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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Celebrim" data-source="post: 5358429" data-attributes="member: 4937">Ok, good.  Sounds like you are on solid ground already.As far as retreat goes, disciplined and intelligent creatures just won't do it unless they've previously prepared a plan for it.  Retreating is the most difficult manuever you can attempt, and the most dangerous.  In the ancient world particularly, the vast majority of casualties typically occurred during the retreat, so that in many ways you could say that the goal of ancient warfare was inducing the other side to retreat.The problem with retreat is that if you retreat in good order, you typically can't accomplish the goal of the retreat - that is, separation from the enemy, unless you had it to begin with.   And if you don't retreat in good order, then you are completely vulnerable.  So, the manuever is so risky that unless they have a good place to retreat to, smart disciplined troops just won't do it.  Instead, they'll try to parley or surrounder, because retreat - especially at the small unit tactical scale - is generally pointless.In fact, American troops are trained to just not do it.  The incculated response they are supposed to have is to attack through an ambush, rather than trying to retreat out of it the way they came.The PC's typically don't retreat for basically the same reasons.  It doesn't accomplish much of anything unless the opponent is much slower than they are.Preparing for a retreat requires careful planning and favorable terrain.  Careful planning and favorable terrain.  Pretty much, if he doesn't have something to jump through, he's not going to get away.  When I have BBEG that I intend to escape, I typically set up the following in some combination:a) The BBEG has a mode of movement that the players don't have - swim, climb, fly, merge with stone, merge with plants, etc.  b) The BBEG has an 'escape hatch', such as a trapped corridor that drops a stone block or porticlus behind him, or a lever or other trigger that drops him down a chute or similar quick get away.  Beyond the 'escape hatch' the BBEG has prepared a simple maze that includes a secret door so that the obvious passages out are false leads.  Often, these lead to some trap intended to delay or kill pursuers.c) The BBEG intends to flee as soon as the PC's arrive, and the entire dungeon with it's traps and minions is merely a delaying device to provide him warning and ample time to do so.  While the PC's are looting chests, taking 20 to search for traps, etc., the BBEG has thrown saddle bags on a fast horse and is galloping madly out the back door.d) The BBEG keeps a minion in reserve that is especially good at providing delays to pursuers, and this minion shows up just after combat with the BBEG begins to cover the BBEG retreat.Obviously, the higher the level of the PC's, the more elaborate the measures must be to successfully flee.If the PC's thwart the NPC's (and your) plans, don't punish them for it.  Ammend the hidden plot if need be so that the revealed BBEG is actually the minion of the true mastermind, but don't pull strings to save the NPC.  Better yet, never have a plot that depends solely on an NPC's survival and always have another mastermind or plot waiting in the wings.  Few things irk the players (and rightfully so) like an NPC who enjoys DM protection, but you seem to be well aware of that.Why do they need to see the loot list ahead of time?</blockquote>

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