This is for D&D 5e.
I'm currently making a reoccurring antagonist NPC that is a master thief. It's CR 6 and I want it to be capable of making three attacks per round like multiattack but also have their thief subclass's enhanced cunning action with fast hands.
This would normally mean they'd get 3 attacks and a varying options for bonus actions, however I'd want them to be able to trade up to three if these attacks to have more uses of cunning action (this would of course stack the ability to dash 4 times per round but I'd just not do that while running the monster). They also have a special once per day ability that I'd want them to be able to swap a single attack for.
It got me thinking, instead of trying to make an unwieldy combination of multiattack, a special action and cunning action, could I just give them three actions?
The simple way this NPC works that I want them to pick 3 options from:
- Dagger
- Crossbow
- Special action
- Dash
- Disengage
- Hide
- Make an ability check
- Use an object
- Use a set of tools
At this point, what do I actually lose from letting them take 3 actions? They aren't a Spellcaster so I'm not worried about them throwing out three fireballs or the like.
I had a similar experience in my 5e game, no real combat but basically the intrigued that drove the game got tenfold more complex and was revealed to involve each member of the party in a varying but believable way.
Seperatly, I also played Alice is Missing the month before and it lived up to the hype I wanted, but it's very up.my street. What I seek in an RPG is being able to move between being immersed enough to feel what my character feels when I want it, but when I don't, be able to act as my own drama maker for later. AiM absolutely delivered that for me. It also didn't need magic or tech to deliver any agency which is a big plus to me.