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Message: <blockquote data-quote="tomBitonti" data-source="post: 6322290" data-attributes="member: 13107">The value of Martial Advantage -- 2d6 extra damage -- seems too high for a creature with a basic attack which does 1d8+1 damage.There are other problems with Martial Advantage:* Any ally provides the benefit.* They don't even need to be actively menacing to provide the benefit; a goblin in hiding who is not intending to attack provides the benefit, as does an ally who is in disguise (who also does not intend to attack and break cover).Given the similarity to 3E Sneak Attack, the damage matches 3rd level rogue damage bonus for a flank attack.  Since the Hobgoblin has 2 HD, a reduction to 1d6 seems appropriate.A problem with the ability is that it makes fights very very unpredictable: With two Hobgoblins against 4 1st level characters, if the Hobgoblins attack first focus on a single character, a 50% attack success chance, makes for 1d8 + 1 + 2d6 or 12.5 expected damage, enough to drop any single character except a fighter.  On the other hand, if the players go first, they have a very good chance of taking out one of the Hobgoblins in the first round, effectively neutering the other Hobgoblin.The players can recover if the Cleric acts quickly and can heal the fallen character, or if the rest of the party springs to action and attacks one of the Hobgoblins using their better abilities.  On the other hand, if the players are off-balance or don't wake up to the threat, they could be quickly destroyed.One view of the lethality of the ability is to look at what happens if you put the Hobgobin at range and put two goblin skirmishers keeping to cover amongst the party.As a side note: Martial prowess, or simple brute strength, are what works for Hobgoblins (or Ogres), an ability which provides a bonus to martial oriented Cha checks based on Str would seem to fit very well.Thx!TomB</blockquote>

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