D&D (2024) Hobgoblin warriors

[Ruin Explorer]

Orcs in 2014 could do this as well at CR 1/2, so I don't know what to tell you.

Sure, but they're much less likely to, if you look at the actual numbers, so this haughty and airy "I don't know what to tell you" seems rather silly to me. And Orcs were borderline overtuned for CR 1/2 as well.

 

[Bae'zel]

Why does the Hobgoblin warrior's longsword attack deal 2d10 damage?

I must have missed something. What causes a monster's weapon attack to do double dice damage? 12 slashing damage is a ton for a CR 1/2 creature.

Edit: it's more damage than the Hobgoblin Captain who has a Greatsword (2d6+2 damage).

Hobgoblin warrior CR 1/2: Longsword 12 (2d10+1) slashing damage
Hobgoblin captain CR 3: Greatsword 9 (2d6+2) slashing damage plus 3 (1d6) poison.

Now, granted, the captain gets multiatttack, but wow. I;m confused.

Edit: that HAS to by a typo. The warrior should do 1d10+1, not 2d10+1.

 

[dave2008]

one shoting everything at 1st level that is not a barbarian is a bit too much for a ranged attack.

I like that philosophy for high level / CR encounters though. High level PCs can get up from 0 pretty easily, so not as much of an issue there.

 

[Ruin Explorer]

Why does the Hobgoblin warrior's longsword attack deal 2d10 damage?

I must have missed something. What causes a monster's weapon attack to do double dice damage? 12 slashing damage is a ton for a CR 1/2 creature.

AFAIK there's no fictive/fictional positioning nor even game balance justification for it. They're just kinda OP in both 2014 and this.

I'm not a simulationist myself but I definitely prefer when a disparity this wild has some kind of recognisable basis in the fiction rather than "it just does". It's especially not great given PCs can be Hobgoblins but sure as hell aren't doing 2d10 damage with a one-handed longsword before like, er Level 5 or higher? And even then only conditionally.

 

[Ruin Explorer]

I like that philosophy for high level / CR encounters though. High level PCs can get up from 0 pretty easily, so not as much of an issue there.

It kind of just leads to yoyo'ing even at high levels which is one of the less aesthetic elements of 5E combat imho (and I do mean that imho, I'm not saying anyone has to agree lol).

 

[dave2008]

Why does the Hobgoblin warrior's longsword attack deal 2d10 damage?

I must have missed something. What causes a monster's weapon attack to do double dice damage? 12 slashing damage is a ton for a CR 1/2 creature.

The 2014 MM had a trait called "Brute" that doubled weapon damage dice. I know bugbears had it before among others. So this is just like the "brute" trait, but not spelled out - which is the 2024 trend

 

[Bae'zel]

...PCs can be Hobgoblins but sure as hell aren't doing 2d10 damage with a one-handed longsword before like, er Level 5 or higher? And even then only conditionally.

Yeah wait a second, they have Shields equipped (it's in their AC). How are they doing d10s for the longsword?

What have I missed?

EDIT: LOL the Warlord (CR 6) has longsword 12 (2d8+3). HUH?

 

[UngeheuerLich]

one shoting everything at 1st level that is not a barbarian is a bit too much for a ranged attack.

Not any ranged attack, 150 ft ranged attack, outranging most PCs. It is totally TPK material.

 

[dave2008]

It kind of just leads to yoyo'ing even at high levels which is one of the less aesthetic elements of 5E combat imho (and I do mean that imho, I'm not saying anyone has to agree lol).

Well at high levels there is a much greater range in HP. Something that can take a mage to 0 is not going to take a fighter or barbarian. Not to mention a high level party has many ways to mitigate damage. So even if a monster could, in theory, take a PC down to 0, does it mean it actually will. Then if it does happen, there is a good chance the PC is down and out of the fight for a round or possibly even a turn.

 

[dave2008]

Yeah wait a second, they have Shields equipped (it's in their AC). How are they doing d10s for the longsword?

What have I missed?

Actually, they might be wearing plate armor? Do they have a gear section that includes armor?