D&D 5E Monster Tactics: How Ruthless a DM are you?

[fuindordm]

IMC, any sane monster with Int 8 or better will fight tactically, but not fight to the death.

In particular, humanoid opponents will try to set up ambushes, use cover and terrain, focus fire on one PC to reduce the number of opponents, and run away if outmatched. On the other hand, I don't have them coup de grace unless the party has already shown that they won't stay down.

Super-monsters like dragons will fight intelligently but also according to their personality. They also know what class you belong to as soon as you've demonstrated your abilities. In your scenario I would probably have tried to kill the mage, then focused on the cleric, then flown away and come back to ambush the mundanes.

 

[Derren]

IMC, any sane monster with Int 8 or better will fight tactically, but not fight to the death.

Also, any not mindless enemy will have a goal it tries to achieve in a combat and will work towards it. And if that goal is killing the enemy then they will strife to kill the enemy and not spread the damage around etc.

But I disagree with not CdGing unless the first PC came back from 0 in combat. Considering how easy healing is in D&D that should be standard tactic.

 

[fuindordm]

Well, my assumption is that real clerics are rare, and the monsters don't know they're fighting PCs. Most monster bands don't have clerics healing them back from zero either. But in a setting where clerics are common, you're right that CdG should be a standard tactic.

 

[Derren]

Well, my assumption is that real clerics are rare, and the monsters don't know they're fighting PCs. Most monster bands don't have clerics healing them back from zero either. But in a setting where clerics are common, you're right that CdG should be a standard tactic.

Clerics, bards, paladins, rangers, druids, anyone with the Healer feat,...

 

[ExploderWizard]

Even stupid monsters want to survive. Mindless constructs might just keep plodding along according to its instructions, but stupid monsters may flee sometimes too. A giant spider popping out of it's lair to snag a quick meal might hastily retreat if the food hurts it too much. It just wants to eat, not fight a protracted battle to the death.

Intelligent foes who know they are not likely to escape will bargain and say anything to make foes consider them more valuable alive than dead. If they have no actual value alive to their opponents then they will make something up to buy time to think of a plan.

Personality is as important as intellect or wits when considering tactics. A highly arrogant foe with a superiority complex combined with a desire to see his enemies suffer and revels in having others witness his awesome power will take extra risks to capture enemies alive. The classic Bond villain. Smart foes who operate with ruthless efficiency are among the most dangerous. Assassins who never leave witnesses, etc.

I prefer to establish motives for most npcs and monsters and let that guide their tactics and responses. A regular bandit who is just out to make some dishonest cash is very different from a thug in service to the Temple of Elemental Evil.

 

[Gilladian]

I had fun on Saturday; my PCs ran into the wraith in the starter set adventure; the cleric turned it, twice, but they were unable to retreat fast enough (while dragging the treasure chest) to get away to where it would not follow them, so it came up out of the floor after recovering from the 2nd turn effect, and slammed the cleric. Took her down immediately to 0 HP, and she failed the save, so she died instantly.

I debated hard as to whether to go after the cleric, because I knew she was already wounded and not likely to survive a solid hit. I rolled nearly max damage, too. But I could not justify going after a different foe; she had been the one inflicting the pain of being turned. The creature hates the living, and she's a cleric of the Goddess of Life. So he took her out. My first 5e kill.

I really believe the DM needs to play the monsters to their intelligence, to their traits, and as they would "really" act. No pulling punches. But wow, was that hard to do!

I've actually started rolling all my dice in sight of the players, so I can't pull my punches as much as I would if the rolls were hidden. That's how I keep myself honest.

 

[steeldragons]

I'm pretty much on the same page as everyone. Monsters fight as their Int/Wis. (and occasional glance at Morale) allows. With notable exceptions, most monsters are not generally looking to fight to the death. They (particularly humanoids) will attempt to flee after a certain degree of damage or loss of their numbers. Tactics will suit/match the creature's intelligence but also those strategies [for any but the most stupid] that play to their abilities/strengths and/or, in unique situations, have worked well for them before.

Yes. All of this requires some thought about your monsters before you are rolling dice. Beyond their stats or descriptions in the Monster Manual (perhaps as I do not yet have a MM). What is the environment like? What can the creature do with it, if it has the intelligence to do so, along with its own abilities? Is the creature intelligent enough to do anything with it? Is there some bottleneck or other suitable place for ambush [for the likes of humanoids mostly, but some devious pack animals, like dire wolves, might figure this out themselves]. If there is, then no one is engaging anybody, if they can help it, outside of that area. Is a lair near? Have traps, natural hazards of the terrain, other creatures (whether tamed, some reciprocal/symbiotic arrangement, or not) been incorporated? In the case of hierarchical creatures [goblinoids, orcs, etc...] will they flee at the loss of their leader? Their champion? More/less than half their number? How is the creature going to act/attack that has allowed them to exist in this place thus far? What is their most effective way of engaging/hunting prey? If they lack intelligence, what are their instincts going to tell them to do [e.g. attacking to the death to protect eggs/young, etc...]?

 

[Rhenny]

Even stupid monsters want to survive. Mindless constructs might just keep plodding along according to its instructions, but stupid monsters may flee sometimes too. A giant spider popping out of it's lair to snag a quick meal might hastily retreat if the food hurts it too much. It just wants to eat, not fight a protracted battle to the death.

Intelligent foes who know they are not likely to escape will bargain and say anything to make foes consider them more valuable alive than dead. If they have no actual value alive to their opponents then they will make something up to buy time to think of a plan.

Personality is as important as intellect or wits when considering tactics.

Good points. Never under estimate survival instincts - fight or flee.

 

[Umbran]

TLDR: How smart are your monsters in combat?

How smart do my players want them to be? For some groups or campaigns, the game is very much about the tactical challenge, for others, it isn't.

 

[Flexor the Mighty!]

I try to run my monsters to the best of their abilities. I don't hold back with them, or fudge rolls so it can be deadly. I find that much more satisfying as a DM and player.