How often do you provoke AOO/OAs as a DM?

[pawsplay]

Plus, even with intelligent foes, it can be fun to charge right through the front-liners to get to the nom-nom-nom casters. Makes for an exciting battle.

 

[the Jester]

I voted "about once a combat" but that's my best guess as to an average. Certain monsters (mindless ones or stupid ones not used to pack hunting) will not have a good grasp on even elementary tactics; they're more prone to provoke, as are things that don't care if they live or die (e.g. many constructs, undead, demons, etc).

A fight with the mercenaries of the Double Javelins is much less likely to have OAs provoked, and will be heavier on the good tactics and battle savvy. The pcs might fight three battles against them and never see an OA... but again, sometimes it's worth provoking in order to gain an advantage, take a ranged attack or what have you.

 

[Herschel]

On average, probably more than once per combat. I try to run monsters "realistically." So if they're stupid, they provoke because they're not strategically aware enough to avoid them. If they're smart, they provoke them when it seems that the benefit outweighs the risk.

This. If it makes sense, I provoke.

 

[Raven Crowking]

5% of all attacks provoke an AoO.

 

[karlindel]

I answered about once a combat, but it varies significantly.

Elites and Solos will provoke more often than others, particularly soldiers and brutes as they have good defenses and lots of hit points.

Soldiers and Brutes will provoke more often than other types of monsters, as they can generally afford it more easily.

Smarter enemies will provoke if it is tactically advantageous to do so.

Less intelligent enemies will provoke if their nature calls for it (such as to gang up on one person or to flank). This is particularly true if their abilities enhance that fighting tactic.

Monsters will generally provoke if it is the only way they can attack (such as when dazed or when surrounded). However, if they are bloodied they will be more cautious.

Enemies are more likely to take AOO/OAs from those unlikely to have good melee basic attacks.

 

[howandwhy99]

It's practically impossible for me to answer this poll. It all depends upon what the players do. The monsters follow their scripted tactics for the combat and provoke attacks as the rules and dice rolls dictate. More intelligent monsters (those with more statistically successful tactics) provoke less often, but smart players find ways to make these happen anyways. So... It's all about player actions in the end.