Epic Destinies and Earth Giants

[Plane Sailing]

However, I do understand why: they want the combats to last 5 or more rounds, not the 2 or 3 that they do under 3e, hence the lower damage. I do love the "Sweep" ability - it's a built in large and in charge, with knockdown.

Then again, Human Guard (1st level soldier). Yes, that's 1st level

has Powerful Strike (standard, recharge 5,6)
Reach2, +8 vs AC, 1d10+6 damage and target is knocked prone.

So something that the giant can do once per encounter, the 1st level soldier can do every time it recharges?

Something is a bit wacky in the state of Denmark here.

Surely the giant ought to at least get a recharge on his ability to give him a little flavour!

Cheers

 

[Upper_Krust]

Hey guys!

General response to the topic at hand.

I think the problem with the Hill Giant's damage is simple. Its a typo. I am convinced it should be dealing 2d10+5.

The Hill Giant is being 'out muscled' (if you'll forgive) by pretty much every monster of a roughly similar level (whether Lurker, Skirmisher, Soldier or whatever). Brutes should not be dealing less damage than monsters of different roles of the same (or roughly similar) level. It simply doesn't make any sense dealing 1d10+5.

I have boiled the damages of all the monsters down to a bare minimum and it looks to me as though the following is the standard design parameter (give or take a point). I had initially supposed that Brutes were dealing double damage off a Base 4.5, but further study shows that probably isn't the case.

Brutes: Base 9 + 1/2 level average damage
Soldiers: Base 8 + 1/2 level
Artillery: Base 7 + 1/2 level
Lurker: Base 6 + 1/2 level
Skirmisher: Base 5 + 1/2 level
Controller: Base 4 + 1/2 level

To pick up on a few other points:

The Hill Giant is not wielding a human sized greatclub in one hand. Its obviously wielding a giant sized greatclub. Theres no reason why it would be wielding a human sized greatclub, giants never have in the past, the illustration shows both Hill Giants with two hands on their greatclubs. Giants use two-handed weapons...thats what they do!

The Earth Titan, using its natural weaponry would therefore deal slightly more damage with a single punch than the Hill Giant would using a Large Greatclub.

 

[Jhaelen]

What's 3rd edition got to do with it?

I've seen you asking that question lots of times but it's about the first time I believe it's indeed the right question to ask.

IMHO, after having seen a couple of very well conceived, evocative 4E monsters like the orcs, expectations have increased a lot. Many have already forgotten how incredibly boring some monsters have been in 3E or older incarnations of the game.

One of the things I never liked in 1E and 2E was the inflation of (mechanically!) almost identical monsters. Every campaign setting, terrain, climate and plane had it's own variant of a common theme. Often the only difference was their appearance and background.

3E was a bit better in that regard since there were more ways to put a unique touch to them (feats, skills, ability modifiers, etc.).

Now, 4E comes along and has signature abilities for every kind of monster that suggest different tactics or even make an encounter a unique experience. I think even critics of 4E will have to admit that it changed the way what is to be considered a well-designed monster.

I also think it's an excellent sign that some imaginative individuals can come up with better or at least more evocative signature abilities for monsters. To me that's proof the decision to have separate rules for npcs/monsters was a good one - a decision that I considered a bad one after it was initially announced.

I can hardly wait until I've finally got those books!