As a newer DM, I have trouble making some of the more routine combats feel unique or urgent. I believe this is because the enemies my PCs are fighting tend to act like an AI, or just attack until they have been defeated.
Lets take the first encounter from the Lost Mine of Phandelver (LMoP) adventure as an example. In this encounter (for those unfamiliar), the PCs are escorting a caravan from Neverwinter to Phandalin when they are ambushed by 4 goblins.
How can I make an encounter like this interesting? I don't want to just make the goblins attack the party until they are dead, but at the same time I have a hard time understanding exactly what else they would do. Sure they could flee at some point in the battle, but I still haven't made this combat seem urgent or any different than an other of my combat encounters.
What are some ways to make combat encounters more engaging than just "kill the enemy"?
Note: I have no problem making encounters with recurring villains interesting. I only seem to have an issue with "less important" combat encounters.
Best Answer
That is the core of your problem. To make them interesting, or boring but "alive" you must understand why they are doing whatever it is they are doing.
4 goblins ambushing caravan may have many different motivations. From the top of my head:
There is a myriad more motivations, and each one makes them fight differently. In first example, they will fight to death, but with great despair and in third, with great joy. In second, they will flee when danger outweighs greed. In 4th example they would flee as soon as they find that thing.
For simple goblins, simple motivations will do. They do not have to make much sense, because goblins are below human in wisdom, and your players will not take that much time analyzing them. Sketch motivations in broad strokes, and only fill details if you have to. But always, always make every foe and NPC have some kind of motivation. The rest will follow.
Goblins may try to negotiate for what they need. May try to duel. Heck, they may even be for hire! If you know what they need, what they want, that opens up a lot of different "winning" conditions for your players.
Hint motivation to your players. In example above, drug-driven rage can be recognized with wisdom (medicine) check - but hint players that their characters might want that check with goblin behavior. If goblins are looking for specific thing, they will ask each other "do you see it there?!". If they want to buy food, they'll shout "It can feed our tribe for weeks!" And so on.