I’ve covered some ideas about PFRPG derro combat tactics previously in an earlier post “Vs. Derro”, but while researching concepts for harpies for a derro lair concept (yes… seriously), I came across Keith Amman’s The Monsters Know What They’re Doing blog and a relevant article.
Oddly the 5E Derro Tactics post from a few weeks ago seems to have become sidetracked into a heated discussion on US politics (dErO mind control rays?) but otherwise covers combat from a different perspective based on some rational premises, including a section on 5E savants.
Some of the concepts cross over between 5E and PFRPG, for example:
Derro have two weapon attacks, hooked spear and light crossbow. One option with the spear is to knock an enemy prone (presumably by hooking and tripping him or her), which would give an adjacent melee attacker advantage on a follow-up attack.
However, a ranged attacker has disadvantage against a prone target, so this doesn’t help the crossbow-wielding derro at all. Even worse: It turns out, if you run the numbers, that even if the first derro in a group successfully hooks and trips an enemy, its allies nearly always do less expected damage, despite having advantage on their to-hit rolls, than the group would do if all of them simply attacked to do damage.
However, the difference in mechanics between the two systems may require some interpretation and adjustment.
Now back to researching harpies…
The Derropedia 
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