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 played and modded Skyrim at the wazoo back in the day too, and haven't touched it in a decade. It still holds a really special place in my heart in a worldbuilding and lore space that nothing I've played since, newer or older has sated quite as strongly, including other elderly scrolls games.
I've just started replaying it, as there is basically an entire story's worth of high quality expanded mod content to explore, plus the original game has faded to a point of re-enjoying it. I'm probably going to introduce my partner to it with my own riff on the Gate to Sovngarde modlist.
The thing is, I don't care for the next game. I have no trust in Bethesda to make something that scratches the itch that Skyrim did, I don't expect it to be moddable in the same way looking at the creation club, and I literally expect it to be an objectively boring game.
If I want more of the elder scrolls experience I fell in love with, I have it in the old games.