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<blockquote data-quote="WaterRabbit" data-source="post: 7534770" data-attributes="member: 2445">So I have been using the optional DMG flanking rule in my different campaigns for over a year.&nbsp; I have found it creates more fluid battles.&nbsp; Players really like flanking enemies and really hate getting flanked themselves.&nbsp; My players disengage and dodge much more often than what seems to be the norm as reported on these forums.I have seen a lot of comments above about how flanking is too easy or cheapens advantage.&nbsp; I have not seen that in play at all.&nbsp; We play on Roll20 so virtual miniatures.&nbsp; I create battle maps with the idea of this in mind, so they have more terrain and cover options than would normally come up in the physical world.&nbsp; Mind you, most of the maps I use are just drawn free hand on Roll20 with icons dropped onto the map layer for clutter.I rarely run battles that are less than four creatures per side.&nbsp; So I could see an argument that a solo creature could be easily flanked.&nbsp; However, I also don't allow a creature to flank something two sizes or larger than it.&nbsp; Solo creatures generally have terrain or mobility options which make them difficult to flank.&nbsp; Creatures with Legendary actions are almost impossible to flank.&nbsp; So this hasn't been much of an issue.What happens more often is a player moves to flank a creature and doesn't consider the fact that they just set themselves up to be surrounded.&nbsp; It also creates interesting tactical the trade offs -- does the party stay together to avoid anyone getting flanked or do they spread apart to keep from being taken out by an area of effect attack?The idea that advantage is too good for this, consider that advantage isn't a linear bonus.&nbsp; If a solo boss has a very high AC, advantage doesn't add that much to the to hit calculation.&nbsp; I should also point out that I grant four group inspiration points after each long rest.&nbsp; Anyone in the party at anytime can claim one of the inspiration points as long as they tie it to a personality trait.&nbsp; Once a particular trait (trait, ideal, bond, flaw) has been used, it cannot be used again.&nbsp; With Roll20 both dice are rolled and seen simultaneously so a player can tell at a glance if inspiration would be useful.Even with all of this I have TPK(captured) the party once and almost TPKed them again last session.&nbsp; Everyone one of them was on their last few HPs and they had used up the inspiration.So, flanking isn't really a problem as written from either the DM or player point of view, IMHO.</blockquote>

[QUOTE="WaterRabbit, post: 7534770, member: 2445"] So I have been using the optional DMG flanking rule in my different campaigns for over a year. I have found it creates more fluid battles. Players really like flanking enemies and really hate getting flanked themselves. My players disengage and dodge much more often than what seems to be the norm as reported on these forums. I have seen a lot of comments above about how flanking is too easy or cheapens advantage. I have not seen that in play at all. We play on Roll20 so virtual miniatures. I create battle maps with the idea of this in mind, so they have more terrain and cover options than would normally come up in the physical world. Mind you, most of the maps I use are just drawn free hand on Roll20 with icons dropped onto the map layer for clutter. I rarely run battles that are less than four creatures per side. So I could see an argument that a solo creature could be easily flanked. However, I also don't allow a creature to flank something two sizes or larger than it. Solo creatures generally have terrain or mobility options which make them difficult to flank. Creatures with Legendary actions are almost impossible to flank. So this hasn't been much of an issue. What happens more often is a player moves to flank a creature and doesn't consider the fact that they just set themselves up to be surrounded. It also creates interesting tactical the trade offs -- does the party stay together to avoid anyone getting flanked or do they spread apart to keep from being taken out by an area of effect attack? The idea that advantage is too good for this, consider that advantage isn't a linear bonus. If a solo boss has a very high AC, advantage doesn't add that much to the to hit calculation. I should also point out that I grant four group inspiration points after each long rest. Anyone in the party at anytime can claim one of the inspiration points as long as they tie it to a personality trait. Once a particular trait (trait, ideal, bond, flaw) has been used, it cannot be used again. With Roll20 both dice are rolled and seen simultaneously so a player can tell at a glance if inspiration would be useful. Even with all of this I have TPK(captured) the party once and almost TPKed them again last session. Everyone one of them was on their last few HPs and they had used up the inspiration. So, flanking isn't really a problem as written from either the DM or player point of view, IMHO. [/QUOTE]

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