Cinematic Usage of Minions?

[Fallen Seraph]

On the "4E - D&D Experience: Questions YOU Want Answered?" a couple of us had started to think of interesting ways to use minions in mass numbers, such as:

Fallen Seraph: The party manages to defeat a Charnel Hound (essentially a giant undead hound made of human corpses). It falls apart around them, the bodies slamming down into the ground; as the party begins to pick their way through the corpses, one grabs their ankle and raise. All the bodies have come to life as undead! Undead minions to be precise and their in the middle of them.

A’koss: Cloverfield-style beasts could follow a similar idea...

Rechan: Giant monster is slain = parasites or other type of creatures burst from the stomach seeking food.

So what kind of interesting and unique ways will you use minions?

One I just thought up is:

The party is in a deep dungeon, the floor is pocketed by circular grates, what appears to be debrie floats below it in the dark water. As the party gets nearer they notice it isn't debrie but hideous, cannibalistic merfolk waiting for a feast.

The party must now watch out as they cross the floor, as the grates appear rusted and collapse at any second sending them splashing down into the waiting arms of the merfolk.

 

[Kenku17]

Hehehehe....got a good one for ya...

The party peers into a room and sees a massive squad of Kobolds
(using them since I have info) sleeping, with the leader on the far end. Around the leaders neck is the item they are searching for.

The party has 2 choices either

a) Have the rouge attempt to sneak in and take it off its neck(and thus if he fails the reast of the party has to save him as he fights agianst an enourmous attack bonus)

or

b) Have a Defender wake them and get thier attention and hope he can hold up to getting battered by several hits(Due to the huge attack bonuses from the Kobold attack ability)

 

[Quartz]

One thing I liked from one playtest report was the ability to put a minion in the way of a blow.

 

[Rechan]

Ninjas. Lots and lots of ninjas.

 

[mach1.9pants]

I thought the correct terminology was ninjae?

 

[VannATLC]

I'm tempted to start a Shaun of the Dead style opener to my next campaign.

Minions, as indicated in one of the articles, do seem to lend themselves to the zombie horde ideals.

Alternatively, You could set up a nice Goblin/Orc army of Minions.

I mean, my first campaign will likely have 8 players.

So that could easily be 24 minions in two squads of 12 with 1 leader in each squad, having successfully manouvered the party into crossing a narrow bridge, and cutting them off at each side.

Or, I'm tempted to create a giant-mosquito type monster, if they don't exist already in the MM, and have swarms of those, flying out of crevices, holes, etc, rampage across the party.

I can see many ways this mechanic will allow for a party to face serious risk in terms of damage, face hordes of monsters, yet still be able to cut their way free.

 

[mhensley]

Or, I'm tempted to create a giant-mosquito type monster, if they don't exist already in the MM, and have swarms of those, flying out of crevices, holes, etc, rampage across the party.

Stirge minions FTW!

 

[Fallen Seraph]

Thought of another cinematic use for minions this straight out of a movie.

I am sure a fair number of you have seen the second Mummy movie.

Well, do you remember the pygmy mummies in the jungle? Just imagine that scene in a D&D game, being chased through the jungle, the mummies leaping out of the foliage around you, your swords and spells flying creating dust clouds as the mummies explode into dust.

 

[Lord Sessadore]

I thought the correct terminology was ninjae?

Not to be nitpicky, but why? -ae pluralization is Latin, and ninja is a Japanese word. If anything, I think the correct form would be one ninja, many ninja. Just like how you don't say one samurai, many samurais.

Sorry for getting all up ons spelling, but it's a little pet peeve of mine Have a great day!

 

[Kordeth]

Not to be nitpicky, but why? -ae pluralization is Latin, and ninja is a Japanese word. If anything, I think the correct form would be one ninja, many ninja. Just like how you don't say one samurai, many samurais.

Sorry for getting all up ons spelling, but it's a little pet peeve of mine Have a great day!

It's an Internet joke.