and Cleric have to do without. They have their own means! This rule can also be applied to supplies, wealth, etc. Carry a few coins and a little food on you, some more in your pack, another cache in your saddle bags, etc. When one gets lost or stolen, the rest may still be available.
What Can You (Learn To) Do That I Can't? In any FRPG, a typical character can do something that no one else in the party can. When selecting a PC, look at their unique abilities. If possible, get the party together ahead of time and work together on choosing skills. As a D&D3e example, only a Rogue can learn to Read Lips, and only Druids and Rangers can develop Animal Empathy. Look at what your PC can (learn to) do that no one else can. Also, look at what your character's restrictions will be. Not much use in a D&D3e Fighter developing the Hide and Move Quietly skills, or Run feat, since their heavy armor will make these pretty useless. Barbarians, Rangers, and Rogues are another matter. In any case, look at the abilities available, and consider the ones that can only be done with training, and the one few other PCs have access to, especially carefully. (Note here that the method recommended in the D&D3e Player's Handbook - maxing out two to eight skills - generally doesn't allow for this... You'll have to decide for yourself whether or not having a mere four skills at maximum (and being unable to use 15 others) is better than having a slight chance with 2-8 skills... If you decide to max out 2-8, maybe you could spend a few "bonus points" for high INT on skills that can't be used without a single Rank?)
Always Leave When You're Half Dead (If Not Before): Once a party (of any sort) starts getting low on health, supplies, ammo, etc., it is time to start heading back. If you stay in the adventuring area until your Healers and Mages have used their last spells, everyone is hurt, and you're all low on ammo, that party of bandits waiting to rob you on the way out may never get the chance... The wandering monsters may finish you off before you ever get back to the horses! Once you're at (or approaching) half strength, it's (past?) time to head back. If getting out is as tough as getting in, you might just make it!
Who Needs a 10' Pole? Why anyone would carry a 10' pole (being armed with a pole), when they could carry a polearm, has always escaped me... What can you do with a pole that you can't with a spear or pike, for example? If the GM rules that a polearm is too thin to be used as a pole, ask about putting a pike head on the end of the pole. The point (pardon the pun) is, if all you use a pole for is poking things, and opening chests at a distance, you might as well do all that with a pike that can also be used as a weapon, instead of carrying around a pole that has to be dropped so you can draw something else to fight with!
This opens up a whole new realm of posible "combination" items: A Hammer-backed Handaxe with a crowbar sticking out the top of the handle, a combination staff-blowpipe, a staff with a folding blade that can be opened and used as a scythe, etc. Many games now contain various Craft skills, and most GMs will accomodate your desires, once your PCs have some coins to be relieved of. Such goods can also help in surprising the smelly bandit leader, the next time he tries to rob you! The trick here is to integrate items, thereby decreasing weight (but beware of putting all your eggs in one basket, as well)!
Know Your Enemy 101: Where are you going, and why? What are the obstacles, and who are the opponents? Do you have what you need? If you don't know what you're getting yourself into, you probably won't know how to get yourself out, either! The necessities of desert travel are very much different from (ant)arctic adventuring. Desert Camouflage is useful in the first case, Cold Weather Clothing much less so. The situation is reversed in the second case. A dungeon delving is not the same as cliff climbing (although climbing tools might be useful in both cases). Fighting giants and Vampires are two entirely different things. So how do you know what you're up against? Many GMs love to misdirect you, as to what their adventure is about!
First of all, as much as possible, prepare for the worst. Go loaded for bear (Hrm! Make that "Gargantuan Ancient Dragon"!). While it isn't necessary that everyone have a mirror, or a rope, or Thieve's Tools, the party, as a group, should have several, among them. Next, gather information. Rogues have a professional skill for this; 2300AD, Call of Cthuhlu, Traveller, and many other games have a similar one. The bookish sorts can find other sorts of info at the libraries County Assessor's Office, etc. Thirdly, send the stealthy, perceptive sorts in to scout the place. Tracks can tell tales, too. Magical scrying/sensors can prove very useful, in such respects. Once you know what you're up against, you can go in better prepared, dump useless gear, or go back to town for still more research/equipment.
I Can't Carry It All! No, you can't, and you really don't need the kitchen sink, either... It doesn't work without the water pipes, anyway, a waterskin will do the same job, is a lot lighter, and a lot easier to carry! Also, once you have a few adventures under your belt, you can afford a mount or vehicle. Some things, like a tent, you may really need in certain situations, but don't need to be lugging around everywhere you go.
Many explorers and far-travellers strung a pair of mounts and a pack horse behind them. While it's not a bad idea to have some backup equipment handy, it is a bad idea to load yourself down. A pack saddle is a much better plan. Even so, you will probably find carrying the gear that you need to be... encumbering. That's what packs are for. Put things like food, water, torches, oil, and the bedroll and blankets in there, and when need be, the whole pack can be dumped, lightening your load. If you survive the fight, you can pick it back up, later. (Note here, though, that a dumped pack can get separated from its owner, so be sure to keep essential gear on your belt: see Don't Put All Your Eggs In One Basket!)
Ask For It! I've already mentioned the combination Handaxe, Hammer, and Prybar. I once asked a GM for this, and he turned me down. Another AD&D GM and I used to have an agreement that, anytime I wanted a silvered iron weapon, all I had to do was pay the normal cost for a steel one. If there's a dingus you think you need (or maybe it would just come in handy), go ahead and ask the GM for it! What's the worst they can do, say no? Charge you double?
Another item that falls into this category is the "Bonus Item". These are items of non-magical, but superior quality, such as the D&D3e "Mighty" Composite Bows, or "Masterwork" items, or the list of Bonus Items I did for the Lejedary Adventure game. These items can give a bonus to combat, defense, skill use, or simply subtract from penalties a PC would ordinarily suffer. While the GM will rarely let your PC make these, they will sometimes let you find or buy them. Now, wouldn't a set of +2 lockpicks be nice?
If It Don't Exist, Invent It! Okay, so your first level D&D3e Rogue has run afoul of the local constabulary, and been "drafted" for the "Great Rattlesnake Round-Up". What you want is a really long pole, with a noose on the end... something you can grab Mr. Snake with, from outside his striking range! Naturally, such a device doesn't exist. So, you ask the GM if you can get some equipment (high, hard boots, for example!), and pick up a pole (or a pike, if the Sheriff allows it!), some screw eyes (or nails, if screw eyes don't exist), and some leather thong (and maybe some string). You put one eye in the end of the pole (or bend a nail over), and tie one end of the thong to that. You put a few more along the side of the pole, passing the thong through them (and if you want to get fancy, can do both sides, using the other for the string). Now you have a pole with a loop on one end, which you can dangle over Mr. Snake's head, then pull the thong tight, capturing him from a safe(r) distance! Attaching a piece of string to the upper end of the thong and running it through the eyes (or bent nails) on the other side of the pike/pole will also allow you to pull on the string, releasing the angry snake, as well (hopefully into a tough, fang-proof lether sack held by someone else)!
Now while most GMs won't let you invent an item like the Bowkler or Compound (pulley) Bow, many will let you invent the "snake pole", and even give you a bonus in combat (and maybe even a few extra Experience Points) for having the idea! The point is, if you can think of a better solution to a problem, ask the GM if you can make it, or find a craftsman who can. You can sometimes get a non-magical version of the climbing pole in the Rod of Lordly Might! Many games now have a Mechanics or Engineering skill that your GM may insist you have before attempting such, too. Ask the GM about this, if you like to "McGyverize" your way out of problems.
Help Each Other: While most of these tips have been ones you can do solo, don't go it alone! Most RPGs are designed for team play, so be a team player! Be willing to sacrifice your beloved new snake-grabber pole if it means saving the party's Druid. You may end up needing Reincarnating, later on (and you wouldn't want bad karma)!
Helping each other touches on a lot of the other hints, here, such as not putting all your eggs in one basket, looking at what your class can do that no one else can, etc. It also has to do with division of treasure, equipping poorer PCs, working as a team when gathering info, choosing spells, carrying gear, etc. Few teams work this well together!
"I Aint Never Been Lost, But I Was Once A Might Confused For Three Days!" So if you hit the Teleport Circle and suddenly find yourself ELSEWHERE, it's time to set some new goals: Survival, and Getting Found! When going into a wilderness area, check the map (you did bring a map, didn't you?) and look for natural boundaries. If the River Gildorf bounds the Forest of Fear on the north, which ends at the Grey Hills on the east, and plainslands on the south and west, then you can wander through the forest, knowing about where you are. Dungeons are even easier, as they are generally smaller in extent. Caves are harder, because 3D mapping is rough. In any case, when you drop down to the third level of a cave or dungeon, start a new map, and forget looking for the Sword of Cwlim, for the moment. Find the way out, first, and then you can come back to explore further.
What Good Are You? Every character in a party of adventurers should know the answer to this question. The better you do, the better off you and your party are. "My job is to tote the gear, wear the heavy armor, and take out the tough opponents in hand-to-hand combat." "My job is to scout ahead, bring back word, clear the path, and occasionally take out a bad guy by surprise." "My job is to serve and protect - especially by healing you more violent types, but also by carrying the heavy armor and acting as the second line of defense!" "My job is to move quick and light, ahead of the party, spotting trouble before we run into it, and warn the rest. Once combat starts, I'll hang back and pelt the enemy with missile fire, watching for newly-arriving reinforcements." Even in a Sci-Fi game, your PC should have a purpose. If you can't think of one, maybe you should stop and take a few moments. What use is a character with no purpose in the party?
Who Do You Want To Be? Besides what you can do, what kind of character do you want to play? A Sword-swinging Mage? A Ranger who can set and disarm traps? A Scout who can pilot a starship, but is also adept at survival? Keep your character's image in mind, as you advance. This will help you stay focused on your original goals, instead of getting off track, and chasing butterflies. A stealthy, perceptive woodsman really doesn't have much need for that Alchemy skill, does he? Sure, it's interesting, but... Also look at the costs of development. How hard will it be for the Mage to learn Sword-swinging? How much will it cost the woodsman to learn Alchemy, and what will they have to give up, in order to do so? The type of character you want to play may or may not be possible as a beginning character, but could be developed over time, if you stick to it, and pay the price.
Know Your System/GM: Not the same as "Know Your Enemy", but more along the lines of "Know what's possible, and permitted". First and Second Edition AD&D didn't allow Dwarven Mages, for example, but Third Edition does. Does your GM? If you want a well armed, armored fighting man, which race and class is best suited to you? How does your GM feel about that combination? If you play an evil character with a GM who hates them, the life expectancy of your PC may be short. If you want to play a Military Psionic in the Universe SF-RPG, you will find it at least difficult, if not impossible, due to the rules. In the first case, the rules pose no problem, but the GM might disallow it. In one GM's game, asking for special equipment or abilities might get you classified as "a whiner", while in a different one, you might be rewarded for coming up with inventive ideas. Knowing both the game mechanics and your Game Master can make life a lot easier... for the PCs, and their players!
Know Your Enemy 102: So you want to get back at the local Bandit King and his smelly henchmen for the way they treated you, back at first level? Great! So what's the plan? (You DO have a plan, don't you?) How many smelly brigands are you going to have to deal with? Do they have allies, guardians, mounts, a lair... treasure? How tough is this job going to be, and do you have the manpower to handle it? Are they all first level, or will some of them be tougher?
Assuming you have gathered the proper intelligence (through Gather Information, scrying, infiltration and spying, or whatever), your job could be much easier. Missing the fact that the Bandit Leader and his Lieutenants are Vampires could be your final mistake! Knowing that you're going up against a creature of flame, on the other hand, allows you to prepare ahead of time with Potions and Rings of Fire Resistance, a Wand of Frost, and other such helpful aids. Whatever your hero(in)es are up to, having a set goal allows them to better prepare to meet the challenges. Against a petty Bandit Lord, hired men-at-arms may be useful. Against Vampires and Fire Elementals, however, they may be merely a late snack, or charcoal. Knowing what you're up against gives you the info to discern between the two.
Party Order: When in the woods, a woods(wo)man should probably lead the way. When in a cave, a caver is a good bet. Down in a dungeon, a Rogue who can detect traps is the obvious choice. Generally speaking, the heavily armored Fighter-types should lead the majority of the group, as the front line. Archers, those with polearms, and heavily armored Non-Fighters (such as Clerics) should form the second line of defense, and the lightly armored combatants or spellweavers should "guard the middle", with a second line of heavily armored types bringing up the rear.
If you have a large party, some like to have a stealthy, perceptive type following the party, as well as a couple of "outriders" flanking each side. Personally, I have found these to be more trouble than help, and prefer keeping the party together. Scouts, rearguards, and outriders should all be instructed that their job is merely to spot trouble, too, not get into it! Once they have noticed something, they should sneak back and warn the party, not initiate combat, or "investigate further" and get themselves picked off. A live scout with less information is better than a dead one who knows all about the situation.
Plan B: So you've gathered info on the local Bandit Lord and his smelly troops. You know that he and his two Lieutenants are Vampires, that they have a 7th level Half-Orc Fighter as a Sergeant, and a 4th level Mage with a pet Fire Elemental. The Party's Ranger and Rogue have infiltrated their citadel, and mapped the layout, know where all the mounts and treasures are, know that there are only 15 1rst level Fighters/Rogues to be dealt with, and you're all prepared to go in... The Cleric lends his Mace of Disruption to a Fighter who can hit better with it (so he can take out the Vampires) and prepares his Turn Undead, the Mage stocks up on 0-level spells of Undead-smiting. Resist Elements spells and Potions and Rings of Fire Resistance are passed out, everyone knows the plan, has studied the map, and is all ready to go... The Fighter and Cleric will wait in ambush while the Ranger and Rogue walk in, and draw out one of the Lieutenants, leading it into the ambush. The Cleric and Fighter will then attack, aided by roguish sneak attacks and the Ranger's flaming sword. The Mage will scry the citadel, and be ready to add spell support, if need be. The Druid, Monk, Bard, and Sorcerer will act as the party's reserve. If all goes well, the party will then try to draw out the second Lieutenant in the same manner, then the Ranger and Rogue will go after the Half-Orc Sergeant while the rest of the party goes after the Mage and Bandit Lord.
Sounds like a plan, but is the party all ready to go? Nope! What's missing, here? Well, besides the lack of a plan to handle the 15 1rst level underlings, there is no fall-back contingency, no "Plan B" to be executed when bad goes to worse. For instance: The Evil Mage has been scrying the new "bandits", too, and knows the Ranger and Rogue are "good guys". He has informed the Vampiric Bandit Lord, who has called in 10 extra men from the surrounding area, unbeknowst to the party. He and his Lieutenants have subjugated these men so that they are under their complete control. Using an Amulet of Non-detection, the Mage has been scrying the party, and knows where the ambush has been set. The Bandit Lord has his ten men there, waiting. When the Ranger and Rogue draw the first of the Vampiric Lietenants off, they (and the Fighter and Cleric) are the ones ambushed! With 12-to-4 odds, the party is lucky (thanks to rabid defense from the Mace-of-Disruption-wielding Fighter, Undead-Turning Cleric, backstabbing Rogue, and Flaming-Sword-swinging Ranger) to slay the Vampire, whose loss of control of the 10 men allows the heroes to escape, badly injured. Seeing his Lietenant slain, the Bandit Lord sends out his 15 troops, led by the Sergeant and his second Lieutenant, to hunt the party down... Now, the injured Fighter, Cleric, Ranger, and Rogue must dodge through the woods, evading their pursuers, and seeking the rest of the party!
If the party had had a "Plan B", now would be the time to use it! For instance: Suppose that the Mage, Druid, Monk, Bard, and Sorcerer were held up in a cave nearby that the Druid had found, and covered with Hallucinatory Terrain. When worse turned to worst, the remainder of the party could split up (dividing the enemies forces, as well), and "beat feet" back towards this "safe haven". Maybe the Rogue has even had the time to prepare a few traps, and the Druid has some Entangle, Snare, Spike Growth, etc. spells in place! Maybe she and the Mage have a few Water Elementals waiting for the Evil Mage's Fire Elemental, too... and where is that Paladin at, anyway? Surely he isn't sitting out this adventure? Are he and his mighty mount waiting in some third location, perhaps with some local militia or hired men-at-arms with silver-tipped crossbow bolts, waiting for the Vampire Lord to show itself? And where is that sneaky, smelly Barbarian? Has he also infiltrated the citadel, unbeknownst to the occupants? Might he even now be creeping up on that Evil Mage? Hmmm! Did our heroes actually know that the Evil Mage was watching them, and allow the ambush to appear as a rout, so that they could draw all the Fighters and Rogues away from the citadel, opening the door for the Paladin and his merry men? Might they even now be doubling back to give the evil Bandit Lord his final come-uppance? Did they really have a Plan B, all along? (Such duplicity! Circles within Circles! Oww, my head hurts!)
The Face Man: During an adventure, you're going to need someone to talk to the locals, gather information, deal with the local magistrates, and do other forms of Interfacing. This is the "'face man". Note that the face man isn't always a man, and isn't even necessarily the same character! The Paladin's Warhorse is a better face "man". when dealing with horses, than the Paladin would be. The Ranger or Druid will be better with most other animals. The Rogue is a natural, down at the Theives' Guild (where the Paladin would be a liability), and the Paladin will be the natural with the local rulers, where the Rogue might be a liability! Obviously, who the face man is depends on who has a better Charisma, and where you are. If you need help at the Wizard's Guild, your party's Mage may be the only hope, even if she has a Charisma of 8! In general, pick the member of your party most acceptable to the group you're dealing with, with the highest CHA bonus.
Try Being Nice, First! Finally, whether you're adventuring, or just out wandering around town, when you meet an NPC who may seem to be an obstacle, try being nice, first. "A soft answer turneth away wrath." It's worth a try... you can always rip out swords and spill blood later, if all else fails. If this seems a bit harder for you to swallow, let the face man try, while you prepare to execute "Plan B". You'd be surprised how often combat can be avoided.
Well, there you have it: 20 Generic Tips for Fantasy Roleplayers, which can be adapted to most other types of games, as well (Spies always need a "Plan B")! Look them over, and put them to work for your next party of adventurers. They may even live long enough to thank you for it!
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Not exactly combat oriented, but maybe your PCs can get something useful out of it...
Copyright 2000-2003 by SteveC. All rights reserved. (Originally published in Lejends) Permission granted to make copies for personal, non-commercial use.
This article lists 20 general tips for use in any generic Fantasy Roleplaying Game. While it is "aimed" at all you FRPGers out there, even SF-RPGers might find a trick or two, especially when your ship crash-lands on some low-tech, backwater world. Many D&D references will be made, although you can apply the same pointers to other FRPGs, with a little modification.
Slings: You Gotta Love'm!
Improvise, Adapt, Overcome!
Don't Put All Your Eggs In One Basket
What Can You (Learn To) Do That I Can't?
Always Leave When You're Half Dead (If Not Before)
Who Needs a 10' Pole?
Know Your Enemy 101
I Can't Carry It All!
Ask For It!
If It Don't Exist, Invent It!
Help Each Other
"I Aint Never Been Lost, But I Was Once A Might Confused For Three Days!"
What Good Are You?
Who Do You Want To Be?
Know Your System/GM
Know Your Enemy 102
Party Order
Plan B
The Face Man
Try Being Nice, First!
Slings: You Gotta Love'm! Probably everyone is familiar with Fritz Lieber's Grey Mouser, and how he sharpened two half-coins and sewed them into the lining of his cloak, so that he could free them and cut himself loose with them when he was tied up. You all know it; you all hate it: the situation where the Bandit Leader and his horde of smelly troops (or some other, similar, group of vastly outnumbering NPCs) have captured your poor first level PCs, stripped them of all their weapons, armor, and few remaining coppers, beaten them half silly, and sent them off into the wilderness to lick their wounds (unlimited or otherwise)... One cheap, common, and usually overlooked item that can aid a poor PC in such a situation is the sling.
For years, I have had my PCs take a couple of these (and they are both free and weightless, in D&D 3.x!), and squirrel them away for hard times... Even though they are listed on my equipment sheet, I have never yet had a robber take them. Why? You can replace your bootlaces with them. You can braid long hair with them. You can use them to lace up or tie your tunic or pants, tie your blanket and bedroll, make a strap for your canteen or water gourd out of them... Unless the robbers strip you naked, you can probably get away with at least a couple, and have a missile weapon at hand.
If your game includes a Leatherworking or Survival skill, you can probably make one of these with a sharpened rock and dead animal, without too much trouble, too. For ammunition, scrounge a few rocks, and you're ready to go back for your gear. Now while slings are the obvious choice (due to their easy concealability), obviously clubs and staves are also readily available (these, too, are free in D&D 3.x, although they are not weightless). Most tools can be used as one or the other (a few might even work as spears). Garottes are also easily made and concealed. In a tough situation, use whatever's at hand. A kind GM (Game Master) might even let you improvise such weapons as stone axes, knives, spears, and morningstars (generally, making effective bows and arrows takes too long, and GMs seem prejudiced against allowing you to make one when you need it... No one seems to think you incapable of making a simple sling or club, though)!
Improvise, Adapt, Overcome! As can be seen from the above, you can take items intended for one purpose, and use them for another. For an adventurer to survive, (s)he will need to become adept at this... Try to see more than one use for any item you encounter. A candle? Sure it sheds light, but it's also a source of wax. Wax can be used to waterproof things, seal small holes, stick things together, preserve foods sealed inside it, etc. A crowbar? Useful for opening things, sure, but also an effective club, good for sticking into those dark holes (as opposed to an unarmored hand), handy in setting off traps that you can't disarm, handy in stopping sliding walls from crushing you to death, useful in opening doors, chests... You get the idea. Using the old "What do we have, and what do we need?" method will get you out of a lot of difficulties, even without magic or high-tech.
Don't Put All Your Eggs In One Basket: Ever have the Cleric with all the Healing potions (not to mention the rope) disappear down a pit trap to the level two stories down? Oops! No more healing... Want to jump down after them? The same applies to other important items. If the party has money, everyone should have a first aid kit, pack with food and water, some simple survival gear (rope and grapnel, knife, fire starter, bedroll and blankets, maybe even a handaxe or machete and tent, if weight is no problem, torches (if needed), oil for burning undead, etc.). Ever have a Thief break/lose his picks and tools? If so, I bet no one had a replacement, eh? Even if no one else can use them, a well-off party should invest a few coin in "backups" of essential equipment. In games such as RuneQuest, Hero Quest, and D&D 3.x, anyone who wants to can learn to pick locks and disarm traps.
This process can be extended even furhter: If the party finds a Ring of Spell Storing, for instance, which is full of healing spells, perhaps someone besides the Cleric should carry it. While a +5 Scimitar will most likely go to a Druid, when fighting a tougher undead opponent, the Fighter might make better use of it!
The trick here is not to put all the ability in one area into a single package, where the loss of one character can injure the whole party. If you find five Healing potions, let everybody carry one, even if it means the Paladin and Cleric have to do without. They have their own means! This rule can also be applied to supplies, wealth, etc. Carry a few coins and a little food on you, some more in your pack, another cache in your saddle bags, etc. When one gets lost or stolen, the rest may still be available.
What Can You (Learn To) Do That I Can't? In any FRPG, a typical character can do something that no one else in the party can. When selecting a PC, look at their unique abilities. If possible, get the party together ahead of time and work together on choosing skills. As a D&D3e example, only a Rogue can learn to Read Lips, and only Druids and Rangers can develop Animal Empathy. Look at what your PC can (learn to) do that no one else can. Also, look at what your character's restrictions will be. Not much use in a D&D3e Fighter developing the Hide and Move Quietly skills, or Run feat, since their heavy armor will make these pretty useless. Barbarians, Rangers, and Rogues are another matter. In any case, look at the abilities available, and consider the ones that can only be done with training, and the one few other PCs have access to, especially carefully. (Note here that the method recommended in the D&D3e Player's Handbook - maxing out two to eight skills - generally doesn't allow for this... You'll have to decide for yourself whether or not having a mere four skills at maximum (and being unable to use 15 others) is better than having a slight chance with 2-8 skills... If you decide to max out 2-8, maybe you could spend a few "bonus points" for high INT on skills that can't be used without a single Rank?)
Always Leave When You're Half Dead (If Not Before): Once a party (of any sort) starts getting low on health, supplies, ammo, etc., it is time to start heading back. If you stay in the adventuring area until your Healers and Mages have used their last spells, everyone is hurt, and you're all low on ammo, that party of bandits waiting to rob you on the way out may never get the chance... The wandering monsters may finish you off before you ever get back to the horses! Once you're at (or approaching) half strength, it's (past?) time to head back. If getting out is as tough as getting in, you might just make it!
Who Needs a 10' Pole? Why anyone would carry a 10' pole (being armed with a pole), when they could carry a polearm, has always escaped me... What can you do with a pole that you can't with a spear or pike, for example? If the GM rules that a polearm is too thin to be used as a pole, ask about putting a pike head on the end of the pole. The point (pardon the pun) is, if all you use a pole for is poking things, and opening chests at a distance, you might as well do all that with a pike that can also be used as a weapon, instead of carrying around a pole that has to be dropped so you can draw something else to fight with!
This opens up a whole new realm of posible "combination" items: A Hammer-backed Handaxe with a crowbar sticking out the top of the handle, a combination staff-blowpipe, a staff with a folding blade that can be opened and used as a scythe, etc. Many games now contain various Craft skills, and most GMs will accomodate your desires, once your PCs have some coins to be relieved of. Such goods can also help in surprising the smelly bandit leader, the next time he tries to rob you! The trick here is to integrate items, thereby decreasing weight (but beware of putting all your eggs in one basket, as well)!
Know Your Enemy 101: Where are you going, and why? What are the obstacles, and who are the opponents? Do you have what you need? If you don't know what you're getting yourself into, you probably won't know how to get yourself out, either! The necessities of desert travel are very much different from (ant)arctic adventuring. Desert Camouflage is useful in the first case, Cold Weather Clothing much less so. The situation is reversed in the second case. A dungeon delving is not the same as cliff climbing (although climbing tools might be useful in both cases). Fighting giants and Vampires are two entirely different things. So how do you know what you're up against? Many GMs love to misdirect you, as to what their adventure is about!
First of all, as much as possible, prepare for the worst. Go loaded for bear (Hrm! Make that "Gargantuan Ancient Dragon"!). While it isn't necessary that everyone have a mirror, or a rope, or Thieve's Tools, the party, as a group, should have several, among them. Next, gather information. Rogues have a professional skill for this; 2300AD, Call of Cthuhlu, Traveller, and many other games have a similar one. The bookish sorts can find other sorts of info at the libraries County Assessor's Office, etc. Thirdly, send the stealthy, perceptive sorts in to scout the place. Tracks can tell tales, too. Magical scrying/sensors can prove very useful, in such respects. Once you know what you're up against, you can go in better prepared, dump useless gear, or go back to town for still more research/equipment.
I Can't Carry It All! No, you can't, and you really don't need the kitchen sink, either... It doesn't work without the water pipes, anyway, a waterskin will do the same job, is a lot lighter, and a lot easier to carry! Also, once you have a few adventures under your belt, you can afford a mount or vehicle. Some things, like a tent, you may really need in certain situations, but don't need to be lugging around everywhere you go.
Many explorers and far-travellers strung a pair of mounts and a pack horse behind them. While it's not a bad idea to have some backup equipment handy, it is a bad idea to load yourself down. A pack saddle is a much better plan. Even so, you will probably find carrying the gear that you need to be... encumbering. That's what packs are for. Put things like food, water, torches, oil, and the bedroll and blankets in there, and when need be, the whole pack can be dumped, lightening your load. If you survive the fight, you can pick it back up, later. (Note here, though, that a dumped pack can get separated from its owner, so be sure to keep essential gear on your belt: see Don't Put All Your Eggs In One Basket!)
Ask For It! I've already mentioned the combination Handaxe, Hammer, and Prybar. I once asked a GM for this, and he turned me down. Another AD&D GM and I used to have an agreement that, anytime I wanted a silvered iron weapon, all I had to do was pay the normal cost for a steel one. If there's a dingus you think you need (or maybe it would just come in handy), go ahead and ask the GM for it! What's the worst they can do, say no? Charge you double?
Another item that falls into this category is the "Bonus Item". These are items of non-magical, but superior quality, such as the D&D3e "Mighty" Composite Bows, or "Masterwork" items, or the list of Bonus Items I did for the Lejedary Adventure game. These items can give a bonus to combat, defense, skill use, or simply subtract from penalties a PC would ordinarily suffer. While the GM will rarely let your PC make these, they will sometimes let you find or buy them. Now, wouldn't a set of +2 lockpicks be nice?
If It Don't Exist, Invent It! Okay, so your first level D&D3e Rogue has run afoul of the local constabulary, and been "drafted" for the "Great Rattlesnake Round-Up". What you want is a really long pole, with a noose on the end... something you can grab Mr. Snake with, from outside his striking range! Naturally, such a device doesn't exist. So, you ask the GM if you can get some equipment (high, hard boots, for example!), and pick up a pole (or a pike, if the Sheriff allows it!), some screw eyes (or nails, if screw eyes don't exist), and some leather thong (and maybe some string). You put one eye in the end of the pole (or bend a nail over), and tie one end of the thong to that. You put a few more along the side of the pole, passing the thong through them (and if you want to get fancy, can do both sides, using the other for the string). Now you have a pole with a loop on one end, which you can dangle over Mr. Snake's head, then pull the thong tight, capturing him from a safe(r) distance! Attaching a piece of string to the upper end of the thong and running it through the eyes (or bent nails) on the other side of the pike/pole will also allow you to pull on the string, releasing the angry snake, as well (hopefully into a tough, fang-proof lether sack held by someone else)!
Now while most GMs won't let you invent an item like the Bowkler or Compound (pulley) Bow, many will let you invent the "snake pole", and even give you a bonus in combat (and maybe even a few extra Experience Points) for having the idea! The point is, if you can think of a better solution to a problem, ask the GM if you can make it, or find a craftsman who can. You can sometimes get a non-magical version of the climbing pole in the Rod of Lordly Might! Many games now have a Mechanics or Engineering skill that your GM may insist you have before attempting such, too. Ask the GM about this, if you like to "McGyverize" your way out of problems.
Help Each Other: While most of these tips have been ones you can do solo, don't go it alone! Most RPGs are designed for team play, so be a team player! Be willing to sacrifice your beloved new snake-grabber pole if it means saving the party's Druid. You may end up needing Reincarnating, later on (and you wouldn't want bad karma)!
Helping each other touches on a lot of the other hints, here, such as not putting all your eggs in one basket, looking at what your class can do that no one else can, etc. It also has to do with division of treasure, equipping poorer PCs, working as a team when gathering info, choosing spells, carrying gear, etc. Few teams work this well together!
"I Aint Never Been Lost, But I Was Once A Might Confused For Three Days!" So if you hit the Teleport Circle and suddenly find yourself ELSEWHERE, it's time to set some new goals: Survival, and Getting Found! When going into a wilderness area, check the map (you did bring a map, didn't you?) and look for natural boundaries. If the River Gildorf bounds the Forest of Fear on the north, which ends at the Grey Hills on the east, and plainslands on the south and west, then you can wander through the forest, knowing about where you are. Dungeons are even easier, as they are generally smaller in extent. Caves are harder, because 3D mapping is rough. In any case, when you drop down to the third level of a cave or dungeon, start a new map, and forget looking for the Sword of Cwlim, for the moment. Find the way out, first, and then you can come back to explore further.
What Good Are You? Every character in a party of adventurers should know the answer to this question. The better you do, the better off you and your party are. "My job is to tote the gear, wear the heavy armor, and take out the tough opponents in hand-to-hand combat." "My job is to scout ahead, bring back word, clear the path, and occasionally take out a bad guy by surprise." "My job is to serve and protect - especially by healing you more violent types, but also by carrying the heavy armor and acting as the second line of defense!" "My job is to move quick and light, ahead of the party, spotting trouble before we run into it, and warn the rest. Once combat starts, I'll hang back and pelt the enemy with missile fire, watching for newly-arriving reinforcements." Even in a Sci-Fi game, your PC should have a purpose. If you can't think of one, maybe you should stop and take a few moments. What use is a character with no purpose in the party?
Who Do You Want To Be? Besides what you can do, what kind of character do you want to play? A Sword-swinging Mage? A Ranger who can set and disarm traps? A Scout who can pilot a starship, but is also adept at survival? Keep your character's image in mind, as you advance. This will help you stay focused on your original goals, instead of getting off track, and chasing butterflies. A stealthy, perceptive woodsman really doesn't have much need for that Alchemy skill, does he? Sure, it's interesting, but... Also look at the costs of development. How hard will it be for the Mage to learn Sword-swinging? How much will it cost the woodsman to learn Alchemy, and what will they have to give up, in order to do so? The type of character you want to play may or may not be possible as a beginning character, but could be developed over time, if you stick to it, and pay the price.
Know Your System/GM: Not the same as "Know Your Enemy", but more along the lines of "Know what's possible, and permitted". First and Second Edition AD&D didn't allow Dwarven Mages, for example, but Third Edition does. Does your GM? If you want a well armed, armored fighting man, which race and class is best suited to you? How does your GM feel about that combination? If you play an evil character with a GM who hates them, the life expectancy of your PC may be short. If you want to play a Military Psionic in the Universe SF-RPG, you will find it at least difficult, if not impossible, due to the rules. In the first case, the rules pose no problem, but the GM might disallow it. In one GM's game, asking for special equipment or abilities might get you classified as "a whiner", while in a different one, you might be rewarded for coming up with inventive ideas. Knowing both the game mechanics and your Game Master can make life a lot easier... for the PCs, and their players!
Know Your Enemy 102: So you want to get back at the local Bandit King and his smelly henchmen for the way they treated you, back at first level? Great! So what's the plan? (You DO have a plan, don't you?) How many smelly brigands are you going to have to deal with? Do they have allies, guardians, mounts, a lair... treasure? How tough is this job going to be, and do you have the manpower to handle it? Are they all first level, or will some of them be tougher?
Assuming you have gathered the proper intelligence (through Gather Information, scrying, infiltration and spying, or whatever), your job could be much easier. Missing the fact that the Bandit Leader and his Lieutenants are Vampires could be your final mistake! Knowing that you're going up against a creature of flame, on the other hand, allows you to prepare ahead of time with Potions and Rings of Fire Resistance, a Wand of Frost, and other such helpful aids. Whatever your hero(in)es are up to, having a set goal allows them to better prepare to meet the challenges. Against a petty Bandit Lord, hired men-at-arms may be useful. Against Vampires and Fire Elementals, however, they may be merely a late snack, or charcoal. Knowing what you're up against gives you the info to discern between the two.
Party Order: When in the woods, a woods(wo)man should probably lead the way. When in a cave, a caver is a good bet. Down in a dungeon, a Rogue who can detect traps is the obvious choice. Generally speaking, the heavily armored Fighter-types should lead the majority of the group, as the front line. Archers, those with polearms, and heavily armored Non-Fighters (such as Clerics) should form the second line of defense, and the lightly armored combatants or spellweavers should "guard the middle", with a second line of heavily armored types bringing up the rear.
If you have a large party, some like to have a stealthy, perceptive type following the party, as well as a couple of "outriders" flanking each side. Personally, I have found these to be more trouble than help, and prefer keeping the party together. Scouts, rearguards, and outriders should all be instructed that their job is merely to spot trouble, too, not get into it! Once they have noticed something, they should sneak back and warn the party, not initiate combat, or "investigate further" and get themselves picked off. A live scout with less information is better than a dead one who knows all about the situation.
Plan B: So you've gathered info on the local Bandit Lord and his smelly troops. You know that he and his two Lieutenants are Vampires, that they have a 7th level Half-Orc Fighter as a Sergeant, and a 4th level Mage with a pet Fire Elemental. The Party's Ranger and Rogue have infiltrated their citadel, and mapped the layout, know where all the mounts and treasures are, know that there are only 15 1rst level Fighters/Rogues to be dealt with, and you're all prepared to go in... The Cleric lends his Mace of Disruption to a Fighter who can hit better with it (so he can take out the Vampires) and prepares his Turn Undead, the Mage stocks up on 0-level spells of Undead-smiting. Resist Elements spells and Potions and Rings of Fire Resistance are passed out, everyone knows the plan, has studied the map, and is all ready to go... The Fighter and Cleric will wait in ambush while the Ranger and Rogue walk in, and draw out one of the Lieutenants, leading it into the ambush. The Cleric and Fighter will then attack, aided by roguish sneak attacks and the Ranger's flaming sword. The Mage will scry the citadel, and be ready to add spell support, if need be. The Druid, Monk, Bard, and Sorcerer will act as the party's reserve. If all goes well, the party will then try to draw out the second Lieutenant in the same manner, then the Ranger and Rogue will go after the Half-Orc Sergeant while the rest of the party goes after the Mage and Bandit Lord.
Sounds like a plan, but is the party all ready to go? Nope! What's missing, here? Well, besides the lack of a plan to handle the 15 1rst level underlings, there is no fall-back contingency, no "Plan B" to be executed when bad goes to worse. For instance: The Evil Mage has been scrying the new "bandits", too, and knows the Ranger and Rogue are "good guys". He has informed the Vampiric Bandit Lord, who has called in 10 extra men from the surrounding area, unbeknowst to the party. He and his Lieutenants have subjugated these men so that they are under their complete control. Using an Amulet of Non-detection, the Mage has been scrying the party, and knows where the ambush has been set. The Bandit Lord has his ten men there, waiting. When the Ranger and Rogue draw the first of the Vampiric Lietenants off, they (and the Fighter and Cleric) are the ones ambushed! With 12-to-4 odds, the party is lucky (thanks to rabid defense from the Mace-of-Disruption-wielding Fighter, Undead-Turning Cleric, backstabbing Rogue, and Flaming-Sword-swinging Ranger) to slay the Vampire, whose loss of control of the 10 men allows the heroes to escape, badly injured. Seeing his Lietenant slain, the Bandit Lord sends out his 15 troops, led by the Sergeant and his second Lieutenant, to hunt the party down... Now, the injured Fighter, Cleric, Ranger, and Rogue must dodge through the woods, evading their pursuers, and seeking the rest of the party!
If the party had had a "Plan B", now would be the time to use it! For instance: Suppose that the Mage, Druid, Monk, Bard, and Sorcerer were held up in a cave nearby that the Druid had found, and covered with Hallucinatory Terrain. When worse turned to worst, the remainder of the party could split up (dividing the enemies forces, as well), and "beat feet" back towards this "safe haven". Maybe the Rogue has even had the time to prepare a few traps, and the Druid has some Entangle, Snare, Spike Growth, etc. spells in place! Maybe she and the Mage have a few Water Elementals waiting for the Evil Mage's Fire Elemental, too... and where is that Paladin at, anyway? Surely he isn't sitting out this adventure? Are he and his mighty mount waiting in some third location, perhaps with some local militia or hired men-at-arms with silver-tipped crossbow bolts, waiting for the Vampire Lord to show itself? And where is that sneaky, smelly Barbarian? Has he also infiltrated the citadel, unbeknownst to the occupants? Might he even now be creeping up on that Evil Mage? Hmmm! Did our heroes actually know that the Evil Mage was watching them, and allow the ambush to appear as a rout, so that they could draw all the Fighters and Rogues away from the citadel, opening the door for the Paladin and his merry men? Might they even now be doubling back to give the evil Bandit Lord his final come-uppance? Did they really have a Plan B, all along? (Such duplicity! Circles within Circles! Oww, my head hurts!)
The Face Man: During an adventure, you're going to need someone to talk to the locals, gather information, deal with the local magistrates, and do other forms of Interfacing. This is the "'face man". Note that the face man isn't always a man, and isn't even necessarily the same character! The Paladin's Warhorse is a better face "man". when dealing with horses, than the Paladin would be. The Ranger or Druid will be better with most other animals. The Rogue is a natural, down at the Theives' Guild (where the Paladin would be a liability), and the Paladin will be the natural with the local rulers, where the Rogue might be a liability! Obviously, who the face man is depends on who has a better Charisma, and where you are. If you need help at the Wizard's Guild, your party's Mage may be the only hope, even if she has a Charisma of 8! In general, pick the member of your party most acceptable to the group you're dealing with, with the highest CHA bonus.
Try Being Nice, First! Finally, whether you're adventuring, or just out wandering around town, when you meet an NPC who may seem to be an obstacle, try being nice, first. "A soft answer turneth away wrath." It's worth a try... you can always rip out swords and spill blood later, if all else fails. If this seems a bit harder for you to swallow, let the face man try, while you prepare to execute "Plan B". You'd be surprised how often combat can be avoided.
Well, there you have it: 20 Generic Tips for Fantasy Roleplayers, which can be adapted to most other types of games, as well (Spies always need a "Plan B")! Look them over, and put them to work for your next party of adventurers. They may even live long enough to thank you for it!
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Not exactly combat oriented, but maybe your PCs can get something useful out of it...
0. With your DM, Determine the OK Levels of Cinema and Tactics.
No matter what advice you take, the most important thing to do is decide ahead of time what's good for you and your dm (or you and your players). Frankly, if they don't want a wargame, and they aren't all tactics-crazy, then that's something to be adapted to. If they do and simply aren't able to form plans, then help em. Also, for players, realize that Optimal Efficiency isn't always the most fun you can have in combat. The second that's all that matters, something's been lost in yer gaming (as far as I'm concerned.)
So... figure out, as a group, what's good and what isn't. Hitting every BBEG with a bolo for an auto trip the moment he ends his evil-talk, may not be cool. Rolling around like ninnies in a grapple, reducing everything to shaving inches off HP, may not be Wanted. Likewise- making heroes out of tactically inept do-gooders who shouldn't really be anywhere near combat can also be totally sucky. At some point, if luck fails you, there'll still be the issue of how the bards can sing your praises if you never beat an opponent with resounding effect.
1. One Target Per Party.
AKA Concentration of Fire. This has been gone over enough.
2. Take out Finger Wigglers.
If you've got the monk silenced, he better be using his jump and tumble abilities to soar past the mook padding to get to the cleric and / or wizard. Guards, etc, are there to do one thing primarily- give the casters one or two more rounds to cast. Beyond that.. they'll do perhaps a little damage to you- but nothing like the disintegrates etc coming out of the Hextorian/Red Mage/Lich.
3. In Missile Combat, Movement Control is King.
I cannot tell you how many times I've seen archery based rangers backpedalling into who-knows-what as they try to keep out of melee range with things they should be Entangling, and how mages find themselves backed into walls or hit by arrows in dungeons where webbing could come in handy. Heavily armored targets with low dex, penalty modifiers, poor reflexes and bad balance scores DEMAND you hit them with Grease. Use those spells, tanglefoot bags, etc.
4. When In Doubt, Grapple lone NPCs
Now, in some cases this is a bad idea. Creatures that have powerful, natural attacks, or are far larger than you, or have more than two legs, are poor candidates for a grapple. However, that guy with the greatsword is fair game, as is the combat caster making defensive casting checks. It's best to pig-pile as well, so that if one person fails to maintain a pin, the next person can try as can the next. So many actions will be taken up by the opponent, that you can accomplish your objective (taking the gold, killing the person in question) at something that comes strikingly close to a "leisurely pace."
5. Ambushes Require Preparation... and DM acceptance
Sometimes players are so "We must Go Here and Do that" that they never consider the idea of preparing their own traps and things. They assume that you have to walk about to find things to hit, and that you must always go into the bad guy's dungeon to get him. Also, DMs can have a tendency to make anything other than overt questing and delving completely fruitless. Try to avoid both these scenarios. PCs... lure out your targets. Those who can't hide well- make ditches for cover and then conceal with leaves/branches. DMs... reward this, it's just as much "play" as if they were going to do things your way in the dungeon you spent last night making.
6. Warhorses Are A Free Level of Warrior
Well... almost. Riding on a good warhorse provides an additional +1 to hit due to higher ground. That is Great at low levels, and still nice at high levels. Also, warhorses tend to make retreat viable.
7. Feel Free to Delay and Refocus
Sometimes the most powerful thing a party can do is delay or refocus in a manner which makes them all go at roughly the same time in initiative. Controlling the flow of initiative is vastly important in a game of tactics. Monsters and well, DMs, have a harder time reacting properly to 4 or 5 actions happening all at once, rather than seeing the round unfold over a few minutes. This in some way negates the prep made possible by the various alarms you've activated, and also nullifies the homefield advantage that comes with the lair environment.
8. Have a Party Definition of Acceptable Casualties
There's no such thing as a Lonely Corpse. Sounds heartless that a group would think as such, but if you're reading this to avoid TPKs, you have to start thinking about this. If you refuse to withdraw with one person on the ground, as you won't possibly be able to retreat with him in tow, then expect to all drop dead. If you say, you aren't leaving without so and so, and the only way to get so and so is to kill the guy that killed so and so with two hits in one round, then expect to not leave at all. Dependence on luck is fine, dependence on friends is fine- just decide which you will do... and Bring Secondaries either way.
9. Holy Water? Check. Fire? Check.
If you can't produce acid, fire, or holy water rapidly... expect to eventually be in great danger from something that requires the above to be killed. If you do not have a bludgeoning weapon And a piercer And a slashing weapon, expect to have a hard time. While the same can be said for holy, unholy, lawful, and chaotic weaponry (maybe even a little epic or magic thrown in for good measure)... finding a way to afford it isn't as much about fighting tactics as it is about good spending habits.
10. Staggered Marching Orders are Good
Unless you're in the proverbial 10 foot wide corridor, there's no real reason to stick so close together, especially at low levels. The decision to fan out can mean the guy with the wand of Lightning Bolts can only hit 2 of you rather than all 4, or the ambush may be sprung with some of you on the periphery of it (if it springs at all).
11. Argue the validity of your Tactics
Sometimes, a DM will simply negate your tactics by instinct if you don't make it clear that what you are doing, and how the enemy is reacting, totally defies logic. A crib note that reads "The combat starts with the 6 bandits surrounding the PCs" may make little sense if the PCs aren't all on the road as expected. The bandits shouldn't retroactively expand their ambush. Likewise, if you've got a scout class, determine roughly the range you should be able to spot/hear things in various terrains and conditions (and judge for hide / listen as well). Believe it or not, getting a 20 on the listen check and starting the encounter with the DrumSnake at 10 ft's distance isn't appropriate necessarily... it's laziness on the DM's part to properly adjudicate your check. Likewise, the hill giant coming in at 15 ft after you rolled a 16 to Spot is probably not appropriate as well.
This in no way means that your tactics should involve PC vs DM tension... but you should know your capabilities, and state them. It's no different from saying your Attack of 20 should hit the AC 15 creature. If the spot check means, given all conditions, that you should see the monster at 250 feet and the DM puts him at 30 ft... Say Something. The mantle of DM may say "Rule 0, I'm Right" but the mantle is placed upon him by the PCs, who also have a rule 0 of their own "We are in your campaign because we believe you can fairly adjudicate situations, and your aspirations and decisions, while perhaps not always grounded in the exact measure of the rules, are based on a genuine desire to adhere to their spirit." or... simply put, "Everything shouldn't come in at Charge Distance simply because you want them to." ^_^
No matter what advice you take, the most important thing to do is decide ahead of time what's good for you and your dm (or you and your players). Frankly, if they don't want a wargame, and they aren't all tactics-crazy, then that's something to be adapted to. If they do and simply aren't able to form plans, then help em. Also, for players, realize that Optimal Efficiency isn't always the most fun you can have in combat. The second that's all that matters, something's been lost in yer gaming (as far as I'm concerned.)
So... figure out, as a group, what's good and what isn't. Hitting every BBEG with a bolo for an auto trip the moment he ends his evil-talk, may not be cool. Rolling around like ninnies in a grapple, reducing everything to shaving inches off HP, may not be Wanted. Likewise- making heroes out of tactically inept do-gooders who shouldn't really be anywhere near combat can also be totally sucky. At some point, if luck fails you, there'll still be the issue of how the bards can sing your praises if you never beat an opponent with resounding effect.
1. One Target Per Party.
AKA Concentration of Fire. This has been gone over enough.
2. Take out Finger Wigglers.
If you've got the monk silenced, he better be using his jump and tumble abilities to soar past the mook padding to get to the cleric and / or wizard. Guards, etc, are there to do one thing primarily- give the casters one or two more rounds to cast. Beyond that.. they'll do perhaps a little damage to you- but nothing like the disintegrates etc coming out of the Hextorian/Red Mage/Lich.
3. In Missile Combat, Movement Control is King.
I cannot tell you how many times I've seen archery based rangers backpedalling into who-knows-what as they try to keep out of melee range with things they should be Entangling, and how mages find themselves backed into walls or hit by arrows in dungeons where webbing could come in handy. Heavily armored targets with low dex, penalty modifiers, poor reflexes and bad balance scores DEMAND you hit them with Grease. Use those spells, tanglefoot bags, etc.
4. When In Doubt, Grapple lone NPCs
Now, in some cases this is a bad idea. Creatures that have powerful, natural attacks, or are far larger than you, or have more than two legs, are poor candidates for a grapple. However, that guy with the greatsword is fair game, as is the combat caster making defensive casting checks. It's best to pig-pile as well, so that if one person fails to maintain a pin, the next person can try as can the next. So many actions will be taken up by the opponent, that you can accomplish your objective (taking the gold, killing the person in question) at something that comes strikingly close to a "leisurely pace."
5. Ambushes Require Preparation... and DM acceptance
Sometimes players are so "We must Go Here and Do that" that they never consider the idea of preparing their own traps and things. They assume that you have to walk about to find things to hit, and that you must always go into the bad guy's dungeon to get him. Also, DMs can have a tendency to make anything other than overt questing and delving completely fruitless. Try to avoid both these scenarios. PCs... lure out your targets. Those who can't hide well- make ditches for cover and then conceal with leaves/branches. DMs... reward this, it's just as much "play" as if they were going to do things your way in the dungeon you spent last night making.
6. Warhorses Are A Free Level of Warrior
Well... almost. Riding on a good warhorse provides an additional +1 to hit due to higher ground. That is Great at low levels, and still nice at high levels. Also, warhorses tend to make retreat viable.
7. Feel Free to Delay and Refocus
Sometimes the most powerful thing a party can do is delay or refocus in a manner which makes them all go at roughly the same time in initiative. Controlling the flow of initiative is vastly important in a game of tactics. Monsters and well, DMs, have a harder time reacting properly to 4 or 5 actions happening all at once, rather than seeing the round unfold over a few minutes. This in some way negates the prep made possible by the various alarms you've activated, and also nullifies the homefield advantage that comes with the lair environment.
8. Have a Party Definition of Acceptable Casualties
There's no such thing as a Lonely Corpse. Sounds heartless that a group would think as such, but if you're reading this to avoid TPKs, you have to start thinking about this. If you refuse to withdraw with one person on the ground, as you won't possibly be able to retreat with him in tow, then expect to all drop dead. If you say, you aren't leaving without so and so, and the only way to get so and so is to kill the guy that killed so and so with two hits in one round, then expect to not leave at all. Dependence on luck is fine, dependence on friends is fine- just decide which you will do... and Bring Secondaries either way.
9. Holy Water? Check. Fire? Check.
If you can't produce acid, fire, or holy water rapidly... expect to eventually be in great danger from something that requires the above to be killed. If you do not have a bludgeoning weapon And a piercer And a slashing weapon, expect to have a hard time. While the same can be said for holy, unholy, lawful, and chaotic weaponry (maybe even a little epic or magic thrown in for good measure)... finding a way to afford it isn't as much about fighting tactics as it is about good spending habits.
10. Staggered Marching Orders are Good
Unless you're in the proverbial 10 foot wide corridor, there's no real reason to stick so close together, especially at low levels. The decision to fan out can mean the guy with the wand of Lightning Bolts can only hit 2 of you rather than all 4, or the ambush may be sprung with some of you on the periphery of it (if it springs at all).
11. Argue the validity of your Tactics
Sometimes, a DM will simply negate your tactics by instinct if you don't make it clear that what you are doing, and how the enemy is reacting, totally defies logic. A crib note that reads "The combat starts with the 6 bandits surrounding the PCs" may make little sense if the PCs aren't all on the road as expected. The bandits shouldn't retroactively expand their ambush. Likewise, if you've got a scout class, determine roughly the range you should be able to spot/hear things in various terrains and conditions (and judge for hide / listen as well). Believe it or not, getting a 20 on the listen check and starting the encounter with the DrumSnake at 10 ft's distance isn't appropriate necessarily... it's laziness on the DM's part to properly adjudicate your check. Likewise, the hill giant coming in at 15 ft after you rolled a 16 to Spot is probably not appropriate as well.
This in no way means that your tactics should involve PC vs DM tension... but you should know your capabilities, and state them. It's no different from saying your Attack of 20 should hit the AC 15 creature. If the spot check means, given all conditions, that you should see the monster at 250 feet and the DM puts him at 30 ft... Say Something. The mantle of DM may say "Rule 0, I'm Right" but the mantle is placed upon him by the PCs, who also have a rule 0 of their own "We are in your campaign because we believe you can fairly adjudicate situations, and your aspirations and decisions, while perhaps not always grounded in the exact measure of the rules, are based on a genuine desire to adhere to their spirit." or... simply put, "Everything shouldn't come in at Charge Distance simply because you want them to." ^_^
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Hmm some effort to keep this concise.
Our party has a motto
"Keep the shape"
Alot of good points have been made, but I would strongly disagree witht he long post involving bandits. The party broke rule 0 of tactics, dont split up. Why ? Because there will always be more nps that pcs, thus you must control the movement of the enemy. They are More able to aid,flank,swarm,compress, and hassle your vulnerable members.
Fight them in limited numbers, even if that is something as simple as fighting from a doorway. Dont waste healing potions on fighters, they have to give up a whole round in combat to use them and provoke attacks of opportunity.
Scouting and anything done in limited numbers is unbelieveably daingerous.With trip and grapple rules, getting suprized while out scouting is a death wish, generally the party will move as a party unless it is safer not to. If the rogue/ranger is sent out on a mission use status and bracelt of friends, have a readied action to summon the scout if he falls dead/almostdead/paralized/uncon etc. When dungeoneering our rougue rarely moves more than one or two rooms ahead. Monster spo and listen checks are too high, and even with low enemy skills, one lucky roll leaves you as dead meat.
And for the record we usually fight ECL+(3-5) encounters, and usually 5-10 back to back in a dungeon crawl.
Amazing what teamwork can do
Our party has a motto
"Keep the shape"
Alot of good points have been made, but I would strongly disagree witht he long post involving bandits. The party broke rule 0 of tactics, dont split up. Why ? Because there will always be more nps that pcs, thus you must control the movement of the enemy. They are More able to aid,flank,swarm,compress, and hassle your vulnerable members.
Fight them in limited numbers, even if that is something as simple as fighting from a doorway. Dont waste healing potions on fighters, they have to give up a whole round in combat to use them and provoke attacks of opportunity.
Scouting and anything done in limited numbers is unbelieveably daingerous.With trip and grapple rules, getting suprized while out scouting is a death wish, generally the party will move as a party unless it is safer not to. If the rogue/ranger is sent out on a mission use status and bracelt of friends, have a readied action to summon the scout if he falls dead/almostdead/paralized/uncon etc. When dungeoneering our rougue rarely moves more than one or two rooms ahead. Monster spo and listen checks are too high, and even with low enemy skills, one lucky roll leaves you as dead meat.
And for the record we usually fight ECL+(3-5) encounters, and usually 5-10 back to back in a dungeon crawl.
Amazing what teamwork can do
Aristotle said:
I fully agree that a group shouldn't have an in-depth tactical discussion, say, in the middle of a battle. Sometimes players (myself included) manage to sneak quite a bit of discussion into a six-second round. As far as a character thinking of tactics is concerned, however, I'd not tell a player that his character can't think of something except in the most extreme circumstances. Combat is a big part of D&D adventuring; exposure to combat should characters at least as much tactical knowledge as their players. Even a fighter or barbarian with relatively low intelligence could develop an intuitive sense of how a battle should be run, and that fighter should be able to somehow share that information with the rest of the party. Keep in mind that unless you're DMing the West Point Gaming Club your players are probably not expert tacticians themselves.
Not allowing players to use tactics makes combat, at least to me, much less interesting. It turns into a game of "I miss. I hit. I hit again. I miss again" without as much room for creativity or thought. That's just my two cents.
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