August.11.2015

THE DM'S PLAYBOOK: PACK TACTICS

By Len Pelletier

Pack Tactics: The monster has advantqage on an attack roll against a creature if at least one of the monster's allies is within 5 feet of the creature and the ally isn't incapacitated.

Pack tactics is a strong ability usually attached to weak monsters. If players don't prepare for it, their characters are going to be in for an unpleasant surprise. Getting advantage on an attack roll not only makes the monster hit more often, it also greatly increases its chances of critting. What makes this fun for players is that with some carefully positioning and planning they can minimize the risks, and tension can be high as they try to make those maneuvers happen. But are you, the Dungeon Master, using pack tactics to its full potential? This article will help you consider the subtler aspects of this great ability.

Pro Tips for Using Pack Tactics

Consider the following combat with intiative order as follows:

  1. Wolf 1
  2. Wolf 2
  3. PC

DM, you're up. What do you do? The straightforward play is to have Wolf 1 run up and attack the PC, followed up by wolf 2 closing in for a pack tactics powered attack. But is it posible to get pack tactics to work on Wolf 1's attack too?

Try this: when wolf 1 closes the gap with the PC, have it ready an attack instead, triggered by any ally coming within 5 feet of the PC. Wolf 2 then triggers wolf 1's readied attack next turn and grants wolf 1 its pack tactic bonus. Then wolf 2 attacks with pack tactics also.

This works best if the initiative order between these monsters is not interrupted by a PC that can interfere. In our example, if the queue looked like Wolf 1, PC, Wolf 2, if wolf 1 runs up and readies an action, the PC might kill it on her turn, and then wolf 1's action was wasted.

Remember that any kind of attack gains advantage from pack tactics, including ranged attacks. Kobolds, for example, get advantage on their sling attacks when allies are next to their target. Just be careful to place the adjacent monster so as not to wedge it between the ranged pack tactics monster and the target, or you will give the target half cover (+2 AC). If this is not possible however, the advantage gained from pack tactics almost always outweighs granting half cover, so it is still worth it.

Designing Encounters to Maximize Pack Tactics

  1. Choose terrain that allows for easy movement to the PCs; open ground without choke points works best.
  2. Not all monsters in the encounter have to have Pack Tactics. Throw in a tanky monster into the mix with a lot of HP and/or high AC. Its job is get in the PCs' faces and activate the pack tactics of its allies and stay there for a few turns. For example, in Hoard of the Dragon Queen, Kobolds and Dragonclaw are often paired up with Guard Drakes. Guard Drakes have low damage output but high HP, enabling their pack tactics allies. Grappling is often the most effective action that such a monster can do. Imagine what a Rug of Smothering might do for your kobolds' damage output!

Monsters with Pack Tactics: