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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Janx" data-source="post: 5913186" data-attributes="member: 8835">There's probably been other threads on the topic.  Hopefully this one is better..Given the other thread about clues for when the PCs are out-gunned, it seems like a thread on ideas for enabling running away would be handy.I'd like to solve the problem from a system agnostic approach.  It's not about Running Away being broken.  It's about running encounters where Running Away can be feasible.My premise is that PCs don't run away because they don't think it will work.My proposal is that GMs should design encounters so Running Away could be feasible.Here's the ideas I have thus far:Make it possible to know the strength of the oppositionWhether you just tell the PCs, give them a clue, or hope they think to investigate first, you need to know what in-game signs there are of the encounter's challenge compared to the party.  Big muscles, glowing weapons, signs of high damage output, etc.  If you don't, then how would the party ever know if they should avoid this encounter or not.Supply some chokepoints, barricades and doorsAs a GM, you know when an encounter is tougher than the party.  Examine the set pieces around the area and add some scenery to enable a fallback point that the party could retreat through and slow the enemy down enough to escape.  If the map doesn't make escape feasible, the PCs aren't going to bother trying.Use realistic motivations for monsters that don't require pursuitIn the real world, hostile animals do not pursue intruders forever.  Once they leave their immediate area, they shake their paw angrily, roar, and go back home.  Except for police, most people don't chase after an intruder either.  There's too much risk in following the enemy, as you don't know if they had reinforcements hiding around the next corner.  It's more probable that NPCs will pursue to a certain boundary, then fall back, regroup and decide if they need to posse up with a proper pursuit effort.  Either way, this is the break the PCs are hoping for when they runaway from the initial encounter.Tell your players how the world worksLet them know that not all encounters are level appropriate.  Let them know that some encounters are much stronger and that they should be careful, and be prepared to runaway.  Also let them know the thinking on why most NPCs will chase to get them out of the immediate territory, but not give endless pursuit.What ideas has everybody else got?  I'd be curious on advice on encounters with much faster enemies (as that's a pretty obvious problem).</blockquote>

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