OD&D Morale Question

[Charles Lowry]

How does one roll for morale in D&D Cyclopedia rules? Based on the below example, how would I roll for this?

Beginning of a combat round, I need to roll for Morale as the first action with the following creatures:
Hobgoblin
5 Goblins

As the DM, would I roll Morale for each creature (one roll for the Hobgoblin and five rolls for the Goblins)? Or, do I roll once for all the Goblins and once for the Hobgoblin? Maybe I missed this in the rulebook.

 

[Jack Daniel]

I've never seen it specified, but I always roll separately for each group of similar creatures. So I'd roll once for the hobgoblin and once for all the goblins in this case.

 

[aco175]

I used to even DM fiat something to make the encounter better in the moment. Say the hobgoblin saved and all the goblins failed if you just make 2 rolls. I might have one or two goblins stay after the hobgoblin bullied them somehow when the rest fled. Same if the hobgoblin fled and the goblins made their morale check, then a few might go with their leader and now the fight is easier for the PCs.

 

[Charles Lowry]

That all makes sense. I introduced my son to BECMI mechanics (he has only played 5th ed) and ran through a couple combats. We used morale as two distinct roles (Hobgoblin and Goblins). It actually made the combat quicker with Retreat is an option in the game.

Thanks for the replies.

 

[Tonguez]

I work 0n the assumption that the goblins are naturlly inclimed to run away and it is the Hobgoblin who is rallying them/goading them to attack
ergo one roll for all of them.

if the Hobgoboin is killed the goblins will run away

 

[Hriston]

I don't play BECMI, but when I play D&D, I use both group and individual morale checks which are triggered under different circumstances, so it would depend on the circumstances that triggered the check whether it was a group check or individual checks or both.

 

[overgeeked]

How does one roll for morale in D&D Cyclopedia rules? Based on the below example, how would I roll for this?

Beginning of a combat round, I need to roll for Morale as the first action with the following creatures:
Hobgoblin
5 Goblins

As the DM, would I roll Morale for each creature (one roll for the Hobgoblin and five rolls for the Goblins)? Or, do I roll once for all the Goblins and once for the Hobgoblin? Maybe I missed this in the rulebook.

"Whenever the situation calls for a morale check the DM rolls 2d6."

Your four most common times to roll morale checks are:
• In Combat: When the creature is first hit, taking 1 or more hit points of damage.
• In Combat: When the creature is reduced to one-quarter (or less) of its starting hit points.
• In Combat: When the first death (on either side, PC or NPC/monster) takes place; the DM makes one morale roll for the remaining creatures to see if they wish to continue.
• In Combat: When half of the creatures are not free to act (because they are dead, asleep, controlled, etc.).

Each creature rolls morale when it's first hit, reduced to 1/4 starting HP, and when the first death occurs. Those are fairly static. It's the last that really cascades things. Once you're down to half you're rolling every round until they're dead or they break and run.

You'd roll once for each creature. Throughout the text it's always "a creature" or "the creature" and never "group of creatures".

 

[Charles Lowry]

"Whenever the situation calls for a morale check the DM rolls 2d6."

Your four most common times to roll morale checks are:
• In Combat: When the creature is first hit, taking 1 or more hit points of damage.
• In Combat: When the creature is reduced to one-quarter (or less) of its starting hit points.
• In Combat: When the first death (on either side, PC or NPC/monster) takes place; the DM makes one morale roll for the remaining creatures to see if they wish to continue.
• In Combat: When half of the creatures are not free to act (because they are dead, asleep, controlled, etc.).

Each creature rolls morale when it's first hit, reduced to 1/4 starting HP, and when the first death occurs. Those are fairly static. It's the last that really cascades things. Once you're down to half you're rolling every round until they're dead or they break and run.

You'd roll once for each creature. Throughout the text it's always "a creature" or "the creature" and never "group of creatures".

I'll run some sample combats with my son. Some of the encounters involve a lot of creatures (and hirelings), and this could become a lot of dice rolls to run through. However, it does give a bit more granularity in an encounter. We will run through it and see how fast we can get through an encounter with lots of creatures and hirelings.

I appreciate the input.

 

[Mannahnin]

That's a lot of checks.

My usual practice is to roll once for each type of monster in the encounter, and not counting HP thresholds (unless it's a single big monster). So one test at the first casualty, and one test at 50% casualties.

I also allow for ad hoc checks based on circumstances which would be likely to be frightening to the creature in question. Which could be things like - being attacked with a visible magic spell, having their leader killed or captured, or being struck with fire.

Does the RC retain the language from B/X and BECM about a monster only needing to check a maximum of twice in a given combat? As I recall both of those editions specify that once a monster has passed morale twice, it's not going to run.

 

[Charles Lowry]

I do not see that specific language in the RC book.

Individual morale rolls added up to a lot overall, but went quick. I think ensuring emphasizing the morale number for ease of reference helps a lot. I've been watching Dungeoncraft and really enjoyed his concept of writing all notes into a single-double page layout for ease of reference.