Basic battle tactics

[randomling]

In the continuance of my quest to become a better DM (as per threads in GD and Plots & Places) I'm trying to get an overview of good skills and knowledge to have. And both as a DM and a player my biggest bugbear is (dat dat dar...)... THE RULES.

Specifically, I'm the world's worst tactician. I need someone to give me a good tutorial on battle tactics for (especially) rogues, monks and other sneaky types. But also if someone could give me a rundown on "how to keep a spellcaster alive in battle".

Or (given the experiences of an unlucky PC of mine recently) how to keep a straight fighter alive in battle...

I enjoy DMing, but my execution of fights is woeful. It's usually all right if I have a bunch of players around me, but playing tactics for a group I find very difficult.

Thanks in advance!

 

[Dash Dannigan]

battles, battles, and more battles mate! experience is the best teacher (and watching players that have alive characters can be beneficial as well).

That being said, it's very difficult to come up with a general battle treatise for group tactics because so many of the situations that arise between a variable party and opposition compositions are nigh unpredictable but a few basics are doable.

I'd stick to simplicity as a DM. Hit the PCs where they are weak with your NPC groups strengths. If the PCs have multiple casters, and the NPC group has burly fighters get those fighters in as fast as you can to pulveerize those casters. An ambush would be best here if the NPCs are aware, a good surpirse round charge or ranged sneak attack does wonders against a caster, hehe. Include readied actions with ranged weapons against those caster as well so they have to make concentration checks, etc.

To keep a good mage alive, just keep him away from melee, invisibility or improved invisibility is great, fly is good, things that keep the caster out of range or harder to pinpoint. Seriously go for defensive spells to keep them alive, including dispel magic, and readying counterspells against other mages. This can be very important. A ring of counter spells, etc. are also advised.

Goodluck!

Edit- The WotC guidebooks (ex. tome&blood) have some basic tactics and suggestions for effective *magic-user* or what-have-you. good stuff there.

 

[Crothian]

Meta game. To show that the monsters know what they are doing and to possible compinsate for your lack of tactics, allow the monsters to attack the wizard even before he identifies himself as such. Or to be ready and seperate themselves when the fighter starts cleaving.

 

[Xarlen]

Are you looking for party tactics, or NPC tactics?

 

[Crothian]

Are you looking for party tactics, or NPC tactics?

NPC since sh'es the DM

 

[Xarlen]

Aids for keeping mages alive: Bodyguards. A Devoted Defender, a few henchmen, paticularly with Hold the Line and polearms set for charging PCs. Obsticles: The mage on the back of something flying, perhaps. In an area the up-front fighters can't get to: an elevated platform, roof, window, etc. Disguise the Caster: using Still or Silent spells, and dressing the caster up like an archer, he can do some damage. Defensive spells: Stoneskin, Flight, Shield, Displacement, Blink, Mirror Image, Mage Armor, Prot from Arrows (Or Reverse Arrows from Magic of Faerun is also very good). Devise a spell that lets the spellcaster launch spells THROUGH a recipient (Sort've like using them like a window).

Also Enviornment effecting spells (in conjunction with spells that allow the wizard to see through them) like Darkness, Obscuring Mist with Blindsight. Spells like Grease (On ground, PCs weapons, PCs saddles, etc), Stinking Cloud (GOOD for taking out flying mages or attackers). Fear spells are good for getting burly fighters to RUN (They have poor will saves), or do so to their mounts.

One nice combo is Slow+Grease. They spend their action standing up.

Sneaky types: Tumbling. Tumbling tumbling tumbling. Monks and Rogues can weave in and smack people around, get flanks, and get out of there Fast. Stunned opponents make for perfect Sneak Attack victims (paticularly for rangued Rogues). Tanglefoot bags and Thunderstones in surplus, Smokesticks + blindfight. Tripping/Disarming opponents and taking their weapons. Monks who use their Immunity to Poison to their advantage by smearing contact poison on their hands. Traps like Tripwires and caltrops set up right in front of an ambush sight, as well as barrels or trenches full of oil to drop from above or light from below.

Keeping a straight Fighter alive is tough. Potions, smart actions, a way to retreat, etc. Reach weapons are always good.

Remember, though, COVER NEVER HURTS.

Monsters may coordinate their attacks with other monsters or humans. Imagine a gaggle of Grimlocks with a Basalisk pet.

 

[Drawmack]

Hordes are always good. Thow 100 goblins at a 10th level party and watch the mayhem, but back them with about 50 goblin archers taking out the magic users.

 

[randomling]

Thanks guys, this is exactly what I was looking for!

 

[Olgar Shiverstone]

Remember combined arms. A group of melee fighters does not yield good tactics. Good tactics comes from combining the strengths and weaknesses of several types of combatants, and employing the strengths of your side against the weaknesses of the other.

For example, fighter-types have poor Will saves -- use mind-influencing spells and things like hold person against them. Likewise cleric types tend to have poor Reflex saves, so use area effect spells or others that require a reflex save.

In the defense, you want to break up your enemy's attack, and soften him up at a distance, so that he comes at you one at a time in a weakened state. Use spells like Entangle, Web, Walls of Force/Fire/Ice to shape the battlefield, soften the bad guys up with area of effect spells, and use your melee'ers to hold the line while your archers and rogues take out his back rank characters.

In the offense, isolate your enemies from each other, so that you can mass your power against him one at a time. it's a similar strategy to the defense -- shape the battlefield with spells, soften the bad guys up, then focus on the most dangerous enemies first. Consider teaming a mobile character like a rogue or monk with a melee tank to take down enemies quicker, while mages and archers keep enemies farther away busy.

Remember that good tactics are about more than swinging swords and slinging spells -- well placed buffs, healing, the use of bard song, and the like can change a tough fight into a rout.

The best tactics are learned by doing -- consider picking up a D&D based CRPG like Icewind Dale II (which uses 3E rules), if you aren't comfortable running pen-and-paper test combats.

 

[Lord Pendragon]

Meta game. To show that the monsters know what they are doing and to possible compinsate for your lack of tactics, allow the monsters to attack the wizard even before he identifies himself as such. Or to be ready and seperate themselves when the fighter starts cleaving.

Randomling, keep in mind that some DM tactics might anger your players. For instance, if I was a spellcaster and caught wind of the above tactic happening to me, I'd leave the game. Metagaming is, and this is only a personal opinion, DM-cheating as much as it's player-cheating.

*shrug* It's a personal call, but just be aware.

One easy way to compensate for your lack-of-tactics is to bump up the CRs your party faces, but not bump up the xp. They'll gain levels at the same level, and the battles should be on par, because the monsters will be harder but your lack-of-tactics will balance that out. It's a fine line to walk, though, because you'll have to find just how much CR your lack-of-tactics is worth.