What are your party's combat tactics?

[Rashak Mani]

Question: How many groups have used a planned and set up Ambush ?

Seems to me that an ancient classic like the ambush is almost never used... the fact that most groups stumble through the dark and start fighting whenever they knock into something. That the generally unpredictable nature of fantastical combat is such that the group has to remain mostly together in order to counter various threats limits tactics severly ?

 

[Zappo]

The Planescape party I DM doesn't really use tactics. They try to move in good positions round-by-round, but that's about it. It's probably because I seldom throw lethal challenges at them; I like them to keep the same characters for as long as possible and the really nasty challenges are more roleplaying-oriented.

The Ravenloft group I play in (same people, different DM) does good plans when given time to prepare. A survival thing, really - we seem to routinely meet things a few CRs above us. During the last major battle, the wizards positioned themselves invisible in safe positions from which they could overlook the entire battle. I (bladesinger) cast enlarge and expeditious retreat on me and got a fly spell from one of the wizards, and used the resulting awesome mobility to transport the tank right near the main threat and the crossbowman on a safe position. We underestimated the enemy and had to change tactics after the first round, but the general idea worked like a charm. Lately, it turned out that we weren't supposed to fight those guys right now. Hell, the necromancer was about to cast Create Undead, we're a good party, how could we not try to stop her?

The Faerun group I play in (again, same people, different DM) doesn't do a lot of tactics, probably because we haven't played much and we don't know the DM's style yet. The last fight got close to a TPK so I guess things will change.

 

[Cerubus Dark]

What kind of combat tactics does your party use? I'm curious to learn more about different techniques, ones I haven't experienced before. DMs, this goes for you, too.

How do you set up flanking? What spell/combat combinations are most effective? When do you retreat? Do you have any special dirty tricks? How do you take advantage of your party's unique matrix of traits & abilities?

The group I DM usualy has the hit it till it stops twitching combat stlye.

When I play, I perfer to charm the druids animal companion and get it to fight for my wizard while I stay in the back tossing magic missles and fireballs.

 

[Kemrain]

The Game I'm playing in is very odd; very dangerous. We're playing a homebrew Grim and Gritty game, with only 2 PC's, a Rogue 5/Guildthief 2 and my Rogue 4/Fighter 1/Ranger1/Mage1.
We do fantastically well when we use tactics such as.. Sneaking.. Murdering people before they see us.. Leaving no witnesses, at all costs... You can tell we're not the good guys, huh?
Thing is, these tactics work very well. Better when we make initiative. Last night I broke the other guy out of prison solo, making good use of the Grim and Gritty called shots (You mean he's not wearing a helmet, and I get plus what to hit?), especially with the guards stolen batons (Blackjacks, bacially.)
We make good use of suprise rounds, and almost always ambush. Flanking constantly, and good use of ranged weapons (would be more sueful with static bonuses to arrow damage.. Stupid 9 strength.)
The End result is that 2 characters who aren't built for combat can kick ass and take names with a little prep and a little suprise. (Quickdraw is great for those suprise rounds even I wasn't expecting!) We have poor hitpoints, but fantastic defense, even without armor (Class defense bonus... that you lose when {If!} you lose your dex bonus. And sneak attack gives bonus to hit and threat ranges, not bonus damage... Eheheh..), though we can't hit worth crap without a sneak attack. We use more skills in combat than I've ever seen before... Shoot, move, hide. Makes me wish we had Spring Attack! Soon we'll be disarming and tripping and things, when we build up enough of a bonus to be able to do it even remotely reliably. Great fun.

- Kemrain the Unofficial Grim and Gritty Spokesbring.

 

[kigmatzomat]

Question: How many groups have used a planned and set up Ambush ?

Seems to me that an ancient classic like the ambush is almost never used..

Some GMs don't really allow PC ambushes. KDoT has the players occasionally hide their plans. I've been there too, only worse. Short story long, Back in a CP2020 campaign the GM would have counters to all our plans, even the insane ones. Finally, we went in carrying everything and the kitchen sink and faked it. Start to finish, we didn't have the slightest ghost of a plan. Went beautifully. Three faked exit attempts to split defenses, releasing squads of hostages at key locations to create distractions for the police, and our decker, who had spent the whole session being little more than a spotter and elevator operator, took over a remote police vehicle for our escape.

. the fact that most groups stumble through the dark and start fighting whenever they knock into something. That the generally unpredictable nature of fantastical combat is such that the group has to remain mostly together in order to counter various threats limits tactics severly ?

Some of that's fear, others it's a matter of not thinking. My group tries to stay separated to avoid being hosed by a single fireball but close enough so they can get close for a mass-buff.

I've seen fighters that can't stand to be more than 10' behind a fighter and rogues that won't get more than 30' ahead. My players' rogue has a habit of disappearing in scout mode, but Status lets them know where he is and if he's in trouble. The druid at times would range a mile or so ahead of the rest of the party but with the overwatch of Status and airborne familiars.

Sometimes it works and others it doesn't. It helps if the scout is durable enough to endure until help arrives, which is why the party's bard (who is hated by d6s) with less hp than the mage does not scout even though he has the skill to do so.

 

[Steverooo]

My tactics are generally to gather all the information that I can, plan ahead (with an eye towards special items that might help with the current mission), carry all the useful gear that I can, including a host of missile weapons, coordinate spells (assuming I can get the party to), try to get them all to the same mobility rate, at least overland (this never works, as there's always someone with a mule and/or riding dog).

In combat, I always use missile weapons, first, if at all possible. I will use stealth and cover as best I can, and avoid melee. I also make frequent use of Spot & Listen to detect incoming threats, and often win Initiative, then hold fire until just before my next action, or until I see a spellslinger opening up (and then I try to ruin their spells). I carry a host of weapons, including all the "special" ones in the PHB, so I can take out most things. I also have light, blunt, piercing, and slashing weapons, so if I know what the DRs are, I can usually get around them. I can also cast non-magical (Alchemists') fire-balls, (Tanglefoot Bag) webs, acid sprays, deafness (thunderstones), as well as silver and cold iron arrows.

I'm also the party generalist. While there are plenty of things I stink at, there's almost nothing non-magical that I can't at least take a crack at, and if the DC's below 25, I can probably pull it off (at least once in a while). I also collect Synergy & Circumstance Bonuses, and carry the gear to improve our chances at doing whatever... While the rest of the party is trying to react to the sudden darkness caused by the Antimagic Field, I'm the one pulling out the glowrod and restoring light.

I'm also the guy with the three tinderboxes and two magnifying glasses on him, who also knows how to start a fire with just his knife/handaxe and bow, too. I'm also the go-to guy when the Rogue breaks his masterwork thieves' tools, and no one else thought to buy a backup. I'm also the only guy at full strength, instead of weakened and starving, when the GM starts us off after two weeks in the desert with no food or water available... I'm also the one who supplies the rest of the party with water. I'm also the guy who, when the Rogue breaks MY picks, AGAIN, produces a needle and suggests he finish the job with a -2 Circumstance Penalty, instead of just dooming us.

"Young soldiers argue tactics. Old soldiers argue strategy." I tend towards strategy, as much as possible, but then try to apply the assets tactically. Sometimes, I even pull it off. In any case, if it's smaller than a battering ram, I can probably either produce one out of my backpack, or quickly make one out of materials commonly available in the woodlands.

I'm also the guy "slowing things down" by investigating everything, collecting the clues, buying the asbestos (or better yet, nomex) gauntlets, and frequently, reaching into the fire to pull our fat out of it!

Unfortunately, I'm also generally the one trying to "herd cats" and coordinate the PCs, set up tactics, get the party to work as a team, etc., and generally seeing the same sorts of tactics as most of the other posters, here... Basically, none!

As for spells, I usually have none. On the rare occasions where I have a magic item that allows me to cast one, I have found the GMs who gave them to me rather unwilling to let me use them intelligently. I end up selling them for cash to get "more useful" stuff, instead. When I use one of my few spells/day, it's just a Speak With Animals to gather information or request aid, or Entangling a foe and sniping at them.

I try to hide and snipe, and/or use concealment/cover. I can melee, when necessary, but like a Rogue, without surprise, I will usually get hammered. On the good side, though, I can use a wand of Cure...

Basically, since I find party cooperation negligible, I tend to do what I can, encourage the others to work together (coordinate spells, all of that), and just do what I can and try not to worry about what I can't.

 

[tarchon]

Guy on left hacks, guy on right slashes.

 

[Evilhalfling]

Threadomancered from http://www.enworld.org/forums/showthread.php?t=47525&p=836485

My PCs have been using nice tactics of late, when they had the option. They were stalked by a demon who could grapple and teleport with a victim. They ignoried lures to run off as individuals, even before they knew what it was, they kept two vularible halflings well protected, lureing it in with halfling monk/grappler, so that others could beat on it. They also so baddly out manuvered some gaint apes that dice rolls were barely necessary, quite an amazing change from the week before, where one PC knowingly walked alone into a shrine of demegorgon, turning his back on the kindly seeming priest.

When faced with predatory creatures with earth glide and tremorsense, they manged to hold them off and minimize those advantages. Even in crampt caves.

A standard attack drill involves the monk tumble flanking for the two archer/thieves, then defecting any miss shot arrows. The ranger archer has abandond archery in favor of a Keen Falchion made from a dragons tooth. The Barbarian/Shaman normally lays down a few battle field control spells, then vigor to keep himself from dying while beserk. The Sorcerer hands out mage armor,enlarge and barkskins, even Eagle Splendor to party diplomats. Then he turns into a Magic Missle battery during fights.

 

[Psion]

Druid buffs the fighter, points him towards the baddy, and tries to stay out of the way if she can. Rogue gets in a flank if he can.

Actually, the druid was delighted to learn about the "aid another" action and has been getting use out of her animal companions,

 

[Durandal]

Well, there are only 2 PCs in the game I'm in - my fighter/paladin kitted out to crush things with his greathammer, and the sorcerer tricked out with mostly flame spells. Generally, our tactics seem to be to send my paladin at the biggest, ugliest foe, Power Attack him until he's down, then rush back and crush the opposition that has managed to get to the sorcerer and not get toasted.