WotBS WotBS #1 monster defenses

[rangda]

I've been entering the monsters from WotBS #1 into Virtual Combat Cards in preparation for running the module and the monster defenses seem way over the top. Most of the monsters are solders, and even those that aren't have very high non-AC defenses.

Assuming that weapon users for levels 1-3 are going to range from +6 to +10 to hit, and implement users are going to range from +4 to +8, it looks like the party is going to be well on the wrong side of 50/50 to hit for pretty much every monster. Implement users in particular are going to have a hard time as I think they are going to need to roll 15+ to hit a fair amount of the monsters in this module. A few of the solders they might need to roll 18's or 19's to hit fort. This seems both out of hand and a source of serious frustration.

How has this gone for other people who have run the module?

 

[Daern]

I found it was best to re do all the stats in the Monster Builder program. In addition to wonky defenses, many of the major villains have long complicated power lists, maybe translations from the 3rd edition iteration.
On the whole though, I found it was nice to let the PCs just run through the first few encounters and keep the story moving. I used Brutal houserules as well (less hp/ higher damage attacks)
Make Flaganus Mortus tougher though. I added in a wounded wyvern.
cheers

 

[Blackbrrd]

I ran most monsters as they were, even upping some of the defences. Not a big problem at all. It must be noted that they didn't fight all the NPC's, but used diplomacy in some instances, and with a party of 7, obtaining combat advantage through flanking is pretty easy.

I didn't notice the players needing 15+ to hit though? They seemed to hit about 50% of the time...

 

[Morrus]

We didn't experience any issues - except the Dead Rising encounter, of course. The PCs actually seemed to find most fights quite easy.

 

[Blackbrrd]

We didn't experience any issues - except the Dead Rising encounter, of course. The PCs actually seemed to find most fights quite easy.

Regarding that adventure, would it be much work to change the damage to 1d6 instead of 3d6 and burst 1 instead of burst 3?

That is what I used in my campaign and it made the encounter fun and tactical. (Two characters had push/slide 1 that could be used to kill a monster without getting the burst damage, which they managed after a while)