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<blockquote data-quote="Celebrim" data-source="post: 8692375" data-attributes="member: 4937"><p>I think you are certainly right. So many GMs get stuck in a pattern where every combat is an ambush by a foe that fights to the death with no quarter. I get why they get into that pattern, but it's a pattern you should try to get away from.</p><p></p><p>That said, I think the biggest difficulty of implementing this plan is that it's not really any easier for NPCs to run away from PC's than it is for PC's to run away from NPCs. The vast majority of times that NPCs have tried to run away in my games, they get shot in the back by PC's superior ranged firepower and they die anyway. In order for an NPC to successfully run away they need a clever escape plan usually that buys them actions and higher speed than the PCs. You can't just expect NPCs to start running and get away. They need enough of a head start that they can take actions without being directly under attack, they need doors to bar behind them and allies to run to and well... pretty much all the things PCs are going to need to successfully escape. It's a very difficult encounter to design and it does need to be designed.</p><p></p><p>And I think that's the reason GMs get stuck in the pattern where monsters fight to the death. Because most of the time running away or surrendering or whatever is futile against the PCs anyway, so you might as well try to get some hits in before you die. </p><p></p><p>And additionally, if most of the time when monsters run away it gives the PCs the advantage, then they are not going to learn the lesson you want. They are going to learn, "Best to get our hits in and maybe hope we get lucky."</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Celebrim, post: 8692375, member: 4937"] I think you are certainly right. So many GMs get stuck in a pattern where every combat is an ambush by a foe that fights to the death with no quarter. I get why they get into that pattern, but it's a pattern you should try to get away from. That said, I think the biggest difficulty of implementing this plan is that it's not really any easier for NPCs to run away from PC's than it is for PC's to run away from NPCs. The vast majority of times that NPCs have tried to run away in my games, they get shot in the back by PC's superior ranged firepower and they die anyway. In order for an NPC to successfully run away they need a clever escape plan usually that buys them actions and higher speed than the PCs. You can't just expect NPCs to start running and get away. They need enough of a head start that they can take actions without being directly under attack, they need doors to bar behind them and allies to run to and well... pretty much all the things PCs are going to need to successfully escape. It's a very difficult encounter to design and it does need to be designed. And I think that's the reason GMs get stuck in the pattern where monsters fight to the death. Because most of the time running away or surrendering or whatever is futile against the PCs anyway, so you might as well try to get some hits in before you die. And additionally, if most of the time when monsters run away it gives the PCs the advantage, then they are not going to learn the lesson you want. They are going to learn, "Best to get our hits in and maybe hope we get lucky." [/QUOTE]
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