Solo Characters Based On Solo Monsters?

Kaodi

Hero

• May 7, 2011

• #1

I was wondering what everyone would think of attempting to have a campaign with a single character where they would be toughened up with the similar rules for making solo monsters: x5 HP, +2 to all Defences, +5 to Saving Throws, 2 Action Points at the beginning of each ecounter, two turns per round, encounter powers are recharge 5/6 and daily powers are recharge after short rest.

 

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malcolm_n

Adventurer

• May 8, 2011

• #2

I say give it a shot and get back to us on your experience. Personally, I'd go with the newer rules at the very least and do 4x hp; no change in defenses, +5 saves, etc; but that's me. The other thing you can do is just scale the encounters to match the character. a single goblin shaman should be a decent challenge for the hero, or 4 minions.

 

Kaodi

Hero

• May 8, 2011

• #3

Newer rules? I do not remember seeing an update for solo monsters in the errata...

 

Rune

Once A Fool

• May 8, 2011

• #4

Kaodi said:

I was wondering what everyone would think of attempting to have a campaign with a single character where they would be toughened up with the similar rules for making solo monsters: x5 HP, +2 to all Defences, +5 to Saving Throws, 2 Action Points at the beginning of each ecounter, two turns per round, encounter powers are recharge 5/6 and daily powers are recharge after short rest.

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You might be on to something, there. To preserve the Action Point economy, you could grant one Action Point per encounter, and allow a the player to use two per encounter. This presents them with the same choice as in the standard rules (save or use), while increasing the scale (and nova potential) very well.

One more thing to think about is that later solo design (get a hold of the Monster Vault, for instance), gives ways to shrug off lock-down effects, particularly the Until End of Next Turn variety, which were previously disastrous for solos (and could be equally disastrous to a solo character). Consider giving your character an extra initiative count 10 higher than its normal one that can only be used to save vs daze, stun, or dominate, even if they would not normally grant a save.

 

M

Mentat55

First Post

• May 8, 2011

• #5

Kaodi said:

Newer rules? I do not remember seeing an update for solo monsters in the errata...

Click to expand...

The update was not in the errata, it was in the DMG2.

 

Kaodi

Hero

• May 8, 2011

• #6

Mentat55 said:

The update was not in the errata, it was in the DMG2.

Click to expand...

Well, that is worse than useless...

 

M

Mentat55

First Post

• May 8, 2011

• #7

Original solo monster guidelines: x5 hit points (x4 for heroic tier?), +2 to 2 or 3 defenses, 2 APs, +5 to saves
New (DMG2) solo monster guidelines: x4 hit points, 2 APs, +5 to saves

The only change is a decrease in hit points and no boost to defenses. If you own MM2, MM3, MV, or the Dark Sun Creature Catalog, all of those books use the revised solo guidelines.

Note that the only change to elites was to drop the +2 to bonus to defenses.