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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Puddles" data-source="post: 8089079" data-attributes="member: 7026093">Another thing that has been toying in my mind, is the notion of setting difficult challenges for yourself as the DM to accomplish during a combat.We've already talked about establishing the motivations of your enemies, and this covers a lot of the same ground, but there is something extra I want to add: what if the thing your enemies are trying to do, is actually pretty difficult and will require all your skill as a tactician?I'll give an example.In my last session, I ran a combat between the 3 level 1 PCs, who faced a trio of Goblin Wolfriders on the top of a rocky hill in the frozen tundra.The goal of the goblins was as follows: To isolate one of the party, catch them in a net, and make off with them in tow.The reason I particularly enjoyed this combat is because that goal was really hard for me to achieve. I tried to use all my cunning and was nearly successful, but in the end I failed. I played it as follows:I equipped one of my goblins with a net and a harpoon, and the other two with the standard shortbow and scimitar and approached from the north. I stayed just out of 65ft, weaving between the crags, allowing me to pepper them with arrows whilst staying in cover and being too far for them to engage. I then sent the two wolfriders with bows round to the west to draw them out, and the netter round the east. My players fell for my bait, the bard and rogue went after the 2 with bows, while the druid tried to attack the netter with her sling.The druid was now isolated, so I sprang my trap, all three wolfriders dashed towards the druid. One of the archers was unfortunately (for me) decapitated by an attack of opportunity made by the Rogue who had hidden behind a crag, but the other two got in close and flanked the druid. I successfully threw a net over her, and then scarpered, dragging the druid with me.The druid's quick wits saved her, as she was being dragged she grabbed a sharpened rock on the floor which I ruled gave advantage to her next strength check to break free. She cut her way out the net and gave her kidnapper a mighty wallop with her quarter staff as it fled with the other.My plan had failed, but I had managed to take her a good 80ft and left her with quite a few cuts and bruises (and a dented ego). I had a lot of fun trying to pull it off though!The point being, a lot of the time the goals we set the enemies often just revolve around killing the party members, but one way to give the DM a more enjoyable combat is for the goal to be something else, and something hard to achieve.A few examples off the top of my head would be to try and steal rations, supplies or gold off the players. Perhaps you could be trying to lure the players into a valley or some other dangerous position. Or perhaps, one of your enemies carries an important item (like a message), and you are trying to break through the players' battle line and get that 1 enemy to safety beyond.If the players are savvy, they will eventually cotton on to what the enemies are up to and go out their way to stop it, and that in turn can lead to both you and the players having to think tactically and create really memorable combats.The last point is with the example goals listed above, you might notice that none of them have an absolute fail state for the players. If the DM wins, it doesn't mean the party are wiped out, or some other game ending state, and that's a good thing because it means you as a DM don't necessarily need to hold back any punches when trying to pull off these harebrained schemes.Hope that gives you some food for thought!</blockquote>

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