Minions & PC Powers that have auto damage

[Aegeri]

Then again, if you enjoy playing Accounts & Tax Returns instead of D&D, then simply numbers might be more enjoyable.

Why bother rolling for anything? Just say "I kill the Dragon with my axe!" and go "Yay us!". That should be fun right?

 

[Connorsrpg]

Seems you are not 'most people' either Aegeri

Oh, and thanks for the follow up on your enc - I get (can see it) now

 

[the Jester]

Your giant eg. I can sympathise with, but if the PCs are of a level where they have been killing giants = no prob. (Not sure if I have expressed my view clearly here...but hopefully some of you get the advice part on using minions).

I always try to bear in mind just how much damage pcs are doing when they hit a minion. 15th level pcs? They probably do upwards of 20 points on most hits. An ogre minion dies in one shot? I can live with that.

That said, I agree that using minions that are significantly higher-level than the pcs leads to all kinds of screwiness. It can make for a cool encounter that's specifically designed for an evasive but glass-jaw type of monster, but I think you really have to set it up right vis-a-vis player expectations- and certainly, the party's first fight with an ogre doesn't really match up with the glass jaw image.

 

[AngryMojo]

That said, I agree that using minions that are significantly higher-level than the pcs leads to all kinds of screwiness.

That stands to reason. Minions compared to soldiers wind up being the same problem in a completely different way. Anytime you use any monsters whose levels greatly differ from the party can lead to wonkiness, just minions and soldiers have a smaller margin for this.

 

[Aegeri]

Soldiers aren't so bad now that they don't get +7 vs. AC and +5 vs. NADs. Although their defenses are strong, they are not as whacky as they were.

 

[AngryMojo]

Soldiers aren't so bad now that they don't get +7 vs. AC and +5 vs. NADs. Although their defenses are strong, they are not as whacky as they were.

It's a step in the right direction, but throwing a Solo Soldier of level n + 4 is still a grind-fest. It's better, don't get me wrong, but still bad.

 

[Infiniti2000]

Why bother rolling for anything? Just say "I kill the Dragon with my axe!" and go "Yay us!". That should be fun right?

Your hyperbole notwithstanding, I'm not sure I will ever use a dragon minion. But, if I do, then yes.

@the Jester - we're clearly not communicating. I never said or implied one-true-way. You seem to disagree that I'm characterizing your point correctly, too. So, dunno where to go from there. A similar comment here for Connorsrpg because you guys are not representing my points correctly. For this, I look at the "Heaven forbid" comment. In infer from that you don't follow my point. If you simply didn't agree, you would not need to be so snide about.

@OnlineDM - sorry. I took your initial comment out of context with your houserule. I should've been more clear that I meant the way you ran minions with respect to RAW was boring (you said this), but it need not be (per RAW, mine and your houserules aside).

 

[Neonchameleon]

When I run minions, they are normally pretty obvious. Rabble or Militia. Goblins (or something else that's normally been outlevelled). Small animals. That said, the problem isn't always the minions. It's the Kenku Sneak, Changeling Assassin or other monster that's pretending to be one of the rabble.

And look at Orbmaster's Incendiary Detonation. Clearly, that thing was designed to remove minions.