Monster Random Tactics
The amazing and fabulous Ironsworn and it’s sci-fi siblings Starforged and Sundered Isles have fantastic sets of random tables with which to seed chaos into your adventures. One of the tables that I use a lot is the Combat Tactics table. Rather than battles being tediously the same every time (each side takes turns to bash the other with their mace/lightsabre/cutlass until one of them keels over), you can use the Combat Tactics table to introduce decisions on behalf of the NPCs or monsters.
I wanted a cut down version to use for my weekly Shadowdark game and came up with the below. It’s still in testing and I’m going to also be using it in my Twelve Duchies solo game but so far, it’s been fun!
- Create a distraction
- Attack with precision
- Ready an action
- Use the terrain for advantage
- Intimidate or frighten enemies
- Coordinate with allies
- Take an unexpected action
- Reinforce defenses
- Reveal something hidden
- Attack with power
Happy bashing!