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General Tabletop Discussion
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Monsters, OAs, and soft PCs
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<blockquote data-quote="ad_hoc" data-source="post: 7438164" data-attributes="member: 6748898"><p>A key thing I noticed in the thread about how often OAs happen in games was what was left out of the responses.</p><p></p><p>Most of them mentioned 2 things - PCs don't like to allow OAs against them, and monsters only sometimes run away but when they do they usually Disengage.</p><p></p><p>How about monsters rushing past the heavily armoured characters with swords to kill the ones in robes who are causing mayhem and destruction?</p><p></p><p>This is probably why I have a different experience with 5e than many others.</p><p></p><p>Common things I have seen in comments/threads:</p><p></p><p>- Ranged attacks are much stronger than melee attacks</p><p>- Concentration spells are annoying because you are only limited to one of them. No mention of failing saves. </p><p>- Warlock's Hex is amazing because it lasts all day</p><p></p><p></p><p>And finally, 'the game is too easy'. I think if PCs get to dictate combat simply by where they are standing this is probably true. </p><p></p><p>I like dynamic combats. I like having melee PCs gaining OAs, it is fun for them. It is a challenge and exciting for the softer characters to deal with monsters who are up close and personal with them. All the PCs must continually change what they are doing in order to face the threats and maximize their abilities.</p><p></p><p>In the couple of replies that I read that did mention it this was said - 'Intelligent creatures would never let their guard down to let an enemy freely swing at them.' In D&D creatures have HP, they get many swings taken at them. It's what combat is, lives are on the line. Futilely trying to injure the character in heavy plate hiding behind a shield while arrows and spells rain down on you is much worse than running past to attack the soft PCs. Also, PCs only get 1 reaction. A mob of creatures can all run past with only 1 swing being taken at 1 of them.</p><p></p><p>Obviously some sorts of monsters just wouldn't. Mindless ones come to mind. This is what makes run of the mill Zombies and Skeletions so weak. Sometimes it is in their personality too. There can be all sorts of reasons why they wouldn't. Without those reasons though, monsters at our table rush to the weak ones first.</p><p></p><p>So, if monsters don't provoke OAs in your game, why? </p><p></p><p>And if not, I encourage you to try running monsters this way. Even lowly orcs can suddenly become very dangerous taking down concentration, causing disadvantage to attacks, and even taking PCs to 0 which could quickly lead to a TPK - so PCs, watch out!</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="ad_hoc, post: 7438164, member: 6748898"] A key thing I noticed in the thread about how often OAs happen in games was what was left out of the responses. Most of them mentioned 2 things - PCs don't like to allow OAs against them, and monsters only sometimes run away but when they do they usually Disengage. How about monsters rushing past the heavily armoured characters with swords to kill the ones in robes who are causing mayhem and destruction? This is probably why I have a different experience with 5e than many others. Common things I have seen in comments/threads: - Ranged attacks are much stronger than melee attacks - Concentration spells are annoying because you are only limited to one of them. No mention of failing saves. - Warlock's Hex is amazing because it lasts all day And finally, 'the game is too easy'. I think if PCs get to dictate combat simply by where they are standing this is probably true. I like dynamic combats. I like having melee PCs gaining OAs, it is fun for them. It is a challenge and exciting for the softer characters to deal with monsters who are up close and personal with them. All the PCs must continually change what they are doing in order to face the threats and maximize their abilities. In the couple of replies that I read that did mention it this was said - 'Intelligent creatures would never let their guard down to let an enemy freely swing at them.' In D&D creatures have HP, they get many swings taken at them. It's what combat is, lives are on the line. Futilely trying to injure the character in heavy plate hiding behind a shield while arrows and spells rain down on you is much worse than running past to attack the soft PCs. Also, PCs only get 1 reaction. A mob of creatures can all run past with only 1 swing being taken at 1 of them. Obviously some sorts of monsters just wouldn't. Mindless ones come to mind. This is what makes run of the mill Zombies and Skeletions so weak. Sometimes it is in their personality too. There can be all sorts of reasons why they wouldn't. Without those reasons though, monsters at our table rush to the weak ones first. So, if monsters don't provoke OAs in your game, why? And if not, I encourage you to try running monsters this way. Even lowly orcs can suddenly become very dangerous taking down concentration, causing disadvantage to attacks, and even taking PCs to 0 which could quickly lead to a TPK - so PCs, watch out! [/QUOTE]
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