Morale

The end of the round is also the time for morale checks. Remember, player characters never need to check morale; they’re smart enough to know when to cut and run, and foolish enough not to run when they should. However, NPC allies or followers of the PCs may decide to abandon them if things go poorly.

Morale is discussed at length in the Dungeon Master Guide, so it won’t be reiterated here. The DM is not required to make a morale roll every round; he can use his own judgment to decide when someone might be thinking of calling it a day. Some good guidelines of when monsters or NPCs might make morale checks:

· When surprised;

· When faced by an obviously superior enemy force;

· When an ally is slain by magic;

· When 25% of their group has fallen;

· When 50% of their group has fallen;

· When their leader deserts or is killed;

· When they are fighting an enemy that can’t be hurt by their weapons;

· When they are offered a chance to surrender and they’ve already met one other

· condition for a morale check.

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