How to stop runners?

[chriton227]

We had our first session of the DDN playtest on Monday. We had a full party of 5 PCs, we spotted and engaged kobolds outside the caves. Before we could eliminate them or move to block their path, a few ran inside to get reinforcements. We followed them in and we engaged the kobolds in the guard room (where the mage used burning hands), at which point some of the kobolds ran deeper to get reinforcements. Long story short, we ended up with 10-15 rats completely blocking our exit and every kobold in the entire complex coming after us. Thanks to the ability to move-attack-move, the kobolds were getting 6-8 attacks on the poor PC that was closest to them and the combat slowed to a crawl due to the raw number of enemies the GM was having to manage. The only way we escaped a TPK was that the GM was generous in allowing the thief to trigger the pit trap, dumping enough rats for us to have a way out, with every member of the party down to low single digit hit points and all of both clerics' healing used up.

Since DDN doesn't have opportunity attacks, short of running enough characters past the enemies to make a wall, is there any way to keep intelligent foes from running for reinforcements and bringing the whole neighborhood down on the PCs' heads? And if you do make a meat wall behind them, is there any way to keep the enemies from them swarming the squishy members of the party?

 

[DEFCON 1]

Since DDN doesn't have opportunity attacks, short of running enough characters past the enemies to make a wall, is there any way to keep intelligent foes from running for reinforcements and bringing the whole neighborhood down on the PCs' heads? And if you do make a meat wall behind them, is there any way to keep the enemies from them swarming the squishy members of the party?

Not really. And technically, there shouldn't. Someone who is within his own home when a band of miscreants storms in should be smart enough to run and get reinforcements. And having a giant swarm of rats ready to block off exits, and for everyone to go after the weakest one first. That's just good tactics on the monster front.

The real problem is that we players have gotten so used to tactical miniatures combat and the concept of "balanced" encounters that we've forgotten the real problems with chasing down monsters into unfamiliar territories, thinking that there's no way we'd get overrun because the encounter's "balanced" right? The DM wouldn't do anything to go against that, yes? When in fact... now in D&DN... yes, that's exactly what they'll do.

We now have to get back into the mindset that our parties are not superheroes who can just storm into any place we please, expecting to mop the floors with everybody anymore. Slow going... stealthing... taking out the potential runners... surprise... enticing monsters to come to us... all kinds of tactics we now have to think about again. Because I think we're due for many a rude awakening if we keep trying to bully our way through encounters like we used to.

 

[IronWolf]

Since DDN doesn't have opportunity attacks, short of running enough characters past the enemies to make a wall, is there any way to keep intelligent foes from running for reinforcements and bringing the whole neighborhood down on the PCs' heads? And if you do make a meat wall behind them, is there any way to keep the enemies from them swarming the squishy members of the party?

While I am a fan of OA/AoO I am not sure even they can stop runners when you are outnumbered too much. Good chance they would just decide to draw the attack or simply have too many to attack as they ran for help. I don't necessarily consider that a bad thing.

 

[CleverNickName]

The best way to stop runners, is to never have them in the first place.

When planning to infiltrate an enemy hideout, bashing in the door and shooting things isn't very wise. You will quickly get swarmed by enemies, and unless you are very lucky, you will be overwhelmed in just a few rounds. (Imagine you are in a WWII strike platoon, on a mission to liberate a Nazi concentration camp...would you just show up at the gate and start shooting?)

Nope, the best thing to do is avoid a frontal assault altogether. Use a decoy, for example....have the rogue stand outside the entrance and draw their attention, then run. The kobolds chase him out of the room, and right into the boobytraps, ambush, captured gray ooze, bribed ogre, etc., that the party has laid out in advance. Lather, rinse, repeat.

Or if you really want to mix it up, use a pincer attack. Sneak the rogue in, nice and slow, and have him hide near the exit (dress him up as a kobold, maybe? or just use straight-up stealth). Maybe have him set a trap near the exit, if you've got one handy...flaming oil works great for this. Then, when the fighter gives the signal, the rogue blocks the exit (closes and bars the door maybe, or overturns a table and ignites the oil), the wizard and cleric unleash a coordinated ranged attack at the biggest and meanest-looking enemy, and then the fighter knocks over something loud and heavy and growls menacingly "Alright...everyone who drops their weapons *right now* gets to leave here alive." If they don't surrender, then the rogue unleashes ranged attacks from the cover of the overturned table/flaming oil/whatever, the wizard uses MM from behind the fighter, and the cleric keeps the fighter healthy.

Or just avoid combat altogether: dress the party up as kobolds, and just walk nonchalantly through the room like you own the place. If you get stopped and questioned by the guards, make up a convincing story (or run for your lives.)

The possibilities are endless.

 

[IronWolf]

The best way to stop runners, is to never have them in the first place.

<awesome ideas snipped>

The possibilities are endless.

Excellent points! So many possibilities that don't involve strict mechanics to support.

 

[CypherWulf]

a well placed grease spell can effectively make reinforcements and runners far less of a threat. I agree that we just need to get the players thinking about these things again.

 

[howandwhy99]

Scout quietly in loose formation and in small groups. They may not run for reinforcements, if they outnumber you. Of course, they might follow you, if you run too.

Travel with weapons in hand according to terrain. If you can see a good distance, have your projectile weapon ready to fire. When encountering foes and combat is likely to occur, call held actions to shoot runners first.

Ambush by encircling your foe to cut off escape. Use your environment to your advantage in this. Having height in a gorge is not only better for "to hit" purposes and natural cover, it also provides easy bottling of those passing through.

 

[Ellington]

Ray of Frost!

Seriously though, I think that fighters should get opportunity attacks as part of their natural class progression even if other classes don't. It would give them a pretty valuable niche in making their enemies think twice before running away!

 

[AngryMojo]

I can understand the concern, having to rely on magic for something as simple as running down a kobold doesn't quite sit well with me. I like the idea of having some form of chase mechanic, in 4e I always called for a short skill challenge in this case.

Then again, if you're in the kobold's lair and they just run into the next room chasing them should be difficult at best.

 

[CleverNickName]

Excellent points! So many possibilities that don't involve strict mechanics to support.

There is a lot of talk about making each character class more effective in combat, like the fighter. I think there should be just as much talk about making each character class more effective OUTSIDE of combat, like the rogue.

There is a lot to be said for subtlety.