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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Mengu" data-source="post: 5884929" data-attributes="member: 65726">I think that document takes into account the author's personal experiences, which may or may not fit your group's experience. I just use the base damage expressions released by WotC in the update document. It basically comes out to level + 8 damage as the base expression. Against my groups, I can usually add extra control effects, conditional damage, ongoing damage, etc, without modifying that base expression. I'm more frivolous with this against 6 PC's than against 4. Against 4, I "take it easy" on them, reducing control effects, and extra damage, or reducing overall damage. Again, everyone is going to have a different experience based on players, DM'ing style etc. I'm a pretty brutal DM, typically playing monsters rather tactically. But another DM might take my encounters, and run them quite differently, yielding a vastly different experience. I see this in LFR all the time, between DM variations, variations on player group, character composition, number of players, etc.Ultimately, these are just guidelines. You will need to use your own judgement at some point, and always be prepared with contingencies such as fluky initiative.Anyway, all the rambling aside, for a group of 4 with only half a healer, you'll definitely want to lower the damage expressions to recommended values, and be ware of monster nova potential. Lazarus's damage currently is 17. He is level 7, so he should be 15, going by standard numbers. But his nova potential is high, given combat advantage, action point, and double attack. That's why I'd lower the damage to 13. I'm not too worried about ongoing 5. He will rarely use his basic attack. Typically his tactic should be to double attack the same target and focus fire with Rolf. In 7 attacks, they should be able to take down a PC. After expending their action points, things won't be so bad, and the PC's will recover from the onslaught, and swing the fight their way with some healing, control, appropriate marking, and focused fire of their own.</blockquote>

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