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How do you handle the aggro or the threat of the PCs? How do you decide which monster will attack who?

farinal wrote:aggro

Wuzzat?

How do you decide which monster will attack who?

Depends on the types. If they're interchangeable orcs, it hardly matters. If they're different types of creature that are working together, it depends on how clever they are at tactics. If they're good at it, I'll do my best to make the most advantageous choices for them. If they're stupid, they'll just pound away at whoever they get stuck fighting.

Stormcrow wrote:Wuzzat?

It's a term commonly used in MMOs to determine which player attracts attacks from enemies. As they take aggressive actions they generate aggro and those with the highest aggro levels attract the most 'interest' from opponents.

farinal wrote:How do you handle the aggro or the threat of the PCs? How do you decide which monster will attack who?

Unlike an MMO which is built on binaries, and parameters that measure numbers, this is a roleplaying game that uses imagination and thinking outside the box - something no computer game can do.


With that in mind, 'aggro' towards the PCs is generated often from logical, tactical, or believable scenarios. In other words, if you're representing the creatures, use judgement based on the situation, the scenario, the relative intellect and/or cunning of the opponent(s) in combination with the engagement rules of the game for combat, to determine better results. Many times, this may play out like an MMO (as in the PC seeming to hit the most often and do the most damage is going to attract the attention); but many times, it may be more cunning, clever, or believable that a creature goes after a weakened PC simply out of survival of the fittest mentality and going after an easy target.

Intelligent foes attack the (perceived) biggest threats. Big Dumb foes attack whoever attacks them.

Racial profiling maybe...orcs and goblins go for dwarves and elves first. Easterlings attack Lakemen and Bardings. Dunlending hillmen might seek out Beornings and Woodsmen.

If the party are outnumbered i make sure everyone gets attacked once. If in doubt, dice for it. Its worked for me for many years and the players respect the randomness of the dice rolled in the open...though they may groan at the result.

I would expect most natural creatures to flee or hide from Adventurers; however, several factors may turn them into threats just as they may become in the modern world.

More powerful predators or ones that run in packs may have little or no fear of humanoids and may see them as prey. This condition may be exacerbated during times of famine such as an unusually harsh Winter or if a party is seen as weakened.

Animals are also likely to attack if they feel threated--especially if flight is not an immediate option. A startled snake, for example, may strike. The party may be encroaching on a creature's territory or might be too close to a lair or den--particularly one with young to protect. In rutting season, animals might be more aggressive than normal. Then there are creatures that are just naturally more inclined to attack than to flee.

Aventurers (and NPCs) who are capable of communicating with some animals might be able to smooth things over to a greater or lesser degree. The Difficulty would depend on the degree of hostility of the target creature.