How often do you downgrade monsters...

[Klaus]

Often, because I damn sure ain't gonna wait 47 years to use my huge black dragon and gargantuan blue dragon minis!

 

[Stoat]

In 3E, I don't think I ever downgraded a monster. There were usually plenty of lower-level alternatives for anything I wanted to do. I upgraded monsters all the time, by advancing their hit dice, giving them class levels, adding templates or all three.

In 4E, I've downgraded a few monsters. My PC's fought 6th level pain devils last week and may or may not encounter an 8th level djinn skysword tomorrow.

 

[Raven Crowking]

For those who never downgrade monsters (or never before 4e), I'd like to hear how you handled offspring of monsters. For example, in the lion's den, were the cubs as powerful as the adults? How about manticores? Or did you just never have juvenile versions of anything?


RC

 

[Henry]

From what their CR is listed as? Like, you are looking at this really cool monster, but you notice it has a CR of 20 and the PCs are only around 8th level. So, you decide to weaken it enough to be a challenge to 8th level PCs.

All the darned time -- you think I wait until 10th level before introducing my players to a basilisk or a drow war party?

 

[Infiniti2000]

For those who never downgrade monsters (or never before 4e), I'd like to hear how you handled offspring of monsters. For example, in the lion's den, were the cubs as powerful as the adults? How about manticores? Or did you just never have juvenile versions of anything?

I never had them in the encounter or they were noncombatants. If I did have them, I would create new versions from the ground up. But, I can't recall ever doing that...

I never felt a pressing need to include juveniles (who presumably would present a challenge). Certainly, statting out cubs would be a futile effort. Next thing you'll tell me is that there are stats for a penguin!

 

[Raven Crowking]

Next thing you'll tell me is that there are stats for a penguin!

In 3.x, I have two books with penguin stats.

 

[Stoat]

I never had them in the encounter or they were noncombatants. If I did have them, I would create new versions from the ground up. But, I can't recall ever doing that...

I never felt a pressing need to include juveniles (who presumably would present a challenge). Certainly, statting out cubs would be a futile effort. Next thing you'll tell me is that there are stats for a penguin!

What about an anthropomorphic used-car-salesman penguin?

Dohwar

 

[MerricB]

In 3e, I never downgraded monsters. I upgraded a few.

In 4e, I upgrade and downgrade monsters all the time. Thank you, CB!

Cheers!

 

[freyar]

Except for something like a juvenile version, I think I'd almost never downgrade a monster just for a fight (though I would for something like a familiar if a player has something specific in mind). There are just too many cool monsters not to take a few minutes to look around for something fun to use!