NOW LIVE! Today's the day you meet your new best friend. You don’t have to leave Wolfy behind... In 'Pets & Sidekicks' your companions level up with you!

Reply to thread

Message: <blockquote data-quote="Guest 7037866" data-source="post: 9578566">Yep. In our last session a squad of 10 quicklings were beating the crap out of two of the PCs. (The third could fly, so escaped them; and the fourth had insane stealth so could hide and become unseen.)Of the two who couldn't "escape" the onslaught, one went down, and with three attacks each, the next quickling double-tapped the down PC while the others moved on to attack the other vulnerable PC.In this situation, with effectively up to 30 attacks per round against the PCs, spending a couple to kill the PC was a no-brainer.However, in most situtations where I don't have insanely abundant action economy, it is more this... the stray bonus action or legendary action.In a battle with a dragon for example, once the dragon takes a PC down, a couple legendary actions or lair action damage will kill them off.Players should value their characters' lives, and as such any PC at 50% hp is in danger often enough. They should consider disengaging and withdrawing, dodging, or any other means of escape they might have. Trying to stay in the fight at this point is at their own peril.If this is directed at me...Sometimes they do, sometimes they don't. I use morale and roll when the encounter is at half-strength. I also judge according to how intelligent the creature is, how likely is their escape, is surrender an option they believe they will live through?In the last session, I had three encounters:1. The werebear was nearly down when it had it's turn (round 3) and it disengaged and dropped down in a "surrender" position, enough to make the PCs pause, and it spoke (in hybrid form) calling for mercy. The encounter ended and shifted to the werebear telling the PCs about the Hag, etc.2. A band of darklings lead by an Elder darking came out of the ruined building at the edge of town and told the PCs to go away. They didn't and battle ensued. A fireball in the opening round took out four darklings so I rolled morale, the rest decided to fight on. After a few more dropped and the elder was defeated, the remaining three tried to run, but were dropped by the PCs with magic and ranged attacks. I had hoped they might take at least one prisoner, but nope.3. The quicklings were winning easily at first. But their attacks could not harm the werebear, however the others two PCs (mentioned above) were in dire straights. Finally a twinned Haste on the tank PC and werebear turned the tide. The last few quicklings ran and were able to escape the fight. Of course, they will harrass the PCs in later fights...So, in those three we have surrendered, failed to escape, and escaped. Those who "fought to the death" did so because they (up to that point) felt their side could win.I don't know if you saw the thread a while back, but a similar encounter happened in my group. The adult black dragon fled, carrying off one of the PCs (whom he dropped to his death), and after a short rest returned to hunt the remaining three PCs; who by excellent planning and luck managed to avoid detection and long rested--at which point the dragon had left the area.Yep, just as my escaped quicklings will make life difficult for the PCs, reporting back to the Hags further intel and using guerilla-tactics while the PCs are engaged in the next couple encounters.</blockquote>

Verification