I do check out 2e compendium to give me an idea of a morale score. It comes in handy to work out a DC for intimidation and working out at what point a type of monster is likely to flee. You can make a roll when first bloodied but 1e also had situational modifiers leaders, magic, half your allies down etc. The monsters don't have to flee in one group necessarily.
D&D 5E Is morale used anymore?
PrometheanVigil
First Post
It's really simple:
1 = Attack
2 = Power
3 = Combat Factor (so special move)
4 = Cover
5 = Retreat
I then create sub-tables for some of these initial rolls, for instance
If (2) {1 = Vigor, 2 = Celerity, 3 = Obfuscate}
If (3) {1 = AOA, 2 = Charge}
If (5) {1 = Completely flee combat area, 2 = Regroup with allies, 3 = Move away, 4 = Surrender}
(I may even have Surrender as its own initial roll -- I still need to decide on that one)
It is SO much fun rolling these and seeing what happens. And then rolling the attack pools and stuff from those random rolls. There's something so satisfying about the "simulation" aspect of it.
BookBarbarian
Expert Long Rester
I read somewhere that most armies have a breaking point of about 30% losses before they will start to flee. I use this as my rule of them for any force fighting my party, if 30% go down the rest start to run. I like it because it leads to scenarios where the larger force ends up retreating. Which is something that has happened many times throughout history.
After that things get interesting. A powerful or charismatic Leader can rally the force. A particularity Militaristic force like hobgoblins can run a fighting retreat. PCs hunting down the retreating force can turn a rout into a last stand or a suicidal attack. It's all good fun.
After that things get interesting. A powerful or charismatic Leader can rally the force. A particularity Militaristic force like hobgoblins can run a fighting retreat. PCs hunting down the retreating force can turn a rout into a last stand or a suicidal attack. It's all good fun.
Rhenny
Adventurer
Just a note, in my Friday night game, I had a small group (4) Grell attack the 4 PCs from above as they were rowing out of a long, dark, underground river tunnel. After the Grell did some damage to the group, the wizard used Thunderwave to get one away from him, then in the next round he lined up a fireball to get 3 of them. That's when I thought about this thread and rolled for each Grell to see how they felt about the pain the adventurers dished out. 3 of them did not like it at all so they disengaged and retreated. The 4th tried to be a hero and died as the fighter and rogue sliced it up.
