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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Barastrondo" data-source="post: 4864450" data-attributes="member: 3820">That's not "reality." That's your perception. Mine is that "ogre" does not mean "XX HP," and "actual" does not mean "non-minion." If something takes on a non-minion role, that makes them a credible threat. This is a decision not rated on genetics. The level 3 bandit chieftain is not an "actual" human being by compare to the 1-HP miller. He is more of a direct antagonist. The idea of hit dice being a biological factor of species (kobolds are the 1/2-HD humanoid, goblins are the 1-1 HD humanoid, and the ecological niche that gnolls fill in the world is the 2 HD space between hobgoblins and bugbears) isn't one I subscribe to. It was useful back in the day, but even then you had different humanoids that line up in power level for the simple gaming purpose of letting players measure their increasing power level against them. If you strip away all the context and just say "What is an ogre?", some people's definition will include 4+1 HD. But if that's not how things are defined as the player characters would see them, the PCs not being aware of the hit die mechanic, then the utility of having ogres be 4+1 HD in particular is fairly negligible. The practical effect is that PCs can measure themselves against ogres and know themselves to be outmatched, face a tough fight, or able to brutalize the poor oafs. But fixed hit dice, level and role is not the only way to achieve that practical effect. And I tend to favor solutions that lead to more elegant and engaging combats.  If that's how you see it, sure. I prefer to make use of the minions rules, though, because it's more in keeping with how I see mythic heroes operating. The rules can now more accurately keep track of how we see the fight playing out in our heads. But I come from a land where context is the coin of the realm. Absolutes tend to break down and start rusting the moment you start applying various contexts, so they are more idle carnival curiosities than state treasures.</blockquote>

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