Tough Minions

[Grimstaff]

Following the new Template guidelines from the Customizing Monsters section in the DMG(p174), I came up with a template for those who don't like the disposability of the humble minion. Templates now, btw, are very simple and meant to be scribbled on a index card or sticky note and stuck on the page of the DMG you're using. If four minions = one normal monster, then two tough minions = one normal monster.

Tough Minions
The tough minion is a minion who has learned through combat experience or simple natural ability how to make it through a fight somewhat better than the rest of his kind, but still cannot be ranked among the best.

Tough Minion - Elite Minion
Humanoid or Undead XP Elite (twice normal)
Defenses +1 AC, +1 to any one other defense
Hit Points +2 per level
Powers
Vulnerability
Missed attacks can damage a tough minion.
Desperate Fighter (standard; at-will)
When a tough minion hits with a standard attack, it does 1d4 points plus its
normally listed damage. This increases to 1d6 at 11th level, and 1d8 at 21st.
Cat O' Nine Lives (minor; encounter)
If hit by an attack that does not kill it, the tough minion may take a healing surge
on its next turn as a minor action, regaining hp equal to half its max hp.


So, with this quick template, an orc drudge(for example) would look like:

Tough Orc Drudge - Level 4 Elite Minion
Medium natural humanoid XP 88
Initiative +0 Senses Perception +0; low-light vision
HP 9
AC 17; Fortitude 15, Reflex 13, Will 12
Speed 6 (8 while charging)
atk Club (standard; at-will) Weapon
+9 vs AC; 1d4+5 damage.
Cat O' Nine Lives (minor; encounter)
If hit by an attack that does not kill it, the tough minion may take a healing surge
on its next turn as a minor action, regaining 4 hp.
Alignment Chaotic Evil Languages Common, Giant
Str 16(+5) Dex 10(+2) Wis 10(+2)
Con 14(+4) Int 8(+1) Cha 9(+1)
Equipment hide armor, club

And since these only take minute to do, here's another one, the Tough Ogre Thug:

Tough Ogre Thug - Level 11 Elite Minion
Large natural humanoid XP 300
Initiative +5 Senses Perception +5
HP 23
AC 23; Fortitude 25, Reflex 20, Will 21
Speed 8
atk Greatclub (standard; at-will) Weapon
Reach 2; +14 vs AC; 1d6+8 damage.
Cat O' Nine Lives (minor; encounter)
If hit by an attack that does not kill it, the tough minion may take a healing surge
on its next turn as a minor action, regaining 12 hp.
Alignment Chaotic Evil Languages Giant
Str 21(+10) Dex 11(+5) Wis 11(+5)
Con 21(+10) Int 4(+2) Cha 6(+3)
Equipment greatclub

 

[Samurai]

What I did to create tougher Minions was to simply use their listed Con bonus (which is actually their Con mod + 1/2 their level) as damage resistance. They still only have 1 HP (so no HP tracking is needed), but if the attack did equal to or less than their listed Con bonus, they brushed it off. If it did more, they are down.

So a 10th level Minion with a +1 Con mod would have a total listed Con bonus of +6. If an attack does 6 points of damage or less, he's unharmed. If it does 7 points or more, he's down. Simple. I made no changes to weapon damage, healing surges, or anything else.

 

[DanmarLOK]

I used what I'm calling a Mook idea based on something someone posted about on the 4th ed forums. It's very much like the Mook + Toughness in True 20 and Mook + (something that I forget) in Savage Worlds (never played SW). And similiar to the second poster.

Essentially the idea is the upgraded Minion has a damage threshold OR a saving throw depending on which floats your boat more. The damage threshold should be roughly the average damage dealt for that level of PC. For example for level 1, I'd suggest probably 7 or 8 as the threshold value. 5 is too low even at level 1. They're still just Minions with those values.

System a) the Toughness Check (ala True 20) means that when a upgraded Minion takes damage unless the damage beats the toughness value (damage resistence) or whatever the minion is unharmed and shrugs it off. So on average one out of every two minions will die to one hit and the other will take 2 hits. On average. And no bookkeeping in involved.

System b) goes something like "When hit the Minion makes a standard save to avoid death". If the minion makes its save it's unharmed and we go on so roughly 9 out of every 20 hits will kill a Minion.

I favor the first type of system because that puts all the responsiblity on the Player to do well. They need to roll average damage to kill the minion.

System b means no matter what the player rolls, as long as he hits then it's up to the DM to determine if the minion dies.

The first 'feels' better to me as a DM and after testing to my players.

The second allows the DM the ability to fudge things. If he seriously needs a minion down then the minion fails, or if it's been too easy the minion makes it.

Anyway, not trying to derail the thread or say the OP is bad, just offering up some of the other posted notions in this regard.

Which apparently is a pretty common occurance, people feeling Minions are a little too glass jawed.

In fact, prior to playtesting I had Mooks 'cost' 50 xp versus Minions 25 xp but I set their Toughness value at 5 and frankly that's most attacks minimums.

After playtesting I'm going to set, at first level, the Toughness value to 8 and try it with ALL minions having that so no creature goes dead just because a player rolled a hit. While it's very 'cool' to see a dragonborn kill 6 minions by breathing on them because they only need one point of damage, it seems to trivialize the battle to both me and the players. And when your players are going, "Uh those things are kinda lame." it's time to rethink things.

D

 

[PeelSeel2]

I just made it so tougher minions can take two hits instead of one. A critical I ruled counted as two hits.