D&D 5E Suggestions on how to handle NPC on Monster/NPC combat?

[J-H]

If it's not part of a PC-involved combat, I'll either roll it out separately before the session, or I'll look at the relative abilities and tactics and just make a few rolls (ie "does the barbarian fail his Wisdom save against Hold Person"?) for important parts.

 

[el-remmen]

If we're talking about NPC allies/sidekicks/henchfolk/retainers, I typically would let the players choose their combat actions and roll accordingly.

If we're talking about an NPC who is siding with the PCs for story reasons (e.g. "the enemy of my enemy is my (temporary) friend"; or a hireling out for a single adventure), I'd usually decide the actions and let a player do the rolling.

If we're talking about a third group entering a combat opposed to both the PCs and the existing NPCs/monsters, I'll control them for the obvious reason that the PCs are possible targets. This is really no different than a larger group of enemies vs the PCs as a DM would roll for all the enemies anyway - the only catch is that sometimes some of them will attack a creature other than a PC (to the delight of the players), so it ends up likely being a shorter combat with less DM rolls than if they were all opposed to the PCs.

^ this describes how I handle it a lot better than I did.

 

[MatthewJHanson]

I let the player's control them if they want to. I've had groups that don't like to so in those cases I just have them do half average damage if their attacking the same enemies the heroes are and just arbitrarily narate it if their not.

 

[prabe]

As an additional possibility to what @Swarmkeeper said, if this is a fight the PCs are going to stumble upon, either about to start or in progress, I might work the details of that fight ahead of time--as prep--and then just narrate it at the table.

 

[Stalker0]

When possible I have a PC run them. Generally I will simplify the character for easy running. Example: instead of an npc fighter having action surge and second wind I just bake in more hp and a little more damage.

spellcasters have a small list of spells but I may just assume the effect of 1 spell is “always on”.

this has worked well for me

 

[Swarmkeeper]

If we're talking about NPC allies/sidekicks/henchfolk/retainers, I typically would let the players choose their combat actions and roll accordingly.

If we're talking about an NPC who is siding with the PCs for story reasons (e.g. "the enemy of my enemy is my (temporary) friend"; or a hireling out for a single adventure), I'd usually decide the actions and let a player do the rolling.

If we're talking about a third group entering a combat opposed to both the PCs and the existing NPCs/monsters, I'll control them for the obvious reason that the PCs are possible targets. This is really no different than a larger group of enemies vs the PCs as a DM would roll for all the enemies anyway - the only catch is that sometimes some of them will attack a creature other than a PC (to the delight of the players), so it ends up likely being a shorter combat with less DM rolls than if they were all opposed to the PCs.

I should also add: Roll20 makes it relatively easy to assign a NPC statblock to a token and grant control to a specific player or players. Moving and clicking on combat actions for the NPC is very straightforward for those in control.

 

[GMMichael]

Suggestions on how you handle NPCs in fights with opponents the PCs are fighting . . .
Folks have ideas on how to handle this in a very quick way?

No need to roll. Just use the difference in respective scores as a percentage of progress (in d20 increments), and remember that NPCs generally are supporting characters.

• Compare allied NPC score to enemy NPC score
• Assume DCs are ten less for the following comparisons, (so a 12 AC is treated as a 2)
• For each point that an attack bonus exceeds an AC, the defender loses 5% of its HP on the attacker's turn
• If an NPC spell DC exceeds the defender's save bonus, the defender fails its save (and damaging spells do average damage)
• Close results (2, 1, or 0 points difference) should take the more dramatic outcome before following the above rules

It's not as tricky as it looks:

Human fighter attacks armored troll, +5 to hit, but the troll's score is +8 (18 AC). NPC Fighter does no damage without Advantage or Aid from another character.

Wizard casts Suggestion on Reghed, +5 (spell save 15) versus the Reghed's +4 (wisdom save modifier). DM chooses the more dramatic result, or Reghed fails by default.

Human fighter attacks armored troll, +7 to hit versus +4 (14 AC). Difference of 3 points, at 5% per point, is 15% of HP lost by the troll.

But I'm lazy, so I'd just do what @Fenris-77 said.

 

[toucanbuzz]

Like @overgeeked , I make it up and don't roll. Sounds arbitrary, but me "monsterbating" (thanks @iserith , lol) kills the excitement of the game as it should be about what the players are doing.

This doesn't mean you can't have some idea if you know the fight is coming in advance. You can briefly script what happens if nothing is interrupted (Team A beats Team B, knock off 10 hp for the fighters, 5 for the casters, take away some powers). Or, you can go with what sounds exciting so the Players can have the spotlight, as it should be. But the DM "rolling" against him or herself? Boring.

 

[aco175]

spellcasters have a small list of spells but I may just assume the effect of 1 spell is “always on”.

I also give NPCs and monsters 4e-like spells that are encounter powers or at-will powers. I try to not track that much when I DM.

 

[Stormonu]

Depends.

If the NPC is strongly allied with the party, or there are many, I usually let one or more of the players do the rolling - I try to pass around who is making the rolls so nobody is going an entire session getting essentially an extra turn.

Other times, I might do the rolling, especially if the NPC has a secret agenda of some sort. I don't see this as any different than adding an extra monster to the fight.