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<blockquote data-quote="AbdulAlhazred" data-source="post: 4726732" data-attributes="member: 82106"><p>Some other ideas that seem to work as well: Give the monsters a bonus to-hit. Generally since you have monsters in a fairly narrow range of levels within a single encounter I've just done this as a fixed "all the hobbos in this encounter get +3 to-hit". </p><p></p><p>Now at first glance this would seem to be a poor solution, as I'm sure you're thinking. However if you examine things at a deeper level it actually turns out to be a simpler version of essentially the same solution as reducing monster hit points and XP, except it also generally reduces their defenses as well a bit. Why is this? Because you will now use somewhat lower level monsters to challenge the party. Where in the standard system an N+ level monster might be required in order to be a credible threat, now you can use an N level monster instead, which has lower defenses and less hit points, and happens to also be worth less XP. Normally using these lower level monsters doesn't really work because they just cannot hit the party. No amount of weak monsters will generally really threaten a party because they simply cannot get past the party defenses well enough to do much damage.</p><p></p><p>Also I kind of think the major problem is with Soldier role monsters and Elite/Solo monsters. I recommend reducing the hit points of Soldiers by 25%-30%, they are almost always grindy unless the monster is 2-3 levels below the party. Boosting the N-2 or N-3 to-hit though is like I say the opposite path to the same cure for these guys. It works with Elites pretty well too. Instead of the BBEG being an N+3 level monster, make it an N level monster and give it +3 to-hit. With lesser hit points vs its offense things will go faster, usually. </p><p></p><p>Finally of course is the most basic solution of all, just design encounters with few soldiers and lots of N-1 or so skirmishers and brutes. Lurkers I think shouldn't be weaker, but the to-hit bonus works with them too, they land their nasty little surprise, and then they die, like a good little monster, contributing to the FUD of the encounter in the process. Artillery usually aren't a big problem since they're not usually all that hard to kill anyway, and there are few artillery monsters that would stick around after the rest of their pals are slain anyhow.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="AbdulAlhazred, post: 4726732, member: 82106"] Some other ideas that seem to work as well: Give the monsters a bonus to-hit. Generally since you have monsters in a fairly narrow range of levels within a single encounter I've just done this as a fixed "all the hobbos in this encounter get +3 to-hit". Now at first glance this would seem to be a poor solution, as I'm sure you're thinking. However if you examine things at a deeper level it actually turns out to be a simpler version of essentially the same solution as reducing monster hit points and XP, except it also generally reduces their defenses as well a bit. Why is this? Because you will now use somewhat lower level monsters to challenge the party. Where in the standard system an N+ level monster might be required in order to be a credible threat, now you can use an N level monster instead, which has lower defenses and less hit points, and happens to also be worth less XP. Normally using these lower level monsters doesn't really work because they just cannot hit the party. No amount of weak monsters will generally really threaten a party because they simply cannot get past the party defenses well enough to do much damage. Also I kind of think the major problem is with Soldier role monsters and Elite/Solo monsters. I recommend reducing the hit points of Soldiers by 25%-30%, they are almost always grindy unless the monster is 2-3 levels below the party. Boosting the N-2 or N-3 to-hit though is like I say the opposite path to the same cure for these guys. It works with Elites pretty well too. Instead of the BBEG being an N+3 level monster, make it an N level monster and give it +3 to-hit. With lesser hit points vs its offense things will go faster, usually. Finally of course is the most basic solution of all, just design encounters with few soldiers and lots of N-1 or so skirmishers and brutes. Lurkers I think shouldn't be weaker, but the to-hit bonus works with them too, they land their nasty little surprise, and then they die, like a good little monster, contributing to the FUD of the encounter in the process. Artillery usually aren't a big problem since they're not usually all that hard to kill anyway, and there are few artillery monsters that would stick around after the rest of their pals are slain anyhow. [/QUOTE]
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