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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Al" data-source="post: 1143479" data-attributes="member: 2486">Possibly true, but I'd argue that most NPCs, even those with backgrounds etc. will take the tactical sound decision.Evils are almost always in the game for themselves, so will take the most tactically sound option.  Neutrals are gunning for themselves in preference to their opponents, and will generally take the tactically sound option.  Goods might not take a tactically optimal solution if it goes against their 'principles', but there are a reasonable number of 'pragmatic goods' out there.The reason is simple- those who make the tactical choices generally fare the best.  It is perverse to argue that someone might take a suboptimal decision because of his 'principles' as a norm.  Adventuring PCs and many enemy NPCs are career combatants, and have seen even combats to understand what happens if you don't take the best options.  Few are so convinced of their beliefs (though there are some e.g. paladins) that they will deliberately save an opponent and jeopardise their own lives, for the simple reason that those that did so in the past are now dead.  Even as a paladin, I realise that it's better to be ruthless with your enemies so *you* can live, rather than vice versa.  In combat against evildoers, pull out all the stops.  Moderation in pursuit of justice is no virtue.My parties may be different to yours, but in my experience there is a sort of party bonding which means that the cleric will try to save his friends in character.  In any case, the tactically optimised situation is usually to heal the downed comrade.  Assuming that the comrade does not immediately fall, it greatly increases the number of 'actions' the party can take in the course of the combat: for example, if a downed comrade gets three actions before he is floored again or the combat ends, then the party has 'gained' two actions.  In terms of long-term strategy, given the lethality of combat, having all the party survive the combat is definitely in strategic interest- only if the party is threatened with a multiple PK or TPK should clerical inaction allow a PC to die...and given tactically optimised opponents, they should usually finish off downed PCs.  Even failing that, the prevalence of area blast spells make combat for a downed PC usually lethal.  Only in a few cases should the party cleric not heal downed comrades...when he can finish off the enemies, in end-boss type battles, or when threatened with a multiple PK if he does not go on the aggressive.  Usually, however, the cleric is best off doing the healing, particularly when PCs are down.</blockquote>

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