Blog (A5E) Let’s Look At Horde Monsters!

[W'rkncacnter]

Sure it is...

uh. no. that passage doesn't say what you say it does. read it again (emphasis mine):

Each round, a horde monster can move and take a single action; it can’t use bonus actions, legendary actions, or damaging traits. Its actions are typically simple and can deal damage only once per round: it doesn’t make several attacks via Multiattack actions or effects that can normally target multiple creatures. When it deals damage, it gains a bonus to its damage roll equal to its Challenge Rating. It doesn’t roll extra weapon dice because it’s larger than Medium.

a horde monster represents exactly that - one monster. it is effected by...effects...individually, and takes actions individually, from other horde monsters (though apparently there are rules to pool them together, which is cool, but not what's in the article, so we can't judge that yet). this is stated explicitly later on in the article (emphasis from said article this time):

A horde monster represents one of a big group of tough but unexceptional monsters (rank and file soldiers, beast pack members). It's weaker than a character with a level matching its CR. It's usually found in large groups, often led by an elite monster or one or more standard monsters.

 

[Morrus]

Sure it is...

I think you’re assuming a horde monster is a swarm. It’s not, it’s a single monster. A monster that’s part of a horde, not a monster that is a horde. When you say "so anything that can take an action will affect the entire "horde?" So if you cast "Command" on the Horde, it affects all of them? Because they save as one creature?", that's not in the article. That looks like your extrapolation of your assumption that a horde monster is a horde of monsters not a member of a horde.

 

[lichmaster]

I think you’re assuming a horde monster is a swarm. It’s not, it’s a single monster. A monster that’s part of a horde, not a horde of monsters.

This relates to one of my observations as a non native speakers: when I read "horde" I initially thought it was referring to a group of monsters treated as a single entity, but LU already has that in the form of squads.

Personally I would have found the term "minion" clearer in this regards, but there were probably good reasons to use "horde" instead and I simply don't know them

 

[lichmaster]

Horde monsters also have shared rolls, hit point pools, etc. but we don’t want to post the entire chapter!

That can change things significantly and IMO for the better!

Really curious to see this development!

 

[Morrus]

This relates to one of my observations as a non native speakers: when I read "horde" I initially thought it was referring to a group of monsters treated as a single entity, but LU already has that in the form of squads.

Grammatically, maybe it's easier to think of it like an 'army general'. A general that's part of an army, not an army of generals. A horde monster as opposed to a monster horde. Or a 'starship captain'--that's a captain on a starship, not a starship that's a captain.

 

[lichmaster]

Grammatically, maybe it's easier to think of it like an 'army general'. A general that's part of an army, not an army of generals. A horde monster as opposed to a monster horde. Or a 'starship captain'--that's a captain on a starship, not a starship that's a captain.

That makes sense of course. I was considering the term as a standalone adjective or "tag", like epic or legendary. So not "horde monster", but just "horde", hence the confusion

 

[Morrus]

That makes sense of course. I was considering the term as a standalone adjective or "tag", like epic or legendary. So not "horde monster", but just "horde", hence the confusion

Yep, it's like taking the term 'Air Force Pilot' and just seeing 'Air Force'. It's a pilot not an entire air force.

 

[Retreater]

Thanks for the clarification @Morrus and @W'rkncacnter.
That makes much more sense.