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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Blue" data-source="post: 6471691" data-attributes="member: 20564">The monsters attack to the best of their abilities ... but that's often not close to the best of my abilities.  Animals going after who is closest or hurt them, and running when badly wounded.  Orken berserkers favoring aggression over defense - better to take 3 hits to land 1 then not to land any.  Many foes will tend to stick with the same target unless they are missing a lot.In one campaign (13th Age, but very applicable to 5e) they've been fighting a lot of low intelligence or mindless foes (and one insane, ah Derro) and doing well.  Especially with a very tank-y fighter.  I'm waiting for the next time they go against disciplined troops thathave a bunch of archers focus fire and feather the (obvious) sorcerer and then go after the cleric if he's given himself away with any healing.So yes, tactics say quite a bit about how dangerous foes are, definitely modifying CR for encounter balance just as terrain or other factors outside the foe's inherent stats.As a side note, I'll often load the monsters to be more than a fair match for the players, and will run them as they want to win, but when we're at the table I root for the players.  I celebrate their victories, and make those worthwhile by making them earn them.</blockquote>