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More powerful minions?

Post/Author/DateTime Post
#1
pyromancer999
Sep 09, 2008 16:39:27 I was just composing an adventure, and I was thinking about having an evil... well, I haven't decided yet what class he'll be. but anyways, I was thinking about having the evil guy's apprentices attack. I don't want them to have full powers, but I also don't want them to be 1 HP minions. I was thinking this:

HP=2x level, and add an at-will, and maybe an encounter power.

What does the collective on here think?
#2
catzo
Sep 09, 2008 16:54:41 The poitn of minions is that they are "one hit kill"

What you are talkigg about is not "stronger minions" rather normal (or weaker) standard mobs.

What level are you talking about, how many aprentices?

If you make the badguy leader Elite and 2-3 levels above the players ,but all the aprentices 3-4 levels below the players, then the leader wil lseem really tough and the others seem really weak in comparison... while still able to do a few things.
#3
Scottomir
Sep 09, 2008 19:22:49 I too feel that minions may lose viability in the higher tiers. However, it completely defeats the purpose of them if they have multiple hit points...meaning the DM has to keep track of HP. The whole purpose of minions is that you can have hordes of beasties without hordes of bookkeeping.

Though I haven't tried this yet (my party is still only in the lower levels), I think a better solution is not to give higher-power minions more hit points but rather to give them innate Damage Reduction: DR 5 in the Paragon Tier, DR 10 in the Epic Tier. Basically, this means you have to do 6 damage on a single attack to kill a Paragon minion and 11 damage on a singe attack to kill an Epic minion. Any attack that falls below the threshold simply 'grazes' the monster and has no effect.
#4
feyberry
Sep 11, 2008 14:16:40 So create the Underling, two of which are equal to one pc. Half the hit points of a standard monster of the same level. All other stats and attacks remain the same.
#5
grod_the_giant
Sep 11, 2008 14:30:15 Both Scottomir and Feyberry have good ideas. I'd support the low-level standard monster idea. Make sure they can actually hit the party, though.

But really, standard minions would be good. Maybe power them up a bit with a per encounter ability- the ultimate glass cannon!

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
#1 pyromancer999 Sep 09, 2008 16:39:27	I was just composing an adventure, and I was thinking about having an evil... well, I haven't decided yet what class he'll be. but anyways, I was thinking about having the evil guy's apprentices attack. I don't want them to have full powers, but I also don't want them to be 1 HP minions. I was thinking this: HP=2x level, and add an at-will, and maybe an encounter power. What does the collective on here think?
#2 catzo Sep 09, 2008 16:54:41	The poitn of minions is that they are "one hit kill" What you are talkigg about is not "stronger minions" rather normal (or weaker) standard mobs. What level are you talking about, how many aprentices? If you make the badguy leader Elite and 2-3 levels above the players ,but all the aprentices 3-4 levels below the players, then the leader wil lseem really tough and the others seem really weak in comparison... while still able to do a few things.
#3 Scottomir Sep 09, 2008 19:22:49	I too feel that minions may lose viability in the higher tiers. However, it completely defeats the purpose of them if they have multiple hit points...meaning the DM has to keep track of HP. The whole purpose of minions is that you can have hordes of beasties without hordes of bookkeeping. Though I haven't tried this yet (my party is still only in the lower levels), I think a better solution is not to give higher-power minions more hit points but rather to give them innate Damage Reduction: DR 5 in the Paragon Tier, DR 10 in the Epic Tier. Basically, this means you have to do 6 damage on a single attack to kill a Paragon minion and 11 damage on a singe attack to kill an Epic minion. Any attack that falls below the threshold simply 'grazes' the monster and has no effect.
#4 feyberry Sep 11, 2008 14:16:40	So create the Underling, two of which are equal to one pc. Half the hit points of a standard monster of the same level. All other stats and attacks remain the same.
#5 grod_the_giant Sep 11, 2008 14:30:15	Both Scottomir and Feyberry have good ideas. I'd support the low-level standard monster idea. Make sure they can actually hit the party, though. But really, standard minions would be good. Maybe power them up a bit with a per encounter ability- the ultimate glass cannon!