D&D 4E 4e DMs: How many monsters do you use that inflict conditions?

[blargney the second]

I'm curious how frequently DMs are using monsters that apply conditions to the PCs. Rather than just ballparking it from memory, it would be interesting if you'd have a look over the last 10 or so actual encounters you've thrown at your party.

1) What proportion of monsters inflict statuses? (ie 4 out of 7)
2) How often are they able to do those debilitating attacks? (ie 2/enc each)
3) How severe are those conditions? (nuisances like marked or showstoppers like stun/petrify)
4) Finally, what tier of play are you at?

 

[Taed]

My players are just about to hit 3rd level, and they're only met one monster that deals a condition other than Bloodied, and that was Immobilized. They'll meet another this week (Carrion Crawler) that can Slow / Immobilize / Stun every attack.

While on the topic, one of the characters has a "resist 5 poison", so if they're hit by the Carrion Crawler's tentacles (which do "ongoing 5 poison and is slowed"), it's obvious that they'll take no damage, but are they slowed and do they still have to make saving throws? Both answers make sense (yes since damage and condition are separate, no since if you're not damaged by the poison it shouldn't affect you otherwise), but I can't find the rule that explains how to handle it. Can anyone set me straight?

 

[Derulbaskul]

1) What proportion of monsters inflict statuses? (ie 4 out of 7)

Most of my non-minions inflict status effects. I even have some minions that can daze with combat advantage (they're part of a press gang).

The most common effects by role:

Brutes: prone and pushes are common; ongoing damage in some cases.

Controllers: I think every controller I have will inflict a status effect. That's the nature of the beast, I suppose.

Soldiers: marking is very common for my soldiers.

2) How often are they able to do those debilitating attacks? (ie 2/enc each)

Most of my elites and solos have at-wills that inflict status effects.

Lurkers typically require combat advantage to inflict a status effect.

3) How severe are those conditions? (nuisances like marked or showstoppers like stun/petrify)

I avoid stun but use slow and daze fairly regularly. Petrified hasn't come up yet, but having to fail three saves (or four with some of my custom creatures) means that I am quite happy to use it even in the low heroic tier.

Stun just sucks the fun out of the game.

4) Finally, what tier of play are you at?

We're still in the heroic tier.

 

[Rechan]

I think I'd have to work to pick monsters that Didn't do status conditions. I think Skirmishers have the least status conditions.

I just prepped 3 encounters. Only one monster out of all of them (the fire beetle) does not do status conditions.

If you discount ongoing damage or grab, then it drops significantly down to 1 monster.

 

[AbdulAlhazred]

In the heroic tier game I'm running status conditions have become fairly common, but at lower levels that was considerably less true. Looking at the last 10 or so encounters there were a few that didn't feature a status condition but they were also oddball encounters such as a couple of the PCs getting ambushed while away from the rest of the party and one where there were really significant life threatening environmental effects.

The last encounter I ran in fact had a rather crazy amount of condition stuff getting tossed around. It was a whole lot of lower level demons. At one point 4 of the 5 characters were dazed, the rogue spent several rounds immobilized, etc. A lot of what I use though is minor ongoing damage, slowed, a defense or attack penalty here or there, etc. Stunning did come up in one encounter a few months back. Another featured a monster that picked up and tossed PCs (push 5 and prone with a possibility to be dazed till EONT).

It looks like its about 50/50 as far as monsters that do and don't have an effect of some kind. The vast majority are minor but 8 of 10 encounters had at least one standard status effect available on one or more combatants.

 

[Mengu]

Last 7 encounters (level 7)

1. 0/11
2. 1/7, push 2 knock prone in burst 1 (recharge 5-6).
3. 3/9, slowed save, ongoing 5 save (2 creatures, at-will); grabbed (same 2 creatures, recharge 4-6); weakened save (1 creature, at-will).
4. 0/6
5. 4/7, knock prone grab (recharge 5-6); ongoing 5 save (recharge 5-6); push 2 knock prone in burst 1 (recharge 5-6); slide 1 (at-will); push 4 (encounter)
6. 4/12, -2 all defenses save ends in close burst 2 (3 creatures, encounter), grab (1 creature, at-will)
7. 0/23

 

[doctorhook]

I like controllers and artillery. (Read: I like f'ing my players around in combat.) I haven't actually DM'd in a few months though, so I can't offer any statistics.

For anyone who's wondering, no, the two statements I made above aren't related.

 

[blargney the second]

It's neat to have a peek behind your DM screens like this, especially seeing the information in aggregate form.

 

[Herschel]

My players are just about to hit 3rd level, and they're only met one monster that deals a condition other than Bloodied, and that was Immobilized. They'll meet another this week (Carrion Crawler) that can Slow / Immobilize / Stun every attack.

While on the topic, one of the characters has a "resist 5 poison", so if they're hit by the Carrion Crawler's tentacles (which do "ongoing 5 poison and is slowed"), it's obvious that they'll take no damage, but are they slowed and do they still have to make saving throws? Both answers make sense (yes since damage and condition are separate, no since if you're not damaged by the poison it shouldn't affect you otherwise), but I can't find the rule that explains how to handle it. Can anyone set me straight?

He's still slowed AND still "taking" 5 poison, he just resists the actual damage from it. It's like Wesley and the Iokane Poison. He actually ingested it, it just didn't have the effect on him because he had built up the resistance.

 

[Saagael]

He's still slowed AND still "taking" 5 poison, he just resists the actual damage from it. It's like Wesley and the Iokane Poison. He actually ingested it, it just didn't have the effect on him because he had built up the resistance.

Adding to this, if the character in question was Immue to poison, then the slow wouldn't apply (from what I've read). If you are hit with a power that has a keyword to which you are immune, you don't take damage, and you aren't affected by anything from that attack.