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Bashing bags of hitpoints
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<blockquote data-quote="CapnZapp" data-source="post: 7381246" data-attributes="member: 12731"><p>Weak-hitting monsters need many hp to stick around long enough to do any actual damage. </p><p></p><p>The way players get advance warning their characters are about to go down is friendly to newbies.</p><p></p><p>Of course, it's death to us veterans, who crave real danger.</p><p></p><p>Since my players have feats, multiclassing and magic items the monsters die very quickly, but I still suggest:</p><p></p><p>* have "simple" brute monsters deal twice as many damage dice, or do two attacks instead of one</p><p>At higher CRs monsters actually do decent damage, and since "more hp" is one of the few things a minmaxer can't change, the issue is instead one of actually getting to the hero in order to bash him, rather than doing too little damage. (Good players make monsters attack with disadvantage and at AC 21+ so they hit rather seldom. If they allow the monsters to close into melee at all, that is)</p><p></p><p>* more complex monsters instead need to get rid of severe action restrictions. Essentially, let them do all their special stuff as bonus actions (or even free actions) instead of as an action, so they can do something cool AND attack. </p><p></p><p>Otherwise they simply die before they get the chance to show off their signature abilities. In some cases, it's a matter between useless and fearsome. </p><p></p><p>Take Teleport for instance. A monster that needs to spend its action on Teleport is pathetic. A monster that can bonus teleport AND THEN bite off the wizard's face is awesome. Exact same stat block, just adding the word "bonus" in front of the word "action" makes all the difference.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="CapnZapp, post: 7381246, member: 12731"] Weak-hitting monsters need many hp to stick around long enough to do any actual damage. The way players get advance warning their characters are about to go down is friendly to newbies. Of course, it's death to us veterans, who crave real danger. Since my players have feats, multiclassing and magic items the monsters die very quickly, but I still suggest: * have "simple" brute monsters deal twice as many damage dice, or do two attacks instead of one At higher CRs monsters actually do decent damage, and since "more hp" is one of the few things a minmaxer can't change, the issue is instead one of actually getting to the hero in order to bash him, rather than doing too little damage. (Good players make monsters attack with disadvantage and at AC 21+ so they hit rather seldom. If they allow the monsters to close into melee at all, that is) * more complex monsters instead need to get rid of severe action restrictions. Essentially, let them do all their special stuff as bonus actions (or even free actions) instead of as an action, so they can do something cool AND attack. Otherwise they simply die before they get the chance to show off their signature abilities. In some cases, it's a matter between useless and fearsome. Take Teleport for instance. A monster that needs to spend its action on Teleport is pathetic. A monster that can bonus teleport AND THEN bite off the wizard's face is awesome. Exact same stat block, just adding the word "bonus" in front of the word "action" makes all the difference. [/QUOTE]
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