Reply to thread

Message

<blockquote data-quote="Kraydak" data-source="post: 4172474" data-attributes="member: 12306">Before I complain, I would like to say that this is just about as good an approach to monster customization as you can get given the theoretical approach WotC took in 4e.&nbsp; I am not happy by their fundamental ideas, but the execution appears decent.&nbsp; Except for some gaping holes.Some monster-equipment wierdness: all high level (non-pc classed) NPCs have insane natural armor.&nbsp; Why?&nbsp; Their effective armor bonus is AC-10-(sometimes) dex/int.&nbsp; This means that high level, their effective armor bonus will be rapidly rising above *anything* armor can provide.&nbsp; Remember, this number is scaling at 1/level (and if you reverse-scale the pit fiend, say, that 1/level scaling seems to work all the way), which armor enhancement bonuses appear to be scaling at about 1/5 levels.&nbsp; Another question: shields.&nbsp; Shields tend to stack with armor... which makes them functionally incompatible with the listed equipment changing rules.In short, the armor changing instructions will not work outside of the Heroic tier.&nbsp; Also note that the DDXP kobold slinger with AC&lt;Reflex, previously tagged as odd, does appear to be suffering from wearing leather armor of AC *-1*.Lastly, *why* did they have to includein the text.&nbsp; It is just asking for trouble.&nbsp; NPCs should either explicitly have magic gear, or not.&nbsp; Anything else *will* cause problems, especially for newer DMs who can have a hard time separating fluff from crunch appropriately.&nbsp; I can just see the Sage Advice questions now...</blockquote>

[QUOTE="Kraydak, post: 4172474, member: 12306"] Before I complain, I would like to say that this is just about as good an approach to monster customization as you can get given the theoretical approach WotC took in 4e. I am not happy by their fundamental ideas, but the execution appears decent. Except for some gaping holes. Some monster-equipment wierdness: all high level (non-pc classed) NPCs have insane natural armor. Why? Their effective armor bonus is AC-10-(sometimes) dex/int. This means that high level, their effective armor bonus will be rapidly rising above *anything* armor can provide. Remember, this number is scaling at 1/level (and if you reverse-scale the pit fiend, say, that 1/level scaling seems to work all the way), which armor enhancement bonuses appear to be scaling at about 1/5 levels. Another question: shields. Shields tend to stack with armor... which makes them functionally incompatible with the listed equipment changing rules. In short, the armor changing instructions will not work outside of the Heroic tier. Also note that the DDXP kobold slinger with AC<Reflex, previously tagged as odd, does appear to be suffering from wearing leather armor of AC *-1*. Lastly, *why* did they have to include in the text. It is just asking for trouble. NPCs should either explicitly have magic gear, or not. Anything else *will* cause problems, especially for newer DMs who can have a hard time separating fluff from crunch appropriately. I can just see the Sage Advice questions now... [/QUOTE]

Verification