Everybody has Spring Attack

[jadrax]

The only issue I have with it is the so-called Kobold Karousel, where many monsters all run past and attack from the same space.

And that TBH is more an issue with the way initiative and 'taking turns' works in the game.

 

[Minigiant]

I imagineit's like those old video game RPGs where character take a few step forward, attack, and get back in line.

Crap. Now my Theater of the Mind is FF1.

 

[Mathew_Freeman]

The only issue I have with it is the so-called Kobold Karousel, where many monsters all run past and attack from the same space.

And that TBH is more an issue with the way initiative and 'taking turns' works in the game.

The Kobold Karousel sounds likes an excellent name for a song.

 

[jadrax]

Kobold Karousel, ruining my reality.
Kobold Karousel, it's tactical banality.
Step turn initiative, it's out of whack.
Some of these Kobolds, they must stay back.

 

[Li Shenron]

1. Everybody has Spring Attack. You can run in to melee, stab a guy, and then run BACK around the corner, out of range and next to the Defender. Even the wizard can "Spring Burning Hands" to line up a shot and then retreat to safety. Worse, if the PCs have formed a choke-point, enemies can use this tactic against them by having each monster run up, make an attack, then run away, clearing the square for a new monster.

2. Ranged attackers in melee can move back, shoot, then move UP to re-form the line (notably for our laser-cleric who picked up a shield and is now a decent front-liner). Taking disadvantage for making a ranged attack never happens unless you are truly pinned.

What I think:

- that the no-modules "kernel" game is meant for non-tactical players, who like combat because it's exciting to know who wins, and may be excited because of general combat dynamics and descriptions but are not excited by the details, thus are more interested in clean-cut actions of combat such as swinging weapons or casting spells; for them tactical movement or tactical placement of spells is not yet interesting; they are less likely to use the grid, but if they do then they do it to help visualization/imagination but are not even going to take into considerations "tricks" to exploit the rules

- as soon as the same non-tactical players start thinking about "tricks", then it means they are already becoming tactical players, and the DM should suggest adding the combat tactical module to the game to provide a more balanced scenarios where stupid exploitations of the rules are prevented and clever but realistic tactical choices are encouraged

 

[Campbell]

You know the Kobold Karousel problem isn't really the fault of a lack of OAs. If one kobold is willing to risk his neck the same tactic can be used. It's the result of move-attack-move. Honestly, Opportunity Attacks are a kludge mechanic designed to get around the fact that D&D's combat rules never went through a thorough redesign when they transitioned from pseudo wargame mechanics with turn by turn initiative, one minute rounds and creature-group oriented targeting to more personal combat with cyclical initiative, specific targeting, and 6 second rounds.

As a personal matter I'm not a fan of how opportunity attacks cheapen the currency of actions and disrupt the flow of actions.

 

[Gargoyle]

IMO attacking or casting a spell should end your turn unless you have a feat or class ability that lets you do otherwise. Kobold carousels are not nearly as bad as kobold snipers shooting from battlements and ducking into cover. Players shouldn't have to ready an action to fight most things.

 

[DDogwood]

Why can't monsters and PCs just ready attacks to deal with this? If all the PCs are hiding around a corner, then all the kobolds ready an action to shoot at the first PC who comes around to attack.

Likewise, the PCs can ready attacks to kill kobolds who move next to them. This should end a kobold karousel pretty fast.

 

[bogmad]

Or just say that you can't double back on the same path that you traveled after making an attack. The whole attack-move-attack thing seemed to me like an attack while moving, not running up, stopping on your heels to attack, then backing up.

 

[Stalker0]

My answer: don't change a thing

It's easy to look at the history of design and say that aoos are important and necessary, but it's time like these to reevaluate those assumptions. It's true that with these rules we will get very different actions from what we are used to, but it does not mean its a bad thing