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What are the implications of using a monster's maximum hit points instead of the average?
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I'm starting a new campaign and I'd like to try and make some of my monsters a little hardier. I'm fine with how hard they can hit the PCs, but my main problem is how quickly the monsters go down.
For example, if I was to use the Goblin's maximum HP of 12 (2d6) instead of the average, 7, would this cause any major issues or will it just do what I'm hoping?
dnd-5e monsters
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Jamie Brace
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up vote
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I'm starting a new campaign and I'd like to try and make some of my monsters a little hardier. I'm fine with how hard they can hit the PCs, but my main problem is how quickly the monsters go down.
For example, if I was to use the Goblin's maximum HP of 12 (2d6) instead of the average, 7, would this cause any major issues or will it just do what I'm hoping?
dnd-5e monsters
asked 1 hour ago
Jamie Brace
5,41763679
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up vote
4
down vote
favorite
up vote
4
down vote
favorite
I'm starting a new campaign and I'd like to try and make some of my monsters a little hardier. I'm fine with how hard they can hit the PCs, but my main problem is how quickly the monsters go down.
For example, if I was to use the Goblin's maximum HP of 12 (2d6) instead of the average, 7, would this cause any major issues or will it just do what I'm hoping?
dnd-5e monsters
asked 1 hour ago
Jamie Brace
5,41763679
I'm starting a new campaign and I'd like to try and make some of my monsters a little hardier. I'm fine with how hard they can hit the PCs, but my main problem is how quickly the monsters go down.
For example, if I was to use the Goblin's maximum HP of 12 (2d6) instead of the average, 7, would this cause any major issues or will it just do what I'm hoping?
dnd-5e monsters
dnd-5e monsters
asked 1 hour ago
Jamie Brace
5,41763679
asked 1 hour ago
Jamie Brace
5,41763679
asked 1 hour ago
Jamie Brace
5,41763679
asked 1 hour ago
Jamie Brace
5,41763679
asked 1 hour ago
Jamie Brace
5,41763679
5,41763679
@RichBenner See this FAQ for why your comment was removed. Thanks!
– SevenSidedDie♦
50 mins ago
@Mouhgouda See this FAQ for why your comment was removed. Thanks!
– SevenSidedDie♦
50 mins ago
@MarkTO See this FAQ for why your comment was removed. Thanks!
– SevenSidedDie♦
50 mins ago
add a comment |Â
@RichBenner See this FAQ for why your comment was removed. Thanks!
– SevenSidedDie♦
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@Mouhgouda See this FAQ for why your comment was removed. Thanks!
– SevenSidedDie♦
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@MarkTO See this FAQ for why your comment was removed. Thanks!
– SevenSidedDie♦
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@RichBenner See this FAQ for why your comment was removed. Thanks!
– SevenSidedDie♦
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– SevenSidedDie♦
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@Mouhgouda See this FAQ for why your comment was removed. Thanks!
– SevenSidedDie♦
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@Mouhgouda See this FAQ for why your comment was removed. Thanks!
– SevenSidedDie♦
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3 Answers
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oldest
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up vote
4
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You're free to adjust the stats of monsters as you like in order to achieve the right balance of challenge in your game - if you find that your monsters are too easy to kill, increasing their hitpoints seems the natural answer. Keeping it within the realm of what is hypothetically possible for a given creature should ensure that the balance impact isn't too overwhelming, at least at low levels, where it means one or two attack's difference; at higher levels, near-doubling a creature's hit points may make several rounds of difference to the fight, so it's a much more significant change.
The biggest balance effect will be that the relative value of effects which aren't based on direct hit point damage or totals will increase; a tougher monster might be able to take twice as many hits, but it is no more resilient to being blinded or restrained than it was previously, so smart players may start using more debuffing and disabling methods of attack.
This does shift the balance of power towards spellcasting classes that can more easily produce such effects; at low levels this won't seem a massive change (since you don't get many spells per day and the difference in HP is smaller in absolute terms) but at higher levels it's going to increase the existing disparity between the effectiveness of martial and magical classes. Whether or not that's a particular problem for you depends on the attitude of your group and how they approach the game's balance.
answered 42 mins ago
Carcer
19.1k249105
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up vote
4
down vote
Early enemies become more dangerous
A goblin has an AC of 15, which is much higher than the DMG-recommended AC for a foe of its CR. In exchange, it has extremely low HP. Let's consider a level 1 melee character. With 7.5 (1d8+3) damage from a longsword, the character will, on average, barely kill a goblin if they hit. If the goblin instead has 12 HP, it will take two hits (around 4 attacks) to down it, doubling the length of already-dangerous low-level combats.
Control becomes more powerful
The fighter takes up to twice as long to kill an enemy with maximized HP. The wizard casts hypnotic pattern and it is exactly as effective as it was against enemies with normal HP. In my experience, the game is already slightly in favor of full spellcasters, and maximizing HP would exacerbate the situation.
answered 40 mins ago
Chris Starnes
1,358417
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up vote
2
down vote
It depends on your definition of "I'm fine with how hard they can hit".
If a goblin can survive for 7hp worth of damage, and in that time cause (For example) 5 damage of their own, then a goblin surviving for 12hp worth of damage then in that time they are likely to cause 8-9 points of damage instead of just 5.
So be increasing their longevity you are also increasing their expected damage output.
This has the effect of making fights more dangerous, and the party needing more rests to recover from damage, not just increasing the length of the fights.
answered 29 mins ago
SeriousBri
3,99211036
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3 Answers
3
active
oldest
votes
3 Answers
3
active
oldest
votes
active
oldest
votes
active
oldest
votes
up vote
4
down vote
You're free to adjust the stats of monsters as you like in order to achieve the right balance of challenge in your game - if you find that your monsters are too easy to kill, increasing their hitpoints seems the natural answer. Keeping it within the realm of what is hypothetically possible for a given creature should ensure that the balance impact isn't too overwhelming, at least at low levels, where it means one or two attack's difference; at higher levels, near-doubling a creature's hit points may make several rounds of difference to the fight, so it's a much more significant change.
The biggest balance effect will be that the relative value of effects which aren't based on direct hit point damage or totals will increase; a tougher monster might be able to take twice as many hits, but it is no more resilient to being blinded or restrained than it was previously, so smart players may start using more debuffing and disabling methods of attack.
This does shift the balance of power towards spellcasting classes that can more easily produce such effects; at low levels this won't seem a massive change (since you don't get many spells per day and the difference in HP is smaller in absolute terms) but at higher levels it's going to increase the existing disparity between the effectiveness of martial and magical classes. Whether or not that's a particular problem for you depends on the attitude of your group and how they approach the game's balance.
answered 42 mins ago
Carcer
19.1k249105
add a comment |Â
up vote
4
down vote
You're free to adjust the stats of monsters as you like in order to achieve the right balance of challenge in your game - if you find that your monsters are too easy to kill, increasing their hitpoints seems the natural answer. Keeping it within the realm of what is hypothetically possible for a given creature should ensure that the balance impact isn't too overwhelming, at least at low levels, where it means one or two attack's difference; at higher levels, near-doubling a creature's hit points may make several rounds of difference to the fight, so it's a much more significant change.
The biggest balance effect will be that the relative value of effects which aren't based on direct hit point damage or totals will increase; a tougher monster might be able to take twice as many hits, but it is no more resilient to being blinded or restrained than it was previously, so smart players may start using more debuffing and disabling methods of attack.
This does shift the balance of power towards spellcasting classes that can more easily produce such effects; at low levels this won't seem a massive change (since you don't get many spells per day and the difference in HP is smaller in absolute terms) but at higher levels it's going to increase the existing disparity between the effectiveness of martial and magical classes. Whether or not that's a particular problem for you depends on the attitude of your group and how they approach the game's balance.
answered 42 mins ago
Carcer
19.1k249105
add a comment |Â
up vote
4
down vote
up vote
4
down vote
You're free to adjust the stats of monsters as you like in order to achieve the right balance of challenge in your game - if you find that your monsters are too easy to kill, increasing their hitpoints seems the natural answer. Keeping it within the realm of what is hypothetically possible for a given creature should ensure that the balance impact isn't too overwhelming, at least at low levels, where it means one or two attack's difference; at higher levels, near-doubling a creature's hit points may make several rounds of difference to the fight, so it's a much more significant change.
The biggest balance effect will be that the relative value of effects which aren't based on direct hit point damage or totals will increase; a tougher monster might be able to take twice as many hits, but it is no more resilient to being blinded or restrained than it was previously, so smart players may start using more debuffing and disabling methods of attack.
This does shift the balance of power towards spellcasting classes that can more easily produce such effects; at low levels this won't seem a massive change (since you don't get many spells per day and the difference in HP is smaller in absolute terms) but at higher levels it's going to increase the existing disparity between the effectiveness of martial and magical classes. Whether or not that's a particular problem for you depends on the attitude of your group and how they approach the game's balance.
answered 42 mins ago
Carcer
19.1k249105
You're free to adjust the stats of monsters as you like in order to achieve the right balance of challenge in your game - if you find that your monsters are too easy to kill, increasing their hitpoints seems the natural answer. Keeping it within the realm of what is hypothetically possible for a given creature should ensure that the balance impact isn't too overwhelming, at least at low levels, where it means one or two attack's difference; at higher levels, near-doubling a creature's hit points may make several rounds of difference to the fight, so it's a much more significant change.
The biggest balance effect will be that the relative value of effects which aren't based on direct hit point damage or totals will increase; a tougher monster might be able to take twice as many hits, but it is no more resilient to being blinded or restrained than it was previously, so smart players may start using more debuffing and disabling methods of attack.
This does shift the balance of power towards spellcasting classes that can more easily produce such effects; at low levels this won't seem a massive change (since you don't get many spells per day and the difference in HP is smaller in absolute terms) but at higher levels it's going to increase the existing disparity between the effectiveness of martial and magical classes. Whether or not that's a particular problem for you depends on the attitude of your group and how they approach the game's balance.
answered 42 mins ago
Carcer
19.1k249105
answered 42 mins ago
Carcer
19.1k249105
answered 42 mins ago
Carcer
19.1k249105
answered 42 mins ago
Carcer
19.1k249105
19.1k249105
add a comment |Â
add a comment |Â
up vote
4
down vote
Early enemies become more dangerous
A goblin has an AC of 15, which is much higher than the DMG-recommended AC for a foe of its CR. In exchange, it has extremely low HP. Let's consider a level 1 melee character. With 7.5 (1d8+3) damage from a longsword, the character will, on average, barely kill a goblin if they hit. If the goblin instead has 12 HP, it will take two hits (around 4 attacks) to down it, doubling the length of already-dangerous low-level combats.
Control becomes more powerful
The fighter takes up to twice as long to kill an enemy with maximized HP. The wizard casts hypnotic pattern and it is exactly as effective as it was against enemies with normal HP. In my experience, the game is already slightly in favor of full spellcasters, and maximizing HP would exacerbate the situation.
answered 40 mins ago
Chris Starnes
1,358417
add a comment |Â
up vote
4
down vote
Early enemies become more dangerous
A goblin has an AC of 15, which is much higher than the DMG-recommended AC for a foe of its CR. In exchange, it has extremely low HP. Let's consider a level 1 melee character. With 7.5 (1d8+3) damage from a longsword, the character will, on average, barely kill a goblin if they hit. If the goblin instead has 12 HP, it will take two hits (around 4 attacks) to down it, doubling the length of already-dangerous low-level combats.
Control becomes more powerful
The fighter takes up to twice as long to kill an enemy with maximized HP. The wizard casts hypnotic pattern and it is exactly as effective as it was against enemies with normal HP. In my experience, the game is already slightly in favor of full spellcasters, and maximizing HP would exacerbate the situation.
answered 40 mins ago
Chris Starnes
1,358417
add a comment |Â
up vote
4
down vote
up vote
4
down vote
Early enemies become more dangerous
A goblin has an AC of 15, which is much higher than the DMG-recommended AC for a foe of its CR. In exchange, it has extremely low HP. Let's consider a level 1 melee character. With 7.5 (1d8+3) damage from a longsword, the character will, on average, barely kill a goblin if they hit. If the goblin instead has 12 HP, it will take two hits (around 4 attacks) to down it, doubling the length of already-dangerous low-level combats.
Control becomes more powerful
The fighter takes up to twice as long to kill an enemy with maximized HP. The wizard casts hypnotic pattern and it is exactly as effective as it was against enemies with normal HP. In my experience, the game is already slightly in favor of full spellcasters, and maximizing HP would exacerbate the situation.
answered 40 mins ago
Chris Starnes
1,358417
Early enemies become more dangerous
A goblin has an AC of 15, which is much higher than the DMG-recommended AC for a foe of its CR. In exchange, it has extremely low HP. Let's consider a level 1 melee character. With 7.5 (1d8+3) damage from a longsword, the character will, on average, barely kill a goblin if they hit. If the goblin instead has 12 HP, it will take two hits (around 4 attacks) to down it, doubling the length of already-dangerous low-level combats.
Control becomes more powerful
The fighter takes up to twice as long to kill an enemy with maximized HP. The wizard casts hypnotic pattern and it is exactly as effective as it was against enemies with normal HP. In my experience, the game is already slightly in favor of full spellcasters, and maximizing HP would exacerbate the situation.
answered 40 mins ago
Chris Starnes
1,358417
answered 40 mins ago
Chris Starnes
1,358417
answered 40 mins ago
Chris Starnes
1,358417
answered 40 mins ago
Chris Starnes
1,358417
1,358417
add a comment |Â
add a comment |Â
up vote
2
down vote
It depends on your definition of "I'm fine with how hard they can hit".
If a goblin can survive for 7hp worth of damage, and in that time cause (For example) 5 damage of their own, then a goblin surviving for 12hp worth of damage then in that time they are likely to cause 8-9 points of damage instead of just 5.
So be increasing their longevity you are also increasing their expected damage output.
This has the effect of making fights more dangerous, and the party needing more rests to recover from damage, not just increasing the length of the fights.
answered 29 mins ago
SeriousBri
3,99211036
add a comment |Â
up vote
2
down vote
It depends on your definition of "I'm fine with how hard they can hit".
If a goblin can survive for 7hp worth of damage, and in that time cause (For example) 5 damage of their own, then a goblin surviving for 12hp worth of damage then in that time they are likely to cause 8-9 points of damage instead of just 5.
So be increasing their longevity you are also increasing their expected damage output.
This has the effect of making fights more dangerous, and the party needing more rests to recover from damage, not just increasing the length of the fights.
answered 29 mins ago
SeriousBri
3,99211036
add a comment |Â
up vote
2
down vote
up vote
2
down vote
It depends on your definition of "I'm fine with how hard they can hit".
If a goblin can survive for 7hp worth of damage, and in that time cause (For example) 5 damage of their own, then a goblin surviving for 12hp worth of damage then in that time they are likely to cause 8-9 points of damage instead of just 5.
So be increasing their longevity you are also increasing their expected damage output.
This has the effect of making fights more dangerous, and the party needing more rests to recover from damage, not just increasing the length of the fights.
answered 29 mins ago
SeriousBri
3,99211036
It depends on your definition of "I'm fine with how hard they can hit".
If a goblin can survive for 7hp worth of damage, and in that time cause (For example) 5 damage of their own, then a goblin surviving for 12hp worth of damage then in that time they are likely to cause 8-9 points of damage instead of just 5.
So be increasing their longevity you are also increasing their expected damage output.
This has the effect of making fights more dangerous, and the party needing more rests to recover from damage, not just increasing the length of the fights.
answered 29 mins ago
SeriousBri
3,99211036
answered 29 mins ago
SeriousBri
3,99211036
answered 29 mins ago
SeriousBri
3,99211036
answered 29 mins ago
SeriousBri
3,99211036
3,99211036
add a comment |Â
add a comment |Â
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@RichBenner See this FAQ for why your comment was removed. Thanks!
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– SevenSidedDie♦
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