The AD&D game includes statistics for many mundane animals; lions, elephants, bears, etc. While many of these animals have special attack routines, most are assumed to wade into combat with claws and teeth bared, fighting a straight-forward battle to the death. This is far from realistic and denies the beasts their best tactics. This article presents some of the tactical options of the mundane animals.

Before going into details, three general features of real-world animals must be discussed:

Strength
Not only are many real-world animals larger than humans, but most are stronger, pound per pound, than humans. For a number of biological reasons, humans possess juvenile muscle characteristics, even in adulthood; animals do not. Thus, a lion weighing around twice a man's weight is roughly 10 times as strong. In terms of what they can carry, some animals are stronger than ogres, and even some giants.

Senses
While the sharpness of senses varies among species, most animals have one or more senses that far surpass that of man. Sight is not always their main source of information. For many predators and prey, the sense of smell is supreme; deer and canines have a sense of smell so defined as to be unimaginable to humans. The sense of smell is so acute that from a scent trail, an animal can determine what type of animal left the trail, the animal's sex and size, and how long ago it passed by. The hearing of many animals, including canines, extends into ranges far greater than human's. Human vision is actually good when compared to animals, but some creatures surpass us even here, as well. Eagles and other birds of prey have very keen sight, while cats are famous for their night vision. Mammals often have two or more superior senses; combined with their instincts, these animals receive a great deal of information from their surroundings every second.

Because of these senses, it is recommended that the surprise rules be adjusted. Wild animals should be surprised less often than humans and their kin. Characters should be penalized -2 in their chance to surprise prey when such an animal possesses superior senses; this penalty is cumulative, so that a creature with three keen senses would force a -6 penalty. The special surprise bonuses of the Underdark races should not apply against animals, since the latter rely on more than sight for informational gathering.

Critical Hits
This is similar to the "called shot" from the Complete Fighters Handbook, which allows a strike against a specific body part. However, this is an instinctual attack for animals. A critical hit for animals is any successful attack that occurs on an attack roll that is four or more higher than needed to hit, or a natural 19-20 in any case. Critical hits have specific functions per animal, as noted in the tactics section.

Note: with the introduction of critical hits in Player's Option: Combat & Tactics, it is suggested to use the new rules for determining whether criticals occur or not. In other words, a critical hit occurs when the roll is five or higher than necessary to hit, and the roll was an 18 or higher. As for the specific effect of the critical hit, it is suggested to use those presented in this article instead of the more generic criticals listed in C&T.

Tactics

These nine tactical maneuvers are used only by animals with certain innate weaponry. As usual, the DM should determine if a particular animal can use a special attack as circumstances dictate.

Biting Bonus
Many animals have a claw/claw/bite attack routine. Roll the claw attacks first. If both are successful, the bite attack gains a +2 bonus to hit. In real-world situations, the claw attacks serve as a secure grip for the killing bite.

Bite & Retreat
Two very different animals use this tactic; poisonous snakes and sabre-toothed tigers. Even the giant versions of the poisonous snakes are too small to swallow human-sized targets whole, so there is no reason to fight to the death. A poisonous snake's usual tactic is to deliver one bite, then retreat to a dark hole or brush, where they wait to see if the venom is effective. Even if the venom were successful, thrashing about in death throes could harm the snake, so better to wait some distance away.

Sabre-toothed tigers probably ignored small, fast prey, concentrating on large, slow-moving animals. These cats did not jump on their prey and maul them to death. Instead, each used their swordlike fangs to inflict a pair of deep wounds in an area unreachable to the prey, like the rump. The cat then moved away and waited for the wounded animal to bleed to death. For game purposes, assume a critical hit inflicts an attack too deep to heal on its own; the wound the bleeds for 1d6 hp damage every round until bound or magically healed.

Charge
Several large animals are capable of charging and ramming their opponents, as noted in their description. This is devastating against humans, but is rarely treated as more than a range of attack. On a successful charge attack, the victim should be thrown 1d6+4 feet, requiring a saving throw vs paralyzation to avoid be stunned for 1d3 rounds. Some animals are capable of tossing an opponent off of the charge (see Tossing, below), but this occurs only on a critical hit.

Note: In some cases, the S&P Overrun and Knockdown rules are an appropriate substitute for the above charging rules.

Drowning
This is a tactic used by crocodiles. These reptiles seize prey from ambush, attempting to get a firm hold with their jaws. On a critical hit, the crocodile's jaws are firmly clamped on the victim. The croc then drags the victim underwater. Once there, the victim lasts only a few rounds before drowning (see the PHB, p122; the character is assumed to be exerting himself). Others may attempt to pull the victim free, but this requires at least 10 points of Str for each Hit Die of the croc. If the croc feels the victim is in danger of being pulled away, it shakes the victim vigorously, requiring each puller to make a Dex check or lose grip; the shaking inflicts double bite damage that round. If the victim is successfully pulled for two consecutive rounds, the croc gives up and releases its prey.

Note: this is a rather harsh critical - if the victim is by himself, he is pretty much assured of being drowned. I would definitely suggest allowing a method for a solitary victim to escape; the croc might let go after suffering a certain amount of damage, if the victim makes a Bend Bars/Lift Gates check, etc. Specifics are left to the DM.

Leaping/Dropping
Many predators attack their prey from ambush, closing the distance by dropping on their prey from above or leaping. What the rules ignore is the effect of impact from a heavy animal on an upright human frame. If the animal hits with both claws or makes a critical hit, the victim is knocked prone and must save vs paralyzation or be stunned for 1d3 rounds.

Note: this is another case where the new S&P rules of Overruns and Knockdowns might be more appropriate.

Snatch & Run
This tactic is used by fast, stout predators. It can be used only on small and light prey (including smallish gnomes and halflings). The maximum prey weight is 25 pounds per Hit Die of the predator. This attack is done on the run, slowing briefly to make the attack. The animal continues to run after the attack, successful or not. A critical hit (the animal can only use its bite attack) means the animal has gotten a solid hold on its prey and inflicts automatic bite damage every round as the predator runs off with the victim in its mouth.

Strangling
Many predatory animals do not kill by mauling their victims to death. Instead, they instinctively try to get a choke hold on the victim's neck, shutting down their air, blood, and nerve pathways. In game terms, a critical hit on a bite attack means the animal has gotten a choke hold on the victim's neck, inflicting automatic maximum bite damage per round. This tactic cannot be used against characters with full helms, plate mail, plate armor, or similar protections, as the neck is too well defended.

Tossing
Large animals with horns often have a charge attack. Some of these animals are capable of tossing their victims into the air. If the animal makes a critical hit on the charge, don't use the earlier Charging rules. Instead, the victim is thrown 1d6+4 feet into the air and must make a save vs paralyzation (at -2) or be stunned for 1d4+1 rounds.

Note: once again, keep in mind the Overrun and Knockdown rules as presented in S&P. In some cases, it might be preferable to use these new rules instead.

Trampling
Many creatures are capable of trampling humans, as noted in their descriptions. While this is a damaging attack, it is also a potentially immobilizing one, due to the blows to the kidneys and the lungs. In game terms, there is a 2% chance per Hit Die of the animal that the victim is stunned for 1d3 rounds with each successful trample attack.

Note: The Overrun rules from S&P apply here.

Animal Listings

The following is a list of what animals are capable of which special attacks:

Biting Bonus

• bears (all)
• great cats (all)
• hawks (all)
• owls (all)
• apes (gorillas)

Bite & Retreat

• sabre-toothed tigers
• snakes (all poisonous)
• centipedes (all)
• spiders (all)

Charge

• herd animals (all horned)
• dinosaurs (all horned)
• pleistocene animals (wooly rhino, titanothere)
• bulls
• giant goats
• Irish deer
• rhinoceroses

Drowning

• crocodiles (all)

Leaping/Dropping

• great cats (all)
• dinosaurs (deinonychus)
• dogs (all)
• hyenas (all)
• wolves (all)

Snatch & Run

• dogs (all)
• hyenas (all)
• wolves (all)

Strangling

• bears (all)
• great cats (all but smilodon)
• dogs (all)
• hyenas (all)
• wolves (all)

Tossing

• herd animals (buffalo, cattle)
• dinosaurs (all horned)
• bulls
• rhinoceroses

Tramping

• herd animals (all)
• dinosaurs (all of size L or larger)
• elephants (all)
• horses (all)
• pleistocene animals (baluchitherium, titanothere)
• stags (all)
• bulls
• giant goats
• hippopotami
• Irish deer
• giant rams
• rhinoceroses (all)