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<blockquote data-quote="Quickleaf" data-source="post: 6745156" data-attributes="member: 20323">[MENTION=6802006]Condiments[/MENTION]I second the suggestion to refer to DMG pg 250 &quot;Handling Mobs.&quot; Very effective for speeding up large-scale confrontations (PCs vs. lots and lots of enemies).Since I prefer to keep the focus on the PCs (rather than running a mass combat simulation), I handle allies a bit differently than has been discussed. Basically, they're window dressing until a PC &quot;activates&quot; a particular group of allies. For example, you might have &quot;Zhentarim Crossbowmen&quot; as an ally of the PCs. On a notecard, I'd describe something like...[OOC]Zhentarim CrossbowmenCommand as an ActionMake ten crossbow attacks: +4 to hit; 6 (1d8+2) piercing damage.Morale save +2Make morale checks when attacked by a Large monster, when sustaining 40+ damage, when the PC commanding them is dropped to 0 hit points, or at other times determined by the DM.Once their morale is broken, the Zhentarim Crossbowmen can no longer be commanded.[/OOC]If you're familiar with Dragon Age: Origins, this is very similar to using a trumpet to call a particular group of allies in the final battle. Until the moment they're called, they are mostly behind-the-scenes and plot-protected. Once they're &quot;activates&quot; by a PC, however, then they become fair game for enemy fire.</blockquote>

[QUOTE="Quickleaf, post: 6745156, member: 20323"] [MENTION=6802006]Condiments[/MENTION] I second the suggestion to refer to DMG pg 250 "Handling Mobs." Very effective for speeding up large-scale confrontations (PCs vs. lots and lots of enemies). Since I prefer to keep the focus on the PCs (rather than running a mass combat simulation), I handle allies a bit differently than has been discussed. Basically, they're window dressing until a PC "activates" a particular group of allies. For example, you might have "Zhentarim Crossbowmen" as an ally of the PCs. On a notecard, I'd describe something like... [OOC][b]Zhentarim Crossbowmen[/b] [i]Command as an Action[/i] Make ten crossbow attacks: +4 to hit; 6 (1d8+2) piercing damage. Morale save +2 Make morale checks when attacked by a Large monster, when sustaining 40+ damage, when the PC commanding them is dropped to 0 hit points, or at other times determined by the DM. Once their morale is broken, the Zhentarim Crossbowmen can no longer be commanded.[/OOC] If you're familiar with Dragon Age: Origins, this is very similar to using a trumpet to call a particular group of allies in the final battle. Until the moment they're called, they are mostly behind-the-scenes and plot-protected. Once they're "activates" by a PC, however, then they become fair game for enemy fire. [/QUOTE]

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