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Message: <blockquote data-quote="howandwhy99" data-source="post: 6310923" data-attributes="member: 3192">I don't know how best to run solos in 5e, but here's my thinking. Lone creatures wandering for food, safety, mates, maybe supplies or under orders for more intelligent ones, they all are far less safe than creatures traveling in packs. It doesn't matter if they are kobolds or beholders, they are weaker alone then with allies. That's a pretty big part of the game. Some creatures have capabilities that lend specific strategies to them for how they engage in combat. So some of these, like the beholder above, are more adept at attacking groups of creatures than single ones. Beholders actually cannot bring all their numerous attacks around onto one creature. OTOH they are very difficult to sneak up on, flank, gang tackle, attack from encircling, attack via flight, attack with magic, pit traps, and many other strategies. A lone kobold is a jittery creature indeed. (They're 2' tall next to your human) They not only work in packs, but also by ambushing. Covert attacks, like assassinations, backstabs, ambushes, shadowing through the dungeon, attacking only when a group has let it's guard down (no watches, running injured, weakened from other effects, falling in a pre-set trap, made foolish choices, etc.) are how most lone creatures behave. Loners by Alignment are Neutrals, go your own way. And attacking a group of PCs (who used to have quite a few retainers on hand) isn't smart when Throg the barbarian doesn't have a clan of his own to help him. So even an ambush on a creature that leaves the group for a moment must be done quickly and quietly or the others will come and kill Throg. Another reason for the attack than Throg is even better ("he fell off a cliff", "drank all those potions at once, but why?", etc.)Big bad solo creatures like Dragons tend to be loners who can take all comers. Sneaky types tend to have abilities to support their best tactics (even Throg's tracking ability and fast movement count)Magic-types solo badly, but really should be avoiding combats at all cost for the sake of the magic they seek. A lone 1st level evil Magic-User in a dungeon is hiding somewhere. Almost guaranteed. How they operate is via magic. They explore, defend themselves, and even attack using magical spells, items, and the magic of the dungeon around them. Think: boss creatures, as they have the ability to control their environment (including other monsters) more than anyone else. Not boss creature because they must be some BBEG (big bad end guy) so much tougher than anyone else. They use environments with A LOT of forethought (just like selecting spells) to attain their goals. So a necromancer's lair is as dangerous as a mindflayers and both are ambushing you as a last result with the big cannons before fleeing (like teleporting) better than anyone else.Lone Fighters and Clerics are going to be acting with the above strategies too at times depending. Except some combat will be easier and also some communicating respectively.</blockquote>

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