You can make your job easier by creating monster “territories.” In short, by placing different monsters in different areas of the map at the start of combat, you can easily give yourself a sense of that monster’s role and preferred tactics. This can be as simple as “attack with scimitar, then Hide as a bonus action” or as complex as “cast firebolt against long-range enemies, burning hands against mid-range enemies, and misty step to escape close-range enemies.” Whenever you can, pre-plan your monsters’ tactics. Are these goblin bandits pursuing a vendetta? Looking for an easy mark? Once you know what your monsters want, their combat tactics will come much more easily. The Monsters Know What They’re Doing blog can be an invaluable resource for any DM using a certain monster for the first time, but it’s also important to know what your monsters want to accomplish. Familiarize yourself with their statblocks, as well as their goals, motivations, and strategies. If you’re the DM, know your monsters well. Why? Because DMs, on average, will take more turns per round than the party-and because a DM can’t keep the encounter’s momentum moving forward if they’re distracted themselves. More importantly, though, the DM needs to make decisions quickly. To keep combat moving, players need to be able to make decisions quickly. Whether it’s a slow-playing PC or a DM facing a tough choice, more time is lost while waiting for an action than by any action alone. If you’re looking to change your combat experience for the better, here are eight rules that can help you turn a slow, lackluster 5e combat encounter into a fast, engaging, and cinematic experience:ĭecisions are the biggest source of slog in any 5e combat. It shouldn’t be a slog-it should be a fast-paced, heart-pounding experience that makes your players feel like they’re watching the scene unfold on a movie screen. It should feel tense, engaging, and deeply personal. When 5e combat gets slow or boring, the whole session suffers.Ĭombat should feel dramatic. That’s not a problem if you play D&D for the crunch-but if you’re here for the story, a sudden combat encounter can bring a quick-moving session to a squelching and dramatic stop. Combat Encounters We Recall with Pride □ #DMroundtable
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