State of Survival Horde Strategy

When it comes to Dungeons & Dragons, running large groups of monsters can be a daunting task. However, with the right strategy, you can make the experience enjoyable for both players and DMs alike. In this article, we will explore a simple system for managing dozens to hundreds of monsters in your D&D battles.

First, let's start with an example scenario: Our heroes stand atop a cliff of ice, facing off against twenty-five wights. The stout warrior cleaves into them, slicing off four heads in two vicious cuts. Or perhaps they're standing atop the ruins of an elven watchtower, ready to take on forty orcs. The cleric holds her holy symbol aloft and waves of radiant energy tear through the skeletons, shattering dozens of creatures before the rest roar in.

The key to running large groups of monsters is understanding how areas of effect work. In general, it's assumed that lots of members of the horde are caught in the area. To make things simpler, we can round up or down depending on the situation.

For example, if a character casts an area of effect spell like circle of death, which has a huge impact zone, assume it hits thirty-two monsters. On the other hand, small areas of effect might hit just four monsters, while medium areas would affect eight. Large areas, such as fireball or turn undead, could potentially hit sixteen.

When adjudicating areas of effect, remember to increase the number of affected monsters if they have advantage (to half) or disadvantage (one in ten). Also, whenever monsters attack or need to make a saving throw, assume one-quarter succeed and round up or down depending on the situation.

In addition to managing area of effects, it's also important to keep track of monster hit points. To make things easier, round monster hit points to the nearest 5 or 10. Any time the tally is higher than the hit points of a single monster, remove that monster from the battlefield.

Finally, remember to tally damage done to any member of the horde in a single tally. This will help you keep track of how many monsters are still active and make combat more efficient.

By following this simple system, DMs can easily manage dozens to hundreds of monsters in their D&D battles. Whether you're facing off against wights, orcs, skeletons, or any other type of monster, these tips will help you create a fun and engaging experience for your players. So the next time you find yourself facing down a horde of enemies, remember: with the right strategy, you can take on even the most daunting challenges.

For a video on this topic, see my Running Hordes YouTube video.

State of survival horde strategy