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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Brimshack" data-source="post: 3260521" data-attributes="member: 34694">I generaly assume the creatures in my world value their own hides (with a few exceptions). This means that they not only want to win the fight, but they want to be around to enjoy the fruits of victory. So, the next bobald in line to the big fighter isn't necessarily going to step up, even if the big bad wizard who hired him is blowing the rest of the party to bits. I don't run morale in a mechanical way, and it's quite particular. One side of a battlefield may be running while their friends on the other side of teh field may be toeing the line. Certain enemies may back away from an apparent ringer and go seek out a manageable opponent. If they are in trouble, I will often have them scatter and run. Some make it to safety and some don't. Another thing I like to keep in mind, the usual excuse for wimps continuing to fight a suprior PC is the fear of the evil leader snd what he would do to them if they fled. I figure the axe that'll kill you in just another moment weighs a little more than the possibility of what will happen when you get home. If an evil boss wants to keep his minions that scared he has to work at it. So, for example, when I had a bunch of kobalds attack a party landing on the beach, a party that was sweeping them up like flies, there were 3 Mind Flayers standing at the exit points for the kobalds the whole time. That way the threat was real and immediate, and the kobalds kept coming. Had any of the Mind Flayers been slain, the kobalds would have immediately fled in that direction. Keeping the kobalds in play long enough to use up character resources was the plan for the Mind Flayers, but it took effort on their part. They couldn't attack us at the same time; they had to maintain their hold on the kobalds.The players don't usually chase random encounters or small enemies, especially if they are of good alignment. But it's also more trouble than its worth to track down a bunch of fleeing enemies. BBEGs are another matter.</blockquote>

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