Tavern Talks

. Adam: Well met.

Brave adventurers and welcome
back to the tavern talks podcast.

I'm Adam, your guide through the
realms of dungeons and dragons.

And by my side is the intrepid Zac.

Zac: Gather round fellow seekers of glory.

As we prepare to delve into the
heart pounding excitement of combat

within the world of D& D, today our
focus turns to the art of mastering

combat encounters and emerging
victorious against formidable foes.

Adam: Raise your tankards high
for today's discussion is a

celebration of courage, strategy,
and the bonds forged in the heat of

battle.

Zac: Indeed, picture yourselves
within our virtual tavern, where

every clash of skill and crackle of
magic ignites the flames of adventure.

Whether you're a seasoned warrior
or a fledgling mage, there's much to

learn and explore as we delve into
the intricacies of combat in D& D.

Adam: So, draw your weapons.

Sharpen your wits and let us embark
on a journey through the thrilling

realm of Dungeons and Dragons combat

Zac: to the heroes who stand ready,
the villains who lurk in every shadow.

Welcome to another epic chapter
of the tavern talks podcast.

Adam: All righty.

To your new DMs out there,
there's three things that you

gotta know about D& D combat.

First is initiative, which is your
turn order, actions and your movements

that allow your characters to do,
and the combat mechanics in general

of your attack rolls, your saving
throws, and your damage calculations.

So let's hit them in order.

Initiative and turn order.

Zach, please tell me as a new DM that you
know what initiative and turn order is.

Ah,

Zac: yes.

The roll for initiative.

The ever fearful slash loving
quote of all D& D DMs that we love

to really just throw out there.

That means your party's about
to enter a combat session.

So rolling for initiative.

Each of your players will roll
a d20 for most of the time.

Unless you make some kind of special
rule up for them and within that

d20 from highest to lowest, you're
going to decide the order of.

Who's fighting or the, the
fighting order of your party.

So let's say you have four people.

One rolls a 21 rolls 18, one
rolls a one and one rolls a 13.

Well, the one's going to go dead
last, and then you're going to go from

descending order to the lowest number.

So basically your higher rollers are
going to be the first moves, actions, and

combat your lower numbers are going to
be your, last in the round of combat.

Also, , this counts for DMs
who are playing the monsters.

You're going to roll for
your monsters as well.

So they're going to act
as players themselves.

You're going to roll for them just as
a player would roll for themselves.

And you're going to take their.

Uh, whatever you roll in,
in the initiative order.

So if you roll a 16, well, you're
going third in comparison to that

20 and 18 who rolled before you.

Alright.

Adam: You did well.

You missed one thing, but I'm going to
ask you, what is initiative determined by?

It's your role plus what?

Well,

Zac: your initiative bonus.

Adam: Yeah, but what determines that

Zac: initiative bonus?

You're killing me here, man.

You're killing me, Smalls.

What am I missing here?

Adam: What's that bonus?

Like, where does that number come
from on your character sheet?

Do you know?

Zac: What do you mean where it

Adam: comes from?

So you roll a d20 and
you have a plus whatever.

Do you know what that plus

Zac: whatever is?

I don't, I don't know, explain it to me.

I really don't know this.

You're going to be like, crap.

Okay, well then, it's my
newbiness, so go for it.

This is why I'm here.

Adam: Initiative, when you roll
it, you're going to roll a d20

plus your bonus, but that bonus
is determined by your dexterity.

Oh, okay.

Yeah.

So like, if you're looking at the
monster manual, it won't give you like,

It'll just give you your dex, so when you
roll for initiative out on the monster

side as a DM, you just add their dex in.

Zac: Well, their, their normal

Adam: dexterity?

Yeah, it'll give you a stat block
across, and it'll say dex, and it'll

have a plus or minus next to it.

Zac: Oh, it'll have a plus
or minus next to their dex?

Yeah,

Adam: plus two, minus
one, however that works.

Okay, okay, okay, I see, I see.

But, uh, For your characters
in their character sheet, cause

5e's made it easy for you.

It has a plus whatever in the initiative,
little thing, but that is determined by.

Dexterity modifier.

Zac: Well, okay.

You got a dexterous character.

But you did well.

You did well.

You're in the plus.

Hey, I'm here to learn.

Yeah.

Hey, this is, this is about exactly
what we're supposed to be doing.

This is exactly why we made this podcast.

Yeah.

So there you go, folks.

We'll You're, you're newbie
learned a little new something.

So one step closer to being a master.

I'm just kidding.

I've got a long way to go.

Um, but no, yeah.

So initiative order is a big thing.

It's going to tell you
how your combat goes.

Um, and what, what was our next step?

Anyway, we go

Adam: into actions and movements.

Ooh, yeah.

So basically how many actions
are available during combat.

And this is mainly talking about
your attack spells and movements.

Right.

Zac: Um, well, I mean, most tell
me what you know about that.

Okay.

So, you know, your movement
speed, your character is going

to have a base movement speed.

Adam: Um, all characters are usually

Zac: shorter movement speed.

So you're going to have like
10 feet in comparison to, or

15 feet in comparison to 25.

Okay.

There you go.

Gnomes are like 25, I think.

25 in comparison to 30 or
higher for most characters.

Um, now here's the thing with movement.

Um, and I'm just going to
speak on this as a newer DM.

I'm not a terribly huge fan of movement.

I'm not, well, here's the thing.

Like, I don't think you could run across
a battlefield and shank somebody, but I.

Adam: I'm just imagining
that scene in Monty Python.

Oh, that's a lot.

With Lancelot's running and the guard's
standing there chewing on an apple.

Zac: Yeah, you can't do that.

But I, I, I am a little, me,
myself, and I are a little bit more

laissez faire on the rules depending
on what the player wants to do.

I really don't think I make

Adam: movement an issue

Zac: in my campaign.

You don't.

You really don't.

You don't, you don't
make a big deal of it.

I mean, it is there.

You gotta

Adam: remember it is six seconds.

And they're moving 30
feet every six seconds.

Zac: It's pretty fast, but I get that,
but I'm not a super stickler on movement.

Um, it just really depends on what they
want to do, how far the monster is.

If I, if granted they're fighting a
beholder or some kind of crazy creature

and you know, it's, it pops up over hill.

Well, they're not going to be
able to do jack diddly shit about

it, but you know, um, movement.

It really depends on you as a DM.

Uh, I would say implement it, but don't
be a complete stickler where if the

monster's 32 feet from them and they've
got 30 feet base movement speed, they're

not going to be able to hit them.

I think that, I just think
that is really I used

to

Adam: play with a person like that.

It was not fun.

Zac: That is super edging it out there.

And I'm like, okay, that's cutting
it a little You're just really

straining the players being

Adam: an edge lord.

You're not cool.

Zac: Yeah Quit edgy

Adam: Just let me hit the goddamn
monster I got a swing of two feet

Zac: Like good lord, but um, I mean
your movements that and most of Most

of the time with your base players,
you're going to have one action and one

opportunity action or AK bonus action.

It really depends on what you're
playing, what class that's something

that D and D beyond, or your character
sheet can really help you out with.

Um, you're going to notice that
actions are primary attacks.

90 percent of the time or primary, um,
as they say, actions like that's casting

spells, that is attacking, that is.

just rolling to see if you can persuade
the beast to seduce it or you know,

something like that, that would be
considered and it's considered an action.

Don't look at me like that.

That is dirty.

Look, that is an action.

Go ahead and say no, say
no, say it with your chest.

Mr.

Adam: Do you remember the donkey book?

The dragon in Shrek?

That's what I imagine.

Zac: It never happened.

Adam: They had dragon donkey babies.

Zac: What if he magically wished it?

No.

Why are you ruining?

Why are you ruining

Adam: Shrek?

I didn't ruin Shrek.

That's just love.

You can't deny love.

Zac: Yeah.

Well, you know what they say.

Once you go donkey.

You get a little wonky.

You can stop listening in the podcast now.

And

Adam: there we have it, folks.

Thank you for another episode

of the Tavern

Zac: Talks Podcast.

No, okay.

What were we?

Action.

Okay, your actions, spellcasting,
or attacking generally.

Your bonus

Adam: actions.

I'm just checking to see
if he gets the basis, guys.

This is his episode.

This is my episode?

Zac: Yeah.

Why is this my episode?

You're the one who picked the topic.

Because I'm fact checking you.

You're fact checking.

Oh, God, I don't know.

I'm in a frickin about
to be in a political race

Adam: misinforming our

Zac: patrons.

Okay, well, they can be misinformed.

Everybody's learning here, Adam.

Anyway, your bonus actions can be
something such as additional movement.

Like I said, you don't have
to be a stickler or movement.

But if someone wants to make an
additional movement, Towards a

creature or to do something, they
can take that as a bonus action.

Uh, generally you have, you are
given one action and one bonus

action depending on your class.

That is correct.

Um, and like I said, as you are
a barbarian in your rage, yeah,

if you rage, you get two actions.

That's why they can do, you know, two
swings and schmack some damage up.

Um, it also happens with
fighter, if I'm not mistaken.

Adam: It really hit

Zac: four times in a combat monks about
throwing them hands, catching them hands.

Adam: Yeah, your, your race and your
class determines your actions in combat.

So if you're a spell caster, your main
actions are going to be spells, cantrips,

first level, second level, third,
all the way up to ninth level spells,

depending on your character's level.

And then if you're a fighter or a
barbarian, a paladin or, or a mix, um,

a ranger, you're going to have action
spells that are just attacks essentially.

So just keep that in mind when you're
playing a character because, or a group,

if you're deciding on who, how you
want to play, um, if you're just a, a

group of, you know, wizards, you're not
going to have, you're not going to have

somebody up front, you're not going You
know, actually combating the person.

Everyone's going to have like an AOE type
of spell casting modifier and ability.

So you got to make sure when you're
creating your characters and the DM

itself, when you're, when your players
are creating it, make sure that they

understand that whatever they select,
I know they want to play these, but it

may not be for the best of the group.

Zac: And, and I mean, that is
something he look, if you want to

be a party of all areas of effect.

Spellcasters you can but do
understand as soon as a close combat

encounter happens and you cast
fireball three feet from yourself.

Fireball, you have a good chance
of really TKO and the whole group.

Um, You know, like Adam said,
keep your players well informed

of what they will be playing.

You want them to have a good time.

You want them to play what they want
to play, but also this is your chance

to persuade them as a DM that, Hey,
maybe you'll like this class instead.

And maybe like, instead of just,
Hey, you want to be a sorcerer?

Well, how about you be an arcane
trickster rogue, you know, where you

can still apply magic and, and just
not to the greater scale you won't, but

then you've also got your close combat.

Yeah.

Adam: Paladins do as well.

I mean, if you want to Paladins really
weird, you have a, you know, a spell

casting ability that isn't, you know,
you can cast spells, but then also you

can attack with your weapons of choice.

Schmite.

So those are your basics of
action spells and movement.

You're, you're, you're either going
to have an attack every, uh, every

move, or you're going to have a, uh,
or every action is going to be an

attack or every action is going to be
a spell or vice versa, depending on it.

And then you'll have a
bonus action on top of it.

The next thing is more in depth
over the mechanics of combat.

So that's going to talk about us,
including how to do attack rolls,

saving throws and damage calculations.

Zac: All right, so, um, I guess since this
is my episode, I really got to do this.

Okay, so your character is
going to have something called

an AC class or armor class.

Um, once again, depends on your, pretty
much what you decide to pick as your.

Adam: Every monster has an AC

Zac: as well.

Yeah.

Uh, and, and this, like I said,
when you're playing a DM, DM

player side, you're, you're
picking the AC of your monster.

Mm hmm.

Um.

And kind of something to take in
consideration is don't pick a monster

that's going to be overkill for your level
five adventures or level one adventures.

You know, those, those adventures, those
heroes, your players are going to start

out fighting goblins and small hobgoblins
and rats and, and things of that nature.

Don't throw, do not
throw an Aboleth at them.

Right, right off the bat.

I don't know

Adam: who did that.

Zac: You didn't do that.

Adam: Not to me.

One day.

I will tell you of the
adventures of the past.

Okay, well.

Zac: Where I failed as a DM.

Well, you keep your failures
to yourself, mister.

Cause I'm here to tell
these folks how it's done.

Adam: But.

Zachary what?

Or Zacharias or Zach?

My name.

My name's Zach.

Thank you.

Really?

Your birth name is Zac.

I hate

Zac: you so much.

Continue.

.
Adam: What is AC determined by?

What's the bonus?

Zac: That is Constitution.

No, fuck.

.
Adam: You said it was

Zac: so much to comment.

I really thought it was Constitution.

Okay, so.

What is that also dexterity?

It is!

Adam: Oh my god!

Look at that, he got a second track.

Second go round.

Okay,

Zac: well, you know,
second time's the charm.

Adam: So yes, your pluses to AC,
whether it be 0, plus 1, plus

2, are determined by dexterity.

But how also can you
increase your armor class?

Zac: Finding a really cool tattoo.

Okay, yes.

Okay, finding magical items
that increase your armor class.

Fantastic.

A M.

leveling up.

What do you want?

Well, and okay, you
said there was one way.

There's now like three,
there's like four ways.

Okay.

Well do tell me the other two, please.

So, yeah.

Adam: So the, like you said,
magical artifacts, um, you

can get a wish spell as well.

That's bold.

Or, um, you can get, uh, the easiest
way is by increasing your armor.

Zac: Yeah, from like
light to medium to heavy.

Yeah,

Adam: but just know if you choose
that as a character, you got to

be proficient and you also got
to make sure it's in your weight

Zac: class.

Yeah, so you cannot be a
gnome wearing heavy armor.

It just rarely happens unless you
pick the feats that lead up to

Adam: it.

Now, why would somebody
roll a saving throw?

Zac: Well, A saving throw would
be for spell saves, specifically.

And say someone cast charm on
your player What is a bard's

Adam: spellcasting ability?

Determined by

Zac: Charisma, good job.

Thank you.

I mean, that is the whole point of
a bar is to be a charismatic son

Adam: of a gun spellcasting
ability and your spellcasting.

Um, if you're a spellcaster, they
will have to make a saving throw

based upon your spellcasting ability.

Yep.

So, um, or the spell itself has a
has determined what kind of basically

Zac: a saving throw works is this
if say you have a charm spell

and the This is going to sound
very confusing to new people.

So it is something you probably need to
look into aside from just this podcast,

because I'm more of a visual person.

So DND beyond very good at doing it.

Any handbook you get of player
guide from D and D grade.

Uh, there's a lot of online
resources, but for example, if you

have a saving role of Say there is
a charm spell being cast on you.

You have to hit a saving
roll of 15 or higher.

Will you roll a d20?

And if you roll higher than a 15 plus your
modifier, your modifier will be stated.

You'll see that whatever
you're rolling for.

So say it's a charisma save.

You got to roll above a 15.

If you have a plus one in charisma or
plus two, you add that to your role.

If you hit above it,
well, you're not charmed.

We're using charmed as an example.

This can happen with many
different types of spells.

So you need to read what the spell
depiction is, the description of it.

See what it.

You know, really requires or what you
need to roll to beat it, and nine times

outta 10, you as a dm, you need to know
what your players have to hit it by.

And I like to tell the players.

I like to say, Hey, you
have to hit a 15 or above.

Sometimes that's

Adam: nice not to close that

Zac: probation.

Yeah, okay.

Boss fights.

Sometimes that's not, you
don't have to disclose that.

If you really want to
keep it alive, you don't

Adam: wanna disclose the
AC of a monster either.

That's no fun.

Zac: You never want to
disclose the AC of a

Adam: monster.

Let them figure it out after
the fourth round and they're on

death's door knocking, looking
for the gods above to help them.

But in this universe the gods

Zac: don't exist.

The god is a cruel man named Adam.

Adam: I'm very cruel.

We added a new character and a new player
in and I was, you know, messaging them.

And, uh It ended up causing chaos
in the group because they're like

Adam is a cruel and omnipotent God.

Do not trust his lies.

I'm the one who said this.

And they all agree.

They all like the damn

Zac: comment.

I'm like alright.

I thought I was doing
a good job over here.

Look, you're doing a great job.

But you know, there's gotta be a balance.

And you add cosmic balance of

good

Adam: and evil.

I do have cosmic balance.

But back to the spell attack modifier.

So that is, And I don't know if you
know this off the top of your head, but

it's going to be your proficiency bonus
plus your spellcasting ability modifier.

Did not know this.

Okay, you're learning.

Congrats.

Congrats, he's learning,
ladies and gentlemen.

So whatever it determines based on
your class and your, and, and the spell

itself, it'll have a proficiency bonus.

And you'll add your
spellcasting modifier to it.

And then that will be the
check that you have to make.

Or the player, or the DM
will have to make that check.

Depending on if you're getting
attacked by a spell, or if you're

attacking them with a spell.

Zac: Yeah, and I mean, like

Adam: I said.

And it's usually half damage if you fail.

Yeah.

In most attacks.

Correct.

Zac: And, and that's the thing.

We are saying a lot of things that
to new players are going to sound

obscene and ludicrous and like what
in God's name or in what in the

God's names are they talking about?

Um.

Look up some online resources.

It does help you get a better grasp.

It's what I did when I was a
new DM, when I was a new player.

When he was a newbie.

When I was fresh off the D& D.

When I was a young Walt Hall.

When he was a young

Adam: warthog Oh, beautiful, beautiful.

Yeah, I know.

We're in sync there.

We are.

Uh, but that, that kind of gives you the
overview of what we got going on with the

initiatives, the actions and movements,
and the combat mechanics that you're

gonna find in your regular D& D combat.

Let's take it a step further, uhoh.

We're gonna go into tactical
considerations that players make

in the strategies inside it.

I love this.

Okay.

The first, second, and third that
we're gonna be talking about is

terrain and environmental effects.

Yep.

Teamwork and coordination.

Yep.

And then enemy tactics from the DM side.

Oh,

Zac: we're breaking this down.

Mm-Hmm.

Three subsegments.

Yep.

Three subsegments.

Okay.

So terrain.

Okay.

Well, I love terrain.

I think terrain really does add a
sense of, if you think outside the

box, it's probably going to work
in your favor, depending on your

DM, if you've got an a hole DM.

Not gonna allow you to
do much of anything.

If you got one a little bit more open to
some really cool ideas that might work.

Yeah, I will say you're pretty
open to most of the ideas.

Rule of

Adam: cool boys and girls.

Remember, rule of cool.

If they want to dig a trench before
a big battle, tire themselves out.

Zac: I mean, that's something, but I
was going to say you're in a swamp area.

You got a lightning
spell while there's water

Adam: everywhere.

I got a cool swamp encounter that y'all,
if y'all go to the swamps, you get

encounter it, you know, it's a giant
alligator and y'all are on an airboat.

Why are you telling me everything?

Just letting you know, it's a one
shot idea or I may incorporate it.

Where are we in the swamps of Louisiana?

No, but it's an airboat ride and
you're gonna meet some fellas

and the giant alligators gonna
pop out and it's gonna be a huge

Zac: deal Big old alligator.

They go boss.

They

Adam: go gator.

You don't have gator bites after Oh,

Zac: I do love gator.

Anyway, okay, so terrain think about
also cliffs edges high terrain a lot

of things people don't think of is when
we take in consideration combat and

in the Subtlety of movement, you can
also, you don't always just talk about.

What do you mean?

Adam: Like, did

Zac: you say high ground?

Like height, mountains,

Adam: cliffs?

Oh, oh, I thought you
were saying high ground.

I was fixing to go, I have
the high ground, Anakin!

It's over!

Zac: Why do you sound
like a soap opera Obi Wan?

Adam: Because that was
the whole goal of that.

It's over, Anakin.

I have the high ground.

Zac: Anyway, um, Think of, this is
something I take a lot of fun in, and

I didn't really grasp the concept of
knowing and picking Erbling grasped it.

Beats.

Why are you Erbling grasped it.

Picking feats sometimes is beneficial
over What are you laughing at?

Adam: If you got that on the podcast,
we'll be , we'll be, we'll be golden.

Just tweet at me on that one.

Beat.

Zac: F-E-A-T-S.

, not F-E-E-T-S.

You Dan Schneider.

Adam: Little no, . The the way,
the way you, you said picking Fes.

I was like, oh look.

That kind of, that kind of DD look.

look with your special eyes, my brand.

So

Zac: something, uh, I really
take in consideration.

Like I was playing

Adam: a, uh, he's doing
a great job, folks.

Great warlock.

Zac: A warlock actually
has a feed in ability to.

Um, actually throw the enemy back 10
meters, um, when casting Eldridge.

Oh, you did this in

Adam: Baldur's Gate,

Zac: sure did.

And I really did some
tactical stuff in that game.

And I will say, look, um, and we're,
we're going to keep this separate

from the Baldur's Gate IP and whatnot.

Fanboys.

There's nothing wrong
with liking Baldur's Gate.

I didn't say anything.

There's nothing liking Baldur's Gate.

You just said.

I'm sending fanboys.

It's okay to be a fanboy.

At least they're getting
introduced to D& D.

We'll take it where we can get it.

So, here's the thing.

That game was a great, um, A great tool to
help me visualize how some of these worked

spells and rolls and saves and whatnot.

Um, but also it also helped me realize
how tactical your terrain can be.

You know, if I was in a boss fight with
two minotaurs, Well, well above my level.

If they were on a cliff side,
well, I had that Eldritch Blast

incantation where I could just
throw it, knock them off 10 feet.

They'd fall to their death.

Bada bing, bada boom, killed
a Minotaur well over my level.

You can do things like this, but you
do have to think outside the box.

It's not always, I can
just push them off a ledge.

Sometimes it's entangling them or
polymorphing them, getting behind

them, throwing them from a great
height or throwing them into a

hazardous terrain where, whether it
be vines or fire or electrified water

or, you know, Deep water it it just
really depends on what you want to

Adam: do.

Yeah And as a DM you can use terrain to
your advantage as well as the DM as the

slow their movement speed mister Mr.

Queen spider comes walking out
of the forest from the treetops

Zac: first off is not Queen
spiders of spider matriarch

Adam: Close spider matriarch.

Y'all haven't met the

Zac: spider queen yet.

Okay.

Well, you're the one who made the
spider matriarch come out and that's

all because You Madeleine, our bard
of the group, decided to insult Bolt.

No, insult one of the spiders
and say, You're mama's a

hoe or something like that.

It was

Adam: beautiful.

And I already had to plan the
Mayshark to come out if they lasted

so many rounds, and they did.

And

Zac: I did, because I was
scorching Ray and those spiders.

Adam: But having Terrain as the DM
makes sure that if you're in like a

Lich's lair or a God's lair, there's
lair actions that you can use.

And it'll say that in the monster manual,
and then there's some creatures that

dig, there's some creatures that tunnel,
there's some creatures that fly, so use

those creatures to your advantage to
combat whatever the players are facing.

And

Zac: not even creatures, booby traps.

Yeah.

Traps in general, you could be
in a lich lair and there could be

traps galore that they know about,
but the players don't know about.

You know, and it's essentially
a minefield for your players.

Make it challenging for them as
well as make it fun for yourself

and make it fun for them.

Make it something where
everybody can have a good time.

All right.

So terrain next we got teamwork,
teamwork, coordination.

Okay.

This is where certain DMS are different.

Some like to let the chaos
unfold and roll back.

And how they want it, just, just let the
chaos reign and don't give any help or

Adam: direction means let
the good times roll for you.

And sometimes

Zac: that works other DMS,

Adam: you know, wow.

That's like targeted to me.

Zac: It is.

Other

Adam: target on that one.

Other DMs not mentioning
anybody's names, but Adam, Adam,

Zac: No, I'm just joking.

You have helped us kind of
think outside the box before.

Yeah, I've had to.

I mean, there are times we
would have died easily without.

Adam: It's no fun to have people die.

Yes, it is.

Zac: Kill them all.

Diagnose schizophrenic.

That could be.

I don't know.

I don't think you're

Adam: schizophrenic.

I'm here with Zach and Kaz.

Who's Zach?

Zac: Who are

Adam: you talking to right now?

Yeah, that's right.

You don't even exist.

Ultimate gaslighter.

I'm talking to Kaz right now.

Zac: I'm just playing.

Um.

No, the um, I do think it is nice to show
a subtle direction for your players there,

uh, I just think of this time a lot.

Adam and I were on the same wavelength,
um, I used Disguise Self as to, at

first I was going to transform into a,
what was it, a pillar or like a statue.

To blend in with the environment,
like a marble esque statue, and then

you were like, Think about whose
tower you're in, and I'm like, Oh,

I'm dubious, I'm gonna transform.

And I was like, oh yeah, immediately,
why did I not think of that?

Adam: Just a little hints
there helps the character.

Just

Zac: a little coin flip,
hey, here's a little sample.

Here's what I would do

Adam: in this situation.

Zac: And I mean, yeah, sometimes,
you know, you're in the heat of it

all, You're not thinking through
and through, but, It doesn't hurt to

give them a slight nudge of what you
would do if they don't pick up on it.

That's on them.

If they do more power to them, they'll
learn future references and kind of

Adam: encounters.

But you'll eventually as a, as a player,
if you're In your watching as a DM, your

characters and your players themselves
will figure out what works best for them.

If there's going to be people that
stay back, there's people that run

up to the front no matter what.

You'll, they'll eventually figure out
what works best for them and what kind of

AOE that they have to deal with on that.

So just remember when you're looking.

for some cohesion and
coordination from them.

It's going to take a few battles,
a few combat encounters for them to

get really the big hang of it, but
just know that that exists out there.

There's going to be AOE people.

There's going to be, you know, people
healing if it's a longer battle

or they're, you know, they'll be
able to discuss amongst themselves,

what works out the best for them.

But that leads us into our
role as the DM and that's the

enemy's tactics and strategies.

So if you randomly pull
up a monster manual.

I mean, look through it.

A lot of the times it'll give you a
background history of the monster itself.

Um, if not, you can always look
it up on Google or uh, DMs Guild.

They can give you a good background
or the Forgotten Realms Wiki.

They can give you a background of
each monster and where they come

from, what they hail, what they think
like, and what kind of environment

that they're going to be in.

But that can also shape how you
create an environment around them.

So, for example, if they're in a Lich's
lair, I had a Death Knight pop up.

Because it makes more sense for
a Lich to summon a Death Knight.

Or a Orcus to summon a Death Knight.

Because they control the bones
and they control, you know,

whatever's living beneath them.

So they can, they control the undead.

If you're looking for vampires, they
like to hide in disguise themselves.

If you're looking for a succubus
they like to eat mortals, but they

like to befriend them first before

Zac: they eat.

How do they like to befriend?

Adam: Charming.

They're very charming.

Okay.

I will leave it at that, but
I thought of a really fun one.

That to.

Y'all haven't met yet.

I thought about doing this in a
campaign, but I don't think, I've

erred on the side of the compartment.

Leave a

Zac: little

Adam: bit of a surprise to me.

No, I don't think I'm going to
introduce this, because I was

reading this on Reddit the other day.

I don't think it fits with the campaign
itself, but somebody had a party

have a succubus come into the party.

Oh.

But none of them are mortals or humans,
so the succubus isn't really after them.

But they are bringing her back to town

And they are leaving her in town so
the townsfolk in the town's gonna die

But I thought about I thought if
that could work I would use it

But I just doesn't work with the
overall chain Whatever y'all have

enough to deal with at this point
that doesn't make sense false hydra.

Yeah, but I give y'all enough
false hydras anyways that

Zac: I we've never fought a false
hydra, you know, the whole point of

false hydra is extreme gaslighting.

Adam: What's been gas lit?

Nothing.

Zac: It's a fault.

I just I have a personal
love for the false hydra.

I'm

Adam: letting you know right now
there's a false hydra somewhere.

Zac: Really?

In your campaign?

Swear.

Mm hmm.

You already came across it.

No shit.

What?

Adam: Yeah.

Already?

Already.

The false hydra.

Oh, yeah, there's a lot of false
hydras in my campaigns, though.

Have you

Zac: seen how freaky those things look?

Mm hmm.

Is that what's murdering the townsfolk?

No.

That one?

Oh, damn.

I thought I had it.

Okay.

I can't tell you.

Okay.

Don't tell me.

I'm curious now.

I've got to solve it.

Adam: I'm supposed to
work through his brain.

Like I'm

Zac: going, I am the best detective.

I'm going

Adam: to solve this.

I don't know.

Dictionary Doug's better dictionary

Zac: duck and lick a big one.

Adam: But you as a DM, you always
want to make it a fun encounter for

them, but you got to make sure that.

When you're doing enemy, the
enemy's tactics, you really

embody the enemy itself.

You really think like them tactically,
how they're going to attack.

If there's a group of them, how
they would attack, because that

makes it more realistic for them.

Because that's, they're not
going to attack the, always the

best player that's up in front.

They may try to go after
the spellcaster in the back.

So you just got to
remember how to do that.

And I thought, I hope that was a
little helpful for y'all to give an

overview of The combats, I think Zach
did a great job at introducing all

the different initiative counters
that, how the Turning combat works

the attacks and movement speeds of
different things and how it affects it

He did a great job at terrain and how
terrain affects the environment itself.

I do be trying he do So I
think he did a great job at it.

He's learning still says we had
to correct some things, but that's

perfectly fine On that I just the baby.

I'm just proud of you.

That's all.

Oh god proud of you proud

Zac: dad moment proud dad But

Adam: I hope you as a DM or you as a
player that listened to the combat episode

Can understand that there's a lot that
goes into it and there's a lot of cohesion

that has to happen in order for it to
work out the way it does during combat.

And remember, please try not to
make combat the only thing during a

session, unless it's a big boss battle.

I get it, but Too boring, too often.

5e combat is just slow with
anything more than four characters.

Correct.

It just is.

And you as a DM need to tell your
characters to already have their

ideas of combat worked out before
it even gets to their turn, just

to make it a little bit faster.

And if you see that they're being slow
and they're thinking too much about it,

you gotta pause it, let them know that
in reality, they only have six seconds.

Yeah,

Zac: I mean, not only that,
if they are a newer player.

Suggest something for them to do
after so many suggestions and so

many combat encounters, they're
going to start picking up on it.

So remember to have the patience to
kind of work with them in the beginning.

It can't just be a, Hey kid,
you're on your own type thing.

And I think I do a pretty
damn good job at that.

I mean, Some some of our party knew how
combat worked others did not just patience

Adam: my patience in the beginning They
got to figure it out But once they get

comfortable with it what they want to
do, they've gotten faster with it but

if you if you're 20 sessions in and
they start slowing down and buckling

on their decision making because they
don't they are trying to make the most

optimal Move min maxing themselves.

You got a you as a DM's got to
understand during the combat phase

Then you got to reiterate that they
only have 30 seconds Six seconds

Zac: and in if it got to the severity
of which they are just trying to

strat you out here Meaning they're
they're planning the mid death

Adam: word kill No.

Legendary accents.

Zac: Too much.

Put them on a timer.

Put them on a Yeah, a minute timer.

I usually do a minute.

I say that's too long.

I say that's 30 seconds.

If

Adam: they take a while, I do a minute.

Just to have that hasten ability.

Cause then they start
panicking a little bit.

They cast haste.

Zac: They do.

Can take another action.

Adam: There you have
it, Valiant Adventures.

Conclusion of another exhilarating
episode here at Tavern Talks Podcast.

We delved into the heart of combat in
the world of Dungeons Dragons, uncovering

strategies, tactics, and tales of triumph.

Zac: A heartfelt thank you to
all of our listeners who've

joined us on this adventure.

Your presence in our virtual tavern adds
to the richness of our shared experience.

As we

Adam: bid farewell to this episode,
we invite you to share your own

tales of daring battles in any genre.

Epic showdowns reach out to us on Twitter
at pod tavern talks on Instagram at tavern

talks pod, or share your experiences
on Tik Tok at tavern talks pod.

Zac: So whether you face down dragons
or outwitted bandits, your stories

matter, and we're eager to hear

Adam: them.

So until our tankards meet again,
fellow adventurers, may your sword stay

sharp, your spells hit true, and may the
thrill of combat guide your every step.

Zac: So here's to the battles
won, the challenges overcome.

Until next time, safe travels and may
your adventures be ever legendary.