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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Dausuul" data-source="post: 4236895" data-attributes="member: 58197">Well, I just crunched the numbers for zombie and goblin minions against the DDXP pregen fighter.  Assuming the goblins are not able to flank, the zombies perform* about 12% better than the goblins.  The zombies' lower AC has a relatively minor impact, since the fighter's +6 attack bonus is good enough to connect most of the time either way.  On the other hand, since the fighter has an AC of 19 (!), the zombies' increased chance to hit is quite valuable, and the extra damage helps too.Now, this does not in fact justify the zombies being level 3.  Based on the XP values we've seen, a level 3 monster should perform about 73% better than a level 1 monster.  Nor does it take into account the presence of squishier characters who target defenses other than AC.  Still, the zombie is a stronger opponent, at least as far as brute melee combat.Moreover, there is also the possibility that the zombies attack under cover of darkness.  Since they have darkvision and the PCs likely do not, that gives a major advantage to the zombies.*Performance is measured by average number of rounds the monster can survive, times average amount of damage per round the monster inflicts.  Zombies survive 1.43 rounds and inflict 2 points of damage per round; goblins survive 1.82 rounds and inflict 1.4 damage per round.</blockquote>