Upgrade your account to a Community Supporter account and remove most of the site ads.

Reply to thread

Message: <blockquote data-quote="Riley37" data-source="post: 6551234" data-attributes="member: 6786839">Hah, I was *just yesterday* reading about the battle of Cowpen. The rebel leader had some militia with a history of running away at the first actual shot. So he put in the first rank, and *told* them about a fallback position. He then positioned his regular forces further back.The Royals showed up, saw the militia, opened fire. The militia broke and ran. The Royal commander ordered immediate pursuit (often a good move because killing people as they flee is one-sided). Pursuit led the Royals into the kill box, without their cannon well-positioned. Rebel regulars and cannon opened fire from cover. Rebel victory ensued. It was one of the big steps between the Declaration of Independence and the Constitutional Convention... because it proved that Continental Army forces were non-trivial encounters for the British Army.Back to your example: The PCs open with Hunger of Hadar or some such, but the kobolds, instead of advancing through the Hunger (ouch), fall back in good order. The PCs advance steadily. When the kobolds have fallen back to the cave entrance, they hold for one or two more volleys, then drop their bows and run into the cave. At point, one the players says "Looks like we mop them up, loot, and heal." While players are debating whether to take a Short Rest, and one of them is already rolling for Bardic Song of Healing, and another is arguing over whether the bows are worth carrying as loot, the DM says "Nope, you're still in combat time, if you want to pursue then follow the initiative list - Hank, your dwarven barbarian has the next turn, now that the kobolds have acted this round." Hank, who just LIVES for Attack Rolls and damage dice, salivates and moves his figure on the battlemat, delighted that he hasn't lost Rage. The more wary players can perhaps guess that the DM has a card up his sleeve. Joe, who plays a gnomish druid, asks if it's too meta-game to start checking for pit traps and arrow traps, because, you know, kobolds and traps. DM smiles and says, no problem, your character knows that kobolds sometimes set traps, so do you want to take the Observe action this turn, or do you cast Detect Traps?Why no, there aren't any pit traps, as such, but there IS what looks like a tunnel hole in the cave floor - big enough that a kobold could climb down it, and there's an abandoned bow and quiver right by it, and a cloak decorated with a symbol of Tiamat. No, a human could not squeeze into that tunnel. A gnome? You could try, later, but you've already used your action on Observe. Diane, your paladin has the last action this round... yes, you now know where the tunnel entrance is, assuming that the druid's pointed it out to the whole party, so move your figure if you're moving, please.The dragon is in a lower level, waiting for the best moment to send a breath attack up through the vent; she prefers attacking in ways which don't give the enemy line of sight to her.Yup. I think the XP and Laugh system has a good influence. It's like XP for treasure, not for defeating foes...</blockquote>

Verification