A visible 0–10 morale track that turns battlefield pressure, social leverage, and tactical feats into hesitation, parley, flight, or surrender.
Combat has a temperature. A leader falls, the exit is cut off, a spell shatters the line, and suddenly the enemy is no longer asking how to win—only whether to bargain or run. The Surrender Thermometer turns that shift into a visible 0–10 track for the whole table. Morale moves through clear battlefield triggers, social pushes using Intimidation or Persuasion, and cinematic tactical feats. At Hesitation 6, a failed group Wisdom save opens a brief round of parley. At Break 9, failure can mean dropped weapons, disorderly flight, or immediate negotiation. It sits on top of standard combat rather than replacing it, giving DMs a structured path away from fights that grind to the final hit point. The article includes exact adjustments, DCs, a guided example, and a compact quick guide.