Battle Strategies Following May 15th's game

[Jack Napier]

I've been thinking a bit about our last lengthy encounter with the horde of goblins here are some things 've come up with. It's lengthy but worth reading, I think.

1 - Know your "repertoire." This should go without saying. You need to know what your character can/can't do on any given turn. What do you excel at? What special items do you carry and how can you use them (conventionally or unconventionally) What spells do you know? How can THEY be used conventionally or unconventionally.

The best example of this is the Harpy's Musk. Everybody except for Jack has a vial of this stuff that really helps when we are facing so many goblins. You can smear it on a surface or throw it into a square. All varisian goblins who enter a 30ft area (6x5 squares?) must make a a DC14 will save or be shaken for 1 minute (10 rounds!) This means -2 Att, -2 saves, -2 skills and ability checks. For the record, if the goblins were shaken they would have had an even harder time with the grease (-2 to their acrobatics checks and -2 to their reflex saves to not fall)

2 - Combat Maneuvers

Sometimes a well-timed combat maneuver is better than attacking with your weapon. For example, with the goblin druid shitting themself and ready to run, why not grapple instead of attack? If you attack and don't kill them, they run away before you can hit again. I may be wrong but don't we get more XP if the creatures don't get a chance to run away? Not to mention the chance to take their stuff.

Grappling a spell caster also prevents them from casting spells with somantic (hand movement) components. We might have been able to avoid some lighting and pain this way.

3 - Initiative

There seems to be some misconception as to what your initiative score really means. It is your reaction speed to a given situation. In the first round of combat, a creature with a high initiative score acts first in a situation, and any creatures that haven't had their turn yet are flat-footed to the actions of creatures who go before. This means no Dex to AC or CMD (sneak attack!) as well as preventing them from taking Attacks of Oppertunity in this first crucial round of battle.

Going first as a spell caster is so important because we need to lay down the battlefield controls ASAP.

Delay/Ready:

Outside of the first round your initiative number matters less. High initiative just gives you CHOICE. Choosing to act at the right time rather than simply on your turn can change a battle. Instead of firing that arrow at the spell caster BEFORE they cast, ready your shot for WHEN they cast to disrupt their spell in the process. Your initiative changes to just before that creature, but you know what? Everybody gets a turn every round. And you can ready another action on your next turn that could change your initiative to 24.. but it doesn't matter at this point. What matters is acting at the right time, be it as soon as possible (on your turn) or before or after someone else's to a good effect.


4 - AoO

Most creatures only have one AoO per round. The exception is when they have the Combat Reflexes feat. That said, if they have a low enough attack, fighter types can purposely move or do things to make them use their attack and hit their armor... then spell casters or characters with low AC can get away with doing things without taking a hit this round. Damikon could use his bow for two shots without taking a hit with his AC of 16, and spell casters wouldn't have to cast defensively and lose spells.


5 - Grease

It's my understanding that grease makes enemies flat-footed when they move through it. The wording of the spell description is absolutely horrible:

"Creatures that do not move on their turn do not need to make this check (acrobatics) and are not considered flat-footed."

I assume this means that creatures that make their acrobatics check and move ARE flat-footed until their next turn. Much like moving on a ledge or uneven terrain. While standing or lying still they are NOT flat-footed.

Also, a readied action against creatures moving through grease can do wonders. Imagine taking shots at the big bad guy just as he's moving through the grease. He'd be easier to hit as he is flat-footed. Interrupting his acrobatics check may cause him to fail and have to make a reflex save or fall prone.

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What do you think? Any other strategies to discuss?