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Post by friartook on Jun 8, 2015 18:03:01 GMT
That's a great idea! No, I don't think the big baddies are aware of the PCs currently. I haven't revealed much, but I plan on having an old NPC pop back up and perhaps do some explaining. They really have no idea WTF is going on around them, only that big things seem to be happening. The reason I'm trying to encourage him to change tactics is purely because the player seems a bit bored. When his turn comes up he does this, "Well, I guess I shoot him with an arrow," speech in an Eeyore voice. I just want to encourage some other options. He seemed excited about the Uncanny Dodge ability. I also plan on placing a magic weapon in the form of a dagger in his path to further encourage up close back stabbing.
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Post by DMC on Jun 8, 2015 18:43:48 GMT
Rogues can Dash, for quick Sneak Attack hit & fades, or they can use their Uncanny Dodge in case they get hit. Either way, it's a one-or-the-other scenario per round, since each one is a BA.
You could likewise tailor the environment to force the Rogue into some other tactics. Or even have a two-pronged pincer encounter where baddies come at them from more than one side. The Rogue may think he's safe taking pot-shots from a distance, but suddenly behind him, say on the second round, a couple new baddies appear, forcing him into melee.
I'm trying to recall various sniper movies for examples. Perhaps he's hidden so well, that the new baddies don't see him. They end up walking right past him and stop a few feet away to take pot shots of their own at the PCs. Make them within 5' so he can't ranged attack them unless at Disadvantage. Now he has a choice. Take them out by hand, or watch them taking shots at the rest of the party. I'd make the baddies at least a pair of them, giving them the Sniper/Spotter arraignment.
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Post by Deleted on Jun 8, 2015 18:56:38 GMT
Ya, my rogue player does the same thing, too. In a ho-hum voice, "I shoot the troll. Again." Rolls. "I'm done."
I think it has a lot more to do with the fact my rogue player likes storytelling/acting, and doesn't like combat. So of course I provide lots of opportunity for NPC interaction... meanwhile two of the other players become disengaged because they're waiting on the next fight. It's a balancing act, and everyone at the table understands they're a mixed group, so they put up with the parts they don't like. I cannot possibly keep them all totally engaged all the time.
If this player was playing any other class, I doubt she would be more engaged. The rogue class is fine, and has enough options to be interesting in the hands of a player who cares enough to make it interesting. Modifying your combat design to engage the rogue might not have the intended effect.
As I was writing this, I realized the most she's ever been engaged in a combat was when she spent all her actions rescuing a hostage in the middle of a fight. She didn't make a single attack roll. The lesson I take from this? I need to try to find more non-attack options for her in the design phase. Unfortunately, this complicates almost every aspect of adventure design.
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Post by friartook on Jun 8, 2015 19:17:19 GMT
I play it pretty fast and loose when it comes to encounters. I don't do a lot of in depth design. Instead I think, "What type of creature would be there, what would they be doing, and how would they be interacting with the environment?" I adjust how many enemies based on a more or less intuitive take on the PC's capabilities, then adjust on the fly as needed. I know this is not the best, but honestly, its become a time thing for me. I have so little spare time, I can't do in-depth encounter design.
All that to say, I have no intention of altering my encounter or play design to cater to any one player or play style.
This rogue is not a social rogue; he's got a -1 Cha modifier. This player enjoys getting in the big hits and enjoys managing his roguish abilities. I'm trying to subtly encourage him toward doing more of this. Understanding the balance of actions through this discussion has been hugely beneficial. I didn't think about the fact that they only get one bonus action and only one reaction action per initiative cycle. Suddenly, there's this whole slew of resource management that I can police and that the guys can engage in.
For the magic item, I'm going to give him an Assassin's Dagger courtesy of his guild. The dagger will do normal damage, but on a critical hit, the rogue will be granted temporary hit points equal to half the weapon damage (not including sneak attack damage). This will mesh well with the Assassin path ability where any sneak attack against an opponent who hasn't taken an action in the round is an automatic crit and encourage sneaky melee antics...whoops, I mean tactics.
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Post by Razzmataz on Nov 13, 2016 5:54:33 GMT
Hey guys, i'm a huge fan of playing a rogue and always have been and i think there might be a few things you're overlooking as DMs. Rogues are a jack of all trades class and are heavily skill oriented, doors and traps are important for rogues. Also it sounds like some of you are letting rogues have proficency with normal bows or are ignoring the fact that crossbows have a reload time. I think you should keep this in mind because a rogue has to choose then between one attack every two turns (it's not unrealistic to require a full action to reload a crossbow unless they have the feat) or two attacks with proficient melee weapons every turn up close. Basically they're choosing between being useless in a battle vs being the dps counter to a tank class.
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Post by haroc on Nov 16, 2016 5:39:36 GMT
Also it sounds like some of you are letting rogues have proficency with normal bows or are ignoring the fact that crossbows have a reload time. Shortbows are Simple Weapons. Rogues have Simple Weapon proficiency. Hence, proficiency with normal bows. Also, elven rogues can use longbows. 'Loading' Proficiency for crossbows just means you can only shoot one crossbow bolt a round, not that it takes a round to load. Realism has little to do with D&D combat. Game balance on the other hand...it sounds like your table may have house-ruled crossbows out of viable play.
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Post by dmxtrordinari on Nov 19, 2016 16:25:45 GMT
A Rogue using SA from afar is a completely viable strategy especially with the advantage of potentially using their bonus action to hide within their turn to gain advantage on their next attack. Generally what I ended up doing when I would notice players being very split up is sandwiching them between two groups of enemies, have some sort of enemy tactic involving separation like a wall of force between the group, or having enemy/ies with much more mobility to pressure back liners and force front-liners to attempt to contain them.
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Post by Pug on Mar 26, 2019 21:55:57 GMT
Thanks for the tips everyone. I play as a rouge and was trying to understand that power since I became level 5. Also this is my first real campaign. I definitely lost plenty of health not using it correctly. Also I would just like to say that I have yet to use a bow. I'm that dumb rouge that some how always finds him self trying to talk his way out of a situation before stabbing a guy in the face with a dagger and chucking a throwing Knife.
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