Dr. Strangemonkey
First Post
This is an off shoot from the How do I get better tactics thread?
In that thread I have encountered the theory that 7th level is one of the deadliest levels becuase players loose sight of tactics.
In the interests of combatting that and promoting general dungeoneering, I'm interested in what everyone's favorite standard tactics are.
Any procedures and tactics for the common situations your group is in would be welcome, and I'd be interested to see what common danger situations outside of sophisiticated breaking and entering our groups are engaging in.
For instance, despite my complaints about their dungeonering, my group has a very good standard bar procedure. They do a lot of meets, shake downs, and kidnappings in such environments.
First of all, they do a lot of prep work. They always make sure they have some sort of personal recommendation to one of the employees and good info or a relationship with the management. Second, they do research to determine who owns the place and what the neighborhood political issues are.
Third, they then perform a swift bribing blitz of all the other low level concievably relevant employees: favorite tavern maids of the mark, bartenders, valets, and so forth. They do this to flush out people who might have any sort of relationship with the mark, and look only for unusual reactions. They then work to watch all of those they found regardless of whether or not they took the bribes since they've been burned by under or counter bribing before.
Fourth, they always secure a safe room and an external hiding place from which to watch as many of the streets as possible.
Fifth, they plan signals and an appropriate distraction in case things go bad. In the past this has involved fire, but there was one occasion when they arranged for a bad barrel of fish to be delivered and served during the meet.
Sixth, they position themselves. One to meet, one to watch from the shadows and be seen, one at the bar/near the kitchen, one at the main entrance, one outside, and one socializing and prepared to create a scene.
Seventh, they always pull it off with minimum casualties and try to talk the situation down as opposed to immediately going for throats when trouble starts. Not only does this work to promote good will and avoid violence, but it enable the assassin to get in the three rounds of studying.
As a subnote they make liberal use of illusion spells, not simply for the obvious reasons but to confuse any detect magic readings of the area. They also make liberal use of natural weaponry and brawling tactics. Very often the character with the big sword is the least deadly among them.
In that thread I have encountered the theory that 7th level is one of the deadliest levels becuase players loose sight of tactics.
In the interests of combatting that and promoting general dungeoneering, I'm interested in what everyone's favorite standard tactics are.
Any procedures and tactics for the common situations your group is in would be welcome, and I'd be interested to see what common danger situations outside of sophisiticated breaking and entering our groups are engaging in.
For instance, despite my complaints about their dungeonering, my group has a very good standard bar procedure. They do a lot of meets, shake downs, and kidnappings in such environments.
First of all, they do a lot of prep work. They always make sure they have some sort of personal recommendation to one of the employees and good info or a relationship with the management. Second, they do research to determine who owns the place and what the neighborhood political issues are.
Third, they then perform a swift bribing blitz of all the other low level concievably relevant employees: favorite tavern maids of the mark, bartenders, valets, and so forth. They do this to flush out people who might have any sort of relationship with the mark, and look only for unusual reactions. They then work to watch all of those they found regardless of whether or not they took the bribes since they've been burned by under or counter bribing before.
Fourth, they always secure a safe room and an external hiding place from which to watch as many of the streets as possible.
Fifth, they plan signals and an appropriate distraction in case things go bad. In the past this has involved fire, but there was one occasion when they arranged for a bad barrel of fish to be delivered and served during the meet.
Sixth, they position themselves. One to meet, one to watch from the shadows and be seen, one at the bar/near the kitchen, one at the main entrance, one outside, and one socializing and prepared to create a scene.
Seventh, they always pull it off with minimum casualties and try to talk the situation down as opposed to immediately going for throats when trouble starts. Not only does this work to promote good will and avoid violence, but it enable the assassin to get in the three rounds of studying.
As a subnote they make liberal use of illusion spells, not simply for the obvious reasons but to confuse any detect magic readings of the area. They also make liberal use of natural weaponry and brawling tactics. Very often the character with the big sword is the least deadly among them.
