I'll be DM'ing for the first time soon and I don't know much. This is just for monsters.
1. I have a few attack actions on a monster but when the PCs are in an encounter with it do I roll for what attack it does or do i pick
2. Also do I roll for who its towards or do I pick again
That's the only things i need and it would be great if someone responds soon because my first session is on Monday.
A lot of monsters have Multiattack, which lets them use multiple attack actions in a round. If they don't have multiattack, they have to choose on of the attack options to do. You as the DM choose, but normally it makes most sense to do the most damaging option.
You decide who it attacks. Normally based on who attacked it last, or who's done the most damage against it, or if it hates wizards more than fighters, it will attack the fighter, but you just determine all of how the monster acts. You can choose to roll to see if there is no indicator that shows who they would attack when combat starts, I often do this.
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Please check out my homebrew, I would appreciate feedback:
First- Welcome to the forums and congratulations on trying your hand at DMing! To answer your questions:
1- It is entirely up to you how you pick which attack is used. Having said that, I usually pick what a monster is going to do based on the situation. For example: if none of the PCs are in melee, and the monster has a ranged or spell attack I would use that until the characters closed to melee range.
2- I hate to say it again but it is up to you, however try to have the attack make sense. Have the monster attack who is attacking it. If in melee, I chose a character who is in melee with it. If more than one character is a potential target I either let the dice choose for me or choose the character who hit the monster last and/or hardest.
1. I have a few attack actions on a monster but when the PCs are in an encounter with it do I roll for what attack it does or do i pick
You use the attacks what make most sense. If the Creature can cast spells, you can choose to cast a Spell instead of Multiattacks or another ability. Some Creatures vary a lot and give you more options.
2. Also do I roll for who its towards or do I pick again
You do roll the hit dices of the monsters and also the damage.
If you want,you can spice it a little up - for exampel a pack of wolfs would concentrate to attack a single target for pact tactics , mostly what they see infront ,look wounded/ill , react on damage inflicted by a person,etc.
A fight with a bandit group could change their tactic/approach if they saw before,that one of your group can cast magic and all range bandit´s would attack him.
You get to choose who they attack, but you might want to consider which monster it is. enemies with a good int or wis score, they might act more tactically, like focusing fire on the healer or wizard. But a bunch of zombies will just go for whoever is closest. In those cases, if it’s adjacent to two characters, I might actually roll randomly to choose between them.
You pick both. The monsters actions shouldn't be random, try to play it like you would a character. Make smart decisions and be strategic about battles. It makes encounters may more interesting.
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
I must not fear. Fear is the mind-killer. Fear is the little-death that brings total obliteration. I will face my fear. I will permit it to pass over me and through me. And when it has gone past, I will turn the inner eye to see its path. Where the fear has gone, there will be nothing. Only I will remain.
Remember, the monsters want to win in the campaign world too.
There is a whole lot to be said about running the playe's opponents. The DM needs to know why the encounter is happening in the first place, what is/are the goal(s) of the party's opponents. There is a huge difference in what a beast "out and about" will do versus the same beast "in its lair" or whether or not it has young with it. Likewise a raid on the party's camp will play out quite differently than the party forcing its way into a stronghold. Slavers will try capturing the party verus kill them, creatures with flight may very well try to fly away instead of be defeated.
In general sentient intelligent creatures will choose targets the same way the party does, try taking out the squishies first, and then mop up the hard targets last. Magic is well known in the world, both its effects and what it looks like when a spell is being cast (per counterspell guidelines).
Finally, remember, YOU the DM are not trying to kill the party, their opponent(s) are, and those opponents don't want to die.
I think one of the hardest choices you will face when you are running your monsters is when you have a multiattack option and you drop your player to 0. What would the monster do? Keep attacking the unconscious player all but ensuring that they will die? Or as soon as the player drops to 0 switch to another one?
I'll be DM'ing for the first time soon and I don't know much. This is just for monsters.
1. I have a few attack actions on a monster but when the PCs are in an encounter with it do I roll for what attack it does or do i pick
2. Also do I roll for who its towards or do I pick again
That's the only things i need and it would be great if someone responds soon because my first session is on Monday.
no thanks
A lot of monsters have Multiattack, which lets them use multiple attack actions in a round. If they don't have multiattack, they have to choose on of the attack options to do. You as the DM choose, but normally it makes most sense to do the most damaging option.
You decide who it attacks. Normally based on who attacked it last, or who's done the most damage against it, or if it hates wizards more than fighters, it will attack the fighter, but you just determine all of how the monster acts. You can choose to roll to see if there is no indicator that shows who they would attack when combat starts, I often do this.
Please check out my homebrew, I would appreciate feedback:
Spells, Monsters, Subclasses, Races, Arcknight Class, Occultist Class, World, Enigmatic Esoterica forms
First- Welcome to the forums and congratulations on trying your hand at DMing! To answer your questions:
1- It is entirely up to you how you pick which attack is used. Having said that, I usually pick what a monster is going to do based on the situation. For example: if none of the PCs are in melee, and the monster has a ranged or spell attack I would use that until the characters closed to melee range.
2- I hate to say it again but it is up to you, however try to have the attack make sense. Have the monster attack who is attacking it. If in melee, I chose a character who is in melee with it. If more than one character is a potential target I either let the dice choose for me or choose the character who hit the monster last and/or hardest.
I hope this helps. Have fun!
-TC
What kind of monster?
<If it didn't die the first time, you didn't kill it hard enough> and <If percussion maintenance isn't working, you didn't hit it hard enough>
1. I have a few attack actions on a monster but when the PCs are in an encounter with it do I roll for what attack it does or do i pick
You use the attacks what make most sense. If the Creature can cast spells, you can choose to cast a Spell instead of Multiattacks or another ability. Some Creatures vary a lot and give you more options.
2. Also do I roll for who its towards or do I pick again
You do roll the hit dices of the monsters and also the damage.
If you want,you can spice it a little up - for exampel a pack of wolfs would concentrate to attack a single target for pact tactics , mostly what they see infront ,look wounded/ill , react on damage inflicted by a person,etc.
A fight with a bandit group could change their tactic/approach if they saw before,that one of your group can cast magic and all range bandit´s would attack him.
or you let the dice decide,who will bleed ;)
You get to choose who they attack, but you might want to consider which monster it is. enemies with a good int or wis score, they might act more tactically, like focusing fire on the healer or wizard. But a bunch of zombies will just go for whoever is closest. In those cases, if it’s adjacent to two characters, I might actually roll randomly to choose between them.
You pick both. The monsters actions shouldn't be random, try to play it like you would a character. Make smart decisions and be strategic about battles. It makes encounters may more interesting.
I must not fear. Fear is the mind-killer. Fear is the little-death that brings total obliteration. I will face my fear. I will permit it to pass over me and through me. And when it has gone past, I will turn the inner eye to see its path. Where the fear has gone, there will be nothing. Only I will remain.
- Litany Against Fear, Frank Herbert
k thanks
no thanks
Remember, the monsters want to win in the campaign world too.
There is a whole lot to be said about running the playe's opponents. The DM needs to know why the encounter is happening in the first place, what is/are the goal(s) of the party's opponents. There is a huge difference in what a beast "out and about" will do versus the same beast "in its lair" or whether or not it has young with it. Likewise a raid on the party's camp will play out quite differently than the party forcing its way into a stronghold. Slavers will try capturing the party verus kill them, creatures with flight may very well try to fly away instead of be defeated.
In general sentient intelligent creatures will choose targets the same way the party does, try taking out the squishies first, and then mop up the hard targets last. Magic is well known in the world, both its effects and what it looks like when a spell is being cast (per counterspell guidelines).
Finally, remember, YOU the DM are not trying to kill the party, their opponent(s) are, and those opponents don't want to die.
I think one of the hardest choices you will face when you are running your monsters is when you have a multiattack option and you drop your player to 0. What would the monster do? Keep attacking the unconscious player all but ensuring that they will die? Or as soon as the player drops to 0 switch to another one?
Also, don’t forget that monsters get bonus actions and reactions the same as PCs too.
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