DM Preparation - Battle Simulation and Monsters Strategies?

[SiCK_Boy]

I've been reading up on DM preparation tips and tricks recently (mostly in the context of preparing to run an existing module, although I'm interested in general advice valid for either running your own stuff or a module) and I've noticed there is rarely anyone mentioning the importance of preparing for combat encounters.

Am I the only one thinking it is important to prepare monster tactics and strategies, and even to sometime run simulated battles versus the party to gauge the deadliness of an encounter and also see what impact the terrain/environment may have (obviously, this assumes you have premade the maps for your encounter)?

Is everyone just winging it at the table, pulling out the monster stats block once the PCs enter combat and going with it?

http://themonstersknow.com/ is a great resource to help in that type of preparation, but I was curious to know if I am the only one thinking this is an important aspect of being a DM (doesn't mean other preparation isn't important - you still need to understand the main plot points, know the NPC, etc.)?

I've been in games where all combat felt like we were on an empty white plain (with walls here and there) against creatures who seemed unaware of their own powers and abilities, so that may have influenced me in that I'd much rather present challenging combats in varied environments (I always try to include some difficult terrain and at least one other environmental challenge on every encounter map).

Any thought on that, as well as specific advice on what to review / how to do this type of preparation, would be welcome.

[Hypersmith]

I always appreciate some tactics to any fight. Sometimes it'll swing towards pc advantage, sometimes towards monsters. It's what makes or breaks combat for me. Also, giving a few monsters "personalities" is great, makes the world feel alive. Have monsters shout tactics. Have them react to PCs tactics and discussions. Combat isn't just "haha I rolled better than you" its a big chunk positioning and etc. Throwing a really strong opponent at your PCs? He's a veteran, reduce his speed by 5 foot. Give an opponent a PAM and that tight spaces fighting style to bring them the pain.

Man, this Friday I'm having a rogue running around hidden while they're harassed by a spellcaster doing crown of madness and confusion etc while hidden. Want to see how they'll react to that.

[Laserlight]

Am I the only one thinking it is important to prepare monster tactics and strategies, and even to sometime run simulated battles versus the party to gauge the deadliness of an encounter and also see what impact the terrain/environment may have (obviously, this assumes you have premade the maps for your encounter)?

I don't think I've ever bothered to run simulated battles; the players are much too likely to do something you never thought of.

You should, however, think about what effect your terrain will have. If you put kobold archers on top of a 60ft cliff, that's a lot different than if you put them in a fog cloud (in which case, the kobolds should just leave).

Every battle needs interesting terrain. Terrain can typically block or hinder some combination of Line of Sight, Line of Fire, and Movement; it may also be dangerous in some way. Ranged attackers like things that hinder movement, because an advancing foe has to spend more turns getting into combat. Some terrain can be mobile (a mine cart or wagon) or interactive (drawbridge). The can cover a space, a line or an area. Pick out combinations of effects and figure out what type of terrain would have that. Interactive, hinders movement? Maybe there are crystas on the ground that shatter when you walk over them, turning the grounp to Difficult Terrain.

You should also think about the combination of monsters you have. You want a little variety in your monster types, but not so much that the players finish the fight before they figure out what most of the foes do. Two or three types is probably good; six or eight types will overwhelm them with variety, and it'll be hard for you to run.

[Sigreid]

I didn't used to do it, but now that I have a tool that lets me set up and run battles very easily I do it sometimes. It gives me a leg up on understanding how a fight might play out and gives me practice with the virtual table top.

[MaxWilson]

I've been reading up on DM preparation tips and tricks recently (mostly in the context of preparing to run an existing module, although I'm interested in general advice valid for either running your own stuff or a module) and I've noticed there is rarely anyone mentioning the importance of preparing for combat encounters.

Am I the only one thinking it is important to prepare monster tactics and strategies, and even to sometime run simulated battles versus the party to gauge the deadliness of an encounter and also see what impact the terrain/environment may have (obviously, this assumes you have premade the maps for your encounter)?

I think it's important not to run simulated battles against the party (IMO over-customizing is tantamount to cheating players of their right to suffer the consequences of their build choices, both good and bad), but you can certainly benefit in a number of ways from running simulated battles against NPCs, such as a canonical test party (e.g. fighter, monk, bard, wizard). This tends to help in two ways:

(1) The monsters' combat stats are fresh in your mind, and you don't have to look as many things up;
(2) You're more likely to think of clever ways to maximize the monsters' combat potential.

Just because you know lots of ways to maximize combat potential doesn't mean you necessarily have to use them all (not all monsters are brilliant strategists, nor bent on killing PCs at all costs) but it sure never hurts to think about it. Simple example: a T-Rex has high mobility (50') and a grappling + damaging attack, and because it's Huge it is not slowed by grappling a PC. So, one way to maximize a T-Rex's combat potential is for it to bite whichever PC is closest and/or squishiest, and then retreat 30' to 50', ideally around a corner or into some brush or something. On subsequent turns it can finish eating the PC in its mouth while keeping mostly out of range of other PCs, swatting pursuers with its tail if needed.

[ThurlRavenscrof]

I don't use it for every fight. But I do "practice" with each new monster. Some monsters have abilities that are really easy to forget like how zombies don't always die at 0 hp or rakshashas are immune to low magic. Practicing helps me remember and do fewer mistakes

[Ninja_Prawn]

I think it's important not to run simulated battles against the party

Agreed.

Angry (http://angrydm.com/2014/10/the-angry-guide-to-kickass-combats-part-3-lets-make-some-fing-fights-already/) says it best; I think the best thing for the OP to do right now is read that article thoroughly.

[BeefGood]

a tool that lets me set up and run battles very easily
This tool sounds useful--can you share some more details?

[BeefGood]

Agreed.

Angry (http://angrydm.com/2014/10/the-angry-guide-to-kickass-combats-part-3-lets-make-some-fing-fights-already/) says it best; I think the best thing for the OP to do right now is read that article thoroughly.

Great article, especially the examples. But I'm not sure how it meshes with the "standard" 6-encounter adventuring day. You follow Angry's rules, or do simulations, or whatever, and create a beautiful encounter. And then you do that five more times to fill out the adventuring day. It seems like a lot of prep time for one adventuring day. Of course if you have that much prep time then it's not a problem. And maybe once you do it a few times you internalize some things and it doesn't take that long.

[SiCK_Boy]

My impression is that Angry doesn't apply this method to ALL encounters, but just a few key ones (by the way, thanks for the link; I'm a fan of Angry, but I may have skipped that article when I went through all his stuff).

And as you say, I guess you do internalize some of the stuff, so it's not like you need to run a 15 minutes simulation for every encounter.

The one aspect I think may be missing is how specific monster tactics / special abilities should be used; maybe I'm just insecure because I haven't run a lot of monsters yet. Knowing that most fights are over in a few rounds, one of my "worries" is that I will fail to properly use a given strategy or power for a specific creature; this is especially the case when running modules where, more often than not, they give very little tactical advice on how to run the opposition.

[Ninja_Prawn]

It seems like a lot of prep time for one adventuring day. Of course if you have that much prep time then it's not a problem.

Yeah, personally I laugh in the face of prep time issues, because I only do play-by-post. :smalltongue: Which means you'll have to solve that particular problem without my help, sorry.

[Mafilux]

Well it's safe to assume that if the creature is sentient, it will flee if it's going to die, unless provoked in a specific way (Defending their home, defending their families or friends, etc). I make liberal use of retreating enemies and it's a pretty simple way to keep combat from just being slash the thing til it's dead. Instead of running simulated battles, I test the waters with my players and see how much damage they're taking, how much they're doing, etc before I start making use of a creature's abilities (If there's more than one of the same creature, by the time the first one's down I can see what my player's limits are). This also allows me to scale the difficulty so that it fits the player's experience.

A few encounters I've set up seemed really impossible for them but they always make it through because I can scale the difficulty a bit by using/not using specific abilities of a creature. Remember that all creatures are different too, and just because one creature might know an ability another creature of the same type might not (At least plausibly, in terms of being "realistic"). I also make some 'scripted' events that go on during combat too, such as a wanderer joining the fray, or elemental occurrences (For instance, a giant crocodile almost ate our rogue in a swamp at one point). You can get really creative with it, so use your imagination and come up with something that works for you.

[SiCK_Boy]

I test the waters with my players and see how much damage they're taking, how much they're doing, etc before I start making use of a creature's abilities (If there's more than one of the same creature, by the time the first one's down I can see what my player's limits are). This also allows me to scale the difficulty so that it fits the player's experience.

A few encounters I've set up seemed really impossible for them but they always make it through because I can scale the difficulty a bit by using/not using specific abilities of a creature. Remember that all creatures are different too, and just because one creature might know an ability another creature of the same type might not (At least plausibly, in terms of being "realistic").

But isn't that depriving your players of the fun of defeating some iconic creature? If you remove (by refusing to use it) a creature's special power just to spare your players, then what is the value of the victory for them? [I guess you could say it's better to survive than die, obviously]

As an example, in a game I played in, our group faced a rider mounted on a blue dracolich. The fight happened right in the middle of the desert, with little to no cover available; I thought for sure we would just be cut down with the enemy flying over us and breathing us to death. Instead, the dragon landed (so the knight could dismount and enter melee) and never even tried to fly away after that. We were able to have two tanks surround it, they took a few hits, and we managed to down the opponents in a few rounds.

Now, I'm glad my character survived, but really, do we have much merit as a party in saying we killed a dracolich?

I guess this is the kind of scenario I'd rather avoid by putting more time into my preparation as a DM and making sure I understand the monsters' capabilities as well as their tactical options based on the terrain/environment where the encounter is happening.

[Sigreid]

This tool sounds useful--can you share some more details?

It's just Fantasy Grounds.

Edit and I usually do this if I'm concerned that the mob I want to use is straight up too powerful. If I'm confident I've matched the encounter properly, I don't bother.

[Mafilux]

Not really, there's been a few encounters where we still almost died due to the player's own decisions or bad rolls, etc. Like I said I'm just testing the waters, it's usually only one turn or two at the most before I break out the abilities, and I usually don't need to limit their abilities - it's more to save time prepping, because our play sessions are extremely impromptu. Abilities don't always hit either, etc. There's just so many variables idk how accurate a simulated battle could really even be. I mean the last encounter we had yesterday, our warlock dropped to two hitpoints against a green hag coven, from 39 HP. I guess I do it this way because I'm always throwing things at the party that are ostensibly stronger than they are.

I still always look at my creature's abilities before making an encounter around them, so I know what they can do, at least abilities-wise. For instance a hag almost tricked the party at one point in the dungeon, by changing her appearance. Two went invisible and fled deeper in to find their final sister to team up against the party. I guess it's hard to explain, but I've found it works really well and reduces prep time. I'm fairly lenient as a DM and we don't really take the game too seriously, so I guess it just depends on your own playstyle.