How many hits should it take to drop a monster?

[SlyFlourish]

I'm tweaking my 1/2 hp +1/2 level damage template to run some faster games but I don't want to rocket through things so I'm trying to figure out how many hits it should take to drop a monster.

Right now I figure that a 13th level rogue averages 31 damage on a sly flourish, hitting 65% of the time (with CA). That would drop a brute (150 hps) in about 5 hits. If we half the hitpoints, that would drop him in two to three hits. Is this too few?

Basically I have two templates I'm thinking about:

1. 1/2 hitpoints and +1/2 level in damage.
2. 1/2 hitpoints and replace damage modifier with level.
2. 1/2 hitpoints and double damage.

I think 2/3 hitpoints might work better but the math is harder.

What have you guys seen?

 

[Woas]

I dunno. How well placed was the blow?

 

[CleverNickName]

On average? I'd say about a dozen or so for a "boss" encounter, and about a third that for randoms/lackeys.

Crits and wiffs aside, of course.

 

[wingsandsword]

Depends on how big the weapons the PC's are swinging and how tough the monster is. With a good critical hit or two, a lot less. With a good save-or-die spell, one. Big monsters probably should have big bonuses to their saves or immunities to lots of save-or-die type effects though.

If the monster has lots of Regeneration or Fast Healing, add more time definitely. If the PCs don't have the weapons to cut through the DR, then definitely a lot more time. If there are a good number of Cleric or Druid (or Archivist, Favored Soul ect.) levels or lots of spell-like Cure/Heal abilities definitely add more time.

I guess it's safe to say, your mileage may vary and no two people have the same feel for just how long. Some people think combats grind out too long, others don't like it over in a flash of steel and a couple of rounds of quick death. A climactic boss-type fight shouldn't be over in a single round, and it shouldn't take an epic duel to drop a lone zombie or kobold.

 

[Ed_Laprade]

In melee, anywhere between 1 and 100.

With cross/bows at close range with little likelyhood of being attacked, one or two.

 

[howandwhy99]

If you're playing a storygame, I would say as many as the players choose to create a dramatic scene.

If you're playing a roleplay simulation game, I would say it's a matter up to the designer based upon the world/roles he is expressing.

Or it could be a sort of "Difficulty Level" chosen beforehand by players. But that would need to be a worldwide (or at least module-wide) choice as it is defining a core element of the game.

A similar question could be asked in a CRPG. In the end, it's a preference selected to gain the largest audience.

 

[Stalker0]

Definately don't forget crits in your calculations, I've found once you start getting +3 magic weapons crits really add a lot of extra damage.

You also might want to take some kind of area effect consideration, afterall, if several of your party members are hitting multiple creatures the whole group of them drops faster.

 

[deadsmurf]

I find this thread quite interesting, the OP asks a question presumably about HP levels for 4E monsters, and how long should an encounter last (effectively) and just about every responder completely decided for themselves what the meaning of the post and the question was.
We've got general answers that answer in system neutral ways, we got answers specific to 3E, we have answers specific to games focusing more on story than (just) on combat and/or more broad game design focus, we have 4E focused answers, and players feelings focused answers.
I find this more interesting than the original question.

 

[Rechan]

The solution is simple, gentlemen.

We should ask Mister Owl.

I find this more interesting than the original question.

Welcome to posing a question on the internet. You usually get nine answers you don't want for every one you do.

 

[Tinker Gnome]

One.

Sorry, I know that was not helpful.