DDO Online: Combat and Tactical Methodology

Basic tactics are just that, basic. In the Tactics 10_ series, we dealt with the basics of fighting individuals. The Tactics 20_ will deal with fighting as a party. This first installment deals with Conceptual Tactics endemic to DDO (and many other MMORPGs) and basic military tactics which are applicable to the game.

I cannot stress the importance of applying these concepts in-game. When everyone knows these concepts and employs them automatically, everyone walks out of the "dungeon" alive. When even one person doesn't, the results are often disastrous.

Don't believe me?

Remember that time when you went into <insert adventure here> and everything fell apart? I'll bet that after reading these articles, you will be able to pinpoint who did what wrong, why it was wrong, who exacerbated the problem, and why everyone had to release.

Agro: This term is defined in the Online Compendium at DDO.com as "...the term used to describe when an NPC is fixated on killing your character."

In other words, Agro is the mechanism by which NPCs (aka the bad guys) prioritize which character or characters to attack during a given segment of time.

You would want to take out your most dangerous opponent in a fight as quickly as possible, to minimize your own casualties, and so does the enemy. Several factors cause agro to ebb and flow in DDO:

1. Whether the NPC is set to attack PCs on sight (some will not fight until the end, such as in "The Collaborator" quest, et al.) and whether the NPC has LoS on the PC.

2. The distance between the NPC and the PC.

3. The relative strength of the PC compared to the NPC.

4. How much damage has been dealt to the NPC by the PC.

5. Heals and buffs given by the PC to other PCs or NPCs who are attacking the enemy NPC.

6. Status effects on the PC, such as invincibility, hold, or sleep, which make him or her more or less favorable to attack.

7. Agro generating or reducing abilities (such as invisibility) used on the PC.

8. Agro generating or reducing abilities used on the NPC (such as a Fear spell).

9. Time elapsed since the PC last generated agro on the NPC.

10. How much damage the PC has dealt other enemy NPCs in the enemy NPC's LoS.

Though listed last, number ten is perhaps the most important in controlling Agro, especially in the early stages of combat. The more damage you do (or undo, in the case of healers), the higher Agro level you generate. If a Tank kills an opponent or two quickly, they will generally have built enough Agro to hold onto it, provided they can keep hitting things. When you use the Intimidate skill, you are attempting to generate more Agro (for a maximum of 6 seconds), during which time you can build more "real" Agro. When you use the Diplomacy skill, you are attempting to decrease Agro, in the hope that someone else gains more while yours subsides.

If an enemy doesn't see your attack (LoS), you also don't cause agro.

Area of Effect (AoE) and massive healing spells generate massive Agro, as do Sneak Attacks and employing Feats like Multi-Shot, Great Cleave, etc.

Another consideration: charmed opponents and Summoned Creatures can generate the most Agro, if you let them. Summoning allies and charming opponents will immediately generate Agro for the Spellcaster who cast the spell, but if the rest of the party switches to ranged weapons, the charm or summon will quickly generate enough of its own Agro that the party can stand back and pick their opponents off easily (and safely) while the enemy masses against the temporary ally.

A final word on Agro: it's kind of like this, if someone tries to kill you, you're probably going to try to kill them right back. If someone kills your buddy George, you're going to want to kill him back too. But, one guy is trying to kill you, and another kills George, and someone else is throwing hand grenades (trying to kill you and Ed and Bob and Joe, while mutilating poor George's corpse), you're probably going to kill the guy with the grenades first. Think of our intrepid grenadier as having the most Agro, and you're start to understand the concept.

Line of Sight: Line of Sight (LoS) refers to the idea that if an enemy cannot see you, they often cannot shoot you or cast spells against you. This is an invaluable tool if the terrain permits manipulation of enemy LoS. LoS can allow you to pull opponents, limit agro, and engage in ranged tactics outside of the enemies range.

Pulling: "Pulling" is the tactic of splitting off single opponents or small groups of of the enemy so that you can overwhelm them, and not the other way around. Roger's Rangers were masters of this form of attack. You literally hit-and-run, so that the enemy chases you into an ambush.

In-game, it's also a form of limiting Agro, in that you only cause Agro in a certain individual or individuals. It requires time, skill, and isn't always successful, but when this technique is applied properly, it is one of the most effective tactics to use.

LoS can be a very effective tool in Pulling. Using a corner or the like, have the Tank range attack an enemy when only that NPC can see the Tank. The tank should then retreat behind the corner, switch to a melee weapon, and when the single opponent comes at you, cut him down immediately en masse. Rinse and repeat as necessary.

Ranging: Ranging is the art of killing an opponent before they are able to engage you. It's how the 187 Alamo defenders (armed with Kentucky Long Rifles--accurate to about 200 yards or so) were able to hold off an army of about 2400 (armed with the Brown Bess-- accurate to about 75 yards) for 13 days without suffering casualties while inflicting 400-600 before finally being annihilated once the Mexican Artillery was brought to bear. Think about how effective that is for a second. Outnumbered by over 10 to 1, they inflicted 2-3 times their own numbers in enemy casualties. Another excellent historical example of Ranging used to great effect would be the Battle of Agincourt.

Range whenever possible.

In DDO, this tactic can even be employed against stationary enemies that you cannot see. First, target them, back off before you fire, and while they are still targeted, begin firing. Even if the enemy does come at you, you won't likely Agro more than the one you are shooting, and may be able to finish them as they charge.

Flanking: This concept comes from the use of Calvary throughout history (the sides of a horse are it's "flanks"). The basic concept is to hit things from the sides and rear (where armor is often weaker and dodging things is impossible). Since most people can't fight more than one opponent at a time (without feats like Cleave, etc), you also minimize casualties while inflicting maximum damage using this tactic in-game. Some classes gain special attacks or extra damage when fighting from the sides, and everyone gets bonuses to hit and damage from the rear. Flank attacks tend to do more damage, and may also generate more Agro.

Mass Assault: This is the tactic that large groups of enemies will use against whomever has the most Agro. Also known as Massing or Swarming, the concept is simple: the entire group attacks a single threat until it is down, then moves to the next (as above, rinse and repeat as necessary). This is very effective, especially against beings with high armor class, hit dice, or damage reduction. It should be used constantly, especially after a successful "pull" and against "named" opponents or "bosses".

Funneling: This involves using restrictive terrain to limit the number of opponents who can engage in melee at once and to prevent breakthroughs or flank attacks. In game this often means using a doorway held by at least one Tank with another Tank or Secondary Fighter. Historically, the most famous example of this tactic would be the Battle of Thermopylae, dramatized in the movie 300. In essence, you "funnel" the enemy to face a small front of heavily armored troops, forcing the others to engage in less damaging range attacks (if they are able), while allowing your spellcasters relative impunity from any Agro they might generate.

Break-through: This tactic is sometimes confused with Blitzkrieg, but tends to be more limited in scope and scale. The concept is simple, punch a hole in the enemy front line of melee fighters so that you can generally do one of three things:

1. Flank the line from the middle,

2. Get behind the line and attack from the rear,

3. Or to initiate a Blitzkrieg-style maneuver against the rear area of the enemy (hitting their Arcane Spellcasters, Healers, and Ranged fighters with Tanks, for instance)

Regardless of the eventual goal, the breakthrough allows you an immediate tactical advantage that will likely (and sometimes hopefully) generate massive Agro.

Blitzkrieg: Literally "Lighting War," involves pushing through the lines to achieve a strategic goal, which neutralizes any tactical advantage wiping out the enemy might engender. From a game standpoint, it comes in many forms and, like modern usage in warfare, involves choosing the time and place for battle and the need for swifter movement than the enemy can counter. It is not so much a tactic as it is a strategy, in that you win the war, regardless of the outcome of the battle at hand. Think running past all the Kobold Prophets in "Stealthy Repossession" to grab the fake jewel, for instance.