Questions about your favorite Monster Mechanics - Downloaded from the Wizards Community, all coding removed by Solauren

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
#1 ivstin Jul 22, 2014 0:36:56	Before I get into this post about the oddities I'm finding in some of the Starter Set monsters in the Lost Mine of Phandelver (note: I keep typing "PHandelver" and if you don't do this, you clearly aren't human), I want to poke at something I discovered in the book that I'm not sure where to stand. Normally, I see things as either "oversight" or "just plain errata." This... doesn't fit the bill for either to me. Also, if you're looking for mechanics of monsters... check out Surf's 5e Monster Analysis . Feel free to leave some questions about monster mechanics or your favorite monster that is blowing your mind... but before you do, pass this on, because... ...I'd love for a Mearlsian answer as to why: Lost Mine of Phandelver, p. 55. Armor, Weapon, and Tool Proficiencies Assume that a creature is proficient with its armor, weapons, and tools. If you swap out a creature's armor and weapons, you must decide whether the creature is proficient with its new equipment. See the rulebook for what happens when you use these items without proficiency.
#2 Plaguescarred1 Jul 22, 2014 5:40:57	That is most likely a typo
#3 ivstin Jul 22, 2014 13:38:25	No, Plaguescarred, say it ain't so!!!! NOOOoooOOOooOOoooOOOOoooo! Ivstin channels his inner Skywalker.
#4 zgrose Jul 22, 2014 14:19:23	An attack with higher damage and smaller to-hit bonus is a common balancing technique. I'd presume intentional without a second or third reference point.
#5 mrsrockguru Jul 22, 2014 16:19:26	IMO - The higher damage for the bite reflects its ripping and rending ability. However looking at the physics it is reasonable to assume that it is easier to put your strength into your punch or claw slash as it is more difficult to add your strength into your bite attack, I mean he's a Ghoul not a 'Gator.
#6 5Shilling Jul 23, 2014 1:04:29	Right, ghouls have facial proportions fairly similar to humans - they don't have the long jaws of a wolf. It is pretty hard to get your face close to an enemy in a fight without getting it cut off - unless you grapple (or they are paralysed...). So for a ghoul, biting is much more like an improvised weapon - the fact they still do it highlights just how much of a bestial mockery of living humanoids they are (evocation through mechanics!). Heck, I'd let the PC's attempt a bite attack in a similar way if they were being particularly gruesome.
#7 ivstin Jul 23, 2014 20:15:21	I can see that. I could also see a few of my buddies at the county jail trying to convince me that a "bite" attack is another form of "unarmed attack," that inmates gain automatic proficiency in. ;) Mahaha. But I wanna know... How does unarmed strike scale with size? Any ideas?
(Reply to #7) AaronOfBarbaria	ivstin wrote:
(Reply to #8) Emanuele_Galletto	AaronOfBarbaria wrote:
#10 ivstin Jul 24, 2014 15:31:33	So, does "1 bludgeoning" go to 1d6 at large or 1d4 at large? I can see how Slam works - 1d6 medium, 1d8 large...
(Reply to #10) AaronOfBarbaria	ivstin wrote:
#12 ivstin Jul 25, 2014 4:52:44	Vwaahahaha! I'm going go make an ogre backhand a player for 2 damage. Bahahahaha!!! I love it. *SPEAKING OF UNARMED...* Do you get your Str bonus to damage with that, or is it straight up just 1 damage?
#13 AaronOfBarbaria Jul 25, 2014 6:51:48	Yes, you add your Strength bonus - the unarmed strike having a damage of 1 can (and should, in my opinion) be read as 1d1, or 2d1 in the case of a large-sized unarmed strike.

Post/Author/DateTime

Post

ivstin

Jul 22, 2014 0:36:56

Before I get into this post about the oddities I'm finding in some of the Starter Set monsters in the Lost Mine of Phandelver (note: I keep typing "PHandelver" and if you don't do this, you clearly aren't human), I want to poke at something I discovered in the book that I'm not sure where to stand. Normally, I see things as either "oversight" or "just plain errata." This... doesn't fit the bill for either to me.

Also, if you're looking for mechanics of monsters... check out Surf's 5e Monster Analysis .

Feel free to leave some questions about monster mechanics or your favorite monster that is blowing your mind... but before you do, pass this on, because...

...I'd love for a Mearlsian answer as to why:

Lost Mine of Phandelver, p. 55.

Armor, Weapon, and Tool Proficiencies

Assume that a creature is proficient with its armor, weapons, and tools. If you swap out a creature's armor and weapons, you must decide whether the creature is proficient with its new equipment. See the rulebook for what happens when you use these items without proficiency.

Plaguescarred1

Jul 22, 2014 5:40:57

That is most likely a typo

ivstin

Jul 22, 2014 13:38:25

No, Plaguescarred, say it ain't so!!!!

NOOOoooOOOooOOoooOOOOoooo!

Ivstin channels his inner Skywalker.

zgrose

Jul 22, 2014 14:19:23

An attack with higher damage and smaller to-hit bonus is a common balancing technique. I'd presume intentional without a second or third reference point.

mrsrockguru

Jul 22, 2014 16:19:26

IMO - The higher damage for the bite reflects its ripping and rending ability. However looking at the physics it is reasonable to assume that it is easier to put your strength into your punch or claw slash as it is more difficult to add your strength into your bite attack, I mean he's a Ghoul not a 'Gator.

5Shilling

Jul 23, 2014 1:04:29

Right, ghouls have facial proportions fairly similar to humans - they don't have the long jaws of a wolf. It is pretty hard to get your face close to an enemy in a fight without getting it cut off - unless you grapple (or they are paralysed...).

So for a ghoul, biting is much more like an improvised weapon - the fact they still do it highlights just how much of a bestial mockery of living humanoids they are (evocation through mechanics!). Heck, I'd let the PC's attempt a bite attack in a similar way if they were being particularly gruesome.

ivstin

Jul 23, 2014 20:15:21

I can see that.

I could also see a few of my buddies at the county jail trying to convince me that a "bite" attack is another form of "unarmed attack," that inmates gain automatic proficiency in. ;) Mahaha.

But I wanna know...

How does unarmed strike scale with size? Any ideas?

(Reply to #7)

AaronOfBarbaria

ivstin wrote:

(Reply to #8)

Emanuele_Galletto

AaronOfBarbaria wrote:

#10

ivstin

Jul 24, 2014 15:31:33

So, does "1 bludgeoning" go to 1d6 at large or 1d4 at large?

I can see how Slam works - 1d6 medium, 1d8 large...

(Reply to #10)

AaronOfBarbaria

ivstin wrote:

#12

ivstin

Jul 25, 2014 4:52:44

Vwaahahaha!

I'm going go make an ogre backhand a player for 2 damage. Bahahahaha!!!

I love it.

SPEAKING OF UNARMED...

Do you get your Str bonus to damage with that, or is it straight up just 1 damage?

#13

AaronOfBarbaria

Jul 25, 2014 6:51:48

Yes, you add your Strength bonus - the unarmed strike having a damage of 1 can (and should, in my opinion) be read as 1d1, or 2d1 in the case of a large-sized unarmed strike.