Community

Let me start by saying I am one of those DMs that don't want anyone to die but I also won't cripple Monsters or pull punches just because the battle is going badly for the PCs. I have killed a character or two in my day but I've rarely ever TPKed a whole group (maybe 3 times in 25 years of DMing).

Anyway the other night using the new 10/29 playtest and Caves of Chaos I ran 5 players (4 seasoned and 1 new-bee) through a session. Well after killing about 1/2 the Kobolds they decided to parlay with them, It took two tries (the PCs ticked them off once and another battle ensued) but in the end the PCs agreed to leave the Kobolds caves and stop killing them if the Kobolds told them where some prisoner/slaves were. They were happy to send them to the big piggy people (what my Kobolds call Orcs). I tried to give the PCs a hint that this might be too much for them right now (they were still 1st level) by having one of the Kobold guards say "You are really going to go deal with them?!?" referring to the big piggy people. Unfortunately the PCs got cocky and just said "we will kill them just like we destroyed you"


So cut to the entrance to B: Orc Lair and in they went totally ignoring something that would give them away to more Orcs (Trying not to do spoilers). So they frontal assaulted the first guard room and before they could finish them off around the corner came 4 more that HAD been alerted. Well it was all over very fast (3 rounds maybe). Now they really never stood a chance, 4 Orcs plus 1 that was still standing from the first room = a 350 XP encounter. This is almost double what a 1st level party can handle. So no one thought they should have won. What did surprise all of us was how quickly they folded like a deck of cards and how quickly PCs died, died (AKA negative Con + level)


Here is what we discussed post game:


 - The 1D6 on a failed death save was way harsh. Two of the first three PCs to drop from a Orc great axe hit died before anyone could do anything. The very first death save failed and both died from 1 dice roll (they rolled too well). All of us like the design of the death save and the risks but the 1D6 seemed a bit heavy. We all thought a 1D4 would still be scary but not deadly in one round. I know this would become less of a threat at higher levels but 1st and 2nd level PCs will drop like flies if it’s a 1D6.


 - Now that D&D has a much more dangerous feel to combat (something we all like as it turns out) we noticed that when things started to go badly there was very little way out AKA Running away which ya really need to do when things go that bad becomes a nightmare. Since Disengage is an action and so is dodge you can't combine them to create a rear defense, disengage and move only gets you 35 to 40 ft from the enemy so anything with ranged weapons just fires away, finally the hustle and move gets ya a good distance each round (50 to 60 ft) but they just keep following you, get within 5 ft and wait for their next opportunity attack. This last plan is what the last 2 PCs tried, the wizard was dropped on the first opportunity attack and the fighter was dropped after they chased her outside the cave.


 - On the PCs side they learned that in 5th Ed. 1st and I would guess 2nd level PCs are very very squishy. You really need to think out you combat and decide if it’s in your favor to even try.


 - Orcs are scary to low level PCs in 5th Ed

Actually, I did enjoy monsters retreating (or surrendering) and the resulting skill checks involved.

To be honest, I really liked playing the 1st playtest package that didn't have AoO (OA).  I found that it was refreshing to let PCs or monsters turn tail and run if they wanted to.  Nobody abused it in our games, but I know that a lot of people have argued that it could be abused.   Since they could move without the OA, combats seemed more interesting.   It also allowed rogues and wizards a chance to take cover after an attack.  Since they are so squishy, I really liked that too.

Maybe with expertise dice, there could be another maneuver that grants OA so that not everyone gets it, and fighter types (or Rogues who get the manevuer) would have to save an expertise die in reserve if they felt they wanted to use OA.  

I like the connection between OA and expertise dice. To be fair there has to be some trait or action possible for certain Monsters that have fighter/marshal type qualities.

Whatever is built in I just want there to be a plausible way to disengage without a complete rout (from either side). I think it would also be helpful if it’s a fairly simple process so a running retreat can be cool and have risk for either side but not a rules, dice slog.