Zombie and Skeleton Minion Madness!

[Xeviat]

I don't recal pack zombies in the game day adventure; maybe I got a different adventure (ours had hobgoblins, nasty statues, an elf necromancer type guy and boneshard skeletons).

I compared the Zombie Rotters to Goblin Cutters on the WotC boards and got booed off. I'm glad to see others recognizing them for the crap they are. Defenses and attacks and damages were suposed to be based on role and level more than stats, so that stats were balanced for their level.

I believe the zombie should be reduced to 1st level, or 2nd and have its defenses bumped up and give it a grab. Hopefully the folks at WotC are reading our complaints.

 

[Spatula]

Giving them extra damage against grabbed targets would be great.

5 normally, 8 against grabbed.

Yeah, that's another really good idea that works great in conjunction with the non-minion zombie.

 

[rushlight]

How about giving them a new ability like this...

Death Save (when reduced to or below 0 hit points)
Unless damaged by a Critical Hit or Radiant Damage, immediately make a saving throw. A Zombie Rotter that makes this save is knocked prone with 1 hp rather than killed. If damaged by a Critical Hit or Radiant Damage, the Zombie Rotter dies with no save.
​

This would seem to bring them from level 1 to level 3, if not a little beyond. And it gives Turn Undead (and other Radiant multi-target effects) a chance to shine against minion undead just as they do against non-minion undead.

Ooh!

It's shiny and unexpected! I love it! Consider it implemented!

 

[ff6shadow]

Xeviat
Yeah, I had the hbogoblins, satues and elf too. But didn't the necro have some undead too?

 

[2eBladeSinger]

Make the zombie a 1st level minion. Done and solved.

I’m wondering what practical effect this would accomplish. I’m not being glib, I really don’t know how this makes a difference mechanically.

Giving them extra damage against grabbed targets would be great.

5 normally, 8 against grabbed.

*loves it*

How about giving them a new ability like this...

Death Save (when reduced to or below 0 hit points)
Unless damaged by a Critical Hit or Radiant Damage, immediately make a saving throw. A Zombie Rotter that makes this save is knocked prone with 1 hp rather than killed. If damaged by a Critical Hit or Radiant Damage, the Zombie Rotter dies with no save.
​

This would seem to bring them from level 1 to level 3, if not a little beyond. And it gives Turn Undead (and other Radiant multi-target effects) a chance to shine against minion undead just as they do against non-minion undead.

This. Could I do both? …probably need to justify that with a little more XP then, no?

 

[PeelSeel2]

I’m wondering what practical effect this would accomplish. I’m not being glib, I really don’t know how this makes a difference mechanically.

It does nothing except put the XP in line then with challenge.

 

[2eBladeSinger]

It does nothing except put the XP in line then with challenge.

Changing a creatures level has an effect on the amount of XP it is worth?

...Still waiting on my Amazon DMG and MM

 

[Zurai]

Changing a creatures level has an effect on the amount of XP it is worth?

Yes. There are two factors to XP value: creature level and creature type. Minions are worth 1/4 XP, elites are worth double XP, and solos are worth quintuple XP, all as compared to the "average" for their level. There's a chart in the DMG.