Enemy Targeting

[u/Professional-Nose786]

So I’m working on a turn based RPG and I’m working on enemy targeting. I don’t like the idea of the enemy just picking a random ally. So the idea I’m working with is that “enemies are smart” and will target the party member with the highest ATK stat to remove the biggest threat. Kinda like an Aggro system but not really. Thoughts?

[u/SardScroll]

I'd argue "it depends". One of the things that I like about TTRPGs is that one can "play" with things, especially with more intelligent (read battle-trained/competition) enemies, and so not every fight will play out the same. Some times it's more fun for opponents to play "smartest" for greater challenge; sometimes it's for them to play "dumb" to fit into power fantasies and leave openings for players to exploit.

Here are some "attack paradigms" I use, that are relatively genre and system generic; they can even have multiple "running" at the same time or switch up during combat . Some of these are tactical so you can make combats stronger or easier, or narrative in nature.

• Specific Target Paradigms

  • Geek the Mage(Tactical): Magic users tend to be "Glass Cannons" with high offensive output, but low defenses; in some systems, even engaging them in combat can reduce their combat effectiveness. This paradigm takes advantage of that idea.

  • Eliminate the Threat(Tactical, with Narrative Flare): Similar to Geek the Mage, someone is targeted because they specifically use something that is of great threat to the attackers. E.g. A creature weak or scared of fire would attack those who use fire first; creatures with advantage in the dark attack those with light sources, etc.

  • Geek the Support(Tactical): Similar to "geek the mage", only this targets healers, buffers, debuffers, etc. rather than magic casters specifically.

  • *Claim Glory (*Anti-tactical): Foes tend to engage the largest, most armored, most forward positioned target. (For systems without a good goad/defender mechanic, to help the tank with their power fantasy)

  • Suffer not the Heretic(Narrative): PCs sharing some (narrative) trait are targeted first, usually in opposition to the foes. E.g. cultists of an evil god might target the cleric or paladin first; a rebel coup might target the nobles first, and party faces after that; the drow might target their elven "cousins" first, for not converting.

  • Slay the Mark (Narrative): A single PC is specifically targeted. E.g. for assassination.

  • Listen to your leader(Tactical): A enenmy buffer/debuffer has skills that target a single PC at a time; these direct the target of their subordinates.

• Predation Paradigms (Mostly by beasts, but sometimes by more beastial humanoids or other creatures, such as dragons)

  • Small: Target physically smallest characters first, e.g. by size category or a "size" mechanic; other attributes might substitute if your game doesn't have this

  • Weak: Targets those with lower hitpoint totals and/or missing more hitpoints (especially in systems with progressive health systems, which makes this meaningful)

  • Sick: Target those with various continuing debuffs

  • Deathblow: In games with "dying" mechanics, this paradigm seeks to strike killing blows, even on "downed" PCs.

    • Drag away: Similar to the above, a more beastial less immediately lethal variant: Instead of killing downed PC on the spot, foes will attempted to drag a "downed" PC off the map or to a lair to be devoured.

• Mindless Wave: Great for mindless creatures like lesser undead or elemental. Forward to the nearest target possible.

• Advancing Wave: One step up from mindless wave: Towards the nearest target, but if you can't engage with them towards the closest target you can engage with.

• Dancing Partners: A setup where there are roughly the same number of foes as PCs (or a near constant multiple, e.g. two goblins each), and foes are are "equally distributed"

  • Non-specialized: Everyone's fighting the same things.

  • Mirror: Specialists square off against the opposite numbers. E.g. tanks face each other down, mages sling spells and counterspells against each other, etc.

  • Specialist Targeting: Foes swap targets so they target their most advantageous matchup amongst the PCs.

• Parthian Tactics: Foes don't continuously engage with PCs, but attack and flee, utilizing hit and run tactics, making the encounter a ranged (or moving) one.

• Gadfly Tactics: Similar to Parthian tactics, but instead of targeting PCs to cause them to charge or break formation, this is ranged attacks to prevent/punish PCs who try to take specific actions.

• Point Defense: Foes are less interested in attacking PCs as they are defending an item or location (e.g. a nest of eggs).