I am going to run a siege on Phandalin, using Koblds (standard and from homebrew). I will be having townsfolk involved in the fight alongside the PC's, and have created stat blocks for them.
I have looked at the rules governing MOB combat in the DMG, along with 10 other variations of "how-to", but I have not come up with a way to use the DNDB Encounter tracker, so am looking for advice.
I am going to have small battalions of Kobolds of different types; archers, spears, swords, a few dragonshield (as battalion leader), winged rock droppers, and one white kobold spell caster placed out of melee range.
I thought that building groups and naming them in the encounter builder would help group them, but in actually running the combat, the tracker splits them and makes grouping totally useless.
At present, I'm thinking of taking the total HP of each battalion, and set the HP accordingly (e.g. 10 kobolds = 1 kobold with 50hp). In this way, instead of having 100 separate kobolds, I would have 10 kobold groups, and each 5 points of damage they take reduces the monsters in the group. So that seems good, but what about their damage dealt? Several have recommended not even rolling damage, and just assuming that 1/4 of each group hit.
How do you use the combat tracker? What advice would you give me?
I am also still figuring out how to run my Phandalin NPC combat and damage, keeping in mind that the PC's must remain the focus. Mainly, the NPC's are used for thematic influence (e.g. "...as you do <that>, you see at the far side of town, that Barthen and Thistle are trapped, with several kobolds on either side of them. They have nowhere to hide."
You're on the right track by grouping battalions into a single entity. That's a great way to simplify mob combat. But I'd recommend taking it one step further: Instead of rolling for damage and tracking HP, round both HP and average damage to the nearest 5, divide by 5, and use THOSE values.
For example, a kobold has an average of 5 hitpoints and deals an average of 4 damage with their attacks. Rounding damage to 5, and dividing both values by 5, you get a creature with 1 "health" and 1 "damage." Or, if you're a MTG player, a creature with 1 power and 1 toughness. THEN, grouping 10 kobolds into a single battalion, you get a battalion with 10 health and 10 damage.
By not rolling for damage, you reduce the number of steps in combat, reducing the hassle and time required. You can let players roll for damage, just be sure to round to 5 and divide to get the "actual" damage.
As for running the NPCs, I have one big piece of advice:
GIVE THE PLAYERS THE DICE.
Don't run NPCs FOR the players. Let them take charge and control of the town. I'd assign each player a battalion or two that they can control. This way, they can influence the outcome the battle as a whole, whilst still playing their own characters.
You're on the right track by grouping battalions into a single entity. That's a great way to simplify mob combat. But I'd recommend taking it one step further: Instead of rolling for damage and tracking HP, round both HP and average damage to the nearest 5, divide by 5, and use THOSE values.
For example, a kobold has an average of 5 hitpoints and deals an average of 4 damage with their attacks. Rounding damage to 5, and dividing both values by 5, you get a creature with 1 "health" and 1 "damage." Or, if you're a MTG player, a creature with 1 power and 1 toughness. THEN, grouping 10 kobolds into a single battalion, you get a battalion with 10 health and 10 damage.
By not rolling for damage, you reduce the number of steps in combat, reducing the hassle and time required. You can let players roll for damage, just be sure to round to 5 and divide to get the "actual" damage.
As for running the NPCs, I have one big piece of advice:
GIVE THE PLAYERS THE DICE.
Don't run NPCs FOR the players. Let them take charge and control of the town. I'd assign each player a battalion or two that they can control. This way, they can influence the outcome the battle as a whole, whilst still playing their own characters.
Thank you. Is dividing by 5 arbitrary, or based on a kobold?
So, each group of 10 kobolds would have a total of 10hp to start, and 10 damage (rounding 4 to 5). Then, if the fighter deals 14 damage, rounding that to 15, and divide by 5? So, that's 3 damage to that group, did he just kill 3 kobolds? Would the kobolds now deal 7 points of damage?
Sorry, I'm just having a lot of trouble wrapping my head around it.
If you are planning to continue the campaign onwards, or otherwise have access to the Divine Contention source book, then there is information in there with suggestions about how to handle a siege.
You're on the right track by grouping battalions into a single entity. That's a great way to simplify mob combat. But I'd recommend taking it one step further: Instead of rolling for damage and tracking HP, round both HP and average damage to the nearest 5, divide by 5, and use THOSE values.
For example, a kobold has an average of 5 hitpoints and deals an average of 4 damage with their attacks. Rounding damage to 5, and dividing both values by 5, you get a creature with 1 "health" and 1 "damage." Or, if you're a MTG player, a creature with 1 power and 1 toughness. THEN, grouping 10 kobolds into a single battalion, you get a battalion with 10 health and 10 damage.
By not rolling for damage, you reduce the number of steps in combat, reducing the hassle and time required. You can let players roll for damage, just be sure to round to 5 and divide to get the "actual" damage.
As for running the NPCs, I have one big piece of advice:
GIVE THE PLAYERS THE DICE.
Don't run NPCs FOR the players. Let them take charge and control of the town. I'd assign each player a battalion or two that they can control. This way, they can influence the outcome the battle as a whole, whilst still playing their own characters.
Thank you. Is dividing by 5 arbitrary, or based on a kobold?
So, each group of 10 kobolds would have a total of 10hp to start, and 10 damage (rounding 4 to 5). Then, if the fighter deals 14 damage, rounding that to 15, and divide by 5? So, that's 3 damage to that group, did he just kill 3 kobolds? Would the kobolds now deal 7 points of damage?
Sorry, I'm just having a lot of trouble wrapping my head around it.
5 is arbitrary. 5 seems like a nice, easy number to round and divide by.
I wouldn't run battalions against the players directly. If a player character attacks or is attacked, use normal combat rules. Use the battalion system for battles BEYOND the PC's influence.
Hello again.
I am going to run a siege on Phandalin, using Koblds (standard and from homebrew). I will be having townsfolk involved in the fight alongside the PC's, and have created stat blocks for them.
I have looked at the rules governing MOB combat in the DMG, along with 10 other variations of "how-to", but I have not come up with a way to use the DNDB Encounter tracker, so am looking for advice.
I am going to have small battalions of Kobolds of different types; archers, spears, swords, a few dragonshield (as battalion leader), winged rock droppers, and one white kobold spell caster placed out of melee range.
I thought that building groups and naming them in the encounter builder would help group them, but in actually running the combat, the tracker splits them and makes grouping totally useless.
At present, I'm thinking of taking the total HP of each battalion, and set the HP accordingly (e.g. 10 kobolds = 1 kobold with 50hp). In this way, instead of having 100 separate kobolds, I would have 10 kobold groups, and each 5 points of damage they take reduces the monsters in the group. So that seems good, but what about their damage dealt? Several have recommended not even rolling damage, and just assuming that 1/4 of each group hit.
How do you use the combat tracker? What advice would you give me?
I am also still figuring out how to run my Phandalin NPC combat and damage, keeping in mind that the PC's must remain the focus. Mainly, the NPC's are used for thematic influence (e.g. "...as you do <that>, you see at the far side of town, that Barthen and Thistle are trapped, with several kobolds on either side of them. They have nowhere to hide."
You're on the right track by grouping battalions into a single entity. That's a great way to simplify mob combat. But I'd recommend taking it one step further: Instead of rolling for damage and tracking HP, round both HP and average damage to the nearest 5, divide by 5, and use THOSE values.
For example, a kobold has an average of 5 hitpoints and deals an average of 4 damage with their attacks. Rounding damage to 5, and dividing both values by 5, you get a creature with 1 "health" and 1 "damage." Or, if you're a MTG player, a creature with 1 power and 1 toughness. THEN, grouping 10 kobolds into a single battalion, you get a battalion with 10 health and 10 damage.
By not rolling for damage, you reduce the number of steps in combat, reducing the hassle and time required. You can let players roll for damage, just be sure to round to 5 and divide to get the "actual" damage.
As for running the NPCs, I have one big piece of advice:
GIVE THE PLAYERS THE DICE.
Don't run NPCs FOR the players. Let them take charge and control of the town. I'd assign each player a battalion or two that they can control. This way, they can influence the outcome the battle as a whole, whilst still playing their own characters.
Thank you. Is dividing by 5 arbitrary, or based on a kobold?
So, each group of 10 kobolds would have a total of 10hp to start, and 10 damage (rounding 4 to 5). Then, if the fighter deals 14 damage, rounding that to 15, and divide by 5? So, that's 3 damage to that group, did he just kill 3 kobolds? Would the kobolds now deal 7 points of damage?
Sorry, I'm just having a lot of trouble wrapping my head around it.
If you are planning to continue the campaign onwards, or otherwise have access to the Divine Contention source book, then there is information in there with suggestions about how to handle a siege.
Divine Contention Siege
I do, and thank you for the tip
5 is arbitrary. 5 seems like a nice, easy number to round and divide by.
I wouldn't run battalions against the players directly. If a player character attacks or is attacked, use normal combat rules. Use the battalion system for battles BEYOND the PC's influence.