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Tier 2 and 3 combats
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<blockquote data-quote="kigmatzomat" data-source="post: 9217986" data-attributes="member: 9254"><p>Think like the monster. What is its goal and how should it achieve it? Is it hungry? If the humanoids have mounts, torch one (and the upwind trees), adding the claw attacks to be sure its dead. Stay low and use the trees and smoke for concealment/cover. If they don't abandon the mount fast enough, or they heal it, repeat when fire breath recharges.</p><p></p><p>No mounts? Looks for a little unarmored humanoid. Same basic tactic but after breathing fire you grapple it and fly off with it. Make the other PCs run through or around the fire to chase you. It should be Difficult terrain to slow them down (dense undergrowth, marsh, broken ground, hills, etc). Chimera will do 10-20hp/round to grappled target. If they get free they should expect 2d6 falling damage.</p><p></p><p>Is this territory dominance? Again, similar tactics but harassing. Hit them with fire & attacks, then fly off until fire recharges. Spend the time to circle around the long way and attack from the side opposite you flew off. Kill mounts to slow them down. There's no reason to take much damage when you can do a flyby and inflict 30-50hp damage to one creature. Go take a nap for an hour and heal up.</p><p></p><p>And don't forget that forest fire. It's wonderful mayhem. Smoke for concealment, animal handling checks to keep mounts under control, and a very non-trivial danger. A fire can easily move 30-60ft/round. Maybe the Chimera attacks in grove of highly flammable pines. The Chimera can short rest while the pcs are running for their lives.</p><p></p><p> </p><p></p><p>Giant and Gorgon in one area with a clear downhill path to PCs, steep enough for uphill to be Difficult. Ruins should be chosen (or have been rearranged) to provide full cover for everyone (at least if giant sits). Soldiers are in a separate sheltered area with no direct path to PCs (i.e. climb vs difficult terrain). </p><p></p><p>If any interactions with PCs needs to happen, have giant do it. A big obvious target. Try to keep gorgon hidden until the giant orders it to attack, ehich should when PCs get to a point the gorgon can move 40ft and get PCs in poison breath cone. Giant stays behind half cover (+2 AC/Dex saves) while targeting a PC that failed the save with thrown boulders ( & advantage from being restrained). Gorgon's next action is to charge/trample/gore a smallish creature. </p><p></p><p>The soldiers attack the PCs with bows (and hopefully surprise/advantage) either when they charge the giant (slowly, uphill) or when a PC reveals themselves to be a caster (and they get turned into a pin cushion). Soldiers duck back to get 3/4 cover (+5 AC/Dex saves) between volleys.</p><p></p><p>If the gorgon is getting flanked, giant tries to take out the weakest PC and calls the gorgon back.</p><p></p><p>If the PCs wind up beneath the soldiers' cover, PCs get rocks (maybe alchemist fire) dropped on them. With proper placement, the giant should still have line of sight.</p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p>CR1s aren't going to be a huge challenge but the PCs should know they were in a brawl. Not sure about the enhanced lion but goal should be to disorient PCs, sow mayhem, kill the weak. Don't let yourself get sucked into 2 lions per PC and don't fight to the death. Lions don't play fair.</p><p></p><p>Have lions Pounce on weakest looking PC first, with as many attacking as is viable until it goes prone, then move to next PC. Most lion attacks should be with advantage from Pack Tactics. </p><p></p><p>Best case (for lions) is lions 1-4 knock down all PCs. Then lions 5-7 rip the squishiest PC to shreds while 8 & 9 target next squishiest. </p><p></p><p>When PCs inflict harm, a couple lions should try take gang up on the PC to let the injure lion swap to a weaker foe. When more than half are injured or two are killed the lions should fade away.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="kigmatzomat, post: 9217986, member: 9254"] Think like the monster. What is its goal and how should it achieve it? Is it hungry? If the humanoids have mounts, torch one (and the upwind trees), adding the claw attacks to be sure its dead. Stay low and use the trees and smoke for concealment/cover. If they don't abandon the mount fast enough, or they heal it, repeat when fire breath recharges. No mounts? Looks for a little unarmored humanoid. Same basic tactic but after breathing fire you grapple it and fly off with it. Make the other PCs run through or around the fire to chase you. It should be Difficult terrain to slow them down (dense undergrowth, marsh, broken ground, hills, etc). Chimera will do 10-20hp/round to grappled target. If they get free they should expect 2d6 falling damage. Is this territory dominance? Again, similar tactics but harassing. Hit them with fire & attacks, then fly off until fire recharges. Spend the time to circle around the long way and attack from the side opposite you flew off. Kill mounts to slow them down. There's no reason to take much damage when you can do a flyby and inflict 30-50hp damage to one creature. Go take a nap for an hour and heal up. And don't forget that forest fire. It's wonderful mayhem. Smoke for concealment, animal handling checks to keep mounts under control, and a very non-trivial danger. A fire can easily move 30-60ft/round. Maybe the Chimera attacks in grove of highly flammable pines. The Chimera can short rest while the pcs are running for their lives. Giant and Gorgon in one area with a clear downhill path to PCs, steep enough for uphill to be Difficult. Ruins should be chosen (or have been rearranged) to provide full cover for everyone (at least if giant sits). Soldiers are in a separate sheltered area with no direct path to PCs (i.e. climb vs difficult terrain). If any interactions with PCs needs to happen, have giant do it. A big obvious target. Try to keep gorgon hidden until the giant orders it to attack, ehich should when PCs get to a point the gorgon can move 40ft and get PCs in poison breath cone. Giant stays behind half cover (+2 AC/Dex saves) while targeting a PC that failed the save with thrown boulders ( & advantage from being restrained). Gorgon's next action is to charge/trample/gore a smallish creature. The soldiers attack the PCs with bows (and hopefully surprise/advantage) either when they charge the giant (slowly, uphill) or when a PC reveals themselves to be a caster (and they get turned into a pin cushion). Soldiers duck back to get 3/4 cover (+5 AC/Dex saves) between volleys. If the gorgon is getting flanked, giant tries to take out the weakest PC and calls the gorgon back. If the PCs wind up beneath the soldiers' cover, PCs get rocks (maybe alchemist fire) dropped on them. With proper placement, the giant should still have line of sight. CR1s aren't going to be a huge challenge but the PCs should know they were in a brawl. Not sure about the enhanced lion but goal should be to disorient PCs, sow mayhem, kill the weak. Don't let yourself get sucked into 2 lions per PC and don't fight to the death. Lions don't play fair. Have lions Pounce on weakest looking PC first, with as many attacking as is viable until it goes prone, then move to next PC. Most lion attacks should be with advantage from Pack Tactics. Best case (for lions) is lions 1-4 knock down all PCs. Then lions 5-7 rip the squishiest PC to shreds while 8 & 9 target next squishiest. When PCs inflict harm, a couple lions should try take gang up on the PC to let the injure lion swap to a weaker foe. When more than half are injured or two are killed the lions should fade away. [/QUOTE]
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