D&D 5E The Tactical Comfort Zone

[Fauchard1520]

Exactly. That is a hallmark of a lot of my challenge design.

Any examples of "priceless vases" that you've used?

 

[iserith]

Any examples of "priceless vases" that you've used?

The easiest one to include and one I've used several times in my recent Eberron game is an NPC that needs to be defended. Perhaps the NPC is an important dignitary, a much-needed expert, or a valuable hostage. During the fight, the NPC finds its way into trouble due to bravado, drunkenness, or by mistake and the PCs have to fight off the enemy while keeping the NPC alive.

In a recent Eberron scenario, the PCs were making a foray into the Mournland and they hired a driver of an elemental powered land vehicle so they could get to and from their destination quickly and with some cargo space for storing salvage. The driver was Trukker d'Orien, a booze hound recently kicked out of his dragonmarked house. Only Trukker's dragonmark would operate the truck and the PCs needed it. And while they explored some ruins, he constantly go himself into trouble, creating situations in which the PCs needed to deal with the threat while making sure he didn't get himself killed.

Here's an example of this that's pretty good: How to Defeat a Forum Troll.

 

[Guest 6801328]

Use their favorite tactics against them.

 

[Krachek]

When players find successful combat tactics, they tend to stick with them. How do you shake players out of "tactical complacency" without making them feel unfairly targeted?

I offer up the classic ambush scenario as an option over here, but I'm curious how else you can knock player off balance in terms encounter design. And perhaps more important: how often should you do that? What's the best mix between "players get to decide the terms of the engagement" vs. "the DM decides the terms of engagement?"

Play monster stat especially intelligence and wisdom.
Play monster motivation.
You may explain a vicious and cunning group that focus fire on same pc,
Or dumb monster that want to challenge the big member of pc party.
Zombie and automaton attack the first target available.
Monster with pack tactic feature, use it.
Monster may disengage and flee.
Player has to feel the monster not the Dm tactics and choice.
The more monster look real, the more player won’t contest your tactical choice.

 

[Guest 6801328]

Exactly. That is a hallmark of a lot of my challenge design.

That makes so much sense. If it's always just "kill them before they kill you" it gets awfully repetitive.

Add in all sorts of "...while not dropping the vase" and every combat is different.

I had a scene (in a different system) where the PCs were trying to escape a complex, and the exit was closed by a portcullis and had guards. Complications:
- Opening the portcullis required ability checks for several rounds, with two characters more effective than one.
- If the guards reach a gong and ring it, more guards start appearing.
- If characters are attacked while trying to turn the winch it hampers them.

I'll re-tune the difficulty if I ever run it again, but was still fun. Easy if you manage to take the guards out before they ring the gong, but otherwise rather tricky.

 

[FrogReaver]

One of my favorite encounters I ran:

The rogue opened a door and there was a chest. It was a small room with various other supplies.

The rogue went to lock the door behind them so nothing could get in the room. Then he went to open the chest. It was a mimic. He had trapped himself in a tiny room with a mimic!

he blamed himself more than the mimic. It was his fault he locked himself in that room.


Another memorable encounter was the phase spider in a cave with a small dingy bridge that was best to navigate carefully as there was a deep chasm below.

The spider attacked only after there was only 1 pc on his side of the bridge. Then he phased out and waited. Watching them try to figure out how to handle that creature while it waited patiently was priceless.

A lot is ambushing and terrain. A lot is varying monster tactics. Grapple, prone, dodge, trying to throw of a cliff.

Throw in some mundane traps that enemies know where are and lure players into.

Place monsters in settings they can use their abilities.

Place monsters in situations where they can lure beasts or other creatures to fight you ( at some risk to themselves)