Leveling Down Monsters?
(Psi)SeveredHead
Adventurer
Decrease everything but skills and hit points by 1 per level. Decrease hp by 8 for most types (10 for brutes, 6 for artillery and lurkers). Skills go down roughly 1/2 levels, but you're "supposed to" modify ability scores as well, or the NADs won't make too much sense. It's probably not worth the hassle to recalculate those values from scratch though.
Note that MM1 and 2 monsters have improper damage values, and you'll need to recalculate them. Make those 8 + level in damage on average. (A 3rd-level monster might do 2d6+4 damage, average 11, standard for a 3rd-level monster.) +25% for brute attacks, -25% for AoE attacks, artillery melee attacks, and effects that inflict strong control effects, and +25-+50% for encounter/recharge/daily powers. (Apply all mods. A brute that has an encounter power that does AoE damage would do +50% [encounter] +25% [brute] -25% [AoE].)
Note that MM1 and 2 monsters have improper damage values, and you'll need to recalculate them. Make those 8 + level in damage on average. (A 3rd-level monster might do 2d6+4 damage, average 11, standard for a 3rd-level monster.) +25% for brute attacks, -25% for AoE attacks, artillery melee attacks, and effects that inflict strong control effects, and +25-+50% for encounter/recharge/daily powers. (Apply all mods. A brute that has an encounter power that does AoE damage would do +50% [encounter] +25% [brute] -25% [AoE].)
the Jester
Legend
Derp, I feel extra stupid today! I can use the Monster Slider! Finally, a good use for the thing...
I will have to remember that.
"Monster Slider" indeed...
For the less math inclined like myself: how do you add/minus 25% to a dice expression?
malraux
First Post
Work backwards from the average damage. For example, a level 8 monster should do 2d8+7. Or 2*4.5+7= 16. 16*1.25=20. So I want my monster to do about 20 damage on average. 20-2d8=20-2*4.5=11 So my new expression should be 2d8+11. Or I could decide to raise the damage dice to make life exciting. 20-7=13=2*6.5=2d12.
(Psi)SeveredHead
Adventurer
You base that off the average damage (which means some calculation).
I assume people know dice averages, but if you don't: 1d4 = 2.5, 1d6 = 3.5, 1d8 = 4.5, 1d10 = 5.5, 1d12 = 6.5, 1d20 (!) = 10.5.
If you're dealing with a 2nd-level monster (average at-will attack 8 damage), then adding 25% would give average damage 10. You could just add 2 damage, or you could increase dice sizes, etc.
If you're using the "official" figures, doubling the number of dice and not touching the static modifier usually increase the damage by 50%.
the Jester
Legend
A typically usable shorthand is to add +1/2 level to the monster's damage.
