Goblin Squad Member
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I would like to say, that I think there can be some ‘intelligence’ added to the MOBs without excessive difficulty. I also think these mobs can be made MUCH more interesting without giving them the power to wipe out any character.
(I want to qualify that with, I do hope there are some monsters like Dragons which are truly epic, and take large teams of players to effectively kill. Given GoblinWorks desire to encourage team work I anticipate this.)
For the sake of this thread, let’s talk just simple basic tactics. Dorje Sylas has mentioned Ghouls, so I will mention Kobolds.
As a general rule, Kobolds need to outnumber PCs by a margin of 2-1 or they will simply flee. If at anytime during the battle, the number of players is greater than the number of Kobolds, then they will run. (Make this interesting. The Kobolds run in all directions. Your ranged characters must act fast, because if they truly get away, they will run to the hideout, and return with many more. Imagine the caviler riding the last one down, only to run into the hideout, with the party some distance away. Oops! But great fun.)
Kobolds generally prefer ambushes. They might set them up on the roadways, of the fast travel lanes, ect. There they will set traps, to slow, disorient, or mame the party member, while the rest of them gang up on the trapped guy. They will ALWAYS gang up on the one in the trap, even if it is the tank. When the battle turns for the PCs, they run! BUT, if the tank in the trap was killed, and some Kobolds got away, they might return in greater numbers before the tank can arrive to her hulk to collect her belongings. Forcing the remaining party to fight them off, or simply drive them off.
Now, this kind of ‘Tactic’ would not be epic to program. Nor would it make the Kobolds unbeatable. But it would make them interesting, so long as all the other mobs don’t act exactly the same way.
Edit:
I would like to add: While not wanting to put demands on the developers, and the idea that any aspect of a game this complex will make-or-break the game, there is one thing I would like to insist on.
Monsters MUST react to any combat near them. I should not be able to engage in combat while a nearby monster is unaware only 45’ away!
ALL monsters should react to combat within sight, even if they run away. However, combat is loud. I have never heard a fireball spell go off, but it must be loud. Monsters with bonus hearing perception should be able to hear and react to the combat beyond line-of-sight.
This also works the other way. Elf characters should hear the explosions or other combat further away than human characters. (Although magic items will change that.)