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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Lord Zardoz" data-source="post: 3883830" data-attributes="member: 704">Aggro and Morale are not the same things.  Aggro refers to how a given creature determines who to attack.  Morale is simply a system for determining when a creature realizes it cannot win and then acts accordingly.(Psi)SeveredHead is correct. A Combat Script is not an Aggro system.  It is more of a combination of Aggro, Morale, and an attack routine.  All it does is suggest who a creature will likely attack, how it will do so, and when it will probably run away.  In all likely hood, it will probably do so in a manner consistent with the flavour of the creature.Combat scripts for very simple creatures are not really needed, but they do help.  As has been noted, animals kill for food, territory, and to protect its young.  In most cases, it wont keep fighting if it is losing a fight.  Mindless undead are also easy.But when you start to add in special abilities and spells, and the choice between ranged weapons and melee, that is where a combat script gets useful.Consider Orc's and Hobgoblins.  I have seen plenty of posts suggesting that one gets dropped entirely, because who really needs two monsters that are 1 HD?Going by what is in the current MM, it states that Hobgoblins have a strong grasp of tactics and are capable of carrying out sophisticated battle plans.  Orcs favour doing the most damage in the least time, attack from ambush, and are prone to go for betrayal.  How do you manifest that difference?I would have Orcs typically charge into melee, and gang up on targets.  They would try to attack at night, and open with a volley of Javelins to soften up the opponents.  They will charge in, and keep swinging until you either defeat them or they kill you.  They probably do not take prisoners.I would have Hobgoblins more willing to attack in daylight, and I would stick to using their bows as long as possible, using cover.  If they even start to lose, they wil retreat and regroup, using the time to let opponents spells expire.  They are only out to win, so they will offer a surrender and take prisoners.  If they are losing, they may offer a truce to save their own skin.My point?  An encounter with 10 hard hitting Orcs in a fierce melee who are determined to kill you is a much different encounter than 10 archers who keep their distance and try to wear you down and are determined to survive.  You could justify running both types of encounter with one or the other.  But the combat script and the flavour text together give a DM a much better idea of how to handle an unexpected situation.  END COMMUNICATION</blockquote>

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