I just want to know your opinions on a pretty specific matter. When one of your PCs drop to 0 hit points and fall unconscious, How does your monsters react? does they react at all? or they just leave the fallen PC alone assuming is dead and switch it's attacks to the next active PC? I know it depends on the enemy and the context and all but... shouldn't at least be consistent with the PCs actions?
On a recent game I had, one of my PCs dropped to 0 hit points and start making death saves. The party members rushed to save her but before they could, one of their enemies (a pterafolk) got there first and capture her. My PCs where devastated by this. They argue that on the eyes of the pterafolk the PC should be dead and were no reason for it to capture her, instead it should attack another party member, those monsters aren't that smart they said... but at the same time our barbarian (which have the same Int. score as the pterafolk) was rushing to save her instead of assuming her death. So... isn't that a huge bonus to the players over the enemies? the PCs have Death saves, no insta death at 0 hit points, allies that are always aware of their conditions and willing to stabilize them with spells or even a DC 10 medicine check and the monsters shouldn't even attack a fallen PC?
Some people says it is an Intelligence score dilema but... look at this: A clay golem (Int. 3) is tasked with killing every humanoid that enters a temple. It drop a PC to 0 hit points... then what? Does it kill it the next turn? Does it think it will be a better idea to switch target? is the golem somehow fooled thinking the unconscious is dead?
I think there are a couple of things to take into consideration here: PC are technically exceptional beings, reason why they are allowed Death Saves instead of dying outright at 0 HP like everyone else (with the exception of maybe special/important NPC you don't want to die by sheer misfortune), taking this into consideration, a creature that is not excessively smart, when seeing an enemy fall to the ground unmoving, and there are other immediate threats, it could assume the thing he just attacked is dead, and would act in a natural way by doing one of two things: turn their attention to the next nearest impending threat or flee. Fleeing could indeed include taking the body of the creature you just fell (in this case a PC) for any number of reasons: me eat it later; me mad at thing, me maul it some more when me safe; me takes trophy.
Regarding your Barbarian having the same Int of the Pterafolk, you also have to take into consideration that your Barbarian is part of the party, most probably has some attachment with the rest of the members of the party, and it would be therefore natural for him, being a creature of emotions, to run to the aid of a fallen party member regardless of its intelligence (should the situation allow, obviously). It's a natural humanoid response in such a situation, especially if the character has witnessed companions fall to seemingly deadly wounds and then get back up.
At least this is my interpretation, hope it can help anyway :)
EDIT: as to your last example: I'd say the golem, per the explanation above, would proceed first to render all enemies unmoving, and then, probably, it would either throw them somewhere (let's clean after ourselves) or start pummeling them a bit more for good measure, but I am quite sure it would change target once one falls unconscious.
Ghasts are simple-minded and hungry. It's going to try to eat the first person it can knock down unless someone intervenes.
Hobgoblins fight tactically. They know there's no point in wasting any more time on someone that's already out of the fight. They can finish you off once the battle's won.
Kobolds value their survival too much to pick fights over nothing. It probably doesn't want to kill you, it just decided taking your vorpal sword was worth the risks.
A revenant exists only for revenge, and it can afford to have its body destroyed. It's going to do everything it can to kill the person it holds a grudge against; the rest don't matter.
I think it really depends on the monster. For example, is it a brute that just wants to see all these moving creatures cease their movement? or is it someone that wants to shed some blood, rip and tear a bit regardless of what will happen to their own being? I think the discussion is more based on preference and DM deliberation.
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Hi Masters!!
I just want to know your opinions on a pretty specific matter. When one of your PCs drop to 0 hit points and fall unconscious, How does your monsters react? does they react at all? or they just leave the fallen PC alone assuming is dead and switch it's attacks to the next active PC? I know it depends on the enemy and the context and all but... shouldn't at least be consistent with the PCs actions?
On a recent game I had, one of my PCs dropped to 0 hit points and start making death saves. The party members rushed to save her but before they could, one of their enemies (a pterafolk) got there first and capture her. My PCs where devastated by this. They argue that on the eyes of the pterafolk the PC should be dead and were no reason for it to capture her, instead it should attack another party member, those monsters aren't that smart they said... but at the same time our barbarian (which have the same Int. score as the pterafolk) was rushing to save her instead of assuming her death. So... isn't that a huge bonus to the players over the enemies? the PCs have Death saves, no insta death at 0 hit points, allies that are always aware of their conditions and willing to stabilize them with spells or even a DC 10 medicine check and the monsters shouldn't even attack a fallen PC?
Some people says it is an Intelligence score dilema but... look at this: A clay golem (Int. 3) is tasked with killing every humanoid that enters a temple. It drop a PC to 0 hit points... then what? Does it kill it the next turn? Does it think it will be a better idea to switch target? is the golem somehow fooled thinking the unconscious is dead?
Just wanted to know your thoughts on this matter.
Thanks and keep mastering!!!
Ciao Cronomago, welcome to the forum o/
I think there are a couple of things to take into consideration here: PC are technically exceptional beings, reason why they are allowed Death Saves instead of dying outright at 0 HP like everyone else (with the exception of maybe special/important NPC you don't want to die by sheer misfortune), taking this into consideration, a creature that is not excessively smart, when seeing an enemy fall to the ground unmoving, and there are other immediate threats, it could assume the thing he just attacked is dead, and would act in a natural way by doing one of two things: turn their attention to the next nearest impending threat or flee.
Fleeing could indeed include taking the body of the creature you just fell (in this case a PC) for any number of reasons: me eat it later; me mad at thing, me maul it some more when me safe; me takes trophy.
Regarding your Barbarian having the same Int of the Pterafolk, you also have to take into consideration that your Barbarian is part of the party, most probably has some attachment with the rest of the members of the party, and it would be therefore natural for him, being a creature of emotions, to run to the aid of a fallen party member regardless of its intelligence (should the situation allow, obviously). It's a natural humanoid response in such a situation, especially if the character has witnessed companions fall to seemingly deadly wounds and then get back up.
At least this is my interpretation, hope it can help anyway :)
EDIT: as to your last example: I'd say the golem, per the explanation above, would proceed first to render all enemies unmoving, and then, probably, it would either throw them somewhere (let's clean after ourselves) or start pummeling them a bit more for good measure, but I am quite sure it would change target once one falls unconscious.
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D&D Beyond FoundersMonsters I'm running will almost always prioritise conscious PCs who are trying to kill them, over unconscious/dying PCs who are no threat.
Generally speaking, I save "attacking a fallen PC" for the most despicable boss bad guys, which then makes all the more impact if/when it happens.
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It depends on the monster and its motivations.
Ghasts are simple-minded and hungry. It's going to try to eat the first person it can knock down unless someone intervenes.
Hobgoblins fight tactically. They know there's no point in wasting any more time on someone that's already out of the fight. They can finish you off once the battle's won.
Kobolds value their survival too much to pick fights over nothing. It probably doesn't want to kill you, it just decided taking your vorpal sword was worth the risks.
A revenant exists only for revenge, and it can afford to have its body destroyed. It's going to do everything it can to kill the person it holds a grudge against; the rest don't matter.
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I think it really depends on the monster. For example, is it a brute that just wants to see all these moving creatures cease their movement? or is it someone that wants to shed some blood, rip and tear a bit regardless of what will happen to their own being? I think the discussion is more based on preference and DM deliberation.