Morale Checks for PCs

[Michael Pfaff]

Particularly fearsome foes including the greater dragons and rocs, wraiths, and 8th (or higher) level fighters will cause normal-types (including player characters) to check morale merely by attacking.

How does one calculate a PC's morale score / modifier?

[waysoftheearth]

Hey Michael, neat question.

Morale checks are typically made with a throw of 2d6. There is no specific "target score" to beat, instead the outcome is determined by comparing the result on the dice to a table. Generally, a higher throw is going to be better.

See here: Morale Checks
And see also: The Monster Reaction Table.

However, that's V4. If you are interested, you might also check out the (work in progress) morale section in V5, which you can find on p30 here.

Note that in V5 a morale throw of 12 is positioned simply as "very good" morale, without prescribing a (potentially silly) attack impetuously! outcome. But... maybe attacking a dragon impetuously instead of running away would be fun?

Hope that helps

[Michael Pfaff]

Hi Ways, awesome work on DD.

I guess I know how morale works. My question is specific to the bolded text in my original post. The morale section says typically PCs don't check morale unless supernatural. But, then that 8HD section also says they check morale as well.

So: do PCs use the morale table to check morale in those situations (8HD+ monsters if they are lower level and supernatural fear)? If yes, then, what bonuses (if any) do they get to the roll? Surely, they don't make a flat roll?

[waysoftheearth]

Hi Ways, awesome work on DD.

I guess I know how morale works. My question is specific to the bolded text in my original post. The morale section says typically PCs don't check morale unless supernatural. But, then that 8HD section also says they check morale as well.

So: do PCs use the morale table to check morale in those situations (8HD+ monsters if they are lower level and supernatural fear)? If yes, then, what bonuses (if any) do they get to the roll? Surely, they don't make a flat roll?

Hey Michael, apologies I hadn't seen your reply from over six months ago! Bizarrely, the board only notified me now (June 2019) that there was an unread post here.

Anyways. I think the key there is that some low-level player-types also qualify as normal-types, and are therefore subject to all stuff that normal-types are subject to.

From memory, DD V4 qualifies normal-types as man-like figures with fewer than 3 HD. This was a judgement call based largely on the Fighting Capability stats of player types (any figure with Heroic of better FC was presumed "fantastic"), plus a smattering of supporting examples throughout various rules booklets. It kinda works, but V5 drops the hard HD limit and focusses more directly on FC.

That aside, normal-types (however you choose to identify them) are subject to running away from really scary enemies. If it so happens that a party of normal types is attacked by a terrifying Conan or Smaug-type figure, then it is subject to a regular morale check, regardless of whether it includes low level player types or just other normals.

Any bonuses to this check would be for the ref to decide but, at that point, surrendering or running away is probably a pretty good option. Making the morale check might give the players an option they shouldn't take

[mgtremaine]

For some reason the post was awaiting moderation and we all sort of missed it. Carry on -Mike