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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Rechan" data-source="post: 4549852" data-attributes="member: 54846">Some general thoughts:1) DO NOT forget using terrain features. Difficult terrain (especially with monsters that ignore the environment's difficult terrain, such as anything spider related and webs) are VERY USEFUL. They stop movement, or can cause OAs. Hindering or Hazardous terrain causes damage. Obscuring terrain allows monsters with Combat Advantage to hide and sneak attack. And artillery/controller monsters standing behind a low wall, protected by a 10' wide trench, will really put the hurt on your PCs that have no ranged capacity.2) Look for monster ability synergies. What do I mean? The Chillborn zombie does extra damage to a foe who is immobilized, and Ghouls do extra damage to targets who are immobilized, stunned or unconscious. So, paring the ghoul or chillborn up with any monster that can immobilize PCs on a hit (Harpy's song, Deathlock Wight's grave bolt, gelatinous cube's touch, Magma Claw's spew lava, etc). Another source of synergy: A monster with combat advantage + a monster that induces status effects which grant combat advantage. The following status effects grant combat advantage: Knocked Prone Dazed Stunned Blinded Restrained You could have a monster that induces the above status effect, and several lurkers/skirmishers waiting (especially hidden with stealth) to attack the status-effected target. 3) Monster Resistance Synergy. For instance, undead are immune to poison, and have decent necrotic resistance. So hazardous terrain that do poison or necrotic damage, or enemies/traps that throw around poison or necrotic area effects are not going to harm undead, but will harm the enemies. Fire-based monsters inside a burning building have little to worry about. Fighting on a half-frozen lake sounds like cake for ice monsters, who won't take damage if they fall in the water.4) Monsters that shut down/limit PCs. These are few and far between, but they exist. For instance, the Shadar-Kai witch's Beshadowing Mist reduces the target's Line of Sight to 2 squares. This forces a bow ranger or Warlock to move well into dangerous territory if they want to use their powers. Other monsters will create areas that limit line of sight (Drow, Black Dragons) and other effects. 5) One-use terrain abilities. Imagine the bad guys standing up at the top of some narrow stairs, and they shove a barrel full of something heavy down the stairs. That's a one shot power, that hinges on something being in the area. Same with collapsing a balcony on those beneath it (or on it), knocking a columb down, setting the floor on fire, etc. These are situational circumstances that allow a little more variance.</blockquote>

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