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DMs of EN World: How do YOU assign HP to monsters?
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<blockquote data-quote="Lanefan" data-source="post: 7330336" data-attributes="member: 29398"><p>I used to roll but eventually concluded it's faster and gives very similar results if I just assign within the available range. Once the h.p. are assigned they're locked in, however; none of this changing them on the fly mid-combat based on how things are going as I kinda see that as cheating.</p><p></p><p>And this points to a much more effective means of making monsters tougher/easier than the norm: adjust their AC.</p><p></p><p>The odds of a 11 h.p. Hobgoblin lasting a few rounds increase greatly if it's clad in plate mail and shield, even more so if it's got some Dex to add in.</p><p></p><p>And this is what I do far more often than just piling on h.p. if I want a foe - particularly a boss - to put up a decent fight: I'll make it hard to hit. Beyond very low level play I might also give it some (though not full) magic resistance, to make it harder for the casters to just stand back and pew-pew it to death or take it out with one lucky spell.</p><p></p><p>On the flip side, making a supposedly-tough opponent easier to hit by reducing its AC can bring some opponents within range of a party that otherwise would be quite outclassed.</p><p></p><p>Lan-"and from the PC side I've learned - somewhat reluctantly - that good defense is often more effective than good offense"-efan</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Lanefan, post: 7330336, member: 29398"] I used to roll but eventually concluded it's faster and gives very similar results if I just assign within the available range. Once the h.p. are assigned they're locked in, however; none of this changing them on the fly mid-combat based on how things are going as I kinda see that as cheating. And this points to a much more effective means of making monsters tougher/easier than the norm: adjust their AC. The odds of a 11 h.p. Hobgoblin lasting a few rounds increase greatly if it's clad in plate mail and shield, even more so if it's got some Dex to add in. And this is what I do far more often than just piling on h.p. if I want a foe - particularly a boss - to put up a decent fight: I'll make it hard to hit. Beyond very low level play I might also give it some (though not full) magic resistance, to make it harder for the casters to just stand back and pew-pew it to death or take it out with one lucky spell. On the flip side, making a supposedly-tough opponent easier to hit by reducing its AC can bring some opponents within range of a party that otherwise would be quite outclassed. Lan-"and from the PC side I've learned - somewhat reluctantly - that good defense is often more effective than good offense"-efan [/QUOTE]
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DMs of EN World: How do YOU assign HP to monsters?
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