@Quickleaf Thanks for weighing in! These are great questions, and exactly what I was hoping to see! I really appreciate the thought and time you took on this. Let me tackle these one at a time.
Relies on Players Tracking Monster AC
In order for players to quickly evaluate the degree to which their attack succeeds/fails, they need to know the target number they're rolling for. To handle this efficiently at the table without play slowing down a lot, this means the players need to maintain awareness of monster AC.
In my experience, most players resist remembering monster AC. Even when I've had the monster AC clearly displayed in big font on tent cards hanging over the front of my DM screen, I would regularly have players ask "So I got a 15...do I hit the ogre?"
What were your playtest experiences with this?
Hehe. Well first of all, my "playtests" are currently limited to running some scenarios myself with some pregens and characters I have laying around. Being self-quarantined has given me some time to do stuff like now, I suppose. But that is why I reached out to the community a) who may have better means to access table-play with other people, and b) give others something to toy with and discuss.
As for player tracking, I don't see that as an issue. They usually need to confer with me anyway if they hit or miss when it is not so obvious. If they fall within the 5-point range with this idea, I would let them know they have the option to hit. They will know what the consequences are since I would have explained these rules beforehand.
If you feel that the cost in efficiency of play is too high, I would counter that the trade-offs includes greater tension, player agency, and keeping players engaged. This is how I imagine it might go down:
Example: Player rolls 13 on his attack check, but needs to hit AC 15.
DM: You see an opening in your attack that leaves you vulnerable to your opponent. Do you take the hit or pull back?
Player: Hmm.... yeah, I haven't taken many hits yet. I'll take him out!
DM: Okay! As you lunge, the orc slips his jagged blade underneath your swing, nicking you for 3 damage before your own blade comes down on top of him. How much damage did you do?
Limit on Numbers
Is there a limit to the number of minions that can be in a group?
For example, take an ogre with 59 HP and a great club that deals 13 damage. If we have 13 Ogre Minions, then they'd have 4-5 HP each and deal 1 damage each. However, if we have 59 Ogre Minions, then they'd have 1 HP each and deal... would it still be 1 damage each?
For playability I love the idea of not having to track minion hit points – after all, that's a huge part of the appeal for a DMing using minions. However, logic seems to dictate that the monster's damage should inform the limit on the number of minions that can be part of a group...
I know the thread is still short, and I think I did address this above. But yes, there would be a need for parameters to avoid silliness like this. You can only get so many minions out of a standard monster, and not all monsters should be grouped as minions.
As far as tracking hit points, I'm going to let you in on a little secret... I rarely do that anymore! Notable exceptions are bosses, solos, legendaries, etc. But that's another topic and another thread.
Minions Opportunity Attacks & Saves
Do you have minions take reaction opp. attacks? I'm assuming the answer is no, in order to speed up play. Which means that minions shouldn't be used in scenarios that rely on battlefield control via threat of getting opportunity attacked.
And do you have them roll saving throws? I'm assuming the answer is yes, and you handle minion saves as a group whenever possible. However, then that opens up the can of worms that the optimum way to deal with minions is to use effects that force saving throws, since saving throws don't risk the possibility of minion counterattacking (which is restricted to attack rolls). Is that intentional design or a side effect?
Regarding Opportunity attacks, you are correct. They do not have reactions like normal creatures. Their intent by design is to be straightforward, charge in and have characters let loose! So they would not be suitable for every scenario, which is fine. But try mixing them in with a group of standard creatures. That could change the dynamics of an encounter altogether as different strategies could be needed.
I think the topic of saving throws requires more attention to work out the finer details. But generally speaking--yes, minions will make saving throws as a group when appropriate.
Remeber, minions aren't supposed to be a great threat to the players. They will, however, distract the players and demand resources and actions focus on them to deal with them, which means less directed at the more dangerous threats.
Pacifist PCs Walk Through Unharmed
If I'm understanding your system right – that minions only harm PCs based on the PCs making low attack rolls – then it sounds like if the PCs make no attack rolls, then the minions have no way to affect them? Because it sure sounds like a group of PCs could look at a pack of ghoul minions in loose formation, think back to the mechanics of their last minion fight against goblins, say "screw this", refrain from attacking any ghouls and walk through them unmolested?
I did think about this, actually. That was
post #2 in this thread.
