My Life As A Gamer: Expeditions, Explorations, Encounters (Part Five)

(Notes: The Player's Handbook (PHB) and Dungeon Master's Guide (DMG) for Advanced Dungeons & Dragons, 1st Edition (AD&D1e) cited as needed. First post is here, and Tuesday's is here, Wednesday's is here, and yesterday's is here.)

No one plays this game just to uncover a map. They play it for gold and glory, and they accept the fact that such treasure will be guarded (literally and metaphorically) by monsters. Therefore, players know that encounters are a core part of the game.

That does not mean that encounters equals combat. Players have options. Both players and Dungeon Masters (DMs) are wise to remember this.

Therefore it is time to take a look at what happens when those Encounter Checks turn up positive and the DM moves to roll on the Random Encounter Table. This too is a process, with a procedure and a set of options, applicable within the Dungeon and out in the wilderness alike.

Outdoors

The DM checks for Surprise (DMG p. 61).

Using DMG p. 49, the DM then rolls for Encounter Distance. This is 6d4 in Inches, translating from Inches to whatever distance is relevant, modified by the Surprise roll and by terrain; a distance of 1 inch means the parties blunder into each other and a Confrontation occurs.

Intelligent monsters that think the party stronger, and they can do so, they will attempt Evasion. Parties in that position are wise to do the same. Free actions gained by attaining Surprise allows this without question. (ibid)

Other options include Parley and--of course--Combat.

Dungeon

What changes is the distance, but the procedure is the same. (DMG p. 63)

Distance is 1d6+4 in Inches, converted to Dungeon distances. Line of sight, noise, the space concerned (the actual area), etc. all modify this with Surprise being decisive as it closes the distance to the result of the Surprise Check in Inches. (ibid)

Evasion & Pursuit

If one side wins Surprise and elects to evade, it is automatically successful. (ibid) Once within striking range and Surprise elapses, this is not automatic; the fleeing side must first win Initiative in the first round and then attempt to escape. The other party may choose not to pursue; NPCs do so at the discretion of the DM, which defaults to a 50% chance (4+ on 1d6).

Dungeon Pursuit is spelled out in DMG p. 67-69. Much of this is common-sense.

If chasers are slower than the chased, the latter will escape as soon as they are too distant (over 100' away), out of sight, or too much time elapsed (five rounds with no gains).

If the reverse is true, only great distance and breaking line-of-sight or a barrier breaks off pursuit.

If the parties are even, it will be as if the chased are faster but it takes longer to break off.

Throwing up barriers are obvious to the chased party. Various Wall spells are ideal for this, but collapsing a tunnel, knocking a column or bookcase over, etc. will all do the job.

What is often forgotten these days is distrations. Food will be good against beastial or low-intelligence pursuers; the DM rolls 1d10x10, expressed as a % Chance to stop and eat/drink and so break off pursuit. Treasure works for intelligent pursuers such as Orcs; same procedure, with an additional 10% for 10+ items regardless of value.

Outdoor Pursuit is on p. 69.

Here it is certain that pursuit continues until one side wins, so it is abstracted further. A base of 80% is set, modified by movement, terrain, party sizes, and light.

Again, evasion is automatic if it is done from Surprise.

Each Outdor Evasion check represents one hour of time. If the chased do not succeed initially, and the chasers can close within an hour, then it goes to Confrontation; if not another check occurs. If the % Chance drops to 0, Confrontation is automatic. Pursuit continues until evasion succeeds or the chasers break off as their discretion.

Parley

Not all Encounters are automatically hostile.

It is, on occassion, a good idea to engage with the other party. They may have useful information, have goods to trade, offer useful services, or maybe the party is sufficiently practical to avoid unneeded conflict even if there is no gain to be had.

For this, the DM rolls a Reaction Check (DMG p. 63) modified by the Charisma adjustment of the speaker as if the NPC were a Henchmen. (That Paladin is good for more than smiting demons.)

Assuming that the Reaction doesn't go hostile, at which point Combat or Evasion & Pursuit applies, this is where the savvy players attempt to either gather intelligence or to cultivate contacts for later advantage. (Pilgrims and Merchants in particular are good for such purposes.)

Commentary

The reason for why Encounters allow for Evasion is because the game does not presume that all Encounters are ones that a party can handle. The reason for why Parley is a thing is because not all Encounters are to be settled with violence. Remember that gold and glory are worthless to the dead, and glory in particular is meaningless without witnesses to one's greatness.

This is still a wargame at its roots, roots that (culturally) reach back to Antiquity, when such things were the aims of all great men regardless of their virtue (or lack thereof). Learn when to run, when to hide, when to bargain, and when to draw steel. Those roots (historically) also taught men what command and rulership required, and those who disdained the lessons got trod upon by those that did. Adventure and warfare is perilous enough without deliberately making it worse; don't be the Corpse Of A Foolish Failed Adventurer.

(Note: We'll pick this up again on Monday, when we move over to Combat and its consequences. The weekend will be about other topics.)