D&D 5E Minions and cleave optional rule dmg 5e?

[Garthanos]

Interesting concept have to think about but I do like it

While I largely was presenting it as a way of envisioning what was happening with minions under the hood so to speak. In 4e they could be presented with lower level characters who have significantly less to hit and significantly less ac, the need to change up their methods might be pretty obvious... they are fighting at all either because of fanaticism of their own or being driven by those greater masters.... the story of minions being in this scene is why bloodied behavior seems appropriate. Bounded accuracy sort of hides the need for that desperation though. The features of 4e I think makes that paradigm work better less so in 5e.

 

[Weiley31]

I let the Cleave thru Monster rules affect creatures that are both damaged AND undamaged. Minions would just be one HP wonders really.

 

[Garthanos]

I let the Cleave thru Monster rules affect creatures that are both damaged AND undamaged. Minions would just be one HP wonders really.

that does have a certain amount of elegance

 

[Nightbeat84]

I let the Cleave thru Monster rules affect creatures that are both damaged AND undamaged. Minions would just be one HP wonders really.

While I largely was presenting it as a way of envisioning what was happening with minions under the hood so to speak. In 4e they could be presented with lower level characters who have significantly less to hit and significantly less ac, the need to change up their methods might be pretty obvious... they are fighting at all either because of fanaticism of their own or being driven by those greater masters.... the story of minions being in this scene is why bloodied behavior seems appropriate. Bounded accuracy sort of hides the need for that desperation though. The features of 4e I think makes that paradigm work better less so in 5e.

Hmm im not well verse in 4e. I started a little in pathfinder and have been DM'ing most if not all in 5e so I don't have a lot of point of reference from other edition or other systems. Correct me if I'm wrong from your original post was to justify the reason why minions die in 1 hit vs other types would take a few more hits to take down for narrative purposive? I also believe HP scaling is problematic but have no solution, I've seen other people talk about it and how its archaic but again I'm new so not sure. Also taking monsters like goblins and having them have higher hit and damage would be better then just turning higher CR into a minion?

 

[Garthanos]

Correct me if I'm wrong from your original post was to justify the reason why minions die in 1 hit vs other types would take a few more hits to take down for narrative purposive?

Yes the narrative part still works either edition, minor difference 4e lower level monsters are mechanically more fully outclassed than 5e ones... a monster that is 5 levels lower had -5 to hit and -5 armor class so the mechanics rather fit with the narrative... to get up where they are only a bit behind they push themselves and are vulnerable when you inevitably find the openings.
And even things which are pretty damn big early on.... may be operating desperately in minion mode when they are 5 or so levels lower than the pcs.

I also believe HP scaling is problematic but have no solution, I've seen other people talk about it and how its archaic but again I'm new so not sure.

Ah if you are interested in that aspect well its a bit different scope.
It's the mechanism that well simulates heroic fiction and allows players a predictable choice about when to play differently ie serves game and fiction (not so much the raw simulation). RuneQuest is an ancient game that used static hit points. Every attack could potentially kill any character. It didnt feel particularly heroic unless you added other rules to do the job.(a bit over realistic actually to my tastes)

I can definitely see how the narrative of shifting fighting style to accommodate being outclassed definitely points to a way to potentially have static hit points though. But dividing damage and other things on the fly is kind of tough.