Aggro/threat management
Enemies choose targets based on an internal threat table: damage dealt, healing done, and taunt abilities all generate 'threat', and the enemy attacks whoever tops the list. This is the load-bearing mechanic of the tank/healer/DPS trinity — tanks generate threat to hold attention, damage dealers throttle output to stay below the tank, and healers manage the aggro their healing generates. Designers use it to turn group combat into a coordination problem with clear roles rather than a free-for-all. Key decisions: threat visibility (hidden tables force learning; meters enable optimization), taunt design (hard snap versus threat multiplier), and threat resets on phase transitions. In solo games, simplified aggro (attack whoever hit last, or the closest) still shapes positioning play. Pitfall: pure tank-and-spank makes threat management rote — enemies that periodically ignore aggro keep groups honest.
- Dev effort: Medium
- Timing: Real-time or turn-based
- Common in: mmo, rpg