D&D 4E 4e Hourse Rule: Surprised minions -> Full warrior combat

[Stalker0]

Someone casually mentioned this idea in passing, and I thought it was a such a brilliant and elegant idea I wanted a thread to expand on it.

The idea is this, if a creature is surprised, it is treated like a minion (ie one shot one kill). However, when the creature is not surprised, it has the full hit points of a regular monster.

This is a great way to do stealth adventures in dnd. A party can go on assassinating missions, knowing they can easily whatever they attack. But they have to be constantly weary, because once the surprise wears off, 30 minions becomes 30 regular guys.

 

[1of3]

The idea is this, if a creature is surprised, it is treated like a minion (ie one shot one kill).

Which is NOT what minion means. Level 6 Vampire Spawn have 10 HP.

 

[hong]

I'm pretty sure a level X minion is supposed to be a one-shot kill for a level X character. Most 6th level PCs shouldn't have any trouble hitting 10 hp damage.

 

[Plane Sailing]

Someone casually mentioned this idea in passing, and I thought it was a such a brilliant and elegant idea I wanted a thread to expand on it.

The idea is this, if a creature is surprised, it is treated like a minion (ie one shot one kill). However, when the creature is not surprised, it has the full hit points of a regular monster.

This is a great way to do stealth adventures in dnd. A party can go on assassinating missions, knowing they can easily whatever they attack. But they have to be constantly weary, because once the surprise wears off, 30 minions becomes 30 regular guys.

Wouldn't this be a problem if something got surprise on the PCs?

Wins surprise, one blast and they are all dead doesn't seem like a good idea for long-running campaigns!

 

[med stud]

It's an interesting take on the rules. One thing that I immediatly think of here is that a stealthy wizard would be extremely powerful. With one action point, a wizard could kill all opponents within 18 squares, just by using the at-will AoE.

 

[VannATLC]

Yes he could.

But the rest of the keep is going to hear that, hmm?

 

[Stalker0]

Wouldn't this be a problem if something got surprise on the PCs?

Wins surprise, one blast and they are all dead doesn't seem like a good idea for long-running campaigns!

As many rules in 4e go, this wouldn't work against pcs

Nor would it need to be a standard rule. You could easily incorporate it for an adventure just to have that stealth type encounter I mentioned.

 

[med stud]

Yes he could.

But the rest of the keep is going to hear that, hmm?

Yes I know, but it's still a potential issue.

 

[jasin]

Someone casually mentioned this idea in passing, and I thought it was a such a brilliant and elegant idea I wanted a thread to expand on it.

The idea is this, if a creature is surprised, it is treated like a minion (ie one shot one kill). However, when the creature is not surprised, it has the full hit points of a regular monster.

This is a great way to do stealth adventures in dnd. A party can go on assassinating missions, knowing they can easily whatever they attack. But they have to be constantly weary, because once the surprise wears off, 30 minions becomes 30 regular guys.

I don't think this rule should apply to the PCs, or any sort of sneaky monster could easily result in multiple PC deaths.

I also don't think this rule should apply to more important opponents. I don't want the PCs' daring raid of the evil necromancer's tower to end with them getting the drop on the necromancer and wasting him with one hit.

In fact, maybe it would be best if this rule only applied to really inconsequential enemies like nameless guards. You know, minions.

 

[Baumi]

It seems very interesting as long as it is used only for special Adventures, so that it is not the default Rule against everyone.

But I would personally make a non-combat scene out of it, since you can rule there everything much freer and simpler then in the codified combat way (Hitpoints, Damge, etc.). Just make a Skill Challenge or a simple Skill/Attack Check and if they are successful then they manage to sneak by or cut their throats ...

That way you don't have to bend the rules, you only have to decide when it is important to make a Fight-Scene out of it.