A fighter, invoker and rogue walk into a bar. Moving to the nearest table they all sit, ordering ale and discussing their latest conquest – the slaying of a nasty troll. The fighter says, “if it weren’t for me you’d all be dead - your glass jaws can hardly take a blow.” The invoker harrumphs and responds with, “yea, well I finished off all the minions in the crowd letting you focus on that troll – nearly scorching your eyebrows in the process because you moved into the path of my righteous flame.” The rogue smiles nonchalantly and says simply “I landed the killing blow, you people have no eye for vulnerabilities and position – without me you’d never have succeeded.”

Ok, it is a silly example, but it brings up an interesting topic: combat strategy – specifically positioning and movement. Without a doubt we all want to succeed in combat. Understandably, we often also want to be the ones to land that killing blow, put up the biggest damage numbers, or crack off that heal in the nick of time, turning the tide. However there is an important consideration to be had and it is not black and white: are we being efficient with our movement and positioning, setting each other up for success?

As with any strategy game – chess being the one that comes to mind – there are a handful of opening moves that set the pace for the rest of the game. They are strong, play to the individual strengths of that piece while supporting others for blocking, defending and attacking. D&D is no different. When you engage with your foe, take the following into consideration: how do I play to my characters strengths? How can I support the motivations and strengths of my party? Am I maneuvering the battlefield in a way that minimizes (or maximizes them depending on your class) threats to myself and others?

Depending on the style of game you are in – be it a hack-n-slash RPGA game, or the most extravagant role playing – you’ll need to survey the battlefield you are on and determine how best to position yourself for party success. Consider your motivations. Is the enemy an avatar of a diametrically opposed god to the righteous one you worship? If so, I expect you’ll charge in with disregard for everything but the sole purpose of annihilating that blot of filth. Alternatively, is your motivation to bathe all foes in fiery justice? To be successful you’ll need to work with your party members to cluster enemies into tight groups so you can rain brimstone down upon them. Or, as is always my case being a rogue, are my motivations to single out creatures on the battlefield and divest them of limbs with surgical precision until they collapse into pieces at my feet?

In any of these situations there is one constant: awareness of positioning. This stems from a broader awareness of the strengths of your party members. Know that an invoker or a sorcerer is looking for ways to drop area affecting spells to wreak the most havoc possible. Understand that the rogue is always looking for flanking and combat advantage. When you see the fighter charge towards their foe, look for ways to assist by positioning yourself to have their back, be in range for heals, take advantage of openings, or peel that creature apart like an onion.

As the encounter evolves always consider the effect your movements will have on your party. If you move into the middle of a 3x3 square, surrounded by enemies, I would suggest you duck because that invoker is going to drop hellfire on you – and rightly so! You positioned yourself inside a target rich environment, and if you happen to take a blast from your stupidity that is your own fault, you’ll either learn or die – D&D Darwinism at its finest. If you move into a flanking position that the rogue could make better use of, expect to hear a huff from that end of the gaming table, and expect the rogue to rush you and push you out of the way, yelling obscenities that’d make a sailor blush all the while.

I have found in my gaming experience that positioning is the fulcrum of all battles. If your party is good at monopolizing advantageous positions on the battlefield, you’ll survive. This is a learned trait, but something that doesn’t need to be difficult. Have pre game meta discussion with your friends and help them understand exactly what you are looking for. Rogue: “I always look for flanking positions so I can stab thirty points of rage into the back of my foes.” Invoker: “I want 3x3 squares filled with monsters and allies out of the way so I can lay a swath of destruction.” Fighter: “I want the biggest, meanest piece of walking death standing toe-to-toe with me so I can force it to focus on me, while you bludgeon it to death from behind.” Think about what you’ve tuned your character to do, discuss it with the team, and execute with panache.

Creating situations where your party performs at its optimum levels, in the manner that each player has built their character for, creates a compelling gaming experience. You’ll want to come back for more, you’ll be motivated to help each other out, and you’ll leave a wake of bodies behind you.