Do you ever cut and run?

[pawsplay]

I disagree. Withdrawing is a full round action, and you can only move one full move action. Your opponent can, on their turn, just walk up to you and hit you (or charge you, if they prefer). Withdrawing is only good in the real short term, IMO.

I'm not sure I get you.

Actions In Combat :: d20srd.org

Withdrawal allows you to move double your movement. They can only reach you if they charge, which requires open ground. If there's open ground, you can run and they can't reach you.

 

[S'mon]

Withdrawal allows you to move double your movement. They can only reach you if they charge, which requires open ground. If there's open ground, you can run and they can't reach you.

That's right - if you have the same speed, you can usually escape your pursuer. It's the poor guys with 20' speed vs 30' speed foes who are in trouble. For that reason my Fighters often wore chain shirts!

 

[Plane Sailing]

I can see two answers to this (and no, I don't mean 'run' and 'dont run'!)

As an individual PC, my characters typically want to live. However, I play heroes so I don't cut and run on my buddies while they are alive. Although if I'm last man standing I'll bug out so that I can come back with reinforcements to rescue/etc the party. There may even be some occasions when I'd sacrifice my life to allow everyone else to escape.

As a member of a party, I'll encourage the party to make a strategic retreat when it is clearly necessary, some players I know are really not good at recognising the necessity for retreat though. When I'm DMing and there is nobody to point out the need for retreat, there has often been a TPC (total party capture) and sometimes a TPK for this very reason.

Cheers

 

[Plane Sailing]

My villains run all the time, if they are going to lose, because then I can re-use them later.

Same here!