Mooks/Goons - Downloaded from the Wizards Community, all coding removed by Solauren

Mooks/Goons

Post/Author/DateTime Post
#1
DM12345
Nov 15, 2011 17:24:38 Mook or Goon, is a new 'secondary role' for monsters (Minion, Mook, Standard, Elite, Solo).

Mooks are worth roughly 1/2 the XP as a standard creature. Like Minions against a party without a controller, Mooks can be fairly powerful against certain party make ups. Since it costs less xp to field more 'mooks' than 'standard' creatures, when building an encounter be careful. Each mook can dish out roughly equal to a standard creature. The rules below should help balance them out so that they are still the fodder that your PCs can cut down quickly.

Mooks will increase the effect of non-striker roles in your games because non-strikers can one-shot them (obviously so can strikers, but they will most likely experience overkill/wasted damage). Mooks will get crit a lot and will trigger all the fun effects that has many times a game session.

Mooks will make standard creatures more rare, and 'elites' should become even more special. 'Learder' type monsters will be enhanced because they will have more Mooks to command. If your PCs are highly optimized, instead of using creatures of a lower level (esp > 1 level lower), use Mooks instead. They will hit the PCs hard if given the chance, and not just be a non-threat with a bunch of HPs.

Please give it a try and let me know what you think, and where I can improve on this idea.

You can create a Mook in a few easy steps, or even just look at a Standard Creatures stat blook and use it as a Mook.

Step 1
- Mooks gain the ‘Easy Kill’ trait - You score a Critical Hit on this creature on a natural 18-20.
- Mooks have Half Hit Points of a standard creature (or a standard creatures bloodied value)
- Mooks are always considered ‘bloodied’ even at full Hps
- Mooks always roll a 1 for initiative
- All of a standard creature's ‘Recharge’ powers become ‘Encounter’ powers

Step 2
Keep only one attack ‘Encounter’ power, or remove them all
Remove all ‘Miss’ effects from attack powers
Remove all ‘Triggered’ Actions
Remove all ‘Minor’ Actions
Remove all damage inflicting Auras or remove all Auras
Remove all Diseases caused
Remove most or all conditions caused by attacks esp dazed/stunned, or down grade them (dazed becomes slowed, etc..)
Remove anything on the creature difficult to track or play or may unbalance the encounter (large area attacks that target multiple creatures for high damage)

Optional – Use minion damage, or roughly half the damage caused by the standard creature’s attack to cut down on die rolls

Only ‘Standard’ creatures should be converted to Mooks
Creatures that are ‘Leaders’ should not be Mooks
Swarms should not be Mooks
Skirmishers make the best Mooks
Controllers make the worst Mooks
#2
natural20username
Nov 15, 2011 17:30:56 I think you ma be nerfing mooks a bit to far. I would tell you to remove 1 item from Step 1, probably the bloodied at full Hp, or the natural 1 initiative.
#3
DM12345
Nov 15, 2011 17:34:27
I think you ma be nerfing mooks a bit to far. I would tell you to remove 1 item from Step 1, probably the bloodied at full Hp, or the natural 1 initiative.

Thanks for the quick feedback. I know the 'nerf' bat is out in full effect, but i'm also looking for ways to cut down on the die rolls and tracking.

I like the 'bloodied' at full HPs because this triggers PC feats/magic items that are not used that often, but also limits other powers that 'trigger' when you bloody a creature. You can never bloody a mook.

The intiative thing is maybe too much. I'll take another look at that, since you can always roll one intiative for all Mooks of the same type.

I thought I was nerfing the powers too much until I seen how much damage a group of Mook Brutes can cause. This made me scale them back to make sure they only had one use encounter powers, or none at all if the encounter balance called for it. 2 Standard brutes get 2 attacks, but that is equal to 4 Mook attacks! Ouch! I also want to aviod doing something like 25% less damage because of the math stuff.

Just the swarming nature of Mooks makes them more dangerous. Since there are more of them they can gain combat adv more easily. They can also evade the party defender since he has more creatures to try and lock down. He must also pick his marks more carefully since you don't want to one shot the marked guy and leave some other mook to attack with out the mark.

Basically, as a DM, I want more bodies to roll 'standard' attacks with, and more bodies for my PCs to cut down quickly. I want my non-strikers to feel like they are doing more in my regular encounters (strikers can still shine against other types). Minions have there place in my games, but I think the mook scratches another itch.

Thanks
#4
bone_naga
Nov 19, 2011 12:15:44 I'm not seeing what role they really fill that minions or standards can't.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
#1 DM12345 Nov 15, 2011 17:24:38	Mook or Goon, is a new 'secondary role' for monsters (Minion, Mook, Standard, Elite, Solo). Mooks are worth roughly 1/2 the XP as a standard creature. Like Minions against a party without a controller, Mooks can be fairly powerful against certain party make ups. Since it costs less xp to field more 'mooks' than 'standard' creatures, when building an encounter be careful. Each mook can dish out roughly equal to a standard creature. The rules below should help balance them out so that they are still the fodder that your PCs can cut down quickly. Mooks will increase the effect of non-striker roles in your games because non-strikers can one-shot them (obviously so can strikers, but they will most likely experience overkill/wasted damage). Mooks will get crit a lot and will trigger all the fun effects that has many times a game session. Mooks will make standard creatures more rare, and 'elites' should become even more special. 'Learder' type monsters will be enhanced because they will have more Mooks to command. If your PCs are highly optimized, instead of using creatures of a lower level (esp > 1 level lower), use Mooks instead. They will hit the PCs hard if given the chance, and not just be a non-threat with a bunch of HPs. Please give it a try and let me know what you think, and where I can improve on this idea. You can create a Mook in a few easy steps, or even just look at a Standard Creatures stat blook and use it as a Mook. Step 1 - Mooks gain the ‘Easy Kill’ trait - You score a Critical Hit on this creature on a natural 18-20. - Mooks have Half Hit Points of a standard creature (or a standard creatures bloodied value) - Mooks are always considered ‘bloodied’ even at full Hps - Mooks always roll a 1 for initiative - All of a standard creature's ‘Recharge’ powers become ‘Encounter’ powers Step 2 Keep only one attack ‘Encounter’ power, or remove them all Remove all ‘Miss’ effects from attack powers Remove all ‘Triggered’ Actions Remove all ‘Minor’ Actions Remove all damage inflicting Auras or remove all Auras Remove all Diseases caused Remove most or all conditions caused by attacks esp dazed/stunned, or down grade them (dazed becomes slowed, etc..) Remove anything on the creature difficult to track or play or may unbalance the encounter (large area attacks that target multiple creatures for high damage) Optional – Use minion damage, or roughly half the damage caused by the standard creature’s attack to cut down on die rolls Only ‘Standard’ creatures should be converted to Mooks Creatures that are ‘Leaders’ should not be Mooks Swarms should not be Mooks Skirmishers make the best Mooks Controllers make the worst Mooks
#2 natural20username Nov 15, 2011 17:30:56	I think you ma be nerfing mooks a bit to far. I would tell you to remove 1 item from Step 1, probably the bloodied at full Hp, or the natural 1 initiative.
#3 DM12345 Nov 15, 2011 17:34:27	I think you ma be nerfing mooks a bit to far. I would tell you to remove 1 item from Step 1, probably the bloodied at full Hp, or the natural 1 initiative. Thanks for the quick feedback. I know the 'nerf' bat is out in full effect, but i'm also looking for ways to cut down on the die rolls and tracking. I like the 'bloodied' at full HPs because this triggers PC feats/magic items that are not used that often, but also limits other powers that 'trigger' when you bloody a creature. You can never bloody a mook. The intiative thing is maybe too much. I'll take another look at that, since you can always roll one intiative for all Mooks of the same type. I thought I was nerfing the powers too much until I seen how much damage a group of Mook Brutes can cause. This made me scale them back to make sure they only had one use encounter powers, or none at all if the encounter balance called for it. 2 Standard brutes get 2 attacks, but that is equal to 4 Mook attacks! Ouch! I also want to aviod doing something like 25% less damage because of the math stuff. Just the swarming nature of Mooks makes them more dangerous. Since there are more of them they can gain combat adv more easily. They can also evade the party defender since he has more creatures to try and lock down. He must also pick his marks more carefully since you don't want to one shot the marked guy and leave some other mook to attack with out the mark. Basically, as a DM, I want more bodies to roll 'standard' attacks with, and more bodies for my PCs to cut down quickly. I want my non-strikers to feel like they are doing more in my regular encounters (strikers can still shine against other types). Minions have there place in my games, but I think the mook scratches another itch. Thanks
#4 bone_naga Nov 19, 2011 12:15:44	I'm not seeing what role they really fill that minions or standards can't.