D&D General Monster Scripting

[Xeviat]

Hey everyone. I've long been interested in making some basic monster scripting guidelines for DMs, new and old alike, to take some brain load off of our work. My friends and I were playing one of the D&D board games, which had very basic "monsters attack the nearest target", and those rules actually helped us as players plan our actions. Similar things happen with strategy games like Fire Emblem.

4E has some basic scripts in the DMG based on different encounter designs (my favorite was wolf pack with a number of skirmishers; half would attack in melee and half ranged, and they'd switch when they got bloodied).

Not looking to necessarily make hard rules, but I'm curious what people think good advice for scripts would be. Monster roles, blood thirsty vs cowardly, attack the closest, attack the most vulnerable, and so on.

I'll gather my thoughts and post an alpha, but I'd love to discuss first.

 

[Tonguez]

These are golden Why These Tactics? - The Monsters Know What They’re Doing

 

[Composer99]

I'm rather fond of, if not hard scripting, then at least soft scripting, which 4e also possesses to some extent through the way monsters use up encounter or recharge powers, especially in conjunction with monster roles.

Without having to overburden the DM with "what is this monster going to do now?" thinking, this scripting:

• gives the monster a fairly simple action plan, making it easier to run;
• gives the players possible counter-plays against the monster's preferred tactics, rewarding paying attention to what the monster is doing and how it's doing it and then applying what's learned to fighting the monster
• punishes the players for being heedless, reckless, or inflexible (e.g. if you let the lurker slip away, it'll get another chance to rip into your backline)

A good example is EN World's Level Up! game, which gives zombies a grab-and-bite attack routine. The zombie grabs an enemy on one turn, then, if it's still alive, bites for significantly more damage. This isn't a hard-coded script, as such, but it follows naturally from the zombie's action set. It:

• is easy to run
• punishes the player characters with more damage if they just let the zombies do their thing
• rewards them for finding ways to kite or push away the zombies, reducing their damage

 

[Clint_L]

These are golden Why These Tactics? - The Monsters Know What They’re Doing

That article is really good. I feel like if you pay attention to the basic principles therein, you don't need a specific script for different monster types. I'm generally too neglectful of having creatures flee a fight, which as the article points out should be the default stance of any creature that is losing past a certain threshold, unless that creature is intelligent and has specific reasons to risk death.

As far as creatures using smart tactics, like targeting soft targets first, ranged attackers, and so on: yeah. That's what most creatures should do. If it's got any intelligence it should be planning for an attack that gives it the best chance of winning, and if it's a predator its survival is based on making good, usually conservative choices.

Sometimes players, especially new ones, get annoyed when the mobs go out of their way to avoid fighting the tankier characters. I'm always like, "Why would the wolf go after an armoured goliath when there's a skinny wizard in the back?"

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

I'm generally too neglectful of having creatures flee a fight, which as the article points out should be the default stance of any creature that is losing past a certain threshold, unless that creature is intelligent and has specific reasons to risk death.

I make that mistake a lot, too.

 

[GMMichael]

Not looking to necessarily make hard rules, but I'm curious what people think good advice for scripts would be. Monster roles, blood thirsty vs cowardly, attack the closest, attack the most vulnerable, and so on.

I'm actually surprised that we don't see more scripts, because 1) D&D is a combat game, 2) monsters are presented for combat, 3) unless you're fighting a monster's first battle, it has probably fought before and learned a thing or two, and 4) most DMs shouldn't be expected to know a creature's most economic battle plan, given everything else that they're expected to know.

Good advice, then? Exploit advantages, minimize weaknesses. That applies to the majority of combatants. Smart opponents can adjust these given the situation. Dumb opponents do it instinctually, otherwise they just run away. Also, if your opponents don't show signs of weakening (which is the case against many HP bags), you need a new metric on deciding whom to attack, like who is easiest to damage, or who has the most dangerous attacks, or if your side has fewer active combatants than the opposition. One of the most basic general combat rules is, "if I start feeling pain, or expect it imminently, it's time to flee."

 

[Charlaquin]

These are golden Why These Tactics? - The Monsters Know What They’re Doing

I was about to make the same recommendation. The creator also has a book, if you’re like me and prefer dead tree format.

 

[Charlaquin]

One script I like to use is, if a monster has the choice between making an attack without advantage or setting itself and/or one or more of its allies up to be able to attack with advantage, it favors the latter. Yes, that’s actually a suboptimal strategy unless the setup can grant advantage to at least two total attacks, but I like to encourage a play pattern of using the environment creatively to gain advantage, and I’m ok with playing monsters a little suboptimally in order to regularly remind the players through example that this is an option.

 

[CleverNickName]

For monsters of average intelligence, I take my cue from the players. Intelligent monsters will focus-fire on spellcasters, avoid dangerous melee situations, double-tap downed opponents, loot items off of downed characters in mid-combat, etc. They never flee or surrender, either, no matter how intelligent they are...they always fight to the death for some reason. In short: they act just like the player characters.

Monsters of incredible intelligence and cunning (devils, dragons, and the like) will do all that and more: they never take risks, never underestimate the party, and never let their opponents have advantage on anything if they can help it. They set ambushes, they stalk the party for days from a great distance and then attack them when they're vulnerable (wounded from another fight, for example), that sort of thing. As soon as these monsters take any damage at all, they flee--hoping to kite one or two members of the party away from the safety of the group, but otherwise healing up and getting ready to try again in an hour when the party stops to rest again. And possibly with reinforcements. They are nasty and persistent.

Unintelligent monsters, like beasts and certain monstrosities, will fight like wild animals. They target the smaller, weaker, or most wounded member of the party, and fight until they lose about half their hit points, then flee in search of easier prey (unless they're driven by extreme hunger, or magically compelled to keep fighting.) They might also be frightened away by loud noises, scary-looking illusions, and bright lights. The party gets full XP for defeating them even if they flee, and since these monsters don't typically carry treasure, the players are generally cool with it.

Mindless monsters, like oozes and zombies, will usually zero in on a single target, even crossing flames to get to their foe. They'll attack one character over and over again, swallowing or dragging it away if they manage to knock it unconscious. They won't stop, or flee, or even change targets without some serious convincing.

 

[Sword of Spirit]

I like to play monsters smart, and scripts would be useful.

One thing I've been doing for a long time is never have monsters flee in the first round (assuming they chose to engage and weren't just ambushed). A round is only 6 seconds, but more importantly, things are actually happening at the same time. You won't really know how bad your side is getting pummeled until the end if the round.

That little convention allows me to have monsters act smart while still allowing the players to actually fight them rather than always be chasing fleeing foes.