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Message: <blockquote data-quote="jmucchiello" data-source="post: 5797765" data-attributes="member: 813">In 1e, 1 15th level fighter (with a normal sword and AC 1, how's that for non-Monty Hall?) against 100 goblins (ave hp/goblin is 3.5), I take the fighter every time. He hits AC 4 with no strength/magic bonuses on roll of 2 (and 1 always misses). So he drops 15 goblins per round (average damage with a sword, no str bonus, is 4.5.) -1 goblin per 20 die rolls. The goblins hit only on a natural 20. By the DMG, only 8 can attack per round meaning over 5 rounds, only 2 goblins hit. (Also, 1e had no "official" crit rules.) That causes 2d6 damage, if you give all 15 goblins he attacks a one-off whack at him (via the equivalent of a held action), say he faces 120 attacks or 6d6 damage. (120 because sometime he will not roll enough damage to drop the "average" goblin.) I like his chances. (Of course this assumes the goblins don't attempt to use the overbearing rules.) His chances only improve if he has a Strength bonus or a magic sword. And give him 3-4 buddies, and I think the party destroys 100 goblins without breaking a sweat.As I said above, I conflated the goblin with the orc. 100 orcs is an entirely different fight (the fighter needs AC 0 to keep the only gets hit on a 20 benefit), but only because the fighter can cut them down like chaff. Add a MU (flying of course) and a healing cleric and I still like the party's chances.The point though is that in a dungeon, you won't find 100 anythings. And at the size of normal encounters, historically, you stop seeing goblins and orcs after around 4th level (maybe 8th level in 3e). They are no longer relevant. And that is something I liked in older editions. There's a certain cathartic reaction the party should be able to go through. Once, the sight of 6 orcs charging would strike fear in the party. Later, the sight of 6 orcs charge would cause laughter in the party. (Finding out the orcs are trolls under an illusion causes even more laughter in the DM, but that's a different catharsis.)</blockquote>

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