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Message: <blockquote data-quote="KarinsDad" data-source="post: 6596046" data-attributes="member: 2011">I never once said that the foes should grapple immediately. That's your spin.I never said grappling the PC to the sphere, I said pulling him back into the crowd of other enemies. Look at the diagrams. They have nothing to do with your assumptions here.The diagrams are merely an illustration of a situation where the NPCs cannot attack in mass, and simple ways for that to change. It has nothing to do with gnolls or orcs or any other specific set of creatures, your game or any other such thing. It's just an example of how to break up a front line.And no, grappling does not increase one's chance to be hit. Being grappled does, but the grappler is not grappled. Only the grapplee.The grappler has no penalties and can move back 3 squares (if he has a speed of 6) and drag the grapplee back all he wants. Sure, the other front line PC gets an OA, but that's all he gets. If foe b just stood there and swung, he might get swung back at (by upwards of 2 foes) AND take damage from the flaming sphere.What makes more sense? Try to get away from the sphere and break up the line? Or stand there and swing? If you say the latter, your superior tactics are not as superior as you claim.It might be, but it illustrates an important 5e tactical point that you might have missed. Impairing a foe with grapple and/or prone tactics is often a LOT easier than just swinging. In one case, it's attempting to hit AC. In the other case, it's an ability/skill check. Ability/skill checks often have a much higher chance of success in many cases.Incorrect. Pulling a PC back into the group of NPCs and pulling yourself away from the Flaming Sphere is a very good idea. The successful grappling NPC does not end up adjacent to the sphere at the end of his turn. That NPC is already adjacent to the sphere. He does not want to end his turn adjacent to it. He could disengage and go back into the tunnel away from the PCs and sphere, but for the cost of an OA, he might do a lot more with grapple than if he just stands there and swings and then take damage from the sphere anyway. If he misses with a Grapple, he probably would have missed with a swing.If they fail on an attack, they do no damage. What's the difference? You act as if they grapple, they miss. But if they attack, they hit.And they are already set up to lose. This gives them an opportunity to win. A ton of foes all getting into the fight by round 4 or 5 (as opposed to practically never) is a much harder fight then 1 or 2 foes coming up to suck down attacks from 4 PCs round after round after round. That's an EXTREMELY stupid thing for a DM to have enemies do.Sorry, but these tactics to break through a line (where other PCs can cure the front liners) are a lot more sound than your claim that NPCs should just stand there and swing. Now THAT"S a really bad idea in this scenario and it's the reason your tactics work so well.</blockquote>

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