Bestiary

[Rhenny]

I've been noticing the same disparity between PC and monsters "to hit" scores. I agree that the monsters should gain some boost.

Not only that, but some of the meanacing monsters from playtest 1 have hit points reduced so much (ogre for example...goes from 88 hp to 32 hp) they are not really a threat anymore. This is especially the case since fighters are now doing more damage using their expertise dice.

I think the monsters should go back to their 1st playtest package form (more or less), and PCs should gain just a little more hit points so that they can take that extra hit. PC hit points from last package or somewhere in between.

Tomorrow night I'm running my first session with the 2nd playtest package so I'll have a better feel after that.

Cheers.

 

[Minigiant]

I think the problem is 90% of the bestiary are untrained brutes and unintelligent beasts.

Only the drow, hobgoblins, and some elites are actually trained in a class so only they get a class bonus.

Combine that with "mooks" using something similar to nonelite array and most monsters are needing 13+ to hit at best to hit a frontliner.

Then their damage is about equal to the PC's HD. So because of the PC's max HP at 1st level, PCs survive about 1+their level hits.

So with 1 out of 3 attacks average being a hit and level+1 hits average before death, 6 attacks your way at level 1 and full HP is pretty much death.

6 swings is death is what I witness at my playtest.

 

[Steely_Dan]

All sorts of strange things in that Bestiary, like, what is with the Zombie with an Int of 10?

...And where are de Tiny creatures?

 

[Rhenny]

I'm pretty sure that WoTc has not spent that much time on the monsters yet. They've been focusing on class mechanics and character building.

The xp values for monsters that are all over the place are a pretty clear indicator that they have not really tested/number crunched these critters.

 

[Steely_Dan]

And the Elite/Solo thing seems to know no rhyme or reason.

As a DM...hey, the first 1st Ed book was the MM!