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<blockquote data-quote="Tazawa" data-source="post: 6322976" data-attributes="member: 11334">I've had a look at the stat block and I think the Martial Advantage ability is reasonable. I tried a few combat simulations to test it out. The first thing I learned is that this statement isn't true at all.The sample first level fighter will make short work of a single hobgoblin, due to higher damage output and second wind. The same fighter was turned to paste after two rounds up against an ogre. Of course, because they were single foes, the Martial Advantage ability didn't come into play.A standard party of 4 2nd level adventurers was able to handle 4 hobgoblins with ease. The hobs got the drop on the party and were able to put them at a disadvantage early by peppering the fighter with arrows (including a critical). The utility of second wind showed itself here again.The hobs tried to send two of them into harry the group so that the remaining archers could use Martial Advantage. It didn't work so well for them. The party concentrated its attacks on one of the melee hobs and the wizard took out one of the hob archers with a sleep spell. After that, the other melee hob was dispatched and the party advanced on the remaining archer.Only one attack hit with Martial Advantage and the fighter survived with help from the cleric. Most of the other hob attacks were done without Martial Advantage, as the melee hobs couldn't stay alive long enough to help out their archer allies.The combat might have gone better if the hobs had concentrated on maintaining a tight melee formation instead of splitting up--but then that's supposed to be their preferred style. Maybe Martial Advantage actually does encourage phalanx fighting after all. ;-)</blockquote>

[QUOTE="Tazawa, post: 6322976, member: 11334"] I've had a look at the stat block and I think the Martial Advantage ability is reasonable. I tried a few combat simulations to test it out. The first thing I learned is that this statement isn't true at all. The sample first level fighter will make short work of a single hobgoblin, due to higher damage output and second wind. The same fighter was turned to paste after two rounds up against an ogre. Of course, because they were single foes, the Martial Advantage ability didn't come into play. A standard party of 4 2nd level adventurers was able to handle 4 hobgoblins with ease. The hobs got the drop on the party and were able to put them at a disadvantage early by peppering the fighter with arrows (including a critical). The utility of second wind showed itself here again. The hobs tried to send two of them into harry the group so that the remaining archers could use Martial Advantage. It didn't work so well for them. The party concentrated its attacks on one of the melee hobs and the wizard took out one of the hob archers with a sleep spell. After that, the other melee hob was dispatched and the party advanced on the remaining archer. Only one attack hit with Martial Advantage and the fighter survived with help from the cleric. Most of the other hob attacks were done without Martial Advantage, as the melee hobs couldn't stay alive long enough to help out their archer allies. The combat might have gone better if the hobs had concentrated on maintaining a tight melee formation instead of splitting up--but then that's supposed to be their preferred style. Maybe Martial Advantage actually does encourage phalanx fighting after all. ;-) [/QUOTE]

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