Do monsters do extra damage on a crit?

[Kzach]

I lent my books out and my DDI sub ran out so I can't answer this basic question: do monsters get extra damage dice on crits like PC's do?

 

[Nifft]

Some do, most don't. They say specifically if they do.

You can give one a magic weapon, and then it will. Details for giving monsters magic weapons is in the MM1, I think...

Cheers, -- N

 

[Kzach]

I thought the whole point of 4e's monsters were that you don't have to equip them. Perhaps this is why people are saying 4e is too easy? They forgot to add crit damage

 

[DracoSuave]

I thought the whole point of 4e's monsters were that you don't have to equip them. Perhaps this is why people are saying 4e is too easy? They forgot to add crit damage

Hitpoints have different balancepoints between monsters and PCs. A crit on a monster with a huge swing of damage isn't as dangerous to the encounter as a monster with a huge swing of damage.


6d6 damage is more of a swing to a player than to a monster, in other words.

 

[CapnZapp]

I lent my books out and my DDI sub ran out so I can't answer this basic question: do monsters get extra damage dice on crits like PC's do?

Generally no, they don't.

This is because almost no monsters come equipped with magical weaponry. And it is the weapon (or implement) that gives the extra crit dice.

Some (a few) monsters do have irregular critical damage, but then that's noted specifically right beside the power in question.

Of course, whenever you hand out a magical weapon to a monster to use before the players can loot it from its dead body, the monster should deal the appropriate extra crit damage according to the weapon.

Do take note of the "magic item threshold" rules of the DMG though! Or, if you're in a rush, the general quick-n-dirty rule is:

Don't add the enhancement bonus of a magical weapon to the attack and damage values of monsters and NPCs. And don't sweat it if you forget to use any special powers or properties of the weapon.

That is, the monster gets the weapon, but unless it crits, there is no difference in how it operates. Its only when the adventures loot the item that somebody will get the benefit of its enhancement bonuses.

This is by design, and not a mistake. It is supposed to work this way in 4E: monsters simply don't play by the same rules as PCs. And they should generally have worthless weaponry that in practice aren't lootable.

 

[Mentat55]

A few monsters also use weapons that have the high crit property, like greataxes. I believe, if you look at creatures like orcs and the bodak reaver, you'll see they do extra damage on a critical as well.

 

[CapnZapp]

A few monsters also use weapons that have the high crit property, like greataxes. I believe, if you look at creatures like orcs and the bodak reaver, you'll see they do extra damage on a critical as well.

Some (a few) monsters do have irregular critical damage, but then that's noted specifically right beside the power in question.

(three chars)

 

[babinro]

As said before some do, other don't. Personally I give all creatures who critical bonus dice. If they fall within the +1 weapon range I'll give them 1d6 (including minions)...+2 would be 2d6 and so on. I find it makes the critical more threatening to the point where the PC's will take note and possibly change tactics. All the while it doesn't add up to soo much damage that a PC would simply drop in one hit.

 

[-Avalon-]

Don't add the enhancement bonus of a magical weapon to the attack and damage values of monsters and NPCs. And don't sweat it if you forget to use any special powers or properties of the weapon.

That is, the monster gets the weapon, but unless it crits, there is no difference in how it operates. Its only when the adventures loot the item that somebody will get the benefit of its enhancement bonuses.

So, in that case give the monsters Jagged Weapons? 19-20 crit range and decent crit damage is the entire property =)

If you're gonna be mean and give monsters REAL items to use, may as well make sure that the items are used! If you give em a duelist's dagger, make sure at some point in the fight, they get combat advantage for no apparent reason hehe...

 

[Turtlejay]

What's *really* sad is critting with a minion...

Jay