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Monster Design in D&D Next, Part 2
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<blockquote data-quote="howandwhy99" data-source="post: 5949332" data-attributes="member: 3192"><p>A great deal of combat in D&D is learning how to maximize each of our efforts when choosing to work as a team. NPCs almost always work as teams already, to greater or lesser degrees, and they use what combat tactics they know; the one they believe will best achieve their objective (depending upon Wisdom).</p><p></p><p>So shield walls with missile attackers behind, columns for movement, phalanxes for interior defense and multiple attacks, special formations like the tortoise for facing throwing and melee attackers (e.g. spears), and so on.</p><p></p><p>These could be "Training/Knowledge" powers or something. Something the monsters teach each other, but can add to based upon interactions with others and its own intelligence. And as long as the monster race has the capabilities to perform an action, it's a potential option. (i.e. can fly, walk, hold a weapon, move as a team, share space, bite, breathe water, etc.)</p><p></p><p>So reading further I see you are already sorta on this. Great!</p><p></p><p>Carrion Crawlers specifically receive 8 attacks with save or paralyzed as the damage for each. I'm not sure if you are saying they need more options still, but not every monster needs to be the center of a campaign, not even most monsters.</p><p></p><p>Also, I agree with the menu of currently available options in a statblock for a monster. This is all about eyeball real estate. I suggested a mix up of adventure + MM before, but there can be an issue if there are many unique monsters in a single encounter which are also all unique monster types. It means lots of MM flipping. OTOH, the loss of 1-2 pages of adventure space for every just "possible" encounter is too much to bear too. I would think there can be a compromise here.</p><p></p><p>Lastly, rumors about facing being included in the tactical module...? Could be cool.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="howandwhy99, post: 5949332, member: 3192"] A great deal of combat in D&D is learning how to maximize each of our efforts when choosing to work as a team. NPCs almost always work as teams already, to greater or lesser degrees, and they use what combat tactics they know; the one they believe will best achieve their objective (depending upon Wisdom). So shield walls with missile attackers behind, columns for movement, phalanxes for interior defense and multiple attacks, special formations like the tortoise for facing throwing and melee attackers (e.g. spears), and so on. These could be "Training/Knowledge" powers or something. Something the monsters teach each other, but can add to based upon interactions with others and its own intelligence. And as long as the monster race has the capabilities to perform an action, it's a potential option. (i.e. can fly, walk, hold a weapon, move as a team, share space, bite, breathe water, etc.) So reading further I see you are already sorta on this. Great! Carrion Crawlers specifically receive 8 attacks with save or paralyzed as the damage for each. I'm not sure if you are saying they need more options still, but not every monster needs to be the center of a campaign, not even most monsters. Also, I agree with the menu of currently available options in a statblock for a monster. This is all about eyeball real estate. I suggested a mix up of adventure + MM before, but there can be an issue if there are many unique monsters in a single encounter which are also all unique monster types. It means lots of MM flipping. OTOH, the loss of 1-2 pages of adventure space for every just "possible" encounter is too much to bear too. I would think there can be a compromise here. Lastly, rumors about facing being included in the tactical module...? Could be cool. [/QUOTE]
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