XP/Level gain & sandboxing

[S'mon]

It has certainly been noted that the divide between minion and standard is rather large. There's always room in there for something in between. It would be easy enough to build a stat block with half normal hit points and maybe one simple power and possibly a trait. They'd be useful as monsters that won't just fall down if you toss auto damage at them, but can still be ganked with a single solid focused hit. Going with 1/3 or 1/4 normal hit points might even be best, but you'll have to experiment a bit. Maybe make them worth 50% XP of a standard.

This is better than using lower level monsters as those will both prove pretty much ineffective, are more complicated, and probably still have a bit more hit points that you want.

My basic approach going forward in my next campaigns is to halve all monster hit points, but use more elites and solos (which I have previously avoided); converting some standard monsters in published adventures to elites as appropriate. Encounters can be run a couple levels higher to maintain the threat level. XP from non-minions will thus be more generous; I have found it rather stingy, esp compared to minion XP. And I may reduce XP for lower level monsters, say 1/2 XP if more than 3 levels below party level.

 

[S'mon]

This is better than using lower level monsters as those will both prove pretty much ineffective, are more complicated, and probably still have a bit more hit points that you want.

The alternatives I've been toying with for mooks:

1. Minions ca 2 levels above PC level, with a damage threshold (1/2 level+5) to kill, half that to bloody.

or

2. Standard monsters ca 2 levels below PC level, with half hit points, and simple, rather minion-like design.

#2 is worth twice as much XP as #1, but that's not a big problem.