D&D 5E 4th edition minions in 5th?

[SirAntoine]

Yeah. I'd suggest adding +1 damage per character level for all classes, for each hit. This will help everyone kill monsters in one hit from time to time. It's okay for the monsters to be killed in one hit, but don't try to do the same to characters.

 

[Aribar]

Paraxis was right on about 4e being unrealistic. It doesn't need to be. Just look at minions as illusions if it bothers you, though. The players will assume they are illusions anyway when they die in one hit.

Do your players assume everything that dies in one hit is an illusion? To the player, what is the difference between rolling 1d6+3 for damage, getting 5, and killing a 1 HP minion kobold or a 4 HP normal kobold? Is a level 1 player-controlled wizard who rolls poorly and gets 1 HP an illusion?

The minions will still reduce immersion if they are too common. Most bosses will have real subordinates, and these are the rank and file foes which heroes fight. In other words, make some real minions to go along with the illusionary ones that have 1 hit point.

Our group hasn't seen a reduction in immersion through the use of minions. In our last campaign they allowed us to simulate the rank and file troops of a street gang while the lieutenants and other high ranking figures were standard or elite enemies, with the "don" so to speak being a boss-level npc. Plus, what you suggested is exactly what the DMG suggests about encounter building; using elite and standard enemies as the more important figures and include minions as flavor.

 

[SirAntoine]

Do your players assume everything that dies in one hit is an illusion? To the player, what is the difference between rolling 1d6+3 for damage, getting 5, and killing a 1 HP minion kobold or a 4 HP normal kobold? Is a level 1 player-controlled wizard who rolls poorly and gets 1 HP an illusion?



Our group hasn't seen a reduction in immersion through the use of minions. In our last campaign they allowed us to simulate the rank and file troops of a street gang while the lieutenants and other high ranking figures were standard or elite enemies, with the "don" so to speak being a boss-level npc. Plus, what you suggested is exactly what the DMG suggests about encounter building; using elite and standard enemies as the more important figures and include minions as flavor.

You aren't the only player who didn't lose immersion. If a player would be bothered by the lack of realism, illusions is one possible answer.