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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Elric" data-source="post: 4814759" data-attributes="member: 1139">Soldiers don't need all defenses lowered by 2.  According to the DMG's guidelines (pg 184), their AC is supposed to be the only defense higher than average.  However, for MM1 monsters, soldiers have noticeably higher Fort defenses than 12+level, even though Reflex and Will average almost 12+level (see <a href="http://www.enworld.org/forum/d-d-4th-edition-rules/229092-lots-statistics-monster-manual.html" target="_blank">http://www.enworld.org/forum/d-d-4th-edition-rules/229092-lots-statistics-monster-manual.html</a>).  Soldiers should be designed with the same average FRW defenses as other roles in the first place.If you were to lower soldier AC and to-hit by 2 vs other defenses, soldiers would have the same stats as skirmishers, without any major advantages to make up for skirmisher mobility.  A soldier's better to-hit bonus ends up making attacks that impose conditions significantly stronger (I think someone else mentioned this earlier in the thread).  Soldiers that impose serious conditions with their attacks should have a lower attack bonus.  For example, the Ghoul's claw attack is at level+7 vs. AC and it immobilizes and sets the target up for the very powerful Ghoulish Bite.  There's also the problem of soldiers with excessive AC; 16+level is probably fine, but 17+level with an ability that adds 2 more (Hobgoblin Soldiers) can get out of hand.  I wonder to what extent the game design assumes that artillery monsters can ensure they're targeted less in combat (to compensate for low HP) by virtue of having ranged attacks and melee monsters/good position to prevent attackers from getting to them.  A (lone) solo artillery might have this ability at a very powerful level (if it flies and its attacks are all ranged; e.g., the Beholder), or it might not have it at all (if it doesn't fly and its best attacks are melee, e.g., the Naga).  Another design point to keep in mind.</blockquote>

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