DM forced to spread attacks

[Anditch]

Should a DM spread creatures attacks to attack multiple characters to save killing a character a round. If a creature kills a char a round is this creature to hard for the party of say 4 and one char is guarenteed to die usually the main tank.

 

[TheAuldGrump]

It depends on the creature.

The Auld Grump

 

[Vegepygmy]

Should a DM spread creatures attacks to attack multiple characters to save killing a character a round.

Expanding on The Auld Grump's (100% correct) answer: intelligent creatures should probably focus their attacks on a single creature in order to kill them quickly. Two injured opponents are more dangerous than one dead and one living, unwounded opponent. Less intelligent creatures are more likely to dilute their attack strength among multiple opponents.

 

[Viktyr Gehrig]

Smart creatures focus all of their attacks on one opponent until that opponent is down-- not dead, just down. Dumb creatures attack whatever is in front of them, and might keep waling on someone whose been downed if nobody else is hurting them, but you can also distract dumb creatures by having people attack them from different sides.

There's no rule that says DMs have to pull punches, and I don't think they should. Monsters should do what makes sense; it's up to the players to keep themselves alive.

 

[frankthedm]

Should a DM spread creatures attacks to attack multiple characters to save killing a character a round.

Never, or at least almost never. An Unintelligent creature is attacking for food, it keeps beating until it can start eating. Intelligent creatures probably want targets down as well. A sentient foe with a screw you after I'm gone ability like mummy rot would be willing to share the love [attacks] though.

 

[IronWolf]

I am in the depends on the creature camp. Intelligent creatures are probably going to attack an enemy until they are not longer a threat. The only deviation is if they think they can stop or somehow delay a threat from someone else through a spell or some other special ability.

Less intelligent creatures are apt to keep attacking until their target is dead because it wants to eat. However, in these cases if another character inflicts significant damage on it, I have no issue with having the creature switch focus because it suddenly perceives a larger threat or reacts in a form of anger to this new opponent that just inflicted a good amount of damage on it.

 

[TheAuldGrump]

When dealing with animal or very low intelligence creatures I have a simple rule - aggressive herbivores attack the largest target, predators attack the smallest.

If the wyvern is going to swoop down for a game of grab 'n' drop then Mr. Halfling best beware.

Bob the Barbarian gets to find out what a real bull rush feels like.

And they go after their chosen target until the target either runs away, does enough damage to be obviously not worth while (more for predators than herbivores - a bull will keep at you, even if wounded), or goes down.

Aggressive herbivores are bad news - Cape Bison and hippos are the most dangerous creatures in Africa, other than humans....

The Auld Grump

 

[Anditch]

spreading attacks

thanks all. You said exactly what I was saying but the group did not agree with me. They all wanted INC DM spread damage no matter what the mob to lessen deaths. Saying that concentrating on one would certainly end up in deaths every week.

 

[N'raac]

thanks all. You said exactly what I was saying but the group did not agree with me. They all wanted INC DM spread damage no matter what the mob to lessen deaths. Saying that concentrating on one would certainly end up in deaths every week.

To me, that indicates either that the players are not fighting tactically (including withdrawing when wounded seriously, healing in combat, etc.) or the opponents are too tough for the PC's and the GM should reassess the power level.

That said, I'd follow PC Tactics 101 - the opponent uses one attack at a time until the opponent drops, then attacks someone else if he has attacks remaining (no point beating someone who's already down when you can possibly drop a second). That assumes an intelligent combatant, of course.

 

[Mad Hamish]

Aggressive herbivores are bad news - Cape Bison and hippos are the most dangerous creatures in Africa, other than humans....

mosquitos & tse-tse flies want some words with you...