Questions tagged [tactics]
For questions about tactical play, relating to how combat is planned and played out in a game, in individual encounters or in larger group situations. This encompasses tactical concepts directly tied to game mechanics, as well as more abstract discussions.
76
questions
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Spread out AC or consolidate?
Imagine a Party with 4 characters. Each one has different AC:
14 AC/48 HP (squishy caster)
15 AC/50 HP
16 AC/50 HP
17 AC/54 HP (the tank)
The Party picks up a Ring of Protection +1. Who "should&...
6
votes
2answers
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How to surpass Construct's Hardness with no heavy-hitter at low level?
In Pathfinder 2E there are enemies like the Animated Armor, constructs with the defensive ability "Construct Armor" which reduces all incoming damage by an amount equal to the listed ...
6
votes
1answer
200 views
Can a Wizard ready a combat cantrip?
You can use Ready only for single actions:
You prepare to use an action that will occur outside your turn. Choose a single action or free action you can use, and designate a trigger. Your turn then ...
3
votes
3answers
215 views
How much does True Strike improve my DPR?
For simplicity, assume that there are no special effects on criticals, other than a doubling of damage. Without agile is good enough, but it would be welcome.
(there are no circumstance penalties, and ...
18
votes
2answers
791 views
What can Orcus do with Time Stop?
Last night I pitched the Demon Lord Orcus against my level 19 players. With a 26CR, I expected it to be a bigger challenge than it was. Orcus had a Wand of Orcus, and summoned a Nightcrawler, a Death ...
16
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5answers
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What to do when I'm forced to make battle decisions by other players?
I've been playing a campaign in which there have been a few instances in battles where I feel like I'm being forced to make some non-optimal moves in battle by the rest of the PC group. For example me ...
7
votes
1answer
194 views
How have Yuan-Ti communities defended their bases against attrition attacks? [closed]
My party are level 14 and we are running a high-level version of Tomb of Annihilation.
Based on lore,
The Yuan-Ti had superb intelligence compared to other races.
The yuan-ti took advantage of ...
28
votes
8answers
6k views
How can I improve combat so my players don't always use the strategy of collectively focusing fire on one enemy at a time until it's dead?
I'm DMing a 5e campaign with a group of four players. We're all experienced in RPG in general but not specifically in 5e.
Players are Level-4 Wizard, Fighter, Rogue and Druid, Circle of the Moon.
My ...
4
votes
1answer
112 views
Ranged combat in close quarters
This is a more specified version of this question.
Short background:
I am rather new to Pen&Paper, thus my tactical knowledge is rather slim.
Ranged attacks in Rolemaster are modified by ...
6
votes
0answers
111 views
Ranged combat - warrior mage [closed]
Background
We're a group of four players new to Pen & Paper with a seasoned game master. Up to now we haven't had any active contact with magic skills during combats. Due to a mixture of bad ...
25
votes
4answers
4k views
Self-Preservation: How to DM NPCs that Love Living?
I have it in mind that humanoid NPCs do not "rage against the dying of the light" as much as they should. Combat encounters frequently result in a full-on massacre, when realistically a single ...
2
votes
2answers
276 views
Players make a single plan with no backup plan, then complain about DM unfairness when their plan fails [closed]
I have been running a campaign that recently has had two very roleplay/exploration heavy arcs (really 1 arc, and the consequences of that arc). The arc in question was a heist, where the players were ...
11
votes
2answers
401 views
What Design Decisions Produce a Strong Positioning Game?
Over the years, I noticed that some games produce a very 'trench warfare' or 'shooting gallery' kind of feel. The 'trench warfare' variant is where once a combat starts, nobody really cares about ...
asked Feb 13 '19 at 14:35
vicky_molokh- unsilence Monica
11.2k3 gold badges26 silver badges69 bronze badges
-1
votes
2answers
256 views
I have no magic weapon; why might I melee a target who is immune? [closed]
Let's say I have a character with a non-magical weapon, and I find myself in melee with a target immune to non-magical bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing damage.
What reason might I have for making ...
64
votes
10answers
12k views
How can I engage players with melee monsters when players keep their distance?
So I am running a campaign as a DM, and one session my players were in a dungeon and spotted a Chuul in a water-filled area. The Chuul stayed deep in the pool, so the characters decided to drain the ...
6
votes
3answers
1k views
Given that a Small creature cannot pass through a space occupied by a Tiny creature, but a Medium creature can, will this strategy work?
Based on this question:
Given a space occupied by a Tiny enemy, is a Small creature unable to move through it even though a Medium creature could?
Could I summon, say, 8 Sprites and have them ...
53
votes
14answers
17k views
How to break the “Death Loop” resulting from unfortunate initiative order
In a recent session, an encounter with a single particularly tough Orc (who was my doppelganger, trying to kill me) left the party dealing chip damage a few rounds at a time while they attempted to ...
4
votes
1answer
284 views
How to handle player resistances as DM? [closed]
There are many threads which talk about NPC/Monster Resistances, Immunities, and Creature Tactics, but I couldn't find anything about the following:
How do I, as a DM, handle PC resistances, ...
8
votes
5answers
9k views
How to survive as a support character with low AC?
I'm currently playing curse of strahd as a college of whispers bard, our party just hit level 5.
During our last encounter, I was getting swarmed by multiple ghouls and getting paralyzed every turn, ...
22
votes
6answers
3k views
How can I create encounters that encourage players to use non-Attack actions?
In D&D 5e, the players have lots of actions they can take within combat encounters besides attacking. I'm trying to figure out how to encourage them to use a greater variety of actions, especially ...
7
votes
1answer
4k views
How to determine when opponents attack unconscious player characters?
As a GM, how can I tell what monsters will keep attacking unconscious PCs?
I am especially wondering what happens if a party all become unconscious during combat (that is, their HP all got reduced to ...
9
votes
2answers
188 views
Can a Hunter learn and use tactics by himself?
I'm about to play a game where there are several other players, but they play other creatures like Vampires and Demons making me the only Hunter. Is it possible for me to use tactics without the help ...
16
votes
3answers
406 views
Hyperintelligent Tactics
In a game of Eclipse Phase I'm planning, the players are likely to run into a TITAN Delta Fork (a small fragment of the mind of a godlike AI).
This Fork has very little access to tech (one or two ...
30
votes
8answers
7k views
How hard is too hard for monster tactics?
Fairly straight-forward question: How good should you make your monsters' combat tactics?
I recently came across a situation similar to this...
Party attacked by monsters.
Party is taken off guard, ...
15
votes
8answers
4k views
I want my players to face clones of themselves as a Boss. How do I run them without making it too hard or going easy on them?
I'm running a custom RPG (based on the universe of Boktai, an old GBA game) with a group of six players.
We are pretty far into the campaign and the players are getting pretty close to face the final ...
5
votes
3answers
4k views
How can a pugilist deal with flying enemies?
I started playing D&D a couple of months ago and I'm getting used to my pugilist character in my GM's homebrew campaign.
But I always have a problem when we face flying opponents, and I know for ...
1
vote
0answers
190 views
How to best play the CON boost from a raging Chained Barbarian [closed]
When raging, HP increases from a boosted CON aren’t lost first. If the barbarian falls in a fight, when the rage is done that can mean that the barbarian suffers instant death.
Obviously the ...
7
votes
1answer
7k views
When is a lance's 10 feet reach helpful?
The lance is unique among weapons with similar damage dice by having a 10-ft. reach and being one-handed when mounted. But the 10-ft. reach comes with disadvantage when your target is within 5 feet, ...
20
votes
2answers
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Can a short rope used with Rope Trick create a “safe space” during combat?
Rope trick in 5e says:
You touch a length of rope that is up to 60 feet long. One end of the rope then rises into the air until the whole rope hangs perpendicular to the ground. At the upper end ...
1
vote
0answers
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Dealing with dragons [closed]
I understand that dragon encounters are supposed to be scary--DM plays them smart, etc.--but my question is how can (should) a party of adventurers prepare for a dragon fight (assuming it's ...
45
votes
11answers
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How to deal with sniping spellcaster PCs?
I am running my first campaign of D&D 5e. We have been playing for two years and I have maybe been a bit too generous with my players.
We play with a projector and MapTool, so the players can see ...
7
votes
3answers
425 views
How do controlled and uncontrolled sharks differ in behavior when aiding Sahuagin?
So, sahuagin can command sharks telepathically. However, even when they don't or can't command the sharks, the sharks still automatically know the Sahuagin are on their team and don't attack them. ...
asked Dec 1 '17 at 4:54
Please stop being evil
64.4k14 gold badges145 silver badges289 bronze badges
7
votes
5answers
2k views
What do strategy vs tactics mean in tabletop RPG combat? [closed]
What's the difference between "strategy" and "tactics" in the context of tabletop roleplaying game combat? I have some idea of how these terms differ in English and I've read the SE tag descriptions ...
5
votes
2answers
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Why wouldn't a 2017 UA Gunsmith Artificer use Thunder Monger every time?
As part of the 2017 UA Artificer's Gunsmith subtree, you gain the Thunder Monger ability. Why would a player ever choose to not use this ability vs a normal attack with the Thunder Cannon? It always ...
24
votes
3answers
50k views
Do I get advantage if I have the high ground?
If my character is elevated above a creature (on a table, rock, etc.), is there anywhere in the Player's Handbook or Dungeon Master's Guide that states I gain advantage for my attacks? Do attacks ...
35
votes
5answers
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How are Githyanki effective against Mind Flayers?
The description of the Gith, particularly the Githyanki portrays them as deadly, implacable enemies of Mind Flayers, so much so that they took down the unbelievably vast and powerful ancient Illithid ...
4
votes
2answers
777 views
Can you use multiple maneuvers from a tactical feat like Shock Trooper at once?
Tactical feats offer a number of maneuvers that are usable in certain situations. For example, Shock Trooper from Complete Warrior offers the directed bull rush, domino rush, and heedless charge ...
5
votes
0answers
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What spells and tactics should an Evil Wizard have as Boss? [closed]
I've been playing and DMing D&D for 10 years across versions 3.5 to 5e and am now running a campaign for a group of enthusiastic newcomers in 5th Ed. The group is a mix of level 4 and level 3 ...
13
votes
2answers
1k views
How can I handle a short adventure when one or more characters has 7 Web spells at their disposal?
How can I handle a short adventure with a 2- or 4-hour timeframe when one or more characters has 7 Web spells at their disposal?
I DM D&D 5e Adventurer's League regularly. On more than one ...
2
votes
3answers
742 views
What tactics/abilities can help a sneak attack archer survive in 30ft range or increase sneak attack range?
Many of the feats I've seen involving archery require you to be within 30 feet of the target. But based on my experience most archer characters don't want to be that close to combat.
Why would ...
2
votes
1answer
1k views
What can I do to play my cleric better? [closed]
I realize how broad and subjective the title sounds, but it's the most honest and straight-forward way of asking the question I need answered. About a year and a half ago I joined a Pathfinder group ...
2
votes
0answers
1k views
Advice for how players can RP during combat in D&D 5e? [closed]
I enjoy the RP aspect of D&D and although I play a fighter, I like to resolve situations and solve issues without using combat every single time. Fortunately, sometimes issues can't be fixed with ...
2
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0answers
672 views
How can I make Savage Worlds more deterministic? [closed]
Question
I've had an off feeling about Savage Worlds for a while now. I felt like it lacked tactical depth, like it was missing something that systems like DnD and Warhammer40k have. I think I've ...
5
votes
0answers
269 views
Is there a system that takes tactics over skill, and skill over dumb luck? [closed]
This is my first post. StackExchange is an incredible community, thank to you!
I'm writing an RPG system and I'm looking for systems to inspire me with the following characteristics:
The PCs are ...
12
votes
3answers
9k views
How to force enemies to attack the tank?
I am having a group, in which I play as a Crusader. I specialised to be a support tank - I can shrug off respectable amounts of damage all the while improving the rest of the group's fighting ...
34
votes
7answers
60k views
How can I make combat more tactically interesting for me as a DM?
For me, I find it very difficult to enjoy DMing combat encounters. Combat is generally very dry and monotonous. What can I do to make combat more enjoyable for me as a DM?
Some of the issues I have ...
1
vote
0answers
230 views
Small unit tactics vs. larger group [closed]
What is a good source for tactics for a small group (~5) of mid level (10th) characters vs. a much larger group (50-100) (mixed group of ~5th levels plus leader and a dozen trolls)
I'm interested in ...
13
votes
2answers
535 views
How can I learn to play my character when they know more about tactics than I do?
I've recently joined a game of Aberrant, and it's extremely player-driven and roleplay-heavy. This is very different from what I'm used to (D&D 3.PF hack & slash), and I've run into a problem (...
25
votes
11answers
5k views
How do I learn enough about military tactics to run credible military-type NPCs in combat? [closed]
I'm the GM of a Shadowrun Campaign and have difficulties letting the NPCs move in a battle like they would in real-life.
Two of my players are pretty informed about how military or police would act ...
6
votes
3answers
5k views
How to deal with moderately armoured and shielded casters?
Background
I am DMing Princes of the Apocalypse for 5e. My past campaigns (mostly 3.5 and 4e) were always quite challenging and tough, my players got quite paranoid, and understandably so.
At level ...
