the Jester
Legend
Should 5e, by whatever name, have morale rules?
Morale
- Thread starter the Jester
- Start date
Lord Mhoram
Hero
Morale, or something like it in guidance to the GM of "When the monsters run away" - Monsters fighting to the death in every encounter just seems wrong.
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howandwhy99
Adventurer
Morale means PCs learn it is okay to run away. When to run away. And how to run away.
It also means PCs learn how to hold morale in followers. Break morale in enemies. And regain lost allies.
But morale scores and rolls are for NPCs, the players/characters choose for themselves.
It also means PCs learn how to hold morale in followers. Break morale in enemies. And regain lost allies.
But morale scores and rolls are for NPCs, the players/characters choose for themselves.
Morale is a needless rule complication....something that will be used as a rule lawyering tactic..." shouldn't the Orc be running after all it has a morale of 8".
I know I have made those statements before. Also how many groups actually let monsters flee without attempting to stop and kill them?
In my experience of over 30 years of gaming a 'No Survivors' attitude is rather prevalent across the editions (& I have played them all) ....even in 3e where players had the monsters loot , and knew they were getting full XP even w/o the death of the opponent .
I will also state morale mechanics do not teach people to run away...like most crunchy rules it adds a gamesmanship element. People learn to run away when they know the game will follow logical narrative elements....ie I just kicked the Ogre in the genitalia and I think it is going to kill me....not when they calculate that if they can do 20 points of damage in 3 rounds and cause a Morale check.
I know I have made those statements before. Also how many groups actually let monsters flee without attempting to stop and kill them?
In my experience of over 30 years of gaming a 'No Survivors' attitude is rather prevalent across the editions (& I have played them all) ....even in 3e where players had the monsters loot , and knew they were getting full XP even w/o the death of the opponent .
I will also state morale mechanics do not teach people to run away...like most crunchy rules it adds a gamesmanship element. People learn to run away when they know the game will follow logical narrative elements....ie I just kicked the Ogre in the genitalia and I think it is going to kill me....not when they calculate that if they can do 20 points of damage in 3 rounds and cause a Morale check.
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FitzTheRuke
Legend
There should be something akin to the fleeing/parlaying rules as seen for 4e on a dragon article (I think it was and Unearthed Arcana article)
basically between rounds the PCs (or the DM for the monsters) can decide to run away or parlay (leading to a skill challenge, or in 5e case, a roleplay encounter in place of the fight) the other side can choose to let them go or parlay or say "no" and continue fighting.
Meaning the fight just ends because the players or DM choose to have it end and the other side agrees. No need to have each player pull their character out of the fight individually (usually leading to one or more PC's being left behind).
basically between rounds the PCs (or the DM for the monsters) can decide to run away or parlay (leading to a skill challenge, or in 5e case, a roleplay encounter in place of the fight) the other side can choose to let them go or parlay or say "no" and continue fighting.
Meaning the fight just ends because the players or DM choose to have it end and the other side agrees. No need to have each player pull their character out of the fight individually (usually leading to one or more PC's being left behind).
Yes, but NOT d20 based! And for God's sake, not Will Save/Will Defense based!
Morale is a group dynamic. It works best with a bell curve system, 2d6 (BX) or 2d10 (2e) roll over morale and they flee, type of approach. Trying to shoehorn it into d20-roll-over would be a really bad idea.
Morale is a group dynamic. It works best with a bell curve system, 2d6 (BX) or 2d10 (2e) roll over morale and they flee, type of approach. Trying to shoehorn it into d20-roll-over would be a really bad idea.
Daztur
Hero
Well if there aren't morale rules I'm house ruling them in. Having this kind of rule is important (at least for how I want to DM) for communicating, "I am an uncaring god, I care not if you live or die, it's all up to you" to the players. If the players manage to spook a giant lizard that's about the eat the cleric I want them to think, "damn we were lucky" not "damn the DM is going easy on us."
Olgar Shiverstone
Legend
Good optional rule for NPCs and Monsters. I've used it since B/XD&D even when there were not rules for it. It always seemed silly to me that the expectation was monsters would always fight to the death. Cowardly goblins should surrender or flee when one of their number is wounded or killed, for example.
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