Hobgoblins Ate My Daily!

[Shin Okada]

Plus, doesn't everyone hate it when they put that really awesome status condition (stun, can't heal, can't move, etc) on the biggest, baddest mofo on the field and they save right away? Or even worse, they are a hobgoblin?!

After playing the entire Red Hand of Doom campaign in 3.5e, no players in my play group underestimate hobgoblins.

 

[Starfox]

What are these "save ends" daily powers you speak of? I've never seen a player character use one of those.

 

[keterys]

Silent Malediction is well worth using Level 1 close blast stunned (save ends).

 

[AbdulAlhazred]

If they're grunts, then the Pcs won't use dailies on them.

PC resource management is usually 'save it for the boss fight'.

Maybe you're agreeing with me. I think basically that's what I am saying. Its no big deal that hobs throw off effects because the party is usually not tossing loads of daily spells at them. However since they have to group together to get their phalanx type bonuses they WILL draw a lot of lesser save ends area effects or the occasional daily. Mostly players (in my experience) toss their lower level daily at the hobs. Its nice that they can group together for their offensive bonus and its worth it to them because of the defensive power of HR. In effect the hobs have one power, it just has two sides to it.

In any case, regardless of how you view what happens to hobs on the battlefield, I don't understand why every monster power has to 'fair' to the PCs. Life ain't fair. Sometimes you get it rough. Its part of being a hero. Different types of challenges give the players different things to do. They can figure out how to beat hobs. I'm not a DM to give them fair. I'm a DM to throw all sorts of crafty challenges at them and let them scramble to figure it out. If the power made the monster unbeatable then sure it would be bogus. As it is? Players just have to figure out a different tactic.

Of course there's nothing wrong with changing hobs to challenge in a different way but watch out you don't end up with all your monsters genericized too much.