D&D (2024) Jumping ahead: Bring back Bloodied for monsters

[Art Waring]

Multi-phase boss monster fights are definitely something I think tabletop ought to swipe back from computer RPGs and MMOs. Especially on tabletop, where you're not fighting the same boss 40 times and don't know what to expect, I think it adds a lot of excitement.

Absolutely agree, it also helps keep players on their toes, and helps with coming up with creative solutions to fighting monsters if you know the standard tactics aren't going to work.

 

[Iosue]

I like the idea of bloodied as a trigger. I do not like the idea of bloodied as a condition. I do not want to see a return of the 4e Christmas tree, and I’m already leery about the return of Slowed.

 

[Haplo781]

Bloodied is returning in the WizKids skirmish game, so we'll see.

 

[Eltab]

I miss Bloodied from 4e. Sometimes the monster's new attack was overwhelming (especially auras) but the announcement was always an indication that the group was making progress taking this monster down.

I agree that 'cannon fodder' foes should not get an attack* at Bloodied but Lieutenants and Bosses should.

Bosses and "special agent" (think 007) monsters could get a lasting ability, not just a one-use-power, when they are really hurting.

Some classes of monsters - mindless undead, say - get nothing at Bloodied; they don't even recognize there is a problem.

* They might get a disengage-aiding one-shot ability instead.

 

[Tonguez]

Morale should be a thing so I’d be happy to use 50% HP to trigger a ‘run away” response.
yeah the Harpie screams to tell her sisters to flee, the dinosaurs tail swipe as they are turning to run

 

[Yaarel]

The Bloodied condition as a requirement makes more fair things that end combat, like forcing surrender or stunning.

 

[glass]

When you say bloodied, all the players have to is add up the damage they inflicted so far, and multiply by 2.

Although they do not know if the last hit took them to exactly bloodied, or if they were one hp away from it before hand. So unless the bloodying hit is a fairly small one, it has a wide margin of error.

I made a martial boon called "You never get hit when your back's to the wall" (i was going through an 80's lyrics phase) and it allowed our 'ranger'* to dodge as a bonus action when bloodied.

Was that asterisk meanto to be linked to a footnote, because if so it was orphaned. Given the scare quotes, I am assuming the 'ranger' was not technically a ranger, so maybe some clarification on what it actually was? EDIT: Not having a go (I do that sort of thing all the time). Just curious!

Out of curiosity, when a creature is bloodied does it lose features as well?

In addition to the swarms mentioned above, I am pretty sure that there were some creatures that had lowered defences when bloodied (possibly in exchange for improved attack). But I used to rely on the Compendium, so I can no longer cite any examples....

I like the idea of bloodied as a trigger. I do not like the idea of bloodied as a condition. I do not want to see a return of the 4e Christmas tree, and I’m already leery about the return of Slowed.

What is the difference between a trigger and a condition in this context? And what do either have to do with Christmas trees?

 

[Iosue]

Trigger means, "If x, then y." If the monster is bloodied, then they get an extra attack, or their special attack automatically recharges, or something like that. It's quick, easy to remember, it's interesting and then it's gone.

Bloodied as a condition means that the effects of that condition have to be remembered, considered, and accounted for for the rest of the combat. So when we played 4e, we used to put different colored rings around the minis when they got a condition. The monster minis would get so full of conditions, it could barely be seen for all the condition rings hanging off it, like some miserable condition Christmas tree.

 

[Yaarel]

@Iosue

Normally "Christmas tree" is gamer slang for the accumulation of many magic items that end up being more powerful than the character oneself.

1e, 2e, and 3e are notorious for this. 4e standardized it so it was more like a "treadmill", where magic items of specific amounts of power were assigned as one advanced in levels. So everything else at that level also increased in power, with some feeling little changed.

 

[glass]

Bloodied as a condition means that the effects of that condition have to be remembered, considered, and accounted for for the rest of the combat.

I can sorta see what you mean now, but even as a condition it doesn't actually do anything other than allow things to trigger off it (and it does not really need separate tracking since the GM and/or relevant player is tracking hp anyway).

Normally "Christmas tree" is gamer slang for the accumulation of many magic items that end up being more powerful than the character oneself.

Indeed. Specifically IIRC, it refers to the notion that, when viewed using detect magic, high-level characters "light up like a Christmas tree".