Taunt, the game needs it

[AzureTheGamerKobold]

Despite being a HUGE D&D fan and i know taunts not an actual thing--- the game really does need taunt, because sometimes the AI focuses on a character and refuses to attack your tank. In real D&D a DM isn't going to have a troll charge your wizard for no reason, and it's really annoying to deal with some enemies just deciding to attack your squishie characters out of the blue. We need some way to control threat in game... and i'm a huge purist but even NWN 1 and 2 had a taunt mechanic i think this game could use one to.

Edit:

In those games it was done via intimidate skill

[xkuripuri]

From what I understand, even in all the books Pathfinder has, there isn't a lot of things to force targets to attack you. And the few that do exist, none are in this module.

You usually "tank" things by ensuring your meatsacks are in the way, and can't risk disengaging your melee attackers due to the AaO procs.

[Morgian]

And I don't know what your GM is doing, but ours here will attack certain characters first (like the healer), if his NPCs know who is what.

For what it's worth, there is an ability in game that demoralizes enemies, but I have not used it, so cannot tell you if it is what you are looking for. If you want to try, it is under common abilities for everyone.

[Hobocop]

95% of the time, all you need to do is stick a frontliner inbetween your spellcasters and charging enemies, and they'll probably stay there.

[BLKCandy]

I think it is fine even without taunt. It make sense that enemy would priorities vulnerable target. (Though they really just stick with the choosen target and doesn't really switch them.)

Instead melee fighters should have some CC skill to help allies, like trip. Which we do!

Except there are many enemies that immune or difficult to trip. And most fighters doesn't know how to trip because they are too stupid.

[Starcut]

In the 80+ hours I've played I think I've seen an enemy change targets from it's initial target maybe twice? Not really needed, unless it happens more often on higher difficulty.

[Gorith]

"Tanking" in PF/3.5 is really about area denial. A weapon with reach + CC abilities like trip and disarm... Also trolls are semi intelligent (int 6 iconically) so yes they are smart enough to think "squishy man who make fire from hand hurt more than metal shell man so kill first."

[xkuripuri]

Originally posted by Gorith:

"Tanking" in PF/3.5 is really about area denial. A weapon with reach + CC abilities like trip and disarm... Also trolls are semi intelligent (int 6 iconically) so yes they are smart enough to think "squishy man who make fire from hand hurt more than metal shell man so kill first."

Trolls afraid of fire? How silly, everyone knows they only fear acid now! ;)

[shnelle]

Taunt is handled by attacks of opportunity in DnD. Once you are in melee with someone you dont want to move away cause they can hit you for free. The game is programmed for this. NPCs do not want to leave melee range once they are engaged. To save your sofies you need to find things that get them out of range fast like vansih or teleport of some kind. Most softie classes have some kind of defense like that.