D&D 5E 5e Hobgoblin stat block

[ExploderWizard]

Obviously weird monsters aren't familiar humanoids who have just gained a massively powerful new ability, so that's not what's being discussed.

What humanoids are "familiar" to new players?

Sure, but this is bad design, even accounting for that.

You know this due to extensive playing with these rules eh?

That's the precise opposite of this. The natural assumption, having played 3E, would be that high-level fighter-like monster WOULD have multiple attacks.

The guy was coming to 3E from 1E. The natural assumption was a single attack per the 1E MM.

Here, the natural assumption is that ganging up on a PC might gain Hobbies some minor advantage. Not that it would MORE THAN DOUBLE their average damage, or take it to the point that they are virtually certain to down most PCs in a single hit!

Do I have to explain what can happen when we assume?

This is just condescending nonsense. The Hobbie ability is virtually pure metagame. The answer to it is metagaming (tight focus fire, particularly - not something real people use in medieval-style combat, typically - it's extremely dangerous, because IRL, you have to concentrate less on defence to attack someone who isn't threatening you when there are other threats to you - I'd have no problem if this required the other Hobbie to be un-threatened, btw).

Luckily not everyone thinks like this and the roleplaying hobby is not doomed.

 

[the Jester]

Sure, but this is bad design, even accounting for that.

You say this like it's objective fact and everyone agrees with you, when neither of those things is true.

I think it's just fine design, and there are some who apparently agree with me, too.

 

[keterys]

Yeah, hopefully PC damage has gone up a bit. I kinda like the quickness of the fights in the playtest, giving the monsters a ton more hp sounds more grindy.

But I will reserve judgement on that for next week.

The hobgoblin hp did not go up, but its xp value is x5... if anything I'd worry the other direction, that things are trending too quickly towards rocket tag.

 

[UngeheuerLich]

What am I wrong about? You've failed to specify.

You said: rogues get only +1d6 senak attack. You are wrong. Rogues MIGHT have +1d6 sneak attack damage or the MIGHT have +2d6 sneak attack damage at level 2 (which I consider not unlikely). So if you say: PCs can´t get an ability to replicate that power at level 1 or 2 is wrong. They might not be able to, or they might be able to. We just don´t know and you are jumping to conclusions.

 

[UngeheuerLich]

The hobgoblin hp did not go up, but its xp value is x5... if anything I'd worry the other direction, that things are trending too quickly towards rocket tag.

Rocket tag only at level 1, which takes only about 1 session of play to leave behind. At level 2 for high hp characters or level 3 for low hp characters it seems a lot less like rocket tag. A crit might down a fighter, but otherwise at level 2, he is relatively safe from being one shotted. If he has protector fighting style, a crit is unlikely.

 

[Agamon]

The hobgoblin hp did not go up, but its xp value is x5... if anything I'd worry the other direction, that things are trending too quickly towards rocket tag.

XP is an easy fix. I don't the DMG to advise me on how to change the levelling pace of my game, I've been doing that for a long time.

 

[Maliki67]

I like the thought behind ability, hobgoblins in my campaigns have always given PCs fit due to their discipline and tactics in battle, but an extra 2d6 damage seem a bit high to me, but like everything else that seem "off" to me I will wait and see it in play before passing final judgement.

 

[Falling Icicle]

I think they should reduce the hobgoblin's martial advantage to +1d6, and maybe put some more strict restrictions on it. As it is, it's far too lethal for a CR 1/2 creature, IMO. CR 1/2, as I understand it, means 2 of them are supposed to be an appropriate challenge for a 1st level party. An ability that can deal 12.5 damage on average, and as much as 21 damage, is WAY too powerful for anything a player can be reasonably expected to face at 1st level.

 

[Kobold Stew]

I think they should reduce the hobgoblin's martial advantage to +1d6, and maybe put some more strict restrictions on it. As it is, it's far too lethal for a CR 1/2 creature, IMO. CR 1/2, as I understand it, means 2 of them are supposed to be an appropriate challenge for a 1st level party. An ability that can deal 12.5 damage on average, and as much as 21 damage, is WAY too powerful for anything a player can be reasonably expected to face at 1st level.

I foresee it bering restricted to melee only, if nothing else.

 

[Falling Icicle]

I think they should change the ability to better reflect its name, rather than being sneak attack in all-but-name. For example:

Martial Advantage: the hobgoblin has Advantage on its attack rolls if its target is within 5 feet of an ally of the hobgoblin that isn't incapacitated.