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Oct 19, 2011 -- 10:47AM, Grimli wrote:

Even intelligent monsters can be cunning.  That being said I tend to play zomies less tactically than hobgoblins whom should be tactically frustrating for players.

That's a fine approach, of course, but I'll note that hobgoblins are intrinsically more "tactically frustrating" by the nature of their powers and abilities. As long as a DM knows to keep hobgoblin soldiers adjacent to one another (perhaps with the help of a hobgoblin commander) then they have a tactical advantage. The monsters play "smarter" without the DM having to actually play much differently, and despite the fact that the hobgoblins "only" have an Int of 11.

Look at the monsters and their abilities and compare them to the PCs. Then, ask yourself: what would be the most tactically memorable thing the monsters can do? Whatever it is, that is what you should have the foes act out.

Intelligence is not a good indicator as to how a monster will act. There are plenty of cunning and tactically dangerous monsters that have low intelligences. Look, instead, to their role and their unique abilities.

Ravenous Wolves

For example, consider the lowly, 1st-level ravenous wolf. It has an intelligence of 2 (but a wisdom of 12). Imagine an encounter with five of these creatures vs. a group of 5 1-st level PCs. How might it be run?

Ravenous wolves are skirmishers with a move speed of 8. Skirmishers rely on mobility to gain an advantage, and ravenous wolves are no exception. Tap into this role. If you do, your PCs will remember the fight much more than wolves that simply charge at the nearest foe and attack like brutes or soldiers.

Additionally, they have a basic attack that targets AC so the wolves would naturally avoid heavily-armored foes, using their high movement speed to skirt around hard-to-hit front liners to pick on a cloth or leather wearing target.

Their bite also grabs a target, which allows them to use another at-will power: "drag away." Use this to separate target PCs from defenders who will desparately be trying to stop the wolves from pulling away weaker party members.

Played in such a way, your cloth-wearing PCs are likely to get worried whenever the party hears the distant howl of wolves. Remember the real goal--make the encounter memorable!

Leaping Felldrake

Now consider a different encounter with five leaping felldrakes, instead. Like the wolves, these felldrakes have a low intelligence (3) and a high wisdom (15). Tactically, they should operate in a much different fashion than the wolves, however, and their role describes how: "lurker."

But two things make them memorable: instant camouflage and neck bite.

The former allows them to gain invisibility during combat, while the latter--used when they have combat advantage--allows them to do a special bite attack that will terrify PCs. The attack targets reflex; suddenly it's the plate-wearing paladins who are worried.  Once they've latched on, the bite continues doing damage automatically. That's enough to make even a barrel-chested PC feel panicky.  

Importantly, the felldrakes don't concern themselves with attacking every round, either individually or as a pack. Instead, they either seek to gain invisibility or combat advantage and situate themselves until they are primed. They literally lurk, using their advantages to cause sudden and unexpected bursts of chaos. 

Think how different this fight is from the wolves. Imagine PCs in a darkened cave, for example, with these strange felldrakes leaping out from the darkness to snap their jaws around an exposed neck. And when they miss, they scurry off and disappear, only to viciously attack again a couple rounds later. 

A good way to keep PCs on their toes is for the last of these monsters to go invisible and then let the combat "end." Player's will be unsure if the monsters might attack one more, or if it is safe to continue. Everyone will remain jumpy and you can spring the lurker back on them at a later time, if you want. That's memorable!

Other Examples

You'll find that the smarter monsters (i.e., higher intelligence) will tend to be controllers or artillery. By design alone, they'll have powers that make them appear more intelligent without having to do anything but play them in a tactically memorable way. For comparative examples look at the 1st-level Xivort Net Caster, Kobold Slinger or Dark Sun's Id Fiend.