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Message: <blockquote data-quote="SigmaOne" data-source="post: 6639804" data-attributes="member: 6748799">These are all wonderful, and I hope to see more, since I'm not the most tactically-oriented DM. This is really helpful. One thing I would say, though, is that unless there is a reason, monsters should be played generally according to their known traits and behaviors. For example, dragons are legendary not only for their prowess but also for their arrogance. I don't imagine a "typical" dragon would look to take hostages or play a defensive game until the PCs demonstrate that they are undoubtedly a match for the dragon. It would take the dragon some time to realize it has to fight smarter, by which point a well-matched and tactically-minded party could easily already have the battle in their favor.  If the PCs are famous, if they have a history with the dragon to the point that the dragon knows they are no typical adventurers, or if they have been going around slaying dragons in nearby areas, then probably the dragon would go into the fight much more carefully. Similarly the teaming up on a single character (the closest in many cases) makes sense and could easily bring a PC down (and if it's zombies or ghouls, kill them by attacking (eating) the unconscious), but if the nearest is a knight with magical breastplate, or a wizard with initiative who readied his action for when the monsters step en-masse into melee range then thunderwaves, so be it... the battle will likely go better for the PCs than if the monsters had done otherwise.  I guess my point here is that tactics shouldn't be the first thought on the DMs mind unless the monsters are of a nature or disposition that it would be the first thought on their own minds.  Still there are plenty of cases where that should be... and no doubt, as with the rakshasa example, spell casters should be able to use their spells to good effect, which generally means the DM should take some time to think about all these spells, and how they might be best used, so that they can be prepared to run the casting monster as if it were highly experienced with its abilities, as it would be. But then, maybe a caster who has gone over into the political game and has not needed its magic for many years could be quite rusty with it, too. It depends on the situation.</blockquote>

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