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<blockquote data-quote="Unwise" data-source="post: 5897649" data-attributes="member: 98008">On a semi-related note, I ask my PCs how it is that they took out a minion.In movies, minions tend to be defeated by a punch to the nose, a backhand, a kick to the jewels, a falling chandelier, a rug pulled up or the backstroke of a swing, shield bashing them unconscious or braining them with the hilt of the weapon, or a dismissive samurai style gutting move without breaking stride.The wizard of decent level can turn a guy to ash, freeze them solid or drive them insane. Remember that the PC is a real badass and the power of their fireball incinerates most people instantly. The fact that they tend to fight equally badass monsters means that this fact is often lost entirely if the DM does not tease it out now and then.Minions are a chance for the players to be cool and stylish. If you just did 40 damage to a guy that has effectively 1 HP, you pretty much get to call the shots on what happens to him.This has led to some pretty cool character-through-action developments in my group. For instance, one psycho guy always takes out minions in the most over-the-top and bloody way possible. The assassin only ever does the absolute minimum damage needed to neutralize in the most efficient way possible, a true professional he only kills those he is paid to kill, &quot;he does not do freebies&quot;. The cleric only subdues people, he mercilessly shatters jaws and knees, but leaves people alive to repent later.This effectively gives each person a fighting style. Before asking how people took out minions, nobody had any idea how their characters fought and certainly not how their comrades fought. It leads to character defining of a most interesting type.</blockquote>

[QUOTE="Unwise, post: 5897649, member: 98008"] On a semi-related note, I ask my PCs how it is that they took out a minion. In movies, minions tend to be defeated by a punch to the nose, a backhand, a kick to the jewels, a falling chandelier, a rug pulled up or the backstroke of a swing, shield bashing them unconscious or braining them with the hilt of the weapon, or a dismissive samurai style gutting move without breaking stride. The wizard of decent level can turn a guy to ash, freeze them solid or drive them insane. Remember that the PC is a real badass and the power of their fireball incinerates most people instantly. The fact that they tend to fight equally badass monsters means that this fact is often lost entirely if the DM does not tease it out now and then. Minions are a chance for the players to be cool and stylish. If you just did 40 damage to a guy that has effectively 1 HP, you pretty much get to call the shots on what happens to him. This has led to some pretty cool character-through-action developments in my group. For instance, one psycho guy always takes out minions in the most over-the-top and bloody way possible. The assassin only ever does the absolute minimum damage needed to neutralize in the most efficient way possible, a true professional he only kills those he is paid to kill, "he does not do freebies". The cleric only subdues people, he mercilessly shatters jaws and knees, but leaves people alive to repent later. This effectively gives each person a fighting style. Before asking how people took out minions, nobody had any idea how their characters fought and certainly not how their comrades fought. It leads to character defining of a most interesting type. [/QUOTE]

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