If enemies can run away, what about PCs?

daveyeisley wrote:For flyers, it might be appropriate to work it in such a way as to give the player some floating combat text when the enemy fails its morale check, that the enemy is about to attempt to fly away, then use a timer before the enemy actually flies off to allow the PC to get some attacks in (sort of like how the system works at current).

I assume that escape via flight will only be possible outdoors, yes?

If the PC fails to damage the enemy (this simulates giving chase) when the timer is up, the enemy flies off.

If the PC attacks and connects, either with damage, or by forcing a saving throw (such as with a spell) the timer is reset.

For non-flying enemies, the idea of using perceptual range as the threshhold for escape is that, in a confined space, there is nowhere for the enemy to run... hence they should not be able to get away.

EDIT: just had a sort of related thought... what about a similar way for PCs to end a battle by "buggering off and running away"? maybe a VC command to voluntarily attempt to ditch a pursuer without using stealth or invisibility...

Just popping this in here to make sure i dont forget about it. Reason for the suggestion is that the combat AI is extremely good at chasing a PC through multiple areas, even if the PC gets WAAAAY out of perceptual range of the enemy, the AI still tracks them perfectly. I think a PC should have a way, like a VC command, to end a combat if they get far enough away from the baddie...

Perhaps this should be tied with the Perception skills in order to avoid exploitation. That way Rangers, Rogues, Barbarians, Monk, etc might be better at tracking prey over greater distances.

Elhanan wrote:Perhaps this should be tied with the Perception skills in order to avoid exploitation. That way Rangers, Rogues, Barbarians, Monk, etc might be better at tracking prey over greater distances.

It wouldnt be "exploitable" because in order for the idea to work at all, I included the requirement that the PC be out of the NPC's perceptual range. If the PC in still in range of being noticed, then the stealth/perception skills would apply.

If the PC is out of range of perception, the only thing that would work would be a tracking skill, and honestly, if NPCs are made to be able to track a PC, I think that's going way overboard, because PCs cannot do the same with enemies who have fled, and there really isn't a need for it. It would essentially defeat the purpose of adding PC "escape" functionality, and bring things back to the current situation of the AI being able to track a PC over several area transitions or more, well after line of sight is lost.

The caveat to "escape" functionality would be that sure, you can avoid dying to an enemy who has you in a bad situation by running as far away as fast as you can go (if you can get out of perceptual range), but if you get far enough away and use the command successfully, it would also cause the enemy to despawn.... so you cannot rest up, prep-up, and go back to gain XP from that enemy.

If you want the XP, you would have to stay "engaged", and use other means to avoid death... such as stealth, or invisibility spells, etc.

Toying around with this in the toolset. I'll do some testing with my PCs to see if it pans out.

possibly with he arbitrary floating text ' run away, run away'.

Most voicesets have a flee emote... those would be cool to use.

I think should get Brave Sir Robin's MP3 of "Run Away......" and put it in the hak for these occasions............But I am a geek.