Do you go to the dungeon?

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rules:dm-philosophy-and-rules [2018-07-04 12:42] – sandrarules:dm-philosophy-and-rules [2018-07-24 18:03] – sandra
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 Different dungeons also have different rules, like how often monsters appear etc etc. Different dungeons also have different rules, like how often monsters appear etc etc.
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 +===== some monster thinking rules =====
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 +I accidentally put these rules in the player side but that was dumb. they belong here
 +
 +==== focus fire / "ganging up" ====
 +
 +Monsters now have some restrictions in what mêlée groups they can form.
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 +  * Not too many monsters for each front-rank PC in a group
 +  * Swarm keyworded monsters can freely ignore that. Swarm just went from being pointless to being one of the most dangerous abilities of all time
 +  * Ranged and reach (having longer reach than the PCs) attacks is a way for them to deal damage -- including using focus fire -- without having to be part of the mêlée group. With reach they can even set up OA glue without being part of the mêlée group
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 +=== "Not too many monsters...?" wtf? ===
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 +So the rule is at least one monster per front-rank PC.
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 +The rest can hang back freely and shoot -- **Yes that means it's easier for the monsters to go backrank than it is for PCs.** Backrank works differently for monsters & PCs especially when it comes to timing.
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 +And then there can be no more than three (five if the monsters are smaller than the PCs, two if they are bigger than the PCs) mêlée monsters per PC, until there is. If there is overflow even beyond that, the limit jumps up the PHB limits (so 8, for medium on medium with 5' reach).
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 +So let's say there are 7 monsters and two PCs.
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 +They can not split 7-0 or even 6-1. If they all want to go mêlée, the worst they can do is 4-3. The first three dangerous monsters go after their most targeted PC, then the next three dangerous monster goes after the second most dangerous PC, then the last monster is free again to go after the most targeted PC again. 3 goes after A, 3 goes after B, and the last goes after A again. Or, they can set one monster on each and leave five in the back rank to shoot.
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 +(And a thousand monsters can split up 997-3.)
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 +=== A big mêlée group ===
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 +But if the front rank PCs join up in each other's mêlée groups they make themselves even more vulnerable. If two front rank PCs are in the same mêlée group there can be six monsters in that group! Stabbing freely at their hated foe♥
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 +And three if nine and so on! The big cloud of battle is dangerous
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 +Large mêlée groups are risky in that way. They are also beneficial for the PCs in case they have Healing Spirit, Fireball, Fire Elemental and so on.
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