prompter: please give me a stat block and likely tactics for a dungeons and dragons wolf

assistant: Certainly! Here is a stat block and some possible tactics for a wolf in Dungeons and Dragons 5th edition:

**WOLF**:

- Medium beast, unaligned

**Armor Class**: 13 (natural armor)
**Hit Points**: 11 (2d8 + 2)
**Speed**: 40 ft.

**STR**: 12 (+1) **DEX**: 15 (+2) **CON**: 12 (+1) **INT**: 3 (-4) **WIS**: 12 (+1) **CHA**: 6 (-2)

**Skills**: Perception +3, Stealth +4
**Senses**: passive Perception 13
**Languages**: understands the languages of its pack, but can't speak

**Actions**:

**Bite**: Melee Weapon Attack: +3 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 7 (2d4 + 2) piercing damage. If the target is a creature, it must succeed on a DC 11 Strength saving throw or be knocked prone.

**Tactics**:

Wolves are pack hunters, so if the wolf is encountered alone, it will likely attempt to flee or hide rather than fight. However, if it is part of a pack, it will be more aggressive and coordinated in its tactics.

In combat, a wolf will try to take advantage of its pack tactics and attempt to flank its targets with other wolves or allies. It will use its high speed and Stealth skill to try to get into a flanking position, and then use its Bite attack to try to knock the target prone, making it easier for the wolf's allies to attack.

If the wolf is outnumbered or badly injured, it may try to disengage and flee to regroup with its pack. Alternatively, if it is defending its territory or pack, it may fight to the death.

Overall, a wolf is a relatively weak individual opponent, but can be dangerous in numbers and with the support of a pack.

prompter: I am planing an encounter for 3 new players, how many wolves will they be able to safely deal with while learning the core mechanics?

assistant: As a general guideline, an encounter with 3 new players should be challenging but not overwhelming, especially if they are still learning the core mechanics of the game. A single wolf should be a reasonable challenge for a group of three level 1 characters, but two or three wolves could quickly become overwhelming if the players are not careful.

Therefore, I would recommend starting with a single wolf and seeing how the encounter goes. If the players dispatch it relatively easily, you could introduce a second wolf to make the encounter more challenging. If the players are struggling, you could have the wolf retreat or call for reinforcements, or you could adjust the wolf's hit points or damage output on the fly to make the encounter easier or harder as needed.

Remember that as the dungeon master, your primary goal is to create a fun and engaging experience for your players. If they are having a good time and feeling challenged but not overwhelmed, you're doing a good job. And if they're struggling or getting frustrated, it's okay to adjust the encounter or offer guidance to help them learn the game mechanics and strategies.

assistant: It depends on the levels of the players. Assuming they're starting at level three, four wolves would be an easy encounter, which would be good for new players. Seven wolves would be hard, which could be fun for people that like to minmax. If they're level 1 instead, 2 wolves is a medium level encounter, and 3 is deadly. There are some sites like koboldplus.club that you can use to determine the difficulty of an encounter. 
However, it's important to remember that adding tactics will bump up the difficulty, potentially making easy encounters hard or hard encounters deadly. So, if they're having trouble, you may want to have the wolves make a few blunders so your players can have fun.

assistant: a pack of three, they can tackle one each, if more experienced start with 4

assistant: **Wolf**



&nbsp;
Medium Beast, Unaligned
AC: 13, HP: 12, Speed: 40
STR: 12, DEX:15, CON: 12, INT: 3, WIS: 12, CHA: 6
Perception: +3, Stealth: +4
CR: 1/4
&nbsp;
Keen Hearing or Smell: The wolf has advantage  on perception checks that rely on hearing or smell.
Pack Tactics: If at least one of the wolf's allies is within 5 feet of a creature and isn't incapacitated, the wolf has advantage on an attack roll against that creature.
&nbsp;
Bite: Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft, one target. Hit: 2d4+2 piercing damage. If the target is a creature, it must succeed on a DC 11 Strength saving throw or be knocked prone.

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**Potential Tactics**
&nbsp;
Due to its Pack Tactics ability, a lone wolf wouldn't be nearly as tough as a pack of wolves, so any good tactics should use this strength. However, they could ally with other creatures and still get this benefit.
&nbsp;
Since they have decent stealth, one good tactic would be finding cover and hiding, within 40 feet of an enemy, then running out and biting whenever any of their allies got near that enemy.
&nbsp;
If the wolves are in a wide open area where they can't hide as well, they could use hit and run tactics, attacking weaker members like the wizard, then running to an area with more cover like a forest. If they're close enough to the forest (⌊40/3⌋ or 13), they could grapple that wizard and drag them into the forest.
&nbsp;
If any wolves get injured or are low on HP, they could take the disengage action on their turn, but still allow other, fully healed wolves to get the benefit of pack tactics before their turn. Or, they could hold an action to move (not dash) away once another wolf attacks if the person they're nearby already spent their reaction.
&nbsp;
Wolves in real life can bait or scare enemies with one wolf, then have another lying in wait. For bait, one wolf could take the dodge action, while the other or others ready their attacks for when an enemy gets within 5 feet of that wolf. For scaring, one wolf could charge at the enemies while the other wolves hid behind trees, and readied their attack actions for when any of the enemies came within 5 feet of any of the hidden wolves.

assistant: Certainly! Here's a stat block and some tactics for a wolf in Dungeons and Dragons 5th edition:

Wolf

Medium beast, unaligned

Armor Class 13 (natural armor)

Hit Points 11 (2d8 + 2)

Speed 40 ft.

STR 12 (+1) | DEX 15 (+2) | CON 12 (+1) | INT 3 (-4) | WIS 12 (+1) | CHA 6 (-2)

Skills Perception +3, Stealth +4

Senses passive Perception 13

Languages –

Challenge 1/4 (50 XP)

Keen Hearing and Smell. The wolf has advantage on Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely on hearing or smell.

Pack Tactics. The wolf has advantage on an attack roll against a creature if at least one of the wolf's allies is within 5 feet of the creature and the ally isn't incapacitated.

Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +3 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 7 (2d4 + 2) piercing damage. If the target is a creature, it must succeed on a DC 11 Strength saving throw or be knocked prone.

Tactics:

Wolves are pack hunters, and they use their Pack Tactics ability to gang up on foes and take them down quickly. They prefer to attack from ambush or while their prey is distracted, and they may circle around their target to try to isolate vulnerable individuals.

In combat, wolves usually target weaker or wounded foes first, aiming to take them down quickly before moving on to stronger opponents. They use their keen hearing and smell to detect any potential threats or prey, and they can move quickly to close in on their target. Their Bite attack is their primary means of dealing damage, and they may try to knock their targets prone to gain advantage on subsequent attacks.

When fighting in packs, wolves coordinate their attacks and may use hit-and-run tactics to wear down their prey over time. If one wolf is seriously injured, the others may circle around it to protect it while it recovers or retreats.

Overall, wolves are cunning predators that can be dangerous foes, especially when encountered in numbers. Players should be careful when facing them, and be prepared to use terrain, tactics, and teamwork to overcome their natural advantages.